Extremely rare, limited edition, Conversatio: Cistercian Monastic Life Portfolio (1994), by Thomas Merton and Lance Hidy, edited by Brother Benedict Simmonds. Connected to the poem by Merton, Conversation Morum, and including a Lance Hidy 12 Photographs Portfolio Set (8 black and white and 4 color Cibachrome 8 x 10 inches

The booklet titled, “Cistercian Life” (1974) began as the booklet, “Come to the Mountain” in 1964. It is a little difficult to follow all the publications since then. In this archive there are now ten (10) different covers for this title, and this doesn’t include different language editions. Most recently

This is truly an exquisite find – a full run, 42 issues, of the Poets of the Year series, 1941-1944 (along with an introductory pamphlet). Each issue was printed by a different free press and each year is housed in a specially labelled slip case.  For the first three years,

What attracted me most to this book (The Sign of Jonas, first UK edition, 1953) was not the book itself but the wrap-around band with an endorsement by Evelyn Waugh. I wonder how many of these have survived? And of the ones which have survived, which have held up so

A rare find: The Seven Storey Mountain / Advance Review Copy This would be among the first printed copies of this book — likely printed sometime in July of 1948. Noted on the tipped-in review slip are the words, “Please note the release date for review and the price”, and

Recently added: Clairvaux (Santa Barbara College of Creative Studies, UCSB, 1985). One of only 15 copies printed. Hand-sewn wrappers, with text letterpress printed on Rives Heavyweight; [16]pp. Privately printed edition of Merton’s poem dedicated to Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, which first appeared in The Collected Poems of Thomas Merton (New

An interesting presentation copy: The Spirituality of the Compassion (1977) by Henri Nouwen, Douglas Morrison, and Donald McNeill This is a buckram bound mimeographed typescript manuscript. Autographed presentation copy from Henri Nouwen to the late Colin Williams (Dean Yale Divinity, etc.). It begins with a typed letter: “We invite you

An important addition to the Merton-artifacts collection: A group of over 30 original mimeographs, offprints, and periodicals purchased from Merton bookdealer Jeannette Cantrell who received them from monk of Gethsemani Tom Zele. This group of items was obtained by Zele during the 1960s while living alongside Merton at the monastery.

Added recently to the Merton-artifacts collection: Merton’s first book of poetry, Thirty Poems (New Directions, 1944) A hard cover copy, in dust jacket, of Merton’s first book of poetry, Thirty Poems (New Directions, 1944). This book was inscribed by Merton’s friend, Robert Lax, to an acquaintance. The book itself is not the

A very rare find has been added to the collection this month: A book titled The Alaskan Journal of Thomas Merton [1988] It is a numbered (1 of only 4), limited, deluxe publisher’s presentation copy – up until now seemingly unknown by Merton bibliographers. It was printed by Sandra Reese at