“Pondering was the highest vocation... Pondering was a special kind of thinking. It was not done in the mind, that chilly place, but in the heart, where the real mystery of intelligence - intuition - rather than thought lay catlike and feminine, ready to pounce.”
In this reflective work, the author recounts a pilgrimage to various religious and meditative destinations, including a monastery in the Italian Alps and other sites associated with stillness and prayer. The narrative weaves together observations of place, encounters with monks and seekers, and an internal examination of the desire for silence and connection beyond the distractions of modern life. The book offers a nuanced look at the tension between doubt and faith, and the quest for a more centered existence. more
Patricia Hampl is a renowned American memoirist, born on March 12, 1946. Her works are known for their profound personal perspective and exploration of memory, which have won her a wide readership. more
“I've imagined great victories, and I've imagined great races. The races are better.”
“I liked college guys but they could tell I was just a skinny girl.”
“A man may think an untruth as well as speak one.”
“Much is said about English severity, but not a word about Irish provocation.”