The Pocket Thomas Merton

by Thomas Merton, Robert Inchausti (Editor)

A treasury of wisdom from the influential Christian contemplative, political activist, social visionary, and literary figure.
Thomas Merton (1915-1968) was spiritual parent to a generation--and his influence, through his many books, has only increased in the half-century since his death. He was a hermit who maintained a compelling correspondence with some of the most influential thinkers of his age; he was a social and political activist whose ideas had a seminal influence in the world beyond his monastic cloister; and he was a Christian who saw through the boundaries of religious identity in a way that was truly ahead of his time. This collection of short excerpts from his voluminous writings covers all of the famous Trappist monk's main themes, thus serving as a perfect short introduction to his work in his own words.
This book is part of the Shambhala Pocket Library series.
The Shambhala Pocket Library is a collection of short, portable teachings from notable figures across religious traditions and classic texts. The covers in this series are rendered by Colorado artist Robert Spellman. The books in this collection distill the wisdom and heart of the work Shambhala Publications has published over 50 years into a compact format that is collectible, reader-friendly, and applicable to everyday life.

Genres: Spirituality, Religion, Nonfiction, Christianity, Philosophy, Christian, Faith

160 pages, Paperback

First published November 8, 2005

About the author

Thomas Merton, religious name M. Louis, was an American Trappist monk, writer, theologian, mystic, poet, social activist and scholar of comparative religion. In December 1941 he entered the Trappist Abbey of Gethsemani and in May 1949 he was ordained to priesthood. He was a member of the convent of the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani, near Bardstown, Kentucky, living there from 1941 to his death.
Merton wrote more than 50 books in a period of 27 years, mostly on spirituality, social justice and a quiet pacifism, as well as scores of essays and reviews. Among Merton's most enduring works is his bestselling autobiography The Seven Storey Mountain (1948). His account of his spiritual journey inspired scores of World War II veterans, students, and teenagers to explore offerings of monasteries across the US. It is on National Review's list of the 100 best nonfiction books of the century.
Merton became a keen proponent of interfaith understanding, exploring Eastern religions through his study of mystic practice. His interfaith conversation, which preserved both Protestant and Catholic theological positions, helped to build mutual respect via their shared experiences at a period of heightened hostility. He is particularly known for having pioneered dialogue with prominent Asian spiritual figures, including the Dalai Lama XIV; Japanese writer D.T. Suzuki; Thai Buddhist monk Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, and Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh. He traveled extensively in the course of meeting with them and attending international conferences on religion. In addition, he wrote books on Zen Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, and how Christianity is related to them. This was highly unusual at the time in the United States, particularly within the religious orders.

Reviews

[Asher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes it's a tiny book. But don't judge a book by it's size. Merton can pack a punch sufficient for a week's contemplation into a single paragraph. I've come back to this collection of Merton excerpts over and over and over again. I've ended up typing most of them into a file on my computer for easy and frequent re-reading. This little book was like a spiritual director to me before I knew what the heck a spiritual director was.

[Glendon Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

I technically started reading this around a year ago, but then basically stopped reading it until now.

That said, it's a delightful top-down introduction to the range of Merton's thought. To my surprise, despite being a collection of quotations across the wide spread of his writing, this book itself is structured like a basic argument, building up points and a general view of the world before delving into the ways in which we might make the world better. I definitely didn't read it with the attentive, meditative process intended, but perhaps that's for another time.

[Hunter Dickerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Merton will not let us look at him for long: he will, finally, persuade us to look in the direction he is looking"

[Gideon Yutzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every day I was reading this, I wished Thomas Merton would come back from the dead and write about our issues today. As it is, so many of his writings do connect--deeply and incisively. His understanding of the human self, of work, of the need for religious systems to be able to critique themselves...it's just beyond good. It can feel esoteric in places but it's worth staying with a writer who understands the human condition so well.

[Nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice little pocket book of wisdom. Its not meant to be read cover to cover but to look for insight in moral quandaries.

[John Winston Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merton was a spiritual genius and what he said back in the 50s and 60s holds for today's modern spiritual seeker.

[Amy Flanagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book first in 2007 when Mike gave to me.

[Carol Stevenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little gem of a book that covers themes such as truth, faith, non-violence, charity, humility and God.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really great actually. Getting pieces of his comments on many different topics is a great way to step into an author like this.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thomas Merton has interesting insights on God and man living in today’s world.

[ronny · Rating 5 out of 5]

a hundred pages of truth—each bite-size selection simple enough to understand instantly, yet vast enough to meditate upon for a lifetime.

[Chris LaTray · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is some great stuff in here, but also some stuff that goes so deeply into preachy Merton at his worst God/Jesus territory that I just can't make it work. Normally I translate that element into something more meaningful to me, or that makes sense, but at his core I feel like Merton was a fanatic, like so many of the devout of anything, so I tend to read him with some suspicion. I think I like the idea of a Thomas Merton much more than I like the actual person. I like the idea of being able to have a hermitage of my own where I can write and think all day, maybe do a little work here and there to cover room and board, wander around, then get back to the sitting and writing. Where does one get a gig like that?

Still, there are some wonderful insights here to reflect on, relevant for much of what is happening today. I'll keep reading Merton, suspicious or not.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty words; nothing more. Merton seems to be a man of complete inaction; I hate that about him and his concept of religion. In the entire book (199 pgs), there were only two pages on charity. Charity and good works should be the basis of any healthy religion. Surprisingly, there was also minimal input on proselytizing and testifying. I know it's obnoxious, but the Bible stresses the importance of testifying ad nauseum, To ignore it in favor of inactivity is ridiculous.

[Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Pocket Thomas Merton
by Inchausti, Robert

This is a favorite book of mine. I found my copy at The Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky — Merton’s place.

Inchausti collects the best paragraphs of many Merton books here and puts them into thematic chapters. You loose the wider development of thought from Merton, yet you’re blessed with a wonderful collection of meditations. And that’s what this became for me — a book to dwell with, to read short paragraphs and drift into thought and prayer.

[Tena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this in a GOODREADS giveaway. - The perfect little gift for a friend's short hospital stay.

[Richard Pütz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for small group discusisons and reflections. I enjoyed this very much

[Larry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found some selections very insightful and moving, but as an agnostic, I did not connect with many of the more Christian or God-focused selections.