Remembering the Forgotten Merton
- History & Biography
- Publisher: Wipf and Stock
- Published: 2023
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Publisher's Description
This is the first book written about John Paul Merton, Thomas Merton's younger brother. Neither scholar nor saint, the life of John Paul Merton illustrates there is more than one way to live a meaningful and holy life. His was a quietly incubating spirituality guided by his law of love. He began life singing in a crib and ended his life praying as he lay dying in a dinghy in the English Channel during World War II. This book examines the relationship he had with his famous brother, Thomas, especially in the years before Tom became a monk. It examines, among other topics, the relationship between Thomas, the intellectual, and John Paul, the action-oriented younger brother. As a teenager, John Paul earned the nickname "Wildman," and as an adult he learned to live life to the fullest on his own terms. The bumps and bruises of his life--orphaned at twelve years of age, dismissed from Cornell without his degree, and frustrated in his effort to serve in World War II as a fighter pilot--were faced head on. He lived life as an optimist without losing sight of the reality of his world. Most importantly, John Paul's "journey of hidden holiness" can inspire each of us as we, too, journey onward.
Endorsements (4)
“Everyone who reads The Seven Storey Mountain wants to know more about Thomas Merton’s only brother, John Paul. William J. Meegan’s Remembering the Forgotten Merton pieces together meticulously researched historical fragments to truly bring John Paul Merton to life. He is no longer forgotten.”
“This well-researched and engaging book provides readers with an extraordinary glimpse into the short life of John Paul Merton, the younger brother of the renowned spiritual writer and Trappist monk Thomas Merton. Not only does William J. Meegan shine a light on the ‘forgotten Merton,’ giving the younger brother his own due, but this book also provides new insight and context for understanding the childhood and early adult years of his famous older brother. I highly recommend this book.”
“William J. Meegan invites us to remember John Paul as he was—not just the monk-writer’s younger brother but a brave and deeply spiritual person in his own right. Thus, John Paul’s life—with all its twists and turns, its troubles and triumphs—becomes a reminder that God is to be sought and found in the ordinary. Meticulously researched and written with clarity and grace, this book contributes significantly to our understanding of the whole Merton family. It is a must-read!”
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