DESCRIPTION

The famous monk evokes the Shaker spirit and its message of simplicity and peace of heart in writings and photographs brought together for the first time. The Shakers are largely remembered today for a legacy of extraordinary craftsmanship. But what was the spirituality that infused this uniquely American sect? Could it have any relevance for seekers today? These questions fascinated Thomas Merton, who sensed surprising analogies between the Shakers and his own monastic tradition. The essays, talks, and letters collected here -- joined by a stunning selection of Merton's own photographs of a Shaker village -- present a haunting evocation of a lost tradition. In the Shakers' approach to work as a form of worship, in their practice of community, their simplicity and rejection of violence, and their profound witness to the Kingdom of God he found lessons for all Christians. In their prophetic departure from the American myth of progress, efficiency, and individualism, he found a message of enduring value and relevance for our time.