Thomas Merton in Alaska: The Alaskan Conferences, Journals, and Letters (New Directions) [Hardcover]

Thomas Merton (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 162 pages
• Publisher: New Directions Publishing Corporation; First Edition edition (March 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811210480
• ISBN-13: 978-0811210485
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,947,588 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Thomas Merton (1915-1968) is arguably the most influential American Catholic author of the twentieth century. His autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain, has millions of copies and has been translated into over fifteen languages. He wrote over sixty other books and hundreds of poems and articles on topics ranging from monastic spirituality to civil rights, nonviolence, and the nuclear arms race.

After a rambunctious youth and adolescence, Merton converted to Roman Catholicism and entered the Abbey of Gethsemani, a community of monks belonging to the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappists), the most ascetic Roman Catholic monastic order.

The twenty-seven years he spent in Gethsemani brought about profound changes in his self-understanding. This ongoing conversion impelled him into the political arena, where he became, according to Daniel Berrigan, the conscience of the peace movement of the 1960's. Referring to race and peace as the two most urgent issues of our time, Merton was a strong supporter of the nonviolent civil rights movement, which he called "certainly the greatest example of Christian faith in action in the social history of the United States." For his social activism Merton endured severe criticism, from Catholics and non-Catholics alike, who assailed his political writings as unbecoming of a monk.

During his last years, he became deeply interested in Asian religions, particularly Zen Buddhism, and in promoting East-West dialogue. After several meetings with Merton during the American monk's trip to the Far East in 1968, the Dali Lama praised him as having a more profound understanding of Buddhism than any other Christian he had known. It was during this trip to a conference on East-West monastic dialogue that Merton died, in Bangkok on December 10, 1968, the victim of an accidental electrocution. The date marked the twenty-seventh anniversary of his entrance to Gethsemani.

Customer Reviews

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11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ultimate Truth Revealed, June 12, 2002

By 

Phil Kunsler "donkuby99" (Pleasantville, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thomas Merton in Alaska: The Alaskan Conferences, Journals, and Letters (New Directions) (Hardcover)

Everyone experinces in their life moments of truth. It is in these times we come to understand and realize the ultimate reality and grounding for ourselves and everything around us. Though not very long, Merton's journal entries spill out the sacramental truth he saw in Alaska. God spoke to Merton through everything around him during his stay in Alaska - the people, trees, water, mountains, etc. And in turn it pours back out of Merton in his talks and conferences. Very few things in this world we can be sure of. But the truth is never wrong and never changes - this book reveals a little slice of the Great Center which we all seek to draw near to.