merton, thomas

Traces the life of the Trappist monk who became one of America's best known spiritual writers, describing his childhood and worldly education, his faith journey, writing career, and his involvement in social issues of his time.

Numerous readers discovered Merton through his hefty autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain (HBJ, 1948). Forest is one of them. In this considerably shorter volume, Forest introduces the many facets of the 20th-century Trappist monk whose life included not only the physical work, worship, and contemplation of a monastic community, but prolific writing as well (a partial list of Merton's works is two pages long). Forest lucidly chronicles Merton's life, illuminating it with the events that shaped it and the insights that emanated from it. Although his esteem for Merton and his contributions to the peace movement are apparent, he treats Merton's weaknesses frankly.

An original and fresh look at the renowned monk's search, passage, and ultimate reconciliation between his inner nature and the life he chose to live. The author accomplishes this through an analysis of Merton's major journal and poetic writings.

The author's simple straightforward narration is joined by photographs that cover the period of Merton's infancy to his death.

Biography of Merton - as a boy, as a brilliant author, and as Father Louis, a priest whose devotion did not prevent him from questioning many aspects of his faith. Using materials from Merton's private journals and interviews with his friends, Mr. Mott draws an intimate and complex portrait, comprising Merton's schooling in England and France, his career at Columbia University, his early writing, his conversion to Catholicism, and finally, his troubled and triumphant years as literary voice for a young generation.