Thomas Merton, the Trappist monk, poet, spiritual writer, and social critic, remains many years after his death in 1968, one of the most influential religious figures of our time. From a cloistered monastery in Kentucky he spoke to the spiritual and social concerns of the world, offering a voice of conscience, sanity, and compassion. One hundred years after his birth in 1915, his fascinating life and spiritual wisdom continue to find an audience. In this concise but original work, Michael Higgins offers a fresh interpretation of this endlessly fascinating, complex, and multivalent genius. Drawing in part on interviews with those who knew him, Michael Higgins explores the story of Merton's life, his work as a poet and writer, his prophetic response to war and social disorder, his contemplative response to the human condition, and his forays into interreligious dialogue.