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The World Within
All my life I have dreamed of retreat. Of letting go each responsibility and cutting every tie. And I know I’m not the only one. But, when I learnt about the creative figures who left their lives behind, I began to ask what is gained and what is lost when we withdraw from the world?
To answer this question, Guy Stagg tells the story of three of the twentieth century’s most original the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, the poet and painter David Jones, and the writer Simone Weil. All three went on retreat during times of crisis, to find their work and their lives changed for ever. Seeking to understand these experiences, Stagg follows Wittgenstein to the ancient monastery outside Vienna where he recovered from depression, sails to the isolated island off the Welsh coast where Jones discovered a new way to make art, and spends Lent at the forbidding French Abbey that sparked an epiphany in Weil’s thinking.
The World Within blends a moving personal account with history, biography and travel, offering a profound exploration of the impulse to withdraw. It asks why retreat still enchants people to this day and hints at how each one of us can find a sanctuary of our own.
To answer this question, Guy Stagg tells the story of three of the twentieth century’s most original the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, the poet and painter David Jones, and the writer Simone Weil. All three went on retreat during times of crisis, to find their work and their lives changed for ever. Seeking to understand these experiences, Stagg follows Wittgenstein to the ancient monastery outside Vienna where he recovered from depression, sails to the isolated island off the Welsh coast where Jones discovered a new way to make art, and spends Lent at the forbidding French Abbey that sparked an epiphany in Weil’s thinking.
The World Within blends a moving personal account with history, biography and travel, offering a profound exploration of the impulse to withdraw. It asks why retreat still enchants people to this day and hints at how each one of us can find a sanctuary of our own.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 3, 2025
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September 23, 2025
A journey taken by Guy Stagg deep into the lives, souls and places of three very different brilliant individuals. The Philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. The poet & painter David Jones and the writer Simone Weil. And as if by magic I found myself comfortably settled in on this journey with Guy; me knowing very little in general but deeply interested & thankful that Guy was my companion! Beautifully written and interesting. I learnt so much. I got super excited when I found my old friend John had a copy of David Jones' "In Parenthesis" on his shelf. Found myself listening to Gregorian chants at odd hours and looking up locations on Google maps. This book touched on people and places and experiences I've already explored alone. Time spent on silent retreat in St Cuthman' s Retreat Centre, Coolham, West Sussex (now closed) and the Kairos Centre Roehampton minutes from Richmond Park. This book was very satisfying and as if things couldn't get better the last few pages tucked me in and wondering where we're going next Guy.
Displaying 1 of 1 review