Are you looking for the Best Books By Thomas Merton? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
Choosing the Best Books By Thomas Merton can be difficult as there are so many considerations, such as Douglas, Hape, Melissa & Doug, Penguin Random House, Samadhi Cushions, Sounds True, Squishable, Amazon.com. We have done a lot of research to find the Top 20 Best Books By Thomas Merton available.
The average cost is $18.60. Sold comparable range in price from a low of $6.50 to a high of $47.99.
Based on the research we did, we think A Book of Hours [Book] is the best overall. Read on for the rest of the great options and our buying guide, where you can find all the information you need to know before making an informed purchase.
20 Best Books By Thomas Merton (18 Sellers)
1. A Book Of Hours [Book]
Product Details:
Thomas merton was the most popular proponent of the christian contemplative tradition in the twentieth century. now, for the first time, some of his most lyrical and prayerful writings have been arranged into a book of hours, a rich resource for daily prayer and contemplation that imitates the increasingly popular ancient monastic practice of "praying the hours." editor kathleen deignan mined merton's voluminous writings, arranging prayers for dawn, day, dusk, and dark for each of the days of the week. a book of hours allows for a slice of monastic contemplation in the midst of hectic modern life, with psalms, prayers, readings, and reflections.
Specifications:
| Imprint |
Sorin Books |
| Pub date |
28 Mar 2007 |
| DEWEY |
242.2 |
| DEWEY edition |
22 |
| Language |
English |
| Spine width |
22mm |
Reviews:
For myself and my prayer life I love it. It is just the kind of thing I like.tinyangel84
A good companion reading during Lent. I appreciate it.723tau
2. The Intimate Merton: His Life From His Journals [Book]
Product Details:
In this diary-like memoir, composed of his most poignant and insightful journal entries, the intimate merton lays bare the steep ways of thomas merton's spiritual path. culled from the seven volumes of his personal journals, this twenty nine year chronicle deepens and extends the story thomas merton recounted and made famous in the seven storey mountain. this book is the spiritual autobiography of our century's most celebrated monk — the wisdom gained from the personal experience of an enduring spiritual teacher. here is merton's account of his life's major challenges, his confrontations with monastic and church hierarchies, his interaction with religious traditions east and west, and his antiwar and civil-rights activities. recounting merton's earliest days in the monastery to his journey east to meet the dalai lama, the intimate merton captures the essence of what makes thomas merton's life journey so perennially relevant.
Reviews:
I read the hardcover version, so I had to have my own copy. I loved it. So blessed and special thoughts and recollections.tinyangel84
3. Conjectures Of A Guilty Bystander By Thomas Merton
Product Details:
In this series of notes, opinions, experiences, and reflections, thomas merton examines some of the most urgent questions of our age. with his characteristic forcefulness and candor, he brings the reader face-to-face with such provocative and controversial issues as the "death of god," politics, modern life and values, and racial strife-issues that are as relevant today as they were fifty years ago. "conjectures of a guilty bystander "is merton at his best-detached but not unpassionate, humorous yet sensitive, at all times alive and searching, with a gift for language which has made him one of the most widely read and influential spiritual writers of our time.
Reviews:
Thomas Merton to me is one of the most quotable authors. Most of his spirtual common sense, his wit, his unique point of view, show up in this book. It's an easy read until you stop and ponder some of his thoughts. Then you slow down and enjoy a very enlightening spiritual and intellectual experience. I like the off-beat humor that comes through some of his observations about monastery life and the foibles of certain would-be monks. I like too the light-hearted way he pokes fun at certain practices that sometimes go on in religious communities. He pokes a lot of fun right back at himself, Too. It's the kind of thing you probably want to add to your collection, especially if you enjoyed or appreciated his other books.anterior
4. A Year With Thomas Merton: Daily Meditations From His Journals [Book]
Product Details:
A 365 daily with inspirational and provocative selections from the journals of thomas merton combined with drawings and photographs by merton. this volume of daily inspiration from thomas merton draws from merton's journals and papers to present, each day, a seasonally appropriate and thought-provoking insight or observation.each month will begin with one of merton's delightful pen-and-ink drawings or one of his elegant black-and-white photographs.
Reviews:
Daily thoughts from perhaps the greatest Christian/ecumenical writer of the 20th Century.cvp4business
5. The Asian Journal Of Thomas Merton [Book]
Product Details:
"the moment of takeoff was ecstatic…joy. with these words, dated october 15. 1968, the late father thomas merton recorded the beginning of his fateful journey to the orient. his travels led him from bangkok, through india to ceylon, and back again to bangkok for his scheduled talk at a conference of asian monastic orders. there he unequivocally reaffirmed his christian vocation. his last journal entry was made on december 8, 1968, two days before his untimely, accidental death. amply illustrated with photographs he himself took along the way and fully indexed, the book also contains a glossary of asian religious terms, a preface by the indian scholar amiya chakravarty, a foreword and postscript by brother patrick hart of the abbey of gethsemani, as well as several appendices, among them the text of merton's final address.
Specifications:
| Imprint |
New Directions Books |
| Pub date |
28 Feb 1975 |
| DEWEY |
291.4 |
| DEWEY edition |
21 |
| Language |
English |
| Spine width |
32mm |
Reviews:
I love everything by Thomas Merton!st-cstca-acftzlpruz
6. A Thomas Merton Reader [Book]
Product Details:
A thomas merton reader provides a complete view of merton, in all his aspects: contemplative, spiritual writer, poet, peacemaker, and social critic. in this closely knit volume are significant selections not only from his major works but from some lesser-known, yet equally valuable, writings as well. presented here is a living thomas merton, expounding through prose and poetry on an abundance of important themes — war, love, peace, eastern thought and spirituality, monastic life, art, contemplation, and solitude.m. scott peck puts the writings included here into the context of merton's life.
Specifications:
| Language |
English |
| Release Date |
February 2010 |
| Length |
478 Pages |
| Dimensions |
1.0" x 7.4" |
Reviews:
Deeply thoughtful writer. Makes you consider the underpinning of faith from perspective of forgiveness and love for your fellow man.claudiafranklin
Excellent service and great value. Use these people.greenfrog2908
7. Through The Year With Thomas Merton: Daily Meditations From His Writings [Book]
Product Details:
A meditation a day from thomas merton this convenient day book is a compendium of inspiring passages from the writings of one of this century's spiritual giants. it offers daily challenges for thoughtful meditation intended to stimulate, provoke, and lead to grace. happiness is not a matter of intensity, but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony." "every moment and every event of every man's life on earth plants something in his soul." "nothing is more suspicious, in a man who seems holy, than an impatient desire to reform other men. pay as little attention as you can to the faults of other people and none at all to their natural defects and eccentricities." "the wise heart lives in christ." "wisdom manifests itself, and yet is hidden. the more it hides, the more it is manifest; and the more it is manifest, the more it is hidden. "god utters me like a word containing a partial thought of himself." "our full spiritual life is life in wisdom, life in christ. the darkness of faith bears fruit in the light of wisdom." "love cannot come of emptiness. it is full of reality."
Specifications:
| Language |
English |
| Release Date |
September 2012 |
| Length |
297 Pages |
| Dimensions |
0.7" x 6.1" x 9.2" |
Reviews:
This book is so disjointed. Offerings with NO context. Dont waste your money.ntdoodie
8. The Collected Poems Of Thomas Merton [Book]
Product Details:
In 1944, new directions brought out thomas merton's first book of verse. by the time of his tragic, untimely death in 1968, father louis (as he was known at the trappist monastery where he lived for twenty-seven years) had published upwards of fifty books and pamphlets, including several more collections of poetry. all of these poems have been assembled in a single, definitive volume (first published by new directions in 1977) which includes much additional unpublished or uncollected material drawn from the archive of the merton studies center at bellarmine college in louisville, kentucky, or supplied by the poet's friends and associates. brought together in the collected poems of thomas merton are: early poems (1940-42, published posthumously in 1971), thirty poems (1944), a man in the divided sea (1946), figures for an apocalypse (1947), the tear of the blind lions (1949), the strange islands (1957), original child bomb (1962), emblems of a season of fun (1963), cables to ace (1968), and the geography of lograire (completed in 1968 and published posthumously). these are followed by sensation time at the home and other new poems, a book which merton completed shortly before his death. there are also sections of uncollected poems, humorous verse, poems written in french, with some english translations, merton's translations of poetry from various languages, drafts and fragments, and a selection of concrete poems.
Specifications:
| Language |
English |
| Release Date |
September 1980 |
| Length |
1058 Pages |
| Dimensions |
1.9" x 6.0" x 9.0" |
9. The Pocket Thomas Merton [Book]
Product Details:
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.
Reviews:
Great for a quick refresh.JOSEPH
Merton is always worth a read.mrhibb
A compact book of wise thoughts and primers for spiritual reflection. Perfect for travel!mysticmonk_1008
10. The Martyrdom Of Thomas Merton: An Investigation [Book]
Product Details:
Seldom can one predict that a book will have an effect on history, but this is such a work. merton's many biographers and the american press now say unanimously that he died from accidental electrocution. from a careful examination of the official record, including crime scene photographs that the authors have found that the investigating police in thailand never saw, and from reading the letters of witnesses, they have discovered that the accidental electrocution conclusion is totally false. the widely repeated story that merton had taken a shower and was therefore wet when he touched a lethal faulty fan was made up several years after the event and is completely contradicted by the evidence.hugh turley and david martin identify four individuals as the primary promoters of the false accidental electrocution narrative. another person, they show, should have been treated as a murder suspect. the most likely suspect in plotting merton's murder, a man who was a much stronger force for peace than most people realize, they identify as the central intelligence agency of the united states government.thomas merton was the most important roman catholic spiritual and anti-warfare-state writer of the 20th century. to date, he has been the subject of 28 biographies and numerous other books. remarkably, up to now no one has looked critically at the mysterious circumstances surrounding his sudden death in thailand. from its publication date in the 50th anniversary of his death, into the foreseeable future, this carefully researched work will be the definitive, authoritative book on how thomas merton died.
Specifications:
| Language |
English |
| Release Date |
March 2018 |
| Length |
330 Pages |
| Dimensions |
0.7" x 5.2" x 8.0" |
Reviews:
good read & an eye openermaxyhut_7
11. Beholding Paradise: The Photographs Of Thomas Merton [Book]
Product Details:
Beholding paradise: the photographs of thomas merton provides the reader with the only available overview of thomas merton s photographs while also providing a highly accessible introduction to merton as a photographer. for merton, his photography, as his writing, became a way for him to explore and express his relationship with the world. as he discovered contemplative photography, and how to use a camera as a contemplative instrument, he produced images that had the same effect as much of prose and poetry writings in the last decade of his life. media and advertisers used images manipulatively to sell a story or an object. by contrast, merton s images have nothing to sell, they cause us to pause, to stop, to see, to see what is right in front of us every day.
Specifications:
| Imprint |
Paulist |
| Pub date |
30 Nov 2015 |
| DEWEY edition |
23 |
| Language |
English |
| Spine width |
28mm |
12. Thomas Merton, Spiritual Master: The Essential Writings [Book]
Product Details:
A one-volume anthology of the spiritual writings of the greatest spiritual master the american catholic church has produced in this century. the selections, which are substantial in length, provide a generous sampling of merton's vast output. +
Specifications:
| Imprint |
Paulist |
| Pub date |
01 Jan 1995 |
| DEWEY edition |
20 |
| Language |
English |
| Spine width |
30mm |
Reviews:
This book may be somewhat difficult to find, but is well woth the search, especially if you are interested in contemporary Christian spirituality. Thomas Merton was a Trappist monk who lived in Kentucky (Gethsemane monastery) for many years until a tragic accident took him from us in the late 1960s. He was a most unusual and open-minded Catholic spiritual master; his interests encompassed poetry, politics, and Eastern wisdom in addition to the full sweep of Christian spirituality. His writings embraced all these subjects and more. This book offers a generous and comprehensive selection from his extensive oevre, including excerpts from his autobiographical "Seven Storey Mountain" (which many readers will no doubt wish to read in its entirety after finishing the present volume). A detailed and informative introduction to the man and his thought adds to the value of the collection. More than entertainment, this book may just enlighten you to the Ground of All Being.djholyman
Very pleased, great value.lnn237
13. Thomas Merton: Selected Essays [Book]
Product Details:
Thomas merton, the trappist monk who died in 1968, was one of the greatest spiritual writers of the twentieth century. his published works include a hundred volumes in many genres. but it was perhaps in the essay form that merton found his natural element. this volume is the first to provide a broad cross-section of merton's work as an essayist, collecting characteristic examples of his astonishing output and the range of his interests—from faulkner and zen to nuclear war and the contemplative life.
Specifications:
| Language |
English |
| Release Date |
Sep 10, 2014 |
| Dimensions |
1.1" H x 9.1" L x 6" W |
14. Life And Holiness [Book]
Product Details:
Life and holiness is thomas merton's classic text on incorporating spirituality into everyday life. merton here makes clear that he was a monk who knew the world. of course, merton lived a secular life until he became a trappist monk in his late twenties, but even in the monastery he was deeply engaged in the questions of his day. in this succinct and readily accessible work, he offers compelling thoughts on what it means to be holy in the face of the anxieties of the modern age.
Reviews:
One of Father Merton's best books. It is a clear and easy to read account of the life of true discipleship. Not a book for those wanting easy answers, the text challenges you to be a committed follower of Jesus Christ, a life long process.gardenmonk
Excellent book right to the point easy understandingchaburg-8
15. Life And Holiness [Book]
Product Details:
Life and holiness is thomas merton's classic text on incorporating spirituality into everyday life. merton here makes clear that he was a monk who knew the world. of course, merton lived a secular life until he became a trappist monk in his late twenties, but even in the monastery he was deeply engaged in the questions of his day. in this succinct and readily accessible work, he offers compelling thoughts on what it means to be holy in the face of the anxieties of the modern age.
Reviews:
One of Father Merton's best books. It is a clear and easy to read account of the life of true discipleship. Not a book for those wanting easy answers, the text challenges you to be a committed follower of Jesus Christ, a life long process.gardenmonk
Excellent book right to the point easy understandingchaburg-8
16. Thomas Merton: Essential Writings [Book]
Product Details:
Thomas mertron (1951-1968), the trappist monk and author, remains one of the most influential spiritual guides of the twentieth century. beginning with his autobiography, the seven storey mountain, and scores of other books, merton's work reflects a living encounter between the traditions of christian wisdom and the burning questions of the modern world: war and peace, the quest for meaning in the face of absurdity, and the need for dialogue with religious traditions of the east. this volume includes a broad range of merton's writings, including his letters, and highlights his threefold call: to prayer, to compassion, and to unity.
Reviews:
A great "Sampler Edition" of Merton's works. Enlightening easy read for beginners and concise refresher for the students of Merton. Highly recommended!smrrain1
17. Thomas Merton: Essential Writings [Book]
Product Details:
Thomas mertron (1951-1968), the trappist monk and author, remains one of the most influential spiritual guides of the twentieth century. beginning with his autobiography, the seven storey mountain, and scores of other books, merton's work reflects a living encounter between the traditions of christian wisdom and the burning questions of the modern world: war and peace, the quest for meaning in the face of absurdity, and the need for dialogue with religious traditions of the east. this volume includes a broad range of merton's writings, including his letters, and highlights his threefold call: to prayer, to compassion, and to unity.
Reviews:
A great "Sampler Edition" of Merton's works. Enlightening easy read for beginners and concise refresher for the students of Merton. Highly recommended!smrrain1
18. The Wisdom Of The Desert: Sayings From The Desert Fathers Of The Fourth Century [Book]
Product Details:
The wisdom of the desert was one of thomas merton's favorites among his own books-surely because he had hoped to spend his last years as a hermit. the personal tone of the translations, the blend of reverence and humor so characteristic of him, show how deeply merton identified with the legendary authors of these sayings and parables, the fourth-century christian fathers who sought solitude and contemplation in the deserts of the near east. the hermits of scete who turned their backs on a corrupt society remarkably like our own had much in common with the zen masters of china and japan, and father merton made his selection from them with an eye to the kind of impact produced by the zen mondo.
Specifications:
| Binding / Edition |
Paperback; 30th |
| Dimensions (inches) |
8.00 (H) x 5.00 (W) x 0.50 (D) |
| Date of Publication |
Jun 1, 1970 |
| Dewey Decimal Classification |
242 |
| Library of Congress Classification |
BV |
| Product Genre/Category |
Religion / Christianity / Literature & The Arts |
Reviews:
Mertons inledning till "Wisdom of the desert" är värdefull för att förstå hur han såg på kyrkans ökenfäder men boken hade varit bättre om han hade skrivit någon slags avslutning också. Ökenfädernas citat är förvisso kärnfulla och intressanta i sig själva men jag hade verkligen velat läsa några kommentarer från Merton på slutet. Nu känns det som citaten är lite lösryckta och boken något inkomplett men ändå absolut läsvärd som introduktion till kyrkans ökenfäder. Antagligen avstod Merton medvetet från ytterligare kommentarer eftersom citaten är "nog i sig sjäva" och ska leda till kontemplation.Robert B
This was ordered on line and came very quickly. Very pleased with the purchaseTerry
19. Dialogues With Silence: Prayers & Drawings [Book]
Product Details:
An intensely personal devotional book from thomas merton, the ultimate spiritual writer of our time, showing his contemplative and religious side through his prayers and rarely-seen drawings. the only merton gift book available. dialogues with silence contains a selection of prayers from throughout merton's life–from his journals, letters, poetry, books–accompanied by all 100 of merton's rarely seen, delightful zen-like pen-and-ink drawings, and will attract new readers as well as merton devotees. there is no other merton devotional like this, and the paperback edition will be elegantly designed and packaged.
Reviews:
If you enjoy Merton, "Dialogues with Silence" is a great introduction to his poetry/prose with the added benefit of his interesting pencil drawings. Some of the writings are both beautiful and powerful. Some of the art is poignant. Merton continues to amaze me with being as relevant today as he was half a century ago! If you see the book at a good price, it is nice to own.2blostatsea
Beautiful art! Beautiful words! One of my favoritesmagicbeans101
20. The Other Side Of The Mountain: The End Of The Journey [Book]
Product Details:
The seventh and final volume of thomas merton's journals finds him exploring new territory, both spiritual and geographic, in the last great journey prior to his untimely death. traveling in the united states and the far east, merton enjoys a new freedom that brings with it a rich mix of solitude, spirited friendship, and interaction with monks of other traditions. in his last days in the united states, merton continues to follow the tumultuous events closing the 1960s, including the assassinations of martin luther king, jr., and robert kennedy. meanwhile, with the blessing of his new abbot, merton travels to monasteries in new mexico and among the redwoods of northern california, keeping his journal all the while. when merton wins approval to participate in a meeting of monastic superiors of the far east in bangkok, thailand, his life enters its most thrilling period. arriving in calcutta, merton is heartbroken by the poverty of the many beggars; in new delhi and dharamsala, he makes contact with local buddhists, including the dalai lama. recognizing each other as kindred spirits, merton and the dalai lama speak from the heart like old friends.
