Recommendations based on The Seven Storey Mountainby Thomas Merton

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. Confessions

    by Augustine of Hippo
    A spiritual autobiography tracing Augustine's journey from youthful excess to Christian faith.

    Augustine's Confessions is one of the most influential and most innovative works of Latin literature. Written in the author's early forties in the last years of the fourth century A.D. and during his ... (Goodreads)

  2. Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux

    by Thérèse de Lisieux
    An intimate look into the life of a saint, reflecting on her spiritual journey.

    This book, first published in 1898 in a highly edited version, quickly became a modern spiritual classic, read by millions and translated into over fifty-five languages. John Clarke's acclaimed ... (Goodreads)

  3. The Imitation of Christ

    by Thomas à Kempis
    A spiritual guidebook advocating turning away from worldly concerns and focusing on the divine.

    Only the Bible has been more influential as a source of Christian devotional reading than The Imitation of Christ. This meditation on the spiritual life has inspired readers from Thomas More and St. ... (Goodreads)

  4. The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming

    by Henri J.M. Nouwen
    Exploration of the parable of the prodigal son and its application to modern life.

    A chance encounter with a reproduction of Rembrandt's painting, The Return of the Prodigal Son, catapulted Henri Nouwen into a long spiritual adventure. In his highly-acclaimed book of the same ... (Goodreads)

  5. Orthodoxy

    by G.K. Chesterton
    An exploration of the spiritual and moral foundations of Christianity.

    This book is meant to be a companion to "Heretics," and to put the positive side in addition to the negative. Many critics complained of the book because it merely criticised current philosophies ... (Goodreads)

  6. Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life

    by C.S. Lewis
    Autobiography of an Oxford professor's spiritual journey from atheism to faith.

    Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life is a partial autobiography describing Lewis' conversion to Christianity. The book overall contains less detail concerning specific events than typical ... (Goodreads)

  7. The Abolition of Man

    by C.S. Lewis
    Argument against the corrosive effects of modern society on morality and values.

    Alternative cover for ISBN: 978-0060652944 The Abolition of Man, Lewis uses his graceful prose, delightful humor, and keen understanding of the human mind to challenge our notions about how to best ... (Goodreads)

  8. Tao Te Ching

    by Lao Tzu
    A collection of wise sayings and reflections on the nature of existence.

    A lucid translation of the well-known Taoist classic by a leading scholar-now in a Shambhala Pocket Library edition. Written more than two thousand years ago, the Tao Teh Ching , or -The Classic of ... (Goodreads)

  9. The Consolation of Philosophy

    by Boethius
    A philosophical journey of self-reflection, exploring the true nature of happiness and existential purpose.

    Boethius was an eminent public figure under the Gothic emperor Theodoric, and an exceptional Greek scholar. When he became involved in a conspiracy and was imprisoned in Pavia, it was to the Greek ... (Goodreads)

  10. The Wounded Healer: Ministry in Contemporary Society

    by Henri J.M. Nouwen
    Examining the role of the healer in society and exploring its implications for our lives.

    What does it mean to be a healer in the modern world? In this hope-filled book, Nouwen offers a radically fresh interpretation of modern ministry. ... (Goodreads)

  11. A Grief Observed

    by C.S. Lewis
    A powerful account of a man's journey through grief following the death of his wife.

    Written with love, humility, and faith, this brief but poignant volume was first published in 1961 and concerns the death of C. S. Lewis's wife, the American-born poet Joy Davidman. In her ... (Goodreads)

  12. Silent Spring

    by Rachel Carson
    Expose of the environmental damage caused by the widespread use of chemical pesticides.

    Silent Spring is an environmental science book. The book documents the adverse environmental effects caused by the indiscriminate use of pesticides. Carson accused the chemical industry of spreading ... (Goodreads)

  13. On the Incarnation

    by Athanasius of Alexandria
    Theological treatise on the divine nature of Jesus Christ and his role in human salvation.

    A universally acknowledged masterpiece of fourth-century patristic theology. As C. S. Lewis observes in his introduction: "When I first opened De Incarnatione I soon discovered by a very simple test ... (Goodreads)

  14. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

    by Marie Kondō
    A guide to mastering the art of decluttering and organizing for a more fulfilling life.

    #1, NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLER • The book that sparked a revolution and inspired the hit Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo,: the original guide to decluttering your home once and for all. ... (Barnes & Noble)

  15. The Practice of the Presence of God

    by Brother Lawrence
    Turning away from life's distractions, finding solace in prayer and meditation.

    Alternative cover edition of ISBN 0883681056 can be found here Brother Lawrence was a man of humble beginnings who discovered the greatest secret of living in the kingdom of God here on earth. It is ... (Goodreads)

  16. Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth

    by Richard J. Foster
    A guide to spiritual growth through various disciplines, including meditation, prayer, fasting, and study.

    A newly repackaged and updated 40th anniversary edition of the timeless guide that has helped numerous seekers discover a richer spiritual life infused with joy, peace, and a deeper understanding of ... (Goodreads)

  17. Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church

    by N.T. Wright
    Reflection on the power of hope in Christian faith, and its implications for how the Church engages in God’s mission.

    In this groundbreaking book—available in paperback for the first time—renowned Bible scholar, Anglican bishop, and bestselling author N. T. Wright argues that Christians have not distorted the ... (Barnes & Noble)

  18. The Double Helix

    by James D. Watson
    A personal account of the discovery of the structure of DNA, revealing the scientific process and the personalities involved.

    By identifying the structure of DNA, the molecule of life, Francis Crick and James Watson revolutionized biochemistry & won themselves a Nobel Prize. At the time, Watson was only 24, a young ... (Goodreads)

  19. Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion

    by Gregory Boyle
    A memoir of Father Boyle's work with gang members in Los Angeles, emphasizing the power of compassion and kinship to heal and transform lives.

    Father Gregory Boyle’s sparkling parables about kinship and the sacredness of life are drawn from twenty years working with gangs in LA. How do you fight despair and learn to meet the world with a ... (Goodreads)

  20. Pensées

    by Blaise Pascal
    Reflections on faith, reason and the human condition, presenting a defense of Christianity.

    Blaise Pascal, the precociously brilliant contemporary of Descartes, was a gifted mathematician and physicist, but it is his unfinished apologia for the Christian religion upon which his reputation ... (Goodreads)

  21. The Cost of Discipleship

    by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
    A theological exploration of the cost of taking up one's cross and faithfully following Jesus.

    One of the most important theologians of the twentieth century illuminates the relationship between ourselves and the teachings of Jesus in this classic text on ethics, humanism, and civic duty. What ... (Goodreads)

  22. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

    by Doris Kearns Goodwin
    A comprehensive study of the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, and the unique cabinet he assembled.

    Winner of the Lincoln Prize Acclaimed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin illuminates Lincoln's political genius in this highly original work, as the one-term congressman and prairie lawyer rises from ... (Goodreads)

  23. Lit

    by Mary Karr
    A memoir of a young girl's spiritual awakening, overcoming traumatic circumstances.

    The New York Times bestseller, now available in paperback—Mary Karr’s sequel to the beloved and bestselling The Liars’ Club and Cherry “lassos you, hogties your emotions and won’t let you go” ... (Goodreads)

  24. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

    by Thomas S. Kuhn
    An analysis of how scientific progress is made, and the role of paradigms and paradigmatic shifts.

    A good book may have the power to change the way we see the world, but a great book actually becomes part of our daily consciousness, pervading our thinking to the point that we take it for granted, ... (Goodreads)

  25. A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles"

    by Marianne Williamson
    A spiritual guide to finding inner peace and love through the teachings of "A Course in Miracles".

    Back by popular demand – and newly updated by the author -- the mega-bestselling spiritual guide in which Marianne Williamson shares her reflections on A Course in Miracles and her insights on the ... (Goodreads)

  26. Living Buddha, Living Christ

    by Thich Nhat Hanh
    A comparative study of Buddhism and Christianity, exploring the similarities and differences between the two religions.

    A Vietnamese monk and Buddhist teacher explores the common ground of Christianity and Buddhism on such subjects as compassion and holiness, and offers inspiration to believers in both religions. ... (Goodreads)

  27. Knowing God

    by J.I. Packer
    Reflection on the nature of God and the relationship between God and humanity.

    For over 40 years, J. I. Packer's classic has been an important tool to help Christians around the world discover the wonder, the glory and the joy of knowing God. In 2006, Christianity Today voted ... (Goodreads)

  28. What's So Amazing About Grace?

    by Philip Yancey
    Insightful exploration of the power of grace in our lives and its implications for faith.

    Original Cover Edition for, ISBN 0310245656, In 1987, an IRA bomb buried Gordon Wilson and his twenty-year-old daughter beneath five feet of rubble. Gordon alone survived. And forgave. He said of the ... (Goodreads)

  29. The Death and Life of Great American Cities

    by Jane Jacobs
    Exposes the flaws of urban planning, advocating for a more organic approach.

    A direct and fundamentally optimistic indictment of the short-sightedness and intellectual arrogance that has characterized much of urban planning in this century, The Death and Life of Great ... (Goodreads)

  30. The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out

    by Brennan Manning
    A reflection on the unconditional love of God, inviting readers to find healing and peace.

    Are you bedraggled, beat-up, burnt-out? Most of us believe in God’s grace—in theory. But somehow we can’t seem to apply it in our daily lives. We continue to see Him as a small-minded bookkeeper, ... (Barnes & Noble)