Vanauken biography

American journalist and academic

Sheldon Vanauken (;^[1] August 4, 1914 – October 18, 1996) was an American author, best known for his autobiographical book A Severe Mercy (1977), which recounts his and his wife's friendship with C.

S. Lewis, their conversion to Christianity, and dealing with tragedy. He published a sequel in 1985 titled Under the Mercy.

Early life

Vanauken was born Sheldon Frank Van Auken in Auburn, Indiana, the elder of two sons of a wealthy attorney, (Robert) Glenn Vanauken,^[2] and his wife Grace Merle (Hanselman) Vanauken.^[3] His parents were of German and Dutch descent, their grandparents having migrated to Indiana from eastern Pennsylvania and Columbiana County, Ohio.^[4][5] Vanauken was named for his two grandfathers, Frank Vanauken, a teacher,^[6] and Sheldon Fitch Hanselman, an attorney.^[7] His father was a self-made lawyer who became influentia