A Time to Keep Silence (Patrick Leigh Fermor, release date 2007)

Fermor's two unique "travel" books are quite justifiably highly-regarded (discussed here and here).  So I bought them - probably will haul them along if we ever actually visit those areas in Europe.

This book is entirely different - I bought it because it was essentially a throw-in with the other two.

Short, interesting, but less interesting to me than the other two works.  Not sure how it came about, but Fermor settled into the Abbey of St. Wandrille as a place to take a break, do some writing, whatever.  Good discussion of the history of the place; interesting discussion of the process of transitioning into monastic life (even if only as a guest), and then back into the "real" world.

Later, he stays at a Trappist monastery - incredibly austere.  Finally, he visits a rock monastery in Cappadocia - no longer occupied - literally hewn from stone way back when.

He is respectful of these versions of what just seems to be an incredibly odd life; also knows that he is an outsider not really capable of knowing "what it's really like."

Short easy read, so worthwhile.