Poet, social justice advocate, and theologian Thomas Merton
(1915--1968) is arguably the most influential American Catholic
author of the twentieth century. In his short lifetime, he penned
over seventy books and maintained a brisk correspondence with
colleagues around the globe. However, many Merton scholars and fans
remain unaware of the significant body of letters that were
exchanged between the Trappist monk and Victor and Carolyn
Hammer.
Unable to leave his home at the Abbey of Gethsemani except on
special occasions, Merton developed a unique friendship with this
couple from nearby Lexington, Kentucky. Carolyn, who supplied
Merton with many of the books he required for his writing and
teaching, was a founder of the King Library Press at the University
of Kentucky. Victor was an accomplished painter, sculptor, printer,
and architect. The friendship and collaborations between Merton and
the Hammers reveal their shared interest in the convergence of art,
literature, and spirituality.
In this volume, editors F. Douglas Scutchfield and Paul Evans
Holbrook Jr. have collected the trio's complete correspondence for
the first time. Their letters, arranged chronologically, vividly
demonstrate a blossoming intellectual camaraderie and provide a
unique opportunity to understand Merton's evolving philosophies. At
times humorous, often profound, the letters in this volume shed
light on a rare friendship and offer new insights into the creative
intellect of Thomas Merton.
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