Henri Nouwen (1932–1996) is, along with Thomas Merton, one of the most enduringly popular spiritual writers of the twentieth century—and, like Merton’s, his popularity has continued to grow in the years since his death. He was a Dutch Catholic priest and theologian who abandoned a stellar academic career teaching at Harvard and Yale to spend his life living in a community of mentally handicapped people in Toronto, Canada. Beset by personal demons and intense suffering of his own, he made his life and struggles an open book, inviting his readers to find happiness in the midst of their own brokenness and pain and showing them how to do it.


This compact collection brings together all of Henri Nouwen’s principle ideas and themes into an attractive volume. It’s a perfect introduction to his teaching and a great source of inspiration for anyone.