Henri Nouwen is an artist. This was the most unique and insightful spiritual formation book I’ve read in a long time. It was assigned to me during fellows and I just picked it up a month ago (lol). I’m so glad I did! I want to read it many more times accompanied by pen and paper. The concept of solitude, hospitality, and prayer as main components of spiritual life impacted me significantly. A novel and powerful writing that withstands the test of time.

Not the Nouwen I'm used to. A little less poetic; maybe the closest he ever came to a manual for spiritual formation. Well-conceived and meaningful. 4 stars.

The clear writing is straightforward and the book progresses logically in three movements: from loneliness to solitude, hostility to hospitality, and from illusion to prayer.

One of the insightful and refreshing books on spirituality I have read. A real gem.

“…among the many great spiritual men and women in history we may find a few, or maybe just one or two, who speak the language of our heart and give us courage. These are our guides. Not to be imitated but to help us live our lives just as authentically as they lived theirs.” —Henri J.M. Nouwen

For me, Henri is one of these rare guides. This book, among his others, is insightful and thought-provoking for those longing to continually experience more of the life Jesus intends for us through solitude, hospitality, and prayer.

My church was reading this book together, and I found much that made sense to me in it. It shows how holding onto our loneliness, hostility and illusions separates us from each other and therefore from God. Nouwen provides some practical advice and insights for growing closer to our essence and growing in our reliance upon God. There are some concepts in this book that require deep thought; it is not a book to be read quickly even though it is short. But its insights into human nature and growing spiritually make the time and concentration worthwhile.

From loneliness to solitude: "Friendship and love cannot develop in the form of an anxious clinging to each other. They ask for gentle fearless space in which we can move to and from each other. . . . When we live with a solitude of heart, we can listen with attention to the words and the worlds of others, but when we are driven by loneliness, we tend to select just those remarks and events that bring immediate satisfaction to our own craving needs."

From hostility to hospitality: "When hostility is converted into hospitality then fearful strangers can become guests revealing to their hosts the promise they are carrying with them. . . . Hospitality, therefore, means primarily the creation of a free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place."

From illusion to prayer: "So, the paradox of prayer is that it asks for a serious effort while it can only be received as a gift. . . . This paradox of prayer forces us to look beyond the limits of our mortal existence. . . . The movement from illusion to prayer is hard to make since it leads us from false certainties to true uncertainties, from an easy support system to a risky surrender, and from the many 'safe' gods to the God whose love has no limits."

I hardly have adequate words to describe this book, but it’s a beautiful tribute to the spiritual disciplines of solitude, hospitality, and prayer. Nouwen always delivers a humble, rich, love-soaked perspective that I appreciate every time. He describes in the third part the benefit of finding a few “really great saints” whose words encourage us, and Nouwen himself has definitely become one of those voices in my spiritual life.

Really love Henry Nouwen’s work but this was not my favorite. An aside, this is the 3rd book I’ve read with reference to Philippe Petit, the man who walked a tightrope between the two World Trade Centers.

Very interesting, but quite hard to read and not very applicable in daily life. This is not more a philosophical than a devotional book, which doesn’t remove the quality of it!

A thorn in my side, but a balm for my soul.
I need to ponder this more.

A friend gave me this book while I was going through a major life transistion. Not having a strong religious foundation growing up, I found myself in the beginning of the book resentful and slightly offended that my friend thought I needed 'reached out to'.

As I read more, those feelings swiftly changed and I embraced every chapter; each movement. This is a short read, but I read it slowly and repeated many pages to really grasp the message. I really enjoyed it and will continue to reference it throughout my life.