A Time to Keep Silence in Around the World in 80 Books

Jan 25, 2023 Steve rated it really liked it

Shelves: exploration-travel, christianity-religion, letters-memoirs-essays

Basically three essays (in a short book), two of which are on three active Catholic monasteries, and short piece on the ancient abandoned monasteries in the Cappadocia area of Turkey (which resembles a moonscape). The book itself is fronted by a fine and informative introduction by Karen Armstrong. As always, when it comes to Fermor, the prose sparkles. That said, one wonders just what Fermor's motivation was for visiting monasteries. As the book starts, Fermor does tell you that his visit to th Basically three essays (in a short book), two of which are on three active Catholic monasteries, and short piece on the ancient abandoned monasteries in the Cappadocia area of Turkey (which resembles a moonscape). The book itself is fronted by a fine and informative introduction by Karen Armstrong. As always, when it comes to Fermor, the prose sparkles. That said, one wonders just what Fermor's motivation was for visiting monasteries. As the book starts, Fermor does tell you that his visit to the Benedictine Abbey of St. Wandrille (France) was prompted by the recommendation of a friend. Apparently Fermor is looking for some peace and quiet for his writing, though he doesn't tell you what he's writing (one assumes it's not Church related). After a few disoriented days of adjusting to the daily routine of prayer, study, and work, of the monks, Fermor finds himself feeling lighter and sleeping better. Stripped of his usual "monsoon" of alcohol (the monks drink water not wine), he quickly readjusts. Whatever the writing project was, Fermor being Fermor, he ferrets out the history of the Abbey, and makes some friends. Although Fermor doesn't tell you when he arrived at the abbey, he gives you the impression that he stayed there for several months. At the end of the book he indicate that there were further visits. The peace he found there initially would always be there when he returned. One senses that, even though he doesn't quite grasp contemplative life, he appreciates the balance the Benedictines have in place.

In contrast, in a shorter essay, Fermor visits the Trappist monastery of La Grande Trappe. This monastery is run by the Cistercians, who observe a strict observance. From Fermor's point of view, it's a harsh nearly inhuman existence. (He also notes that the Benedictines are hardly soft in their routines.) At the end of the essay, he refuses to pass judgement on the Cistercians, confessing there is probably much be doesn't understand. But in a way he does.

The third essay on the abandoned monasteries in Cappadocia is quite short. There's really nothing much to say about them. Historians know next to nothing about them, and we are left with only an imagined connective thread between the faith of the early church, and the different paths taken by the monasteries in the earlier essays in the book. It's a good book that one wishes Fermor had expanded on, but we must be thankful for what we have. If interested in reading this book, I highly recommend getting the Kindle version. Fermor includes a number of Latin and French quotes without translations (I'm sure this original text of the book). The translate feature on the Kindle will come in quite handy. ...more

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Jul 04, 2023 Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance rated it liked it

Shelves: travel, spirituality, nonfiction, memoir

Writer Patrick Leigh Fermor visits, and occasionally stays at, several monasteries---the French Abbey of St Wandrille de Fontanelle, the Priory of St Peter of Solesmes, La Grande Trappe, the Rock Monasteries of Cappadocia---and puts down his thoughts on their architecture, their history, and, most importantly, their meaning.

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