Silent Lamp: The Thomas Merton Story

by William H. Shannon

William H. Shannon shares his intimate knowledge and unique insights in this exciting biography of the monk whose own autobiography became a bestseller. Silent Lamp is the name given to Merton two years before he died by the Chinese philosopher John Wu.Silent Lamp is a reflective it illuminates Merton's inner life and thoroughly chronicles his outer journey, telling the story in terms of the significant events and experiences that shaped his spiritual path. It sheds new light on the principal themes that Merton developed as a writer and teacher, from the renewal of monastic life to the poetry of Latin America, from the demands of interracial justice to the teachings of the Sufi masters. As the author puts it, "This book attempts to look at the inner journey which alone gives meaning to the exterior one. I want to put the picture in the frame." More than any other book on Thomas Merton, Silent Lamp achieves that goal.

Genres: Biography, Spirituality

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Tim Zierer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thomas Merton was a Trappist monk, priest and probably the most influential Catholic writer of the 20th century. This book is a very insightful, unconventional biography that gives the reader an excellent sense of who Merton was and why his writings were so widely followed by both Catholics and non-Catholics alike. I highly recommend it, especially to those who have read Merton's autobiography The Seven Storey Mountain, as it fills in many gaps and answers many questions that Merton left unanswered.

[WashU Catholic Student Center]

WIP: should be in Merton

[Ci · Rating 4 out of 5]

A streamlined version of Merton's life story with an eye for spiritual education. Lucid, crisp and concise but not a critical assessment of the complexity of Merton's whole personality.