A heart-rending historical romance, and a glimpse into the life of a writerPoet, atheist and communist, New Yorker Joy Davidman is an unconventional woman – and an unlikely partner for an English academic and theologian.And when she starts a correspondence with Narnia author C. S. Lewis, she isn't looking for love. Her own marriage crumbling, she seeks refuge in her work, and guidance from a writer she admires.But in Joy's letters Lewis discovers a kindred spirit, and an intellect to equal his own. Bonding over a shared love of literature and ideas, a deep connection is forged between the two.Embarking on the adventure of a lifetime, Joy travels from America to England and back again. Facing heartbreak and poverty, discovering friendship and faith, against all the odds, the couple struggle to secure a love that will endure forever.

Becoming Mrs. Lewis: The Improbable Love Story of Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis

Religion & Spirituality

Callahan, Patti

Christian Books & Bibles

Harper Inspire

Meet the brilliant writer, fiercely independent mother, and passionate woman who captured the heart of C.S. Lewis and inspired the books that still enchant and change us today, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Book of Flora Lea. 
When poet and writer Joy Davidman began writing letters to C. S. Lewis—known as Jack—she was looking for spiritual answers, not love. Love, after all, wasn’t holding together her crumbling marriage. Everything about New Yorker Joy seemed ill-matched for an Oxford professor and the beloved writer of The Chronicles of Narnia, yet their minds bonded over their letters. 
Embarking on the adventure of her life, Joy traveled from America to England and back again, facing heartbreak and poverty, discovering friendship and faith, and against all odds, found a love that even the threat of death couldn’t destroy. 
In this masterful exploration of one of the greatest love stories of modern times, we meet a brilliant writer, a fiercely independent mother, and a passionate woman who changed the life of this respected author and inspired books that still enchant us and change us. Joy lived at a time when women weren’t meant to have a voice—and yet her love for Jack gave them both voices they didn’t know they had. 
At once a fascinating historical novel and a glimpse into a writer’s life, Becoming Mrs. Lewis is above all a love story—a love of literature and ideas and a love between a husband and wife that, in the end, was not impossible at all. 
This expanded edition includes: Map of Oxford Expanded discussion guide with 20+ questions perfect for book clubs Timeline of Jack's and Joy's Lives Joy's (imagined) letter to Jack 10 Things You May Not Know About Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis's Love Story Behind-the-scenes essay: Oxford—The City

Becoming Mrs. Lewis: Expanded Edition

Literature & Fiction

Genre Fiction

Thomas Nelson

Now a USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestseller!
“Patti Callahan seems to have found the story she was born to tell in this tale of unlikely friendship turned true love between Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis, that tests the bounds of faith and radically alters both of their lives. Their connection comes to life in Callahan’s expert hands, revealing a connection so persuasive and affecting, we wonder if there’s another like it in history. Luminous and penetrating.” —Paula McLain, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife
In a most improbable friendship, she found love. In a world where women were silenced, she found her voice. 
From New York Times bestselling author Patti Callahan comes an exquisite novel of Joy Davidman, the woman C. S. Lewis called “my whole world.” When poet and writer Joy Davidman began writing letters to C. S. Lewis—known as Jack—she was looking for spiritual answers, not love. Love, after all, wasn’t holding together her crumbling marriage. Everything about New Yorker Joy seemed ill-matched for an Oxford don and the beloved writer of Narnia, yet their minds bonded over their letters. Embarking on the adventure of her life, Joy traveled from America to England and back again, facing heartbreak and poverty, discovering friendship and faith, and against all odds, finding a love that even the threat of death couldn’t destroy. 
In this masterful exploration of one of the greatest love stories of modern times, we meet a brilliant writer, a fiercely independent mother, and a passionate woman who changed the life of this respected author and inspired books that still enchant us and change us. Joy lived at a time when women weren’t meant to have a voice—and yet her love for Jack gave them both voices they didn’t know they had. 
At once a fascinating historical novel and a glimpse into a writer’s life, Becoming Mrs. Lewis is above all a love story—a love of literature and ideas and a love between a husband and wife that, in the end, was not impossible at all.
“Patti Callahan Henry breathes wondrous fresh life into one of the greatest literary love stories of all time . . . The result is a deeply moving story about love and loss that is transformative and magical.” —Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan’s Tale
 “I was swept along, filled with hope, and entirely beguiled, not only by the life lived behind the veil of C. S. Lewis’s books but also by the woman who won his heart. A literary treasure from first page to last.” —Lisa Wingate, New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours
 “Profoundly evocative, revealing an intimate view of a woman whose love and story had never been fully told . . . until now . . . Becoming Mrs. Lewis is a tour de force and the must-read of the season!” —Mary Alice Monroe, New York Times bestselling author of Beach House Reunion
"Patti Callahan somehow inhabits Davidman, taking her readers inside the writer’s hungry mind and heart. We keenly feel Davidman’s struggle to become her own person at a time (the 1950s) when women had few options . . . An astonishing work of biographical fiction." —Lynn Cullen, bestselling author of Mrs. Poe
"Patti Callahan breathes life into this fascinating woman whose hunger for knowledge leads her to buck tradition at every turn." —Diane Chamberlain, New York Times bestselling author of The Dream Daughter

United States

Now a USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestseller! Meet the brilliant writer, fiercely independent mother, and passionate woman who captured the heart of C.S. Lewis and inspired the books that still enchant and change us today.\nWhen poet and writer Joy Davidman began writing letters to C. S. Lewis—known as Jack—she was looking for spiritual answers, not love. Love, after all, wasn’t holding together her crumbling marriage. Everything about New Yorker Joy seemed ill-matched for an Oxford professor and the beloved writer of The Chronicles of Narnia, yet their minds bonded over their letters.\nEmbarking on the adventure of her life, Joy traveled from America to England and back again, facing heartbreak and poverty, discovering friendship and faith, and against all odds, found a love that even the threat of death couldn’t destroy.\nIn this masterful exploration of one of the greatest love stories of modern times, we meet a brilliant writer, a fiercely independent mother, and a passionate woman who changed the life of this respected author and inspired books that still enchant us and change us. Joy lived at a time when women weren’t meant to have a voice—and yet her love for Jack gave them both voices they didn’t know they had.\nAt once a fascinating historical novel and a glimpse into a writer’s life, Becoming Mrs. Lewis is above all a love story—a love of literature and ideas and a love between a husband and wife that, in the end, was not impossible at all.\nPraise for Becoming Mrs. Lewis:\n“Becoming Mrs. Lewis deftly explores the life and work of Joy Davidman, a bold and brilliant woman who is long overdue her time in the spotlight. Carefully researched. Beautifully written. Deeply romantic. Fiercely intelligent. It is both a meditation on marriage and a whopping grand adventure. Touching, tender, and triumphant, this is a love story for the ages.” —Ariel Lawhon, New York Times bestselling author of I Was Anastasia\n“Patti Callahan Henry breathes wondrous fresh life into one of the greatest literary love stories of all time . . . The result is a deeply moving story about love and loss that is transformative and magical.” —Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan’s Tale\n“It's novel. And it's a very good one. . . extraordinarily accurate. . . more accurate than most biographical essays that have been written about my mother.” —Douglas Gresham, son of Joy Davidman, wife of C.S. Lewis\nFull-length historical novel about the wife of C.S. Lewis 
Includes discussion questions for book clubs

Becoming Mrs. Lewis

Product Description 
When college student Megs approaches author C. S. Lewis with her younger brother’s request to find out if Narnia is real, he instead takes her on a magical journey through the moments in his life that led to his greatest creation. 
Megs Devonshire, on a scholarship at Oxford, is brilliant with numbers and equations. She prefers the dependability of facts—except for one: the brother she loves with all her heart doesn’t have long to live. When George becomes captivated by a brand-new book called The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and begs her to find out where Narnia came from, there’s no way she can refuse. 
Despite her timidity about approaching the famous author, who is a professor at her school, Megs soon finds herself taking tea with the Oxford don and his own brother, begging them for answers. What she receives instead are stories . . . little-known tales from different periods in Mr. Lewis’s life, which she takes home to George. 
Why won’t Mr. Lewis just tell her plainly what George wants to know? The answer will reveal to Meg many truths that science and math cannot, and the gift she thought she was giving to her brother—the story behind Narnia—turns out to be his gift to her, instead: hope. 
Praise for Once Upon a Wardrobe: 
“I advise you to read this book, then wait for a while and then read it again, for while it may not be Narnia, there is magic in it.” —Douglas Gresham, C. S. Lewis’s stepson 
“With a touch of fairy-tale magic, Once Upon a Wardrobe will take you behind the legend and deep into the English and Irish countryside, where you’ll encounter not only the inspirations for one of the 20th century’s most beloved works, but also a tale of heartache, hope, and discovery that will forever change the Narnia you thought you knew.” —Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author\nA marvelous blend of little-known true stories from C. S. Lewis’s life that Narnia fans will treasure 
Includes discussion questions for book clubs as well as a note from Douglas Gresham, C. S. Lewis’s stepson 
Also by New York Times bestselling author Patti Callahan: Becoming Mrs. Lewis and Surviving Savannah\nReview 
Callahan once again visits the life and works of C. S. Lewis in this enlightening novel of logic and imagination, faith, and reason . . . This enchanting novel of faith and hope is a must-read for fans of C. S. Lewis. Readers will be eager to return to the world of 'The Chronicles of Narnia' with new insights. -- Library Journal, starred review\nHeartfelt characters will win over sentimental readers. Callahan's fans will love this. -- Publishers Weekly\nThis is a heartwarming tale about the transformative power of books, with engaging and detailed descriptions. George's earnestness and imaginative nature uplift his family and will charm any reader who enjoys looking at the stories behind our favorite childhood stories. -- Booklist\n''Once Upon a Wardrobe' is a beautiful follow-up to 'Becoming Mrs. Lewis.' It's a love letter to books and stories with a meaningful message. Megs and her family learn that fantastical tales are more than mere ways to appease young children. Stories are nourishment for the souls that need joy the most, and sometimes they're the only thing that can help us understand life.' -- The Washington Post 
 About the Author 
Patti Callahan is the New York Times, USA TODAY, and Globe and Mail bestselling novelist of fifteen novels, including Becoming Mrs. Lewis and Surviving Savannah, out now, and Once Upon a Wardrobe, out October 19, 2021. A recipient of the Harper Lee Distinguished Writer of the Year, the Christy Book of the Year, and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year, Patti is the cofounder and cohost of the popular web series and podcast Friends & Fiction. Follow her at .

Once Upon a Wardrobe

British & Irish

Harper Muse

Now available in trade paper with an eye-catching new cover from the bestselling author of&nbsp;Becoming Mrs. Lewis:&nbsp;Megs Devonshire sets out to fulfill her younger brother George's last wish by uncovering the truth behind his favorite story. The answer provides hope and healing and a magical journey for anyone whose life has ever been changed by a book. 1950:&nbsp;Margaret Devonshire (Megs) is a seventeen-year-old student of mathematics and physics at Oxford University. When her beloved eight-year-old brother asks Megs if Narnia is real, logical Megs tells him it's just a book for children, and certainly not true. Homebound due to his illness, and remaining fixated on his favorite books, George presses her to ask the author of the recently released novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe a question: "Where did Narnia come from?" Despite her fear about approaching the famous author, who is a professor at her school, Megs soon finds herself taking tea with C. S. Lewis and his own brother Warnie, begging them for answers. Rather than directly telling her where Narnia came from, Lewis encourages Megs to form her own conclusion as he slowly tells her the little-known stories from his own life that led to his inspiration. As she takes these stories home to George, the little boy travels farther in his imagination than he ever could in real life. Lewis's answers will reveal to Megs and her family many truths that science and math cannot, and the gift she thought she was giving to her brother--the story behind Narnia--turns out to be his gift to her, instead: hope. <ul style="list-style-type: disc;"> <li>Now available in trade paper with a gorgeous, eye-catching new cover!</li> <li>New York Times bestselling author</li> <li>A captivating, stand-alone historical novel combining fact and fiction</li> <li>An emotional journey into the books and stories that make us who we are</li> </ul>

En una amistad muy improbable, ella encontró el amor. En un mundo donde las mujeres fueron silenciadas, ella encontró su voz. En un Dios más allá de su religión familiar, ella encontró la fe.
De la autora de éxitos en ventas del New York Times, Patti Callahan, llega una exquisita novela sobre Joy Davidman, la mujer a la que C.S. Lewis llamó “mi mundo entero”. Cuando la poeta y escritora Joy Davidman comenzó a escribirle cartas a C.S. Lewis –conocido como Jack– ella buscaba respuestas espirituales, no amor. Después de todo, el amor no lograba mantener unido a su desmoronado matrimonio. Todo acerca de la neoyorkina Joy parecía estar mal para el catedrático de Oxford y amado escritor de Narnia, pero sus mentes se fueron amalgamando en sus cartas. Embarcándose en la aventura de su vida, Joy viajó de Estados Unidos a Inglaterra y luego regresó, enfrentando angustia y pobreza, descubriendo la amistad y la fe, y contra todo pronóstico, encontrando un amor que aun la amenaza de la muerte no podía destruir.
En esta exploración magistral de una de las mejores historias de amor de los tiempos modernos, nos encontramos con una brillante escritora, una madre ferozmente independiente y una mujer apasionada que cambió la vida de este respetado autor e inspiró libros que todavía nos encantan y cambian nuestra vida. Joy vivió en un momento en que las mujeres no debían tener voz y, sin embargo, su amor por Jack les otorgó las dos voces que ellos no sabían que poseían.
Una fascinante novela histórica y una vislumbre de la vida de un escritor, combinadas en una pieza. Este libro es, sobre todo, una historia de amor: un amor por la literatura y las ideas y un amor entre marido y mujer que, al final, no resultó imposible en absoluto.

Sra. Lewis: La improbable historia de amor entre Joy Davidman y C. S. Lewis (Spanish Edition)

Grupo Nelson

From Patti Callahan, the bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis comes another enchanting story that pulls back the curtain on the early life of C. S. Lewis. 
"Where did Narnia come from?" 
The answer will change everything. 
Megs Devonshire is brilliant with numbers and equations, on a scholarship at Oxford, and dreams of solving the greatest mysteries of physics. 
She prefers the dependability of facts - except for one: the younger brother she loves with all her heart doesn't have long to live. When George becomes captivated by a copy of a brand-new book called The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and begs her to find out where Narnia came from, there's no way she can refuse. 
Despite her timidity about approaching the famous author, Megs soon finds herself taking tea with the Oxford don and his own brother, imploring them for answers. What she receives instead are more stories . . . stories of Jack Lewis's life, which she takes home to George. 
Why won't Mr. Lewis just tell her plainly what George wants to know? The answer will reveal to Meg many truths that science and math cannot, and the gift she thought she was giving to her brother - the story behind Narnia - turns out to be his gift to her, instead: hope. Also by Patti Callahan: Becoming Mrs. Lewis and Surviving Savannah Includes discussion questions for book clubs as well as a note from Douglas Gresham, C. S. Lewis's stepson 
Praise for Once Upon a Wardrobe: 
"I advise you to read this book, then wait for a while and then read it again, for while it may not be Narnia, there is magic in it." - Douglas Gresham, C. S. Lewis's stepson Also by Patti Callahan: Becoming Mrs. Lewis and Surviving Savannah Includes discussion questions for book clubs as well as a note from Douglas Gresham, C. S. Lewis's stepson

"Patti Callahan seems to have found the story she was born to tell in this tale of unlikely friendship turned true love between Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis, a relationship that tests the bounds of faith and radically alters both of their lives. Their connection comes to life in Callahan's expert hands, revealing a connection so persuasive and affecting, we wonder if there's another like it in history. Luminous and penetrating." --Paula McLain, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife and Circling the Sun 
In a most improbable friendship, she found love. In a world where women were silenced, she found her voice. 
From New York Times bestselling author Patti Callahan comes an exquisite novel of Joy Davidman, the woman C. S. Lewis called "my whole world." When poet and writer Joy Davidman began writing letters to C. S. Lewis--known as Jack--she was looking for spiritual answers, not love. Love, after all, wasn't holding together her crumbling marriage. Everything about New Yorker Joy seemed ill-matched for an Oxford don and the beloved writer of Narnia, yet their minds bonded over their letters. Embarking on the adventure of her life, Joy traveled from America to England and back again, facing heartbreak and poverty, discovering friendship and faith, and against all odds, finding a love that even the threat of death couldn't destroy. 
In this masterful exploration of one of the greatest love stories of modern times, we meet a brilliant writer, a fiercely independent mother, and a passionate woman who changed the life of this respected author and inspired books that still enchant us and change us. Joy lived at a time when women weren't meant to have a voice--and yet her love for Jack gave them both voices they didn't know they had. 
At once a fascinating historical novel and a glimpse into a writer's life, Becoming Mrs. Lewis is above all a love story--a love of literature and ideas and a love between a husband and wife that, in the end, was not impossible at all. 
"Patti Callahan's prose reads like poetry as she deftly unearths a lost love story that begs to be remembered and retold. I was swept along, filled with hope, and entirely beguiled, not only by the life lived behind the veil of C. S. Lewis's books but also by the woman who won his heart. A literary treasure from first page to last." --Lisa Wingate, New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours 
"In Becoming Mrs. Lewis, Patti Callahan Henry breathes wondrous fresh life into one of the greatest literary love stories of all time: the unlikely romance between English writer C. S. Lewis and the much younger American divorcee, Joy Davidman. Callahan chronicles their complex and unconventional relationship with a sure voice, deep insight into character and eye for period detail. The result is a deeply moving story about love and loss that is transformative and magical." --Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan's Tale 
"Patti Callahan has written my favorite book of the year. Becoming Mrs. Lewis deftly explores the life and work of Joy Davidman, a bold and brilliant woman who is long overdue her time in the spotlight. Carefully researched. Beautifully written. Deeply romantic. Fiercely intelligent. It is both a meditation on marriage and a whopping grand adventure. Touching, tender, and triumphant, this is a love story for the ages." --Ariel Lawhon, author of I Was Anastasia

Becoming Mrs. Lewis (Thorndike Press Large Print Christian Fiction)

Thorndike Press Large Print

Product Description 
It was called The Titanic of the South. The luxury steamship sank in 1838 with Savannah's elite on board; through time, their fates were forgotten--until the wreck was found, and now their story is finally being told in this breathtaking novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis. 
When Savannah history professor Everly Winthrop is asked to guest-curate a new museum collection focusing on artifacts recovered from the steamship 
Pulaski, she's shocked. The ship sank after a boiler explosion in 1838, and the wreckage was just discovered, 180 years later. Everly can't resist the opportunity to try to solve some of the mysteries and myths surrounding the devastating night of its sinking. 
Everly's research leads her to the astounding history of a family of eleven who boarded the 
Pulaski together, and the extraordinary stories of two women from this family: a known survivor, Augusta Longstreet, and her niece, Lilly Forsyth, who was never found, along with her child. These aristocratic women were part of Savannah's society, but when the ship exploded, each was faced with difficult and heartbreaking decisions. This is a moving and powerful exploration of what women will do to endure in the face of tragedy, the role fate plays, and the myriad ways we survive the surviving. 
 Review 
Praise for Surviving Savannah 
 Fans of Christina Baker Kline and Kate Quinn will love this beautiful, richly detailed novel about a lost bit of American maritime history. In a seamless blending of fact and fiction, Patti Callahan has created an atmospheric, compelling story of survival, tragedy, the enduring power of myth and memory, and the moments that change one's life.--Kristin Hannah, #1 
New York Times bestselling author of 
The Great Alone 
 Hidden history rises from the watery depths in all its glittering glory but also in its intimate, human detail. Meticulously researched, beautifully written, underpinned by timeless themes of personal trauma and its aftereffects, 
Surviving Savannah is a journey readers and book clubs will treasure."--Lisa Wingate, #1 
New York Times bestselling author of 
The Book of Lost Friends Fiercely hopeful...Callahan's expertly-drawn characters are forced to discover how to live past tragedy, and what matters most in the aftermath. This is exactly the kind of story we need right now.--Paula McLain, 
New York Times bestselling author of 
The Paris Wife 
 [A] lush, meticulously researched deep-dive into the little-known story of a historic shipwreck.... 
Surviving Savannah is a lyrical homage to this southern city and makes a real contribution to the historical record.--Stephanie Dray, 
New York Times bestselling author of 
America's First Daughter 
 "Through the interwoven tales of three courageous women, 
Surviving Savannah ​grips the reader in a spellbinding novel full of mystery, tragedy, sacrifice, and resilience....Superb."--Kristina McMorris, 
New York Times bestselling author of 
Sold on a Monday 
 Patti Callahan masterfully weaves a little known historical tragedy, an enigmatic mystery, and a searing family saga into a mesmerizing tale that will captivate readers until the last page and beyond.--Pam Jenoff, 
New York Times bestselling author of 
The Lost Girls of Paris 
 [S]pellbinding....Beautifully written with a masterfully crafted plot, 
Surviving Savannah leaves the reader breathless and marveling at the manner in which the past and present interweave in ways we almost cannot imagine.--Marie Benedict, 
New York Times bestselling author of 
The Only Woman in the Room 
 "[A] rich tale of friendship, heritage, forgiveness, redemption, and the thin, too-fragile line between life and death. 
How will we survive the surviving? one of her characters wonders, and it is a question that Callahan mines beautifully. If you're fascinated by the 
Titanic, meet your new favorite novel.--Kristin Harmel, 
 New York Times bestselling author of 
The Book of Lost Names 
 The astonishing story of t

Surviving Savannah

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Books by Callahan, Patti

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Callahan, Patti. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Becoming Mrs. Lewis: The Improbable Love Story of Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis

Becoming Mrs. Lewis: Expanded Edition

Becoming Mrs. Lewis: The Improbable Love Story of Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis

Becoming Mrs. Lewis

Once Upon a Wardrobe

Once Upon a Wardrobe

Sra. Lewis: La improbable historia de amor entre Joy Davidman y C. S. Lewis (Spanish Edition)

Once Upon a Wardrobe

Becoming Mrs. Lewis (Thorndike Press Large Print Christian Fiction)

Surviving Savannah