The Seven Storey Mountain

This autobiography explores Thomas Merton's transformative journey toward faith and peace, highlighting his struggles and ultimate realization of his spiritual path in The Seven Storey Mountain.

In The Seven Storey Mountain, Thomas Merton chronicles his profound journey towards faith and inner peace amidst a world that alternately captivates and disturbs him. This complete and unedited edition offers readers a deep insight into the mind of a man who has confronted his own complexities and emerged seeking a higher truth. Merton's narrative is not just a personal memoir; it serves as a reflection on the spiritual quest that many undertake in search of meaning.

The book details Merton's early life, marked by travels with his artist father across the United States, France, and England. Initially reveling in his worldly achievements, his time at Clare College, Cambridge, was filled with indulgence, while his subsequent experience at Columbia University only intensified his feelings of restlessness. As Merton grapples with his identity, he ultimately recognizes his profound need for faith, leading to his conversion to Catholicism and contemplation of monastic life.

The transformative retreat to a Trappist monastery in Kentucky at the age of twenty-seven becomes a pivotal moment in Merton's journey. It is here that he discovers the silence and solitude of the Cistercian Order, which he deeply craves. The Seven Storey Mountain is not only an autobiography but also a significant work that resonates with anyone on a spiritual pilgrimage, capturing the essence of Merton's quest for a deeper connection with God and himself.