Patrick Leigh Fermor is a master of prose and one of our greatest living travel writers. Born in 1915, his life so far has been filled with adventure and his published works are justly revered.
As Fermor approaches his 90th birthday, fans are still awaiting the last instalment of his trilogy recounting his journey in the 1930s from Holland to Constantinople. While we're waiting, A Time to Keep the Silence, a short anthology, relives his experiences of monastic life in France and Turkey, first published in 1957.
From the French Abbey of St Wandrille to the abandoned Rock Monasteries of Turkey, the secluded lives of monks are explored in evocative detail.
Fermor's scholarly knowledge of the religious orders he observes enables him to delve into their complicated histories with feeling and stirring emotion. His unique style of writing and talent for observation give us so much more than other books in this genre and I hope the final part will not be far away.
A Time To Keep the Silence by Patrick Leigh Fermor. Published in paperback by John Murray priced £7.99
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