Perspective

The book is written in first person from the author's memory. His pace and delivery is personal and accessible, as if he's relating a story to a friend. But Merton is an educated man and a thoughtful writer, so his vocabulary and structure is meaningful and sometimes ornate. His writing doesn't convey great strength but rather great accuracy and imagination. He also shows that accuracy in memory, recounting many scenes, stories, and conversations with vivid detail.

In actuality, the book is populated with relatively few events. Those events that are included seem mundane—vacations and visits to church and conversations with friends and book purchases. But they affect Merton deeply and the reader comes to understand that it is not the tactile but the internal, mental, and emotional events of Merton's life about which he feels strongest.

Tone

The book's setting shifts almost constantly. In fact, it...