Living With Wisdom: A Life of Thomas Merton

by Jim Forest

Traces the life of the Trappist monk and influential writer, and briefly describes his views on prayer, war, civil rights, and the religious traditions of the East

Genres: Biography, Spirituality, Religion, Nonfiction

226 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Jim Forest is a writer, Orthodox Christian lay theologian, educator, and peace activist. As a young man, Jim served in the U.S. Navy, working with a meteorology unit at the U.S. Weather Bureau headquarters near Washington, D.C. It was during this period that he became a Catholic. After leaving the Navy, Jim joined the staff of the Catholic Worker community in Manhattan, working close with the founder, Dorothy Day, and for a time serving as managing editor of the journal she edited, The Catholic Worker.

In 1964, while working as a journalist for The Staten Island Advance, in his spare time he co-founded the Catholic Peace Fellowship, working closely with Tom Cornell. This became a full-time job for both of them in 1965, a time that coincided with deepening U.S. military engagement in Vietnam. The main focus of their work was counseling conscientious objectors.
In 1968, while Jim working as Vietnam Program Coordinator of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, Jim and thirteen others, mainly Catholic clergy, broke into nine Milwaukee draft boards, removing and burning some of the files in a nearby park while holding a prayer service. Most members of the "Milwaukee Fourteen" served thirteen months in prison for their action.
In the late sixties and mid-seventies, Jim also worked with the Fellowship of Reconciliation, first as Vietnam Program coordinator and later as editor of Fellowship magazine. From 1977 through 1988, he was Secretary General of the International Fellowship of Reconciliation, work which brought him to the Netherlands. He received the Peacemaker Award from Notre Dame University's Institute for International Peace Studies and the St. Marcellus Award from the Catholic Peace Fellowship.

In 1988, Forest was received into the Orthodox Church. Since 1989, he has been international secretary of the Orthodox Peace Fellowship as well as editor of its quarterly journal, In Communion. Jim had a long-term friendship with Thomas Merton, who dedicated a book to him, Faith and Violence. Jim also accompanied the famed Vietnamese Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh. He and his wife Nancy, a translator and writer, live in Alkmaar, The Netherlands.

Reviews

[Tim Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful biography of Thomas Merton written by somebody who knew him as a friend and kindred spirit. The book is an honest account of his life and work and refuses to skip aspects of Merton's life that some writers might find s little awkward. However, this is the real Merton as he was, human, flawed and yet all the more valuable because of it. I especially found the in depth treatment of his work and writing for peace and interfaith dialogue incredibly helpful.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enlightening and inspiring read, with a lot of pictures of Thomas Merton that I've never seen before. Highly recommended, but I'd read some of Merton in his own words first, beginning with The Seven Storey Mountain. This short biography is a lovely summary of Merton's life and spiritual struggles. It makes me eager to get back to reading Merton himself again.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, thoughtful, and so many wonderful photos.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I didn't always agree with the book's subject, Forest's biography of Thomas Merton was a compelling combination of quotes from Merton's publications and the socio-political backdrop of the 1940s-60s. I found myself comparing the culture of protest, distrust in institutions, and disillusionment with capitalism and capitalist outcomes with the current environment in America... and today we don't even have the threat of nuclear holocaust hanging over our heads (or at least the possibility is more remote)! In such a partisan environment where stakes are high, is there a place for thinkers & philosophers in the world in addition to activists? Merton makes the case repeatedly through his life and writing that the answer is yes, and without solid moral / spiritual grounding, even well-meaning activism can sharpen divisions between people and thus fail to create a lasting peace. Personally, Merton was an odd character, oscillating between a desire to cultivate a broad network of thinkers and to further and further physically isolate himself from others. He frequently wrote critically of himself, and from the age of 26-50 was essentially OK with having the abbot of Gethsemani act as his surrogate parent and wield authority over his major life decisions. While after reading I still can't agree that Merton's talents were best utilized in a monastery, his philosophy was read and respected by prominent spiritual leaders of multiple traditions and millions of the public, which is an incredible achievement in the name of world peace. I've put the Seven Storey Mountain on my reading list.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read about and been fascinated with Thomas Merton for years but have never read any of his collections. I decided to start with a book about Thomas Merton because I have gotten so much out of other books by Jim Forest. I am so glad I did. From the various Merton excerpts included in the book I concluded that Merton is probably too poetic for me to understand him directly. Jim Forest makes the person of Thomas Merton come alive at a “beginners” reading level. If you love poetic writing then this is still a good choice but you may also enjoy complementing this with Merton’s writings.

[Dorothy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating reading about the evolution of the spiritual life of Merton. He died still seeking answers with his study and practice of Buddhism and societal activism. Wondered if the book would give light to the many claiming a political death. Would have loved to learn more about the woman in his life, etc. Although left with the same questions and more after the book's end, I nevertheless enjoyed his journey

[JD Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who has been deeply influenced by Merton’s life and writing, this book was a welcome insight into Merton from another angle. Engaging, personal, and readable.

[WashU Catholic Student Center]

*2 copies*

[Tara Boothby]

excellent overview of Merton's life

[Jungsook Chung · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thomas Merton is not an easy spiritual writer, but I have read several of his books such as ‘The Seeds of Contemplation’ ‘Seven Storey Mountain’ ‘No Man Is an Island’ ‘The Seeds of Destruction’ and others. As someone familiar with Thomas Merton, I did not expect much when I picked up, ‘Living with Wisdom’ by Jim Forest. I was wrong, very wrong.

I was prejudiced by his educational background. Jim did not seem to have a B.A. Jim Forest made me ashamed of my prejudice or stereotypical thinking. Jim is very knowledgeable, interesting, and deep in thinking. He was a friend of Thomas Merton, so he introduced many stories I did not know about Thomas Merton. I enjoyed parts of Thomas Merton’s relationship with his father and brother and with his Doms. I listened to Thomas Merton’s inner struggles more deeply in this book. It is very interesting to have found out who Thomas Merton’s acquaintances such as Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Day, Thick Nhat Hanh, and the Dalai Lama.

Jim Forest did an excellent job as a writer in showing Thomas Merton’s life, thoughts, and struggles. This book carries many well-taken photos of Merton. I highly recommend Jim Forest’s ‘Living with Wisdom’ if anyone wants to know Thomas Merton or read him.

[GK Stritch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful bio, marvelous photos on the fascinating, flawed, and funny Merton, poignant is the mature monk's falling in love with a nurse. (Note the many threads that connect Merton with Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg: Columbia University, Mark Van Doren, Robert Giroux, William Blake, St. John of the Cross, Zen . . .)

"My [writing] work is my hermitage . . . writing that helps me most of all to be a solitary and a contemplative." (p. 100).

"Other people's bad books get published," he noted in his journal. "Why can't my bad book get published?" (p. 59).

About Mark Van Doren, "You found yourself saying excellent things that you did not know you knew, and that you had not, in fact, known before. He had 'educed' them from you by his question. His classes were literally 'education'--they brought things out of you, they made your mind produce its own explicit ideas." (p. 38).

. . . and a haunting incident in his Cambridge days that the reader must discover for himself. (p. 30).

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Continuing my Lenten reading even though Lent is long past, I enjoyed this short biography Of Merton more than I did Mott's longer one,

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32...#

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

My introduction to Thomas Merton. Will read The Seven Storey Mountain next.

[Darleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

well written and thoughtful, this book inspires personal reflection as well as offers insights into Merton's life.