The Wisdom of the Cloister: 365 Daily Readings from the Greatest Monastic Writings

This book has been a source of peace for some difficult times for me. Starting or ending the day with the reading for the day, allows a reflection on a different kind of life. If you start reading the book daily 30 weeks before Easter (usually September) , the book more or less follows the Christian holiday year. The selections for the first 11 months are ordered by century, starting with Ignatius of Antioch ; through Saint Ambrose and Augustine, Martin Luther, , John of the Cross, up to Thomas Merton and the Carthusians. A short biographical paragraph is included about each selected author. In the final four weeks are included readings from different times, to allow some link between the ages: for example from Augustine to Julian of Norwich. Starting or ending the day in this Cloister is a nice journey to an inner sanctuary from the world. As Saint Clements of Alexander writes "God never fails to hear this inner conversation".

Skinner presents readers a gift of wisdom, gathered from centuries of monastic writings, and offered in a year of readings. Though the 365 daily readings format seemed forced, breaking up the writings, and not that well connected to the different seasons of the year, Skinners' editorial work is still commendable in that he welcomes us into the cloister wisdom of the monastery. For another such "wisdom of the cloister" book, this time written specifically for parents, check out David Robinson's THE FAMILY CLOISTER: BENEDICTINE WISDOM FOR THE HOME (New York, NY: Crossroad, 2000; 192 pp., trade paperback). Peace to your home!