For medieval monastics, the quest for undivided attention to the divine was not only a spiritual exercise but also a struggle against the mind's inherent proclivity to wander. Hence the theme of attention—and especially its absence, manifested as distraction or mind-wandering—is a theme of early monastic life that continues to resonate with audiences today. Kreiner's book is commendable for its intent to emphasize these resonances and to show that early medieval monastics, with their rigorous meditative training and contemplative exercises, charted a course that remains instructive for present-day seekers of concentration.
As a tapestry woven from anecdotes and reflections along with delightful illustrations of monastic art and manuscripts, the book is charming to read and successful in making an academic subject palatable for a wider audience, albeit not without some compromise on scholarly rigor. But specialists hoping to gain fresh insights into monastic spirituality and psychology may find themselves disappointed...
