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Bringing a comedian’s insight to bear on the art of making people laugh, Paul Merton traces the evolution of silent comedy from its earliest pioneering days, through the 1900s, and considers the works of the genre’s greatest exponents — Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy and Harold Lloyd. This richly illustrated history is destined to be a classic.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

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Scholarly but spirited collection of essays
This anthology collects scholarly essays; it's also listed with the same ISBN & pagination but a different subtitle: "Wisdom, Emptiness & Ordinary Life." It's an accessible volume that, like its inspiration, wears its learning lightly. Merton's example of enthusiasm, earnestness, and erudition finds fitting followers in those tracking his geographical and spiritual searches eastward.

Roger Corless begins with a brisk overview of Buddhism, and Bonnie B. Thurston follows with a survey of the book's subject. James Wiseman treats Merton's engagement with Theravada Buddhism, and Judith Simmer-Brown with Tibetan. Ruben Habito's Zen essay teaches the reader first what Zen is, and then he and John P. Keenan examine Merton's limited understanding, dependent on his 1960s reading of D.T. Suzuki's over-intellectual, under-spiritual emphasis.

Articles on Merton's artistic incorporation follow. Roger Lipsey looks at the Merton-Suzuki-Zen triangle from the calligraphic angle, the drawings Merton admired and then made himself. Photography gains similar treatment from Paul Pearson, and poetry from Thurston. Footnotes from those who had visited with Merton on his final Asian journey the fall of 1968 and a bibliography complete this work.

More than one contributor wonders if Merton achieved "satori" or the awakening he desired very shortly before he died. Most writers here assume that Merton would have gone for an extended retreat and Dzongchen practice under Tibetan auspices; I wonder how this would have been approved by his Trappist order? Perhaps Merton departed at the right moment for him if too soon for the rest of us. He appears, after overcoming the temptation to court nurse "M." in later 1966, to have recovered his balance and the Buddhist encounters he undertook, that fulfilled so much he'd been studying for and meditating upon in the 60s, seem to have been his dream come true. Still, as his companion on the trip Harold Talbott told "Tricycle" in 1992: "he would have never left the Church." (qtd. 22) The tension, however, between his longing to enter advanced Tibetan practice and the Catholicism within which he still vowed himself to fidelity must have been difficult for his situation around him, even as within himself, as Lipsey's essay with its careful quotes from throughout Merton's writings over the decades documents best, Merton may have solved the conundrum beneath theological distinctions between theism and apophatic "awareness."

Throughout, this volume rewards the careful reader and subtle scholar. Those eager to find out what Merton knew and could not know about Buddhism under the conditions of his time and place will welcome these reflections. Despite some inevitable repetition of points from overlapping observers, essays that often in their tone go on a bit too long or too casually, and a few typographical (Keenan's essay lacks vowels for transliterated terms, perhaps intentionally, but they loom quite foreign on the English page) errors, this collection corrects and complements the "Zen and the Birds of Appetite" Suzuki-focused volume Merton wrote along with "Mystics & Zen Masters" before his sudden death on his Asian pilgrimage. ... Read more

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In the last decade of his life, while living as a hermit-monk in dialogue with the world, Thomas Merton created a body of visual art that has remained largely unknown and little studied in the nearly forty years since his death. With this book, Merton's art at last moves out of the shadows to be appreciated for what it is: a revealing expression of his state of mind and heart in the 1960s, and a visual correlative to his mature works of spiritual writing such as New Seeds of Contemplation and Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander. Roger Lipsey provides a fascinating analysis of the simple and striking images and their significance in Merton's journey. He find in them resonances with Asian calligraphy and American abstract expressionism, and relates them to the influence of Merton's wide circle of friends, which included such diverse figures as the Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain, the poet Czeslaw Milosz, the Zen scholar D. T. Suzuki, and the artist Ad Reinhardt—among many others.

But the centerpiece of the book is the art itself, presented in a portfolio of thirty-four representative pieces that reflect the changing themes and methods of Merton's work. Each is accompanied by selections from his writings from the 1960s that reflect the inward and outward territories Merton was exploring in the period when these remarkable images were created. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Q:What does art from a spiritual master look like? A:Angelic Mistakes
This is a wonderful book for several reasons. It has great pictures done by Merton coupled with his writings that often reveal common ground between image and word. It also has thoughtful essays that explore the sources of inspiration for Mertons' art and writing-sources as diverse as Japanese calligraphy and contemporary art. What emerges from this book is how Merton was very much like the classic Asian poet artists that he admired. Roger Lipsey has put something wonderful together in this book-he combed through hundreds of essays and pieces of art to find powerful pairings of word and art.The research for this book is impressive-Lipsey writes of Merton's creative process, his sources of inspiration and how he learned from a variety of teachers in East and West.And here's another reason to check this book out-what does the art of a spiritual master look like?

A "must" for anyone who has read and appreciated Merton's writings
Angelic Mistakes: The Art Of Thomas Merton by Roger Lipsey is a descriptive collection and history of works of art created by the mind and hand of Catholic theologian and hermit-monk Thomas Merton during the last decade of his life and which until now has remained largely unknown to the general public. Providing readers with a compendium of Merton's work with each piece being accompanied by an extensive caption, Angelic Mistakes is a "must" for anyone who has read and appreciated Merton's writings, as well as a choice selection as a church, seminary, and academic library "Memorial Fund" acquisition.
... Read more

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This winner of the Best Spiritual Book Award for 2003-2004 from the Sacramento Publishers & Authors is a penetrating fact-based study of what could have occurred on the last day of Merton’s life. It is the first book to provide a radical reinterpretation of Merton’s character.

Hourihan provides a convincing answer to a question that a multitude of Catholics, and others, have asked themselves: Why did the famous Catholic monk, and acclaimed writer die so mysteriously and suddenly? The author probes the enigmatic December 1968 event, which occurred at an international monastic conference outside of Bangkok, with such insight that the significance of Merton’s death is illuminated for the first time.

He sees Merton as a tragically divided soul unable to resolve his conflicts within a Christian framework, and who was driven for release--too late and unsuccessfully--into the world of Oriental mysticism. He was a man who should not have become a monk in the first place; falling victim as he did to his own spiritual inadequacies, as well as to fame, and uncritical hero-worship from both laity and clergy alike lacking knowledge of what constituted a true mystic.

Hourihan dramatically reveals why Merton was not a "spiritual master or mystic" as he has been referred to by followers. His basic conclusion is that Merton is typical of Westerners who lack grounding in a mystical orientation that would instruct them about the nature of spirituality.

This dramatic portrayal, written by an American who writes from an Eastern philosophical perspective, will appeal to ex-Catholics and others with a Christian background searching for guidance outside of their traditional faith. It is not recommended for warm admirers of Thomas Merton who want to maintain their cherished image of him. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

My dear friends!
Some of the favorable reviews seemed a little confused as to what truth is. Speculation is not truth. This book is fiction like the Da Vinci Code, without excitement or RESEARCH. Or very limited research.

Oh, and by the way (to those who think that I am a Merton worshiper), I very much doubt that anyone worships Merton (for obvious reasons).

Merton and the Church
Paul Hourihan's depiction of the Catholic Church in this book speaks so perfectly of the kind of institution that could create, and destroy, a person such as Merton. Hourihan's honesty and insight expressed the exact feelings I had about the Church, and without doubt history will prove the truth of his observations. We can only hope this wisdom will reach the masses, so to speak, and that the light and love that Christ taught will be spread beyond the dark walls that now attempt to confine it.

An author's view of Catholicism...not necessarily Merton's
Paul Hourihan's novelization of Thomas Merton's last day reads more like an apologia for his own loss of faith in things Catholic rather than an imaginative exploration of Merton's death in Asia.This self-published novel reveals far more about the author than it does its subject.For a real understanding of the issues Thomas Merton wrestled with read the journals he maintained during the course of his adult life.

...
This book begins with a "note of caution" to potential readers, suggesting that this "novel" may "seem overly provocative to many" and "may offend Westerners comfortable in their religious beliefs - especially warm admirers of Thomas Merton." This caution really does not go far enough.

Paul Hourihan in this book portrays Thomas Merton having a long dialogue with himself in the days and hours leading up to his accidental death in Bangkok in December 1968 about the value of his life, especially his monastic life, questioning whether or not he had got it all wrong. The author's standpoint is clearly that he had, suggesting that the traditional Christian paths to God are mistaken and that Eastern religions, especially India's Vedanta philosophy, was the path that Merton should have followed. He suggests that Merton was subconsciously drawn to the electric fan in his Bangkok room as a way out of the dilemma in which he found himself - either continuing in a way of life he no longer believed in or, alternately, starting again in an Eastern religion and disturbing the "simple faith" of so many of his loyal readers.

Under ordinary circumstances I would not have finished reading this book, it is badly written, tedious and Hourihan is basically using Merton as a vehicle for his own anti-catholic polemic from a Vedantic perspective. Readers of Merton will see all too quickly the falsity of his arguments. Merton's inter-faith dialogue was based on his deep grounding in his own tradition, a tradition he was clearly committed to right up to his final days as is evident from the final entries in his personal journals - celebrating the Eucharist, lunching with the apostolic delegate and attending the monastic conference at which he was to die.

... Be warned.

Perusing the question of why God would allow him to die
The Death Of Thomas Merton by Paul Hourihan is a novelization of the last day in the life of the famous Catholic monk and writer Thomas Merton, who in December 1968 suffered an terrible, accidental demise while attending a monastic conference in Thailand in 1968. Reinterpreting Merton's character, studying his spirituality and beliefs, and perusing the question of why God would allow him to die, The Death of Thomas Merton is a profound and thoughtful testimony and speculation which is very highly recommended reading both as a work of fact-based fiction and as a thoughtfully speculative portrayal of Thomas Merton in terms of his life and his thought. ... Read more

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In November 1960 the noted scholar of Shaker life and craft, Edward Deming Andrews, wrote to Thomas Merton offering assistance with a book on the religion of the Shakers that he had heard Merton was planning. Though nothing came of that book, the ensuing correspondence between Merton and Andrews, and after Andrews' death in 1964 with his widow and collaborator Faith, itself became a spirited and spiritual examination and celebration of the lives and legacy of the Shakers.

Here for the first time, Dr. Paul M. Pearson introduces and brings together both sides of this correspondence, allowing the reader to delight in both the interplay of ideas and inspiration, and the growth of sincere affection, that occurred between Merton and the Andrews through their shared vocation.

The correspondence is supplemented by a selection of Merton's photographs of the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill in Kentucky, newly identified with captions supplied by Pleasant Hill Curator Larrie S. Curry. A review of the Andrews' Shaker Furniture by Ananda K. Coomaraswamy concludes the volume. Merton once observed, "The peculiar grace of a Shaker chair is due to the fact that it was made by someone capable of believing that an angel might come and sit on it." To read these letters is to experience a meeting of angels, coming to rest for a moment in the contemplation of the simple, but to this day challenging, gifts of the Shakers.

In A Meeting of Angels Dr. Paul Pearson has made available both sides of the correspondence between Merton and a reknowned authority on the Shakers. Dr. Pearson's brief and very helpful introduction and his judicious use of footnotes display the careful scholarship we are accustomed to expect from him. --William H. Shannon, Founding President of the International Thomas Merton Society

In this fascinating exchange of letters the reader is given an example of Merton's empathy with his correspondents and his great respect for the Shaker tradition which had so many similarities with the best of the Cistercian spirit. How much more is seen when both sides of the correspondence are made available. --Brother Patrick Hart, OCSO ... Read more

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Gift
I bought this as a gift for a friend who is interested in Thomas Merton ... Read more

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In this spoof of the showbiz autobiography genre, Paul Merton writes of an East End childhood, the last days of the music halls, Pinewood, success in the Sixties, hard times, depression, wives, and a rise to the heady heights of success. ... Read more

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More Than Silence: A Bibliography of Thomas Merton is not only one of the most comprehensive bibliographies on Merton but is also the first bibliography on Merton in more than 20 years. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Theological Studies, published by Theological Studies, Inc. on September 1, 2010. The length of the article is 836 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Sophia: The Hidden Christ of Thomas Merton.(Book review)
Author: Paul F. Knitter
Publication: Theological Studies (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2010
Publisher: Theological Studies, Inc.
Volume: 71Issue: 3Page: 731(3)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

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The heart of the Christian faith is a direct encounter with God so profound that it can be referred to asunion. It is an experience that cannot be described in words, but itcan be glimpsed—in the radiant lives of the men and women called mystics. Here James Harpur presents the stories of some of the most influential Christian mystics from the past two thousand years. He provides their historical and ecclesiastical contexts, as well as appreciations of the unique contributions of each of them to the ongoing articulation of the way of love and union.Love Burning in the Soul is a comprehensive and highly readable survey of the great Christian mystical tradition for everyone. Included are:

Clement of Alexandria * Gregory of Nyssa * John Scotus Eriugena * Bernard of Clairvaux * Hildegard of Bingen * Francis of Assisi * Mechtild of Magdeburg * Meister Eckhart * John Tauler * Jan van Ruysbroeck * Gregory Palamas * Richard Rolle * Julian of Norwich * Catherine of Siena * Jacob Boehme * George Fox * Teresa of Ávila * François Fénelon * Jean Pierre de Caussade * William Blake * Pierre Teilhard de Chardin * Thomas Merton * Many others ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Concise 2000 year introduction
James Harpur should be congratulated for his introduction to those men and women, Catholics and Protestants who have direct encounter with God. Although It cannot be experienced by reading, Harpur at least gives an understanding of the breadth of those experiencing it, arranging brief chapters chronologically from Jesus to Thomas Merton. He provokes important questions like "Is Jesus a Mystic?" and were the poets William Blake and Wordsworth mystic? Reading a survey like this, one sees that for some knowledge is important (Eckhart) where for others it is love (e.g. The Cloud of Unknowing). There is a tension between the esoteric and exoteric traditions, between the mystic and the mainstream. I used this to accompany the Teaching Company class on Western Mysticism.

Perhaps the book was short on actual readings or quotes from the mystics themselves, though I appreciated Eckhart's paradoxical"The eye with which I see God is exactly the same eye with which God sees me". In such a broad survey, some readers will find some favorites missing (e.g., Thomas a' Kempis), but I hope that some of the mystics will spark the readers to read new authors; I know I will seek some Tauler and Boehme.

The Power of the Mystical Insight
Psychologists, philosophers and the clergy have all had their own views and definitions of the mystical experience. Is it no more than a dissociative experience in which the boundaries of the ego dissolve like so much fairy gold? Is it another word for a form psychotic breakdown? Is it a profound sense of empathy with all living things? Is it a state in which we can unlock the most profound secrets of the universe? Or is it a God-given state of ultimate Union?

In this fascinating book, James Harpur focuses on the last of these possibilities. He defines the mystic as someone who has a direct and intimate experience of God from within. As implied in the title, his focus is on the two thousand year old tradition of Christian mysticism. He takes both an historical and ecclesiastical approach beginning first with the mystical experiences revealed through the writers of the Gospels, before going on to cover some of the personal accounts of a few of the better known saints, religious and spiritual leaders, as well as some of the English Romantic poets.

This book provides some extraordinary insights into the path of the human soul toward union with God, through the lives of and recorded words of Jesus, Meister Eckhart, Jacob Boehme, Saint Teresa of Avila, Saint John of the Cross, William Blake and Teilhard de Chardin and many others.

Though some of this material is available elsewhere, James Harpur provides us with many new insights. But it is in the epilogue that the book really shines. Here he brings Christian mystical spirituality into the present, with a discussion of some of the grass root and retreat movements that not only tap into these mystical traditions but also use them to inform a movement toward a belief in the interconnectedness of all life and its moral consequences: ecology, justice and peace. Harpur discusses many examples of such communities, including those in Iona in Scotland, Taize in France, and the Creation Spirituality movement founded by the former Dominican monk Matthew Fox.

Whether or not you follow a Christian path, if you are interested in the application of spiritual principles to your life and to some of the problems in our world, this book is well worth your time.

Highly recommended.

Good overview, broad coverage, historical perspective
In the preface to this book, the author states that, "This book is intended as a short introduction to the tradition of Christian mysticism over the last two thousand years.It is not aimed at theologians or other specialists but at those who have little or no knowledge of the subject matter and who wish to dip their toes into the vast ocean of mysticism."Further, "The approach I have taken is a historical one."James Harpur delivers on both of these objectives.In the introduction, he discusses the terms mystic/mysticism and contemplative/contemplation.His coverage is broad:He starts with New Testament Times and ends with The Modern Age, and he addresses 49 mystics (from Jesus Chris to Thomas Merton; Therese de Lisieux is a notable exclusion).The information he presents provides a good overview of each mystic's approach to Christian spirituality.In addition, he describes the historical times and context in which they lived (providing a history, albeit a very short one, of Christianity).In the epilogue, the author briefly addresses the future of both Christianity and mysticism, as well as some of the more recent Christian spiritual movements, e.g., Taize.This book is a great introduction to this subject and a good reference source. ... Read more

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High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Paul Merton born Paul James Martin; 9 July 1957 is an English comedian, writer and actor. Known for his improvisation skill, his humour is rooted in deadpan, surreal and sometimes dark comedy. Considered by a number of critics, fellow comedians and members of the public to be among Britain's greatest comedians, he is well known for his regular appearances as a team captain on the popular BBC panel game Have I Got News for You, as a regular panellist on Radio 4's Just a Minute and as one of Comedy Store's Comedy Store Players. ... Read more