A Grief Observed

by Lewis, C S

A Grief Observed comprises the reflections of the great scholar and Christian on the death of his wife after only a few short years of marriage. Painfully honest in its dissection of his thoughts and feelings, this is a book that details his paralyzing grief, bewilderment and sense of loss in simple and moving prose.

Invaluable as an insight into the grieving process just as much as it is as an exploration of religious doubt, A Grief Observed will continue to offer its consoling insights to a huge range of readers, as it has for over fifty years.” From publisher Faber and Faber.

First Edition Identification

The book was first published in 1961 by Faber and Faber, London, under the pseudonym N.W. Clerk. Lewis wished to avoid identification as the author and referred to his wife as only ‘H’.

Reviews

Review this book!

On Apr 21, 2012, Judy_Croome said
In the last year, I've experienced a spate of close family deaths, but Lewis’ A GRIEF OBSERVED is a personal diary I could relate to only fleetingly. Perhaps his sincere grief, and its intensity, is different to my grief because, thankfully, I haven’t yet lost my own much-loved spouse. While Madeleine L’Engle’s introduction was an erudite and emotional expression of her grief after losing her husband of 40 years, Lewis’s first two chapters were too angrily self-absorbed and incoherent for me to gain any comfort or connection with his writing. To his credit, he appears fully aware of this, and expresses his own doubts about his painful intellectual ramblings about what is, in truth, a purely emotional experience. “Do I hope,” he says on Page 32, “that if feeling disguises itself as thought I shall feel less?” And later, on Page 36, he says, “Feelings, and feelings, and feelings. Let me try thinking instead.” I was left with the impression that, in his obvious shock at losing his beloved H, despite all their prayers, he turned to his outstanding intellect for succour, and found none.Reflecting the social era in which he wrote it (1960), and his own genius (he was an Oxford Fellow), there are also hints of social and intellectual elitism in this book. Lewis’s disparaging dismissal of a labouring man’s grief for his Mum (Page 21 and 51) did expose certain personal attitudes to people he considered intellectually and socially beneath him.But then, like grief itself, this is a very individual book. Lewis’s grief cannot be mine, and vice versa. I’m left with a mild sense of distaste that such a personal diary was ever published and wonder why Lewis agreed to publish such an intimate and, at times, hostile reflection of his private experience of loss.However, the last two chapters, when Lewis has clearly begun to find his emotional balance again, did provide some interesting and challenging thoughts on death, the process of grieving and God. Observations such as the small gem “Sorrow, however, turns out to be not a state but a process,” made the book worth finishing.

Available Copies

A Grief Observed

A Grief Observed

by Lewis, C.S.

Condition
Used - Very Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
0571066240
Quantity Available
1
Seller
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 2 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$1.39

Show Details

Description:
Paperback. Very Good.
Item Price
$1.39
A Grief Observed

A Grief Observed

by Lewis, C.S.

Condition
Used - Acceptable
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
0571066240
Quantity Available
1
Seller
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 2 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$1.39

Show Details

Description:
Paperback. Acceptable.
Item Price
$1.39
A Grief Observed

A Grief Observed

by Lewis, C.S.

Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
057129068X
Quantity Available
1
Seller
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 2 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$4.04

Show Details

Description:
Paperback. Good.
Item Price
$4.04
A Grief Observed

A Grief Observed

by Lewis, C.S.

Condition
Used - Very Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
057129068X
Quantity Available
1
Seller
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 2 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$4.04

Show Details

Description:
Paperback. Very Good.
Item Price
$4.04
No image available

A Grief Observed (Faber paperbacks)

by C.S. Lewis

Condition
Used; Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
0571066240
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Milton Keynes , Buckinghamshire, GBR
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$4.44

Show Details

Description:
Faber and Faber. Paperback. Used; Good. Simply Brit – welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there’s something for every literary palate. All orders are… Read more about this item
Item Price
$4.44
No image available

A Grief Observed

by Lewis, C. S.

Condition
Used
Binding
Softcover
ISBN 10
057129068x
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Narrabeen, New South Wales, AUS
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$7.39

Show Details

Description:
Faber & Faber, London... 0. Softcover. 8vo softcover 64pp. Very Good, light foxing to edges & endpapers. .
Item Price
$7.39
A Grief Observed

A Grief Observed

by Lewis, C.S.

Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
0571066240
Quantity Available
1
Seller
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 2 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$1.39

Show Details

Description:
Paperback. Good.
Item Price
$1.39
A Grief Observed

A Grief Observed

by C. S. Lewis (author); Madeleine L'Engle (foreword)

Condition
Used - Good+
Published
1996
Binding
Glued binding
ISBN 10
0060652381
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Kansas City, Missouri, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$10.00

Show Details

Description:
Clean, unmarked copy with minor wear. Pages slightly tanned.
Item Price
$10.00
No image available

A Grief Observed

by C. S. Lewis

Condition
Used: Good
Published
1984-01
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 10
0816401373
Quantity Available
1
Seller
HOUSTON, Texas, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$10.30

Show Details

Description:
HarperSanFrancisco, 1984-01. Hardcover. Used: Good.
Item Price
$10.30
A Grief Observed

A Grief Observed

by C. S. Lewis

Condition
Used - Good
Published
2001
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
0060652381
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Seattle, Washington, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$7.83

Show Details

Description:
HarperCollins Publishers, 2001. Paperback. Good. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
$7.83
No image available

A Grief Observed

by Lewis, C. S

Condition
Used - Good
Published
1984-01-01
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 10
0816401373
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$9.25

Show Details

Description:
Seabury Pr, 1984-01-01. Hardcover. Good. 7x5x0. Contents are tight, some ink; in used dj
Item Price
$9.25
No image available

A Grief Observed

by Lewis, C. S

Condition
New
Published
1984-01-01
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 10
0816401373
Quantity Available
1
Seller
San Diego, California, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$106.29

Show Details

Description:
Seabury Pr, 1984-01-01. Hardcover. New. New. In shrink wrap. Looks like an interesting title!
Item Price
$106.29
No image available

A Grief Observed

by Lewis, C S

Condition
Used - Good
ISBN 10
0553235397
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Frederick, Maryland, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$2.99

Show Details

Description:
Bantam Doubleday Dell. Used - Good. Good condition.
Item Price
$2.99
A Grief Observed
More Photos

A Grief Observed

by Lewis, C.S.

Condition
As New
Jacket Condition
No Dust-jacket As Issued
Edition
Twelfth Printing
Published
2000
Binding
Trade Paperback
ISBN 10
0060652381
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Canton, Georgia, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$4.50

Show Details

Description:
San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2000. Twelfth Printing. Trade Paperback. As New/No Dust-jacket As Issued. In Wraps; Covers are clean and bright and flat; corners are sharp and spine is not creased; Book Edges are Clean; Book Interior is clean, tight and unmarked; 8vo; 76 pages; 0.20#; P3; A; MS9.00; OD-101823;ACQ6-23;C-123; 10/12/318;
Item Price
$4.50
A Grief Observed

A Grief Observed

by C.S. Lewis

Condition
Like new
ISBN 10
0060652845
Quantity Available
1
Seller
FREDERICKSBURG, Virginia, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$13.00

Show Details

Description:
C. S. Lewis' classic confession of near-despair and rediscovered faith probes the issues of life, death, and hope in the midst of loss.
Item Price
$13.00
GRIEF OBSERVED

GRIEF OBSERVED

by C S Lewis

Condition
Used - Very Good
Published
1976
ISBN 10
0553235397
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Blairsville, Georgia, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$5.95

Show Details

Description:
Clean & tight & unmarked. Tanning of pages with age. Moderate shelf/edge wear with a small spot of scuffing on back cover near bottom.
Item Price
$5.95
A Grief Observed

A Grief Observed

by C. S. Lewis

Condition
New
Binding
Hardback
ISBN 10
006065273x
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Southport, Merseyside, GBR
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$19.11

Show Details

Description:
Hardback. New.
Item Price
$19.11
No image available

A Grief Observed

by Lewis, C.S.

Condition
Used
Published
1961
ISBN 10
0816401373
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Eugene, Oregon, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 3 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$27.00

Show Details

Description:
The Seabury Press, 1961. Hardcover with dust jacket. VG/VG. Eighth printing, in red dust jacket. Slight foxing to dust jacket.
Item Price
$27.00
No image available

A Grief Observed

by C. S. Lewis

Condition
UsedGood
ISBN 10
0060652381
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Skokie, Illinois, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$5.42

Show Details

Description:
UsedGood. 2001 pbk ed w/ alt cover (76 pgs). VERY noticeable sun fading. Text is mostly clean & readable.
Item Price
$5.42
No image available

A Grief Observed

by Lewis, C.S. (Afterword), Chad Walsh

Condition
Used - Near Fine
Published
1983
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
0553274864
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Eunumclaw, Washington, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$3.40

Show Details

Description:
US: Bantam, 1983. Bantam 1983 Near Fine/ Minimal tip wear and minimal spine creasing o/w Fine. Tight unmarked tanned pages.. Mass Market Paperback. Near Fine.
Item Price
$3.40