The Seven Storey Mountain Kindle Edition

Spiritual, from a Master ...

Thomas Merton writes well and he's my brother in Christ; further, his writings inform and stir my passion to come alongside other people's spiritual journey in hopes of seeing them further immersed into the life of God (cf. Acts 8:26-40); however, this book isn't for everyone, and, if you're within Protestant Christianity there will be isolated mentions of Catholicism that you'll need to wrestle through; after all, there are real differences in how Protestants and Catholics articulate the gospel and how their churches construct that understanding.Merton confesses, "The bent of my mind was essentially `Augustinian.'" (241) Therefore, we shouldn't be surprised that his autobiography is a modern day version of Augustine's Confessions, albeit with a Roman Catholic, pre-Vatican II, monastic flavoring. The book covers his life from childhood to priesthood, highlighting his struggles with surrendering both to Christ and becoming a Trappist Monk.My take away quotes:1. The persons most influential in his conversion: Merton and his father occasionally rented a room from the Privats: "They were to be among the most remarkable people I ever knew ... Full of that peacefulness ... which ... came from living close to God ... Sanctified by leading ordinary lives in a completely supernatural manner, sanctified by obscurity, by usual skills, by common tasks, by routine, but skills, tasks, routine which received a supernatural form from grace within, and from the habitual union of their souls with God in deep faith and charity ... I am indebted to them for much more than the kindness and care they showed me, the goodness and the delicate solicitude with which they treated me as their own child ... I had never met people to whom belief was a matter of such moment ... They were concerned, and so deeply and vitally concerned, at my lack of faith ... I owe many graces to their prayers, and perhaps ultimately the grace of my conversion and even my religious vocation." (61-65)2. The method of his conversion: "But for me, with my blind appetites, it was impossible that I should not rush in and take a huge bite of this rotten fruit. The bitter taste is still with me after not a few years." "[I had] walked out into the world that I thought I was going to ransack and rob of all its pleasures and satisfactions. I had done what I intended, and now I found that it was I who was emptied and robbed and gutted. What a strange thing! In filling myself, I had emptied myself. In grasping things, I had lost everything. In devouring pleasures and joys, I had found distress and anguish and fear ... When I was reduced to this extremity of misery and humiliation, I fell into a love affair in which I was at last treated in the way I had treated not a few people in these last years ... And it was my defeat that was to be the occasion of my rescue." "My ploughed soul was better ground for the reception of good seed." (131, 181-82, 230)3. Merton's struggle about his vocation, which went on for the entire book: "Did I not know that I really had no vocation [i.e. a call to the priesthood] ... it was the same old story again." Further down the page: "Perhaps what I wanted was to maintain myself in an equivocal, indefinite position in which I would be free to dream about entering the monastery, without having the actual responsibility of doing so, and of embracing the real hardship of a certain Cistercian life. If I asked advice and was told I had no vocation, then the dream would be over: and if I was told I had a vocation, that I would have to walk right in to the reality ... And so I walked ... full of indecision, praying for light."4. His comments against the argument that a good God cannot exist given the plague of evil (142) and about "Why should anyone be shattered by the thought of hell?" (238) are worth being read.5. "The beginning of love is truth, and before He will give us His love, God must cleanse our souls of the lies that are in them. And the most effective way of detaching us from ourselves is to make us detest ourselves as we have made ourselves by sin." (409)6. "One of the most important aspects of any religious vocation ... is the willingness to accept life in a community in which everybody is more or less imperfect." (419)7. "All my bad habits, disinfected, it is true, of formal sin, had sneaked into the monastery with me and had received the religious vesture along with me: spiritual gluttony, spiritual sensuality, spiritual pride..." (426)8. Merton's struggle about his vocation, which went on for the entire book: "Did I not know that I really had no vocation [i.e. a call to the priesthood] ... it was the same old story again." Further down the page: "Perhaps what I wanted was to maintain myself in an equivocal, indefinite position in which I would be free to dream about entering the monastery, without having the actual responsibility of doing so, and of embracing the real hardship of a certain Cistercian life. If I asked advice and was told I had no vocation, then the dream would be over: and if I was told I had a vocation, that I would have to walk right in to the reality ... And so I walked ... full of indecision, praying for light."

Book arrived in unexpectedly good condition! Only marking was a brief dedication on inside front cover. The book itself is a classic; wanted to own it for years. Only problem with Merton is that once this book is read, you are in danger of wanting to collect and read all his works!

Thomas Merton ... An amazing and complex man. A Catholic convert who struggled with the greatest decision of his life and finally, with the help of a sympathetic priest was able to do what he was born to do. Fascinating reading and I feel a "must read" for every young Catholic and perhaps non Catholic young man.

A Review by Anthony T. Riggio of the book The Seven Story Mountain by Thomas Merton; 1/14/15I finally read this book after years of my wife Micheline telling me that this was such wonderful book and well written by Thomas Merton, a Cistercian Monk, i.e., a cloistered monk who dedicates his life to silence and the devotion to God in all labors at the monastery.After reading My Life with the Saints by James Martin, SJ, he listed Thomas Merton as one of those saints (though not canonized) and his review sparked my interests de novo.I purchased the Kindle edition and read it. One of the reviews was quite negative about typographical errors and I did take the time to report the typos to Kindle and I certainly hope they have corrected them as promised.Thomas Merton led a most interesting life being born in France at the foot hills of the Pyrenees Mountains in 1915 to “Bohemian” parents, both artists but adhering to no religion. They had two sons Thomas and John Paul. The father, an impressionistic artist was a bit of a vagabond and they moved often. Merton’s mother dies soon after the birth of John Paul, the father moves to England and changes schools from the French version to the English system. These moves had a very big impact on both sons but Thomas, who is quite intelligent benefits from the hurdles of learning both a new culture and a new language. Soon the Father moves his boys to live with his parents in Douglaston New York where both must start over living with the grandparents.After a couple of years of the father travelling and painting in Europe, he returns to the United States and takes only Thomas back with him to France where Thomas continues his secondary education in both France and England. He then enters Oxford for his college education, and begins his search for his life goals and discernment as to his spiritual goals.Under the British system of education he takes courses in both Greek and Latin and a healthy regiment of philosophy and eventually obtains his BA and commences a course of study towards his MA. During this period, his father dies and he is on his own and travels a great deal in Europe during his studies. For a reason not specifically outlined in his auto biography of the Seven Story Mountain, Thomas Merton is caused to leave Oxford; it is suggested he return to New York to complete his studies.Upon returning to New York in the mid 30’s, he enrolls at Columbia University to complete his MA and his PhD. While at Columbia, Merton goes through a complex discernment process to determine his relationship with God and eventually becomes a Catholic. He is both intelligent and a pursuer of the deep issues of life and his readings, which he started as a very young man are both challenging and certainly not the usual fare, even then, for a young scholar. They are varied and full of searching themes, evolving from the philosophical the lives of the Saints, including Augustine and Thomas Aquinas.It is important to note, that Merton, though living an unusual and self-filled and directional life, albeit poor finds himself almost frantically searching for his vocation which he believes is a complete devotion to God as a priest or as a contemplative monk. He eventually goes to the Gethsemane Cistercian Monastery where he lives out his life.He presents a warm and loving picture of his life as a cloistered and contemplative life and dies while on a mission in 1968 of an unexpected accident in Thailand.I loved this book and found it an easy read, even when Merton writes about his deep love of God, which reflect his lifelong study of philosophy and spirituality. While I personally would never consider the cloistered and silent life, I could easily understand Merton’s fulfillment there and how each experience in his own life led him to the monastery.I gave this book five stars out of five and highly recommend it to anyone searching for spirituality and God.

A bit dated, it was written in 1948, but still a very relevant lesson on faith. I was gripped by it from the start. I truly enjoyed his writing style and honesty. I learned a lot and notice that although I finished the book a week ago, I am still contemplating some of his arguments. Good nourishment for the Christian soul.

Can't wait to get reading. Great write ups.

a very interesting and readable book. I haven`t finished it- I`m about three quarter way through but am enjoying it very much. and am not in a hurry to finish it as I am savouring it and making notes as I go. I am reading it as one of a book club and look forward to the discussion and hearing the opinions of other people.

A wonderfully honest and inspiring autobiography leading from unconventional childhood to a powerful calling to a contemplative life that has inspired people from different faiths.I found it revived my faith and resolve to develop a more contemplative life whenever possible.Truly inspiring, well written and fun as well!!

Fantastic book, it is so well written, you feel you are travelling with him. Loved every minute, hugely honest and full of hope. Makes you want to read more of Merton.