Run to the Mountain, 1939-1941 Vol. 1 The Journal of Thomas Merton

WhenThomasMertondiedaccidentallyinBangkokin1968,thebelovedTrappistmonk'swillspecifiedthathispersonaldiariesnotbepublishedfor25years--presumablybecausetheycontainedhisuncensoredthoughtsandfeelings.Now,aquarterofacenturyhaspassedsinceMerton'sdeath,andthejournalsarethelastmajorpieceofwritingtoappearbythe20thcentury'smostimportantspiritualwriter.Thefirstofsevenvolumes,"RuntotheMountain"offersanintimateglimpseattheinnerlifeofayoung,pre-monasticMerton.HerereaderswillwitnesstheinsatiablycuriousgraduatestudentinNewYork'sGreenwichVillagegivewaytothetentativespiritualseekerandbrilliantwriter.Mertonplayfullylistseverythingfromhisfavoritelinesofpoetryandsongstothethingshemostlovesandhates.ThomasMertonwasaninveteratediarist;hisjournalsofferacompleteandcandidlookattherichtransformationsofhisadultlife.AsBrotherPatrickHart,generaleditoroftheseriesnotes,"Perhapshisbestwritingcanbefoundinthejournals,wherehewasexpressingwhatwasdeepestinhisheartwithnothoughtofcensorship.WiththeirpublicationwewillhaveascompleteapictureofThomasMertonaswecanhopetohave."