This winner of the Best Spiritual Book Award for 2003-2004 from the Sacramento Publishers & Authors is a penetrating fact-based study of what could have occurred on the last day of Merton's life. It is the first book to provide a radical reinterpretation of Merton's character. Hourihan provides a convincing answer to a question that a multitude of Catholics, and others, have asked themselves: Why did the famous Catholic monk, and acclaimed writer die so mysteriously and suddenly? The author probes the enigmatic December 1968 event, which occurred at an international monastic conference outside of Bangkok, with such insight that the significance of Merton's death is illuminated for the first time. He sees Merton as a tragically divided soul unable to resolve his conflicts within a Christian framework, and who was driven for release -- too late and unsuccessfully -- into the world of Oriental mysticism. He was a man who should not have become a monk in the first place; falling victim as he did to his own spiritual inadequacies, as well as to fame, and uncritical hero-worship from both laity and clergy alike lacking knowledge of what constituted a true mystic. Hourihan dramatically reveals why Merton was not a "spiritual master or mystic" as he has been referred to by followers. His basic conclusion is that Merton is typical of Westerners who lack grounding in a mystical orientation that would instruct them about the nature of spirituality. This dramatic portrayal, written by an American who writes from an Eastern philosophical perspective, will appeal to ex-Catholics and others with a Christian background searching for guidance outside of their traditional faith. It is not recommended for warm admirers of Thomas Merton who want to maintain their cherished image of him.