This little book was very interesting, but it lacked depth. Merton lets us in on some very surprising information, for example, he was planning to take a Tibetan guru to learn Tibetan Buddhist Tantric meditation techniques. he comments on Sufiem, Zen, Taoism, Hindooism, and Buddhism with great eloquence, although his style is a bit dull. Even so, it is a wonder that he wasn't excommunicated for his ecumenicism. Few Christians that I know of would be so willing to look with an open heart and mind into the world of eastern mystical practices without being superior or condemning. He looks upon these practices with reverence and respect. Still, it is hard to get much out of such a small book, and little is really said, either about his own personal struggles or the religions in question. A nice addition includes his interviews with Llamo Thondup, the 14th Dalai Llama. If you're into Merton, this is a nice book, but it is not really for everyone.