A Monastic Year: Reflections from a Monastery

Written by Brother Victor, whose bestselling cookbooks are well known, this book provides a clear exposition of the aspects of Benedictine life, with glimpses into the author's own experience at Our Lady of the Resurrection Monastery. The hardcover book is well made, with nice linecut drawings, similar to those in Brother's cookbooks. (I haven't seen the paperback.) People attracted to books such as "The Cloister Walk" that popularize Benedictine life would probably enjoy and benefit from Brother's book. It is the kind of book one can savor, dipping into the text over and over. This book is definitely a keeper.

This is a beautifully written, small book about the circle of the seasons in an American monastery, as viewed through the lens of the Catholic calendar of holy days. Beyond the lovely, heartfelt descriptions of the monastic joys and rigors of each holiday, Brother D'Avila-Latourrette (also the author of some fabulous cook books) includes personal musings on the meanings and origins of each of the high holy days, fascinating and little-known tidbits of information on the lives of the saints and the origins of the holidays, as well as some refreshingly broad-minded thoughts on the state of modern Christianity. While this book might have a more immediate impact on Catholic readers, I myself, a non-Catholic and an only vaguely Christian-oriented reader (my bias is more towards Buddhist thought) have found this book moving, inspirational, uplifting, and a joy to read and to re-read. This book is an act of generosity and love, offering great insight into Christian mysticism and faith. Highly recommended.

Brother's book is simply a beautiful expose of the liturgical year. He presents meditations and short readings on all major feasts and seasons of the year in a clear, thought-provoking manner. Anyone wishing material for meditation will love this volume. Brother's prose is so exquisite that it is a joy to read. Taylor publishing have done a great job with this book -- it is small, hardbound and easy to hold in the hand; the binding reminds me of the good-ole days when books were bound for a lifetime. Classic woodcuts are used to illustrate the text. This book makes a wonderful gift.