The Seven Storey Mountain

by Thomas Merton

Overview

A modern-day Confessions of Saint Augustine, The Seven Storey Mountain is one of the most influential religious works of the twentieth century. This edition contains an introduction by Merton's editor, Robert Giroux, and a note to the reader by biographer William H. Shannon. It tells of the growing restlessness of a brilliant and passionate young man whose search for peace and faith leads him, at the age of twenty-six, to take vows in one of the most demanding Catholic orders—the Trappist monks. At the Abbey of Gethsemani, "the four walls of my new freedom," Thomas Merton struggles to withdraw from the world, but only after he has fully immersed himself in it. The Seven Storey Mountain has been a favorite of readers ranging from Graham Greene to Claire Booth Luce, Eldridge Cleaver, and Frank McCourt. Since its original publication this timeless spiritual tome has been published in over twenty languages and has touched millions of lives.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780156010863
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	10/04/1999
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	496
Sales rank:	48,711
Product dimensions:	5.32(w) x 7.94(h) x 1.08(d)

About the Author

Thomas Merton (1915-1968) was born in France and came to live in the United States at the age of 24. He received several awards recognizing his contribution to religious study and contemplation, including the Pax Medal in 1963, and remained a devoted spiritualist and a tireless advocate for social justice until his death in 1968. The Sign of Jonas was originally published in 1953.

Editorial Reviews

Without a life of the spirit our whole existence becomes unsubstantial and illusory.-Thomas Merton

From the Publisher

It is in many ways a young person's book, in the best sense of the term. -- Wall Street Journal

Elizabeth Powers