The Seven Storey Mountain

By: Thomas Merton

Narrated by: Sidney Lanier

The Seven Storey Mountain is the extraordinary spiritual testament of Thomas Merton (1915-1968), a man who experienced life to its fullest in the world before entering a Trappist monastery. By the end of his life, he had become one of the 20th century's best-known and beloved Christian voices. This autobiography deals...not with what happens to a man, but what happens inside his soul.

Public Domain (P)2009 Phoenix

As a Secular Humanist, I Gleaned a lot from This

I took a class in college in Contemplative Writing. When we spoke about Thomas Merton, I asked a rare question for me, "Was this required reading?" To my happiness, the answer was no. We read a ton in that class. May Sarton and Gail Sher, Rilke and Rumi, and tons of self selected works of our choosing. Many of the students were reading and referring to Merton, but I wrote it off as their religiosity. We happened to be in Kentucky and took a visit to Gethsemane as well as Sister Loretto House. I thought about the nature as being connected to this guy Merton who everyone was talking about. But that was 2012. It took until 2018 for me to read some Merton for myself. I am glad I have.

I don't know if I can convince anyone that I have good reason for my resistance against Catholicism. But I wanted to say all that in the previous paragraph so you understand it has been a strong resistance. Knowing Merton's personal background now has made him in my eyes the exact opposite of a harsh or dogmatic read. Reading about the sad fate of Merton's parents, and especially the artistic upbringing of Merton makes me love the monk and take pride in the fact that I walked in the territory of the offspring of similar birds. If he had always been a Christian, it would have been one thing. But this is, instead, an exploration into the deep substance of life, from the frivolous games of college fraternity life. It is a human story above all else of a man who chose to deafen himself with liquor and noise and mindless interactions, to a man who found something meaningful to care about. There is nothing wrong with that. To have a knee jerk reaction against Catholicism, just shows what wounds I have, but it is not healthy to write off an amazing writer like Merton due to his religious difference any more than I would wish to have someone come and try to convert me from spiritual secularism to atheism. It just is not kind to dismiss someone's narrative and humanity due to their religious preference. So Merton, I am truly sorry.

So when I witnessed Merton praying at the bedside of his father who had passed away, I wanted to know how to pray as he seemed to instinctively know. I wanted to change into a deeper and more contemplative soul.

PS Also, the narrator has a very calm, soft, kind voice.

great book

Loved it! Beautiful story with a wonderful narrator. Couldn't stop listening, finished it in one evening!

Abridged makes me want to read the full book

Narrator was very convincing, i never doubted i was listening to Thomas Merton.'s voice. I had wanted to get to this book for so long. so glad i did, especially before Lent. It was eye opening to see Merton.'s challenges renouncing the world and the intellectual pretensions of his times. Its no different today nor will it ever be.

a book about true happiness and joy

an ordinary man encountering our extraordinary God and becoming a person who still leads others to God through his writings. he wss a person found true Joy

Pursuit of Happiness

This book is a call to the hidden world. IA beautifully written testament. loved it.

Beautiful. Poignant.Truth.

A window looking from the shallow relativism of our society upon the Truth, Hope and Eternal's bliss of God.

If you had to choose 1 book in life, choose this one!

I was reminded we are all spiritual beings, living a human experience. Pure contentment while reading!

Must Read

What a beautifully written autobiography. Such a privilege to hear of his reality journey and faith journey.

Inspiring personal autobiography of Merton’s journey to faith and monasticism

Merton’s, story about his pathway and stunning conversion, and his embrace of the contemplative life of a Christian mystic challenges, me in my own discipleship to Christ. The section about bending his will towards the pursuit of God, and experiencing his love is beautifully compelling.

Undoubting Thomas

I “read” this abridged version of Seven Story Mountain while on a silent Jesuit retreat during the early days of spring. It couldn’t have been a more appropriate experience and it was wonderful.
I knew about Merton and had even read some of his essays. I knew him to be a titan of catholic writing and theology. But, until now, amazingly, I had no idea of his origins and his history in the world before his transition.

Through his own words (albeit abbreviated) I learned of an early life which was so challenging that it is amazing that he survived it as he did. And his conversion to Christianity, having growing up in an atheistic, or at best agnostic atmosphere is a miracle in and of itself. Merton’s emergence, both from family and educational cultures so contrary to those he adopted, is equally amazing.
All this is presented in a voice which captures more than the word, but the spirit of this remarkable and complex man.