William Shannon - Thomas Merton: An Introduction (pdf) torrent

William H. Shannon - Thomas Merton: An Introduction (St. Anthony Messenger, 2005). 199 pages.

New scan. Searchable pdf (clearscan) with contents in bookmarks, accurate pagination and metadata, etc.


Survey of Thomas Merton's life, themes in his writing, books, and continued relevance.

description:

'He was something of a legendary figure among the old boys of his generation and he was clearly something of a rebel.'

That description of Thomas Merton by his English headmaster influenced this captivating introductory look at the monk-writer and his works. Merton scholar William H. Shannon presents Merton s life story to suggest that this mid twentieth-century writer can speak meaningfully to women and men now several years into a new century, to develop... some of the themes that make their way through his writings, and to suggest a possible order for reading his books as one enters into the huge library of Mertoniana.



Review

precisely what is needed today to introduce a whole new audience to the life and writings of Thomas Merton. William Shannon, in his usual insightful and balanced way, makes a compelling case for Merton s continued relevance. --Br. Patrick Hart, O.C.S.O., general editor of the Merton Journals

How is it that one life can be so inexhaustible? I think it is because Merton, apart from being brilliant and in search of the Ultimate, is both medium and message, both style and substance. No one brings both parts together better than William Shannon. Maybe because Shannon is the same. --Richard Rohr, O.F.M., Center for Action and Contemplation, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Shannon brings to this remarkable and refreshing book many of the qualities which identify Thomas Merton: humanity, style, drama, spirituality, scholarship. Shannon s judgments are astute, his sensitivity to others keen, his balance liberating, his openness engaging. Had Merton a choice of who might remember him and clarify him, Shannon would have been selected, with gratitude and eagerness. --Dr. Anthony T. Padavano, Catholic theologian, Merton scholar

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About the Author

WILLIAM H. SHANNON, professor emeritus in the religious studies department at Nazareth College, is a priest of the Diocese of Rochester, New York. He is the author of numerous books, including Thomas Merton s Paradise Journey: Writings on Contemplation, An Introduction and Exploring the Catechism of the Catholic Church. He is the founding president of the International Thomas Merton Society.