The title refers to the mountain of purgatory in dantes the divine comedy. One of the most famous books ever written about a mans search for faith and peace. The book is, in one aspect, a crushing arraignment of our modern civilization. The main characters of this religion, non fiction story are.
If the book has become a spiritual classic, i think it is because. Mountain succeeds with considerable power in disclosing a quintessentially. Pdf the seven storey mountain book by thomas merton free. It is the story of thomas james mertons life from his birth in 1915 until his vowtaking at a. The book has remained continuously in print, and has been translated into more than 15 languages. The seven storey mountain was the next autobiography on twem reading list. In the final section of the seven storey mountain, merton writes of being on retreat at gethsemani just months before entering and being moved by the monks final chant of the day, the salve. Buy the seven storey mountain by thomas merton online at alibris.
His spiritual autobiography was the perfect book for me at the perfect time. The seven storey mountain is the 1948 autobiography of thomas merton, a trappist monk who gained fame through his literary talents and later became an active and influential figure in the civil. A modernday confessions of saint augustine, the seven storey mountain is one of the most influential religious works of the twentieth century. The seven storey mountain by thomas merton a great book. The first edition of the novel was published in 1948, and was written by thomas merton. Thomas mertons first book, the seven storey mountain, describes his early doubts, his conversion to a catholic faith of extreme certainty, and his decision to take life vows as a trappist. The seven story mountain is less a teaching book and more a record of events leading up to his joining a trappist monastery. It is the story of thomas james mertons life from his birth in 1915 until his vowtaking at a trappist monastery in 1944. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 467 pages and is available in paperback format. At the same time i was reading the seven storey mountain, i was. The seven storey mountain is the 1948 autobiography of thomas merton, an american trappist monk and priest who was a noted author in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. The seven storey mountain tells of the growing restlessness of a brilliant and passionate young man, who at the age of twentysix, takes vows in one of the most demanding catholic ordersthe trappist monks.
In the final section of the seven storey mountain, merton writes of being on retreat at gethsemani just months before entering and being moved by. The author, thomas merton, was unknown to me, and i approached his story lacking in outside influence. The books are each elegantly bound and include a ribbon bookmark and a foreword and charcoal sketch of the books author by bishop barron. It reflects a relatively young man who had searched and struggled in the past and who continues to do so in the present, though the problems may be quite different. I actually read it several years ago and bought this copy for my son. Since its original publication this timeless spiritual. The seven storey mountain by thomas merton, paperback. The seven storey mountain by thomas merton, paperback barnes. The seven storey mountain by thomas merton alibris. The seven storey mountain tells of the growing restlessness of a brilliant. 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. Free download or read online the seven storey mountain pdf epub book. The seven storey mountain is welldescribed by the books subtitle. There was no room for any god in that empty temple full of dust and.
Although his conversionary piety sometimes falls into stickysweet abstractions, mertons autobiographical reflections are mostly wise, humble, and concrete. Merton finished the book in 1946 at the age of 31, five years after entering gethsemani abbey near bardstown, kentucky. This book has value for someone who likes to read different stories of people coming to know the lord jesus. A celebration of mertons spiritual autobiography is accompanied by an introduction from the editor and a note.