Merton states his goal in these terms, "All these studies are united by one central concern: to understand various ways in which men of different traditions have conceived the meaning and method of the 'way' which leads to the highest levels of religious or of metaphysical awareness."
Some of his essays (notably "The English Mystics," and, "Russian Mystics,") are so detailed (and obtuse) that I understood little of what he was talking about. I wondered at this point what Merton's intended audience was... Obviously, someone who has a fairly solid working knowledge of monasticism and mysticism. However, the detail he goes into quickly becomes difficult (and even boring) for the uninitiated.
"Classic Chinese Thought," is an exposition of ancient Chinese thought and is definitely the most clear and accessible piece in the whole book, in my opinion. "From Pilgrimage to Crusade," traces the original idea of being a pilgrim (i.e. an act of penance for serious sins) to the frankly military enterprise which captured Jerusalem in 1099 A.D. "The Jesuits in China," was also a very interesting study in missions; the Jesuits did not import their European heritage initially when they came to China. They slowly became Chinese (inasmuch as this is possible for Westerners) and thus were better able to conduct evangelism. Though this essay was somewhat unorthodox in some areas, I found it to be new perspective on missions. "Pleasant Hill," describes an American group known as Shakers (they were something of a cross between Mennonites and Pentecostals); they existed from the American Revolution to about 1850. They really personified the idea of the Protestant work ethic and I found the group very interesting. It is unfortunate that the Industrial Revolution (which made their hand made goods obsolete, to oversimplify) and their celibacy (they lived in isolated communities and refused to marry and have children; so unless new people joined the order, it was only a matter of time before it collapsed) slowly eliminated them.
Merton's pluralism is very problematic, to say the least. He takes those oft quoted words from Vatican II, "The Catholic Church rejects nothing of what is true and holy in these religions," and stretches them. I personally hold that the Holy Spirit is active in other (i.e. non-Christian) religions to prepare them for Christian evangelism, I still maintain that salvation is only to be found in Christ (i.e. John 14:6. Acts 4:12. 1 Timothy 2:5). Merton castigates his fellow Catholics for dismissing Eastern Religions; I agree that to properly to show the insufficiency of non-Christian religions, one must have some knowledge of them
To end on a positive note, I think Merton does an admirable attempt to provide something of a definition for that ever-illusive way of the East, Zen Buddhism. At one point, he describes Zen Buddhism as the religious existentialism of the East; this is one of the briefest definitions I have yet come across.
Overall, I would *not* recommend this book.
So, although this book may not be for everyone, it is still a very fine work and will be very beneficial for many readers.