During his seven-month stay in a Trappist monastery, Henri Nouwen had a unique opportunity to explore crucial issues of the spiritual life and discover "a quiet stream underneath the fluctuating affirmations and rejections of my little world." Nouwen participated fully in the daily life of the Abbey of the Genesee in upstate New York -- in work and in prayer. From the early weeks in the abbey -- dominated by conflicting desires and concerns -- to the final days of Advent, when he finds a new sense of calm expectation, Nouwen never loses his critical honesty. Insightful, compassionate, often humorous, always realistic, The Genesee Diary is both an inspiration and a challenge to those who are in search of themselves. "The Genesee Diary beautifully lifts the heart and mind to God." --Christianity Today "This is an extraordinary account of a man seeking inner peace and total commitment to God... a fine portrait of cloistered life, a beautifully written account of one man's soul-searching." --Publisher's Weekly

"Ten years after his death in 1996, Henri Nouwen remains one of the most popular and influential spiritual writers of our time. What accounted for his strong personal impact on so many people? The memories, anecdotes, and reflections collected here, all by people who knew and worked with him, shed light on the meaning of Nouwen's life, the diverse facets of his complex personality, and the nature of his enduring legacy. Contributors include Carolyn Whitney-Brown, Michael O'Laughlin, Michael Christensen, John Dear, Jim Forest, Chris Glaser, Robert Ellsberg, and Michael Ford, reflecting on Nouwen's relation to such themes as friendship, compassion, the Eucharist, community, peacemaking, spiritual direction, prayer, and sexuality."--Publisher's website.