Thomas Merton and the Monastic Vision

Though the outlines of Thomas Merton's life are generally known to his many readers, the details of his spiritual development are less familiar. Taking up where Merton's own Seven Storey Mountain ends, this penetrating biography by Lawrence Cunningham explores Merton's monastic life and his subsequent growth into a modern-day spiritual master.

Cunningham shows that Merton's prolific writings and his continuing influence can only be understood against the background of his contemplative expe...