Thomas Merton

1 series 14 books in order 7 standalone books

Thomas Merton was a 20th century American Catholic writer and Trappist monk of the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1949 and took the name Father Louis. Merton authored more than 70 books primarily on spirituality, social justice, and pacifism, along with numerous essays and reviews, including his best-selling autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain. He was a proponent of interfaith dialogue and engaged in correspondence and dialogue with prominent Asian spiritual figures.

Born
1915
Known for
The Journals of Thomas Merton

Series by Thomas Merton

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  2. Entering the Silence

    Year unknown · Thomas Merton

    The second volume of Thomas Merton's journals documents his advancement to priesthood and his rise as a bestselling author following the unexpected…

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  3. A search for solitude

    Year unknown · Thomas Merton

    A Search for Solitude is the third volume of Thomas Merton's private journals, documenting his reflections during the early 1950s as he grappled with…

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  4. Turning Toward the World

    Year unknown · Thomas Merton

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  5. Dancing in the water of life

    Year unknown · Thomas Merton

    Volume 5 of Thomas Merton's journals, Dancing in the Water of Life, documents his fiftieth year amid the social and political upheavals of the 1960s,…

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  6. Learning to Love

    Year unknown · Thomas Merton

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  7. The Other Side of the Mountain

    Year unknown · Thomas Merton

    The seventh and final volume of Thomas Merton's journals documents his spiritual and geographic journey in the United States and the Far East during…

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Standalone books

  1. Cover of The Wisdom of the Desert
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  2. Cover of Bread in the wilderness
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  3. Cover of The waters of Siloe
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  4. Cover of The Seven Storey Mountain
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  5. Cover of Contemplation in a world of action
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  6. Cover of Dialogues with Silence
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  7. Cover of The Intimate Merton
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Frequently asked questions

How many books has Thomas Merton written?

We list 14 books by Thomas Merton across 1 series, published between 1948–1961 — each shown in full reading order.

What order should I read Thomas Merton's books?

Read each series in publication order. A good place to start is “Run to the Mountain: The Story of a VocationThe Journal of Thomas Merton, Volume 1.” Open any series above for its complete numbered reading order.

Where can I buy Thomas Merton's books?

Every title links to Amazon from its series page — see our affiliate disclosure in the footer for how that supports the site.

Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted a wrong order, a missing book, or any other mistake? and we'll correct it.