Thomas Merton An Introduction / William H Shannon

"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…."

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.