Thomas Merton (1915-1968) was a Trappist monk of the Abbey of Gethsemani for twenty-seven years, serving as Novice Master for over a decade. A prolific writer, his works include Faith and Violence, also published by the University of Notre Dame Press.

"When I speak of the contemplative life I do not mean the institutional, cloistered life . . . I am talking about a special dimension of inner discipline and experience, a certain integrity and fullness of personal development. . . . Discovering the contemplative life is a new self-discovery. One might say it is the flowering of a deeper identity on an entirely different plane. . . ." —Thomas Merton, from the book

The spiritual and psychological insights of these essays were nurtured in a monastic milieu, but their issues are universally human. Merton lays a foundation for personal growth and transformation through fidelity to "our own truth and inner being." His main focus is our desire and need to attain "a fully human and personal identity." This classic is a restored and corrected edition.