The Art of Thomas Merton

Few religious scholars have been the subject of as much scrutiny and interpretation as Thomas Merton, the Trappist monk, contemplative, social critic, ecumenist, and prolific author of The Seven Storey Mountain as well as 20+ other books. Even fewer have embodied the paradox of earthly devotion as fully as Merton, a man committed to a life of withdrawal from the world, of silence and solitude-who nonetheless spoke out about the abuses of power, civil rights, the environment, nuclear weapons and Vietnam. Fifty years after his death, he remains a surprisingly contemporary figure, addressing time and again the issues that matter to us and to our world.

This inspiring anthology allows Merton to speak for himself, offering both an introduction to his thought and an aid to private devotion, a signpost for our personal journeys of discernment and encounter. The Art of Thomas Merton brings together entries from Merton's journals, extracts from his letters, quotations from his books and his countless articles, and lines from his poetry.

But what truly sets this collection apart is the inclusion of his abstract drawings, exercises in quiet reflection that convey something of the awareness through silence that he was always eager to explore. The drawings invite us to stop, and reflect, and surprise ourselves by new depths of awareness and understanding.