Customer Reviews

Things of the Hidden God: Journey to the Holy Mountain

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Christopher Merrill's writing was a pleasure to read. The flow of the text and the descriptions were obviously those of a talented writer and poet. However, I felt like he presented and weaved together multiple ideas and subjects in a way that did not work for me.

I believe he wanted to show how he experienced spiritual growth through his experience on Mt. Athos. However, so many of his descriptions felt very negative to me and I couldn't see how or why he was growing.

I believe he wanted to condemn the Serbs and to a lesser extent, the Russians for the events that happened in the former Yugoslavia. He already tried to accomplish that in a previous book, and I'm not really sure that it fit very well with the subject of this book. Additionally, most actions by Serbian or Russian monks were portrayed negatively and judged harshly by Mr. Merrill. He makes some pretty severe accusations and jumps to conclusions about their behavior without actually having spoken to many of the monks. I felt as though Mr. Merrill went there with some preconceived notions about what these monks would think of him based upon his previous work, and any action he could regard as a snub he was quick to believe.

I also felt that Mr. Merrill came across as somewhat self-righteous. I don't remember him once having admitted to learning anything from the monks in the process of his travels. Most of his transformation seems to take place through the hardships he overcomes all by himself. The ideas and beliefs of the other monks and of the Orthodox faith are quickly dismissed when they conflict with Mr. Merrill's. I wouldn't expect him to change his views, but to at least recognize that the other side might have something to offer. He was also very selective in presenting the poetry and historical examples he used to suplement his already existing beliefs.

I really hope that the spiritual growth that Mr. Merrill alludes to in the text is genuine and real. Maybe this a beginning step for him and he will be able to in the future recognize the contribution of others. I hope he finds it in his heart to be able to see that the Serbs and Russians are not bad people in the eyes of God, the only eyes that matter. I also pray that he will open his heart to the teachings of the Orthodox Church in a way that will allow him to experience the faith and not to judge.

The comments above are centered mainly around the things in the book that didn't work for me, personally. I do think he was attempting to be honest and was not mean spirited. I get the feeling that Christopher Merrill really wants to transform his life. I hope he continues his efforts and I look forward to reading some more of his fabulous prose. As anyone can see, it is far better than my own.

When I first picked up this book, I have to admit I was turned off by its apparent self-indulgence and what seemed to me like self-righteousness. However, since I am a true Mt. Athos fan, I picked it up angain, and found it to be a wonderful description of the Holy Mount with all its warts and a surprisingly honest spiritual autobiography of a man struggling to find God and himself (and his family). If one reads this as a tourist or traveler's guide, I think one will be disappointed, and may well be confused. However, as an exploration of God and the people who pursue him relentlessly. This is a fascinating read. The photo on the cover is extremely well chosen as an emblem for what the book is about. The book provides a window onto the mountain and into the author's soul and life. And as with any view from a window, you only get a very partial picture of the actual reality.

Gives a good flavor of the possible parameters of a pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain. Sometimes I wished for a bit more user-friendly organization, and the text could have used some carefully chosen photographs. However, nothing can take away from the obvious merits of this well-written and heartfelt memoir of a journey into faith and prayer.

Previous reviews seem to focus solely on Merrill's condemnation of Serb atrocities in Bosnia,and that is a shame, for this is one of the wisest and most learned books I have encountered in many years. Painfully honest and forthright about his dissatisfaction with marriage, vocation, and faith, Merrill is as much pilgrim as poet. He is also a remarkable researcher: the book is filled with the sort of history that takes a narrative sweep, building toward Athos in the late 20th C. There is something in the coalescence of gorgeous prose and spiritual hunger that elevates this book to that of a classic.

Although useful as another account of a pilgrim's journies on the Holy Mountain, I found it a bit disjointed and dull. Others I know have really enjoyed it much more than myself, and the content is factual and at times edifying. I would suggest that readers also read Markides' "The Mountain of Silence" for a better, if not more exotic and spiritual, account of the best that Athos has to offer.

his book was an interesting and wonderful read, it caught me well with it's mixture of travel, christian history and very personal journal/diary style, but perhaps even more; the authors knowledge of poetry intermingled gold nuggets here and there, the best book i have read on Mount Athos from that specific angle. Money well spent, my book is full of underlinings :-) mickey