Run to the Mountain The Story of a Vocation

The first of seven uncensored journals by Thomas Merton, a highly regarded Trappist Monk and peace activist, covers his pre-monastic years, including his graduate study work and early ambitions. $50,000 first printing.

This first of seven volumes of Merton's journals consists of writings that predate his entrance into the Trappist monastery of Gethsemani. As the subtitle promises, it is the story of a vocation, and as any complete story of a vocation must be, it is the story of the time in which the vocation was formed. Merton was already one of the most influential spiritual writers of the twentieth century when he died unexpectedly in 1968, and in the more than 25 years since, his influence has continued to grow. This collection is a fascinating personal glimpse into the intellectual and spiritual sources of that influence. Moments of brilliance are intertwined with ordinariness lifted to extraordinary heights by increasingly disciplined reflection. The book will be of particular interest not only to those who seek a greater understanding of Merton, but also to those who seek a greater understanding of spiritual development and the spiritual dimensions of the political developments of this troubled century. Steve Schroeder