The Monk's Record Player: Thomas Merton, Bob Dylan, and the Perilous Summer of 1966 by Robert Hudson (review)

If folk-rock has a holy figure, it's probably Bob Dylan, and if ever a monk could be called a rock star, that monk is certainly Thomas Merton. In The Monk's Record Player: Thomas Merton, Bob Dylan, and the Perilous Summer of 1966, Robert Hudson lays these two icons side by side, illuminating the crossover appeal of each. Though neither Merton nor Dylan fans will find much new or surprising information here, Hudson's skillful juxtaposition of the two men's stories transforms each man's personal quest for meaning into a broader exploration of the complex interplay between personal and public faith and art. Part biography, part spiritual memoir, and part cultural commentary, The Monk's Record Player reveals the power of art to reconnect isolated human beings to one another and to God.

The main purpose of The Monk's Record Player is to explore Bob Dylan's important influence on Thomas Merton, both as a poet and "prophetic voice" and as a kind of "therapy" for Merton during a crisis of faith surrounding his affair with Margie Smith (7–8). The book succeeds on these two counts, especially in revealing the connection between Dylan's writing style and Merton's own shifting poetic sensibilities and in showing how Dylan's music provided Merton with a necessary outlet for his doubt and struggle. Hudson calls this book a "selective," "parallel biography" of both Bob Dylan and Thomas Merton (7). It would be difficult to add to the comprehensive biographical texts already written about both men, and Hudson makes no attempt to do so. Instead, he presents a fresh vision of each in light of the other. It's not hard to see parallels between the two men when viewed side by side. Both were prolific and prophetic, both were on a quest for artistic and spiritual insight, and both were fiercely independent in an American culture that valued conformity.

Unfortunately, it doesn't take a whole book to accomplish those purported aims. The book certainly succeeds as a discerning biography of Merton's inner life during a tumultuous time, but Bob Dylan fades into the background more often than not. Thomas Merton is the real star of the piece, with his story taking up the bulk of the narrative. Dylan comes into play only as Merton interacts with his music and in brief Dylan "interludes" that cap each major part. Likewise, Merton aficionados hoping for more insight into Merton's affair will be disappointed. Hudson acknowledges up front that although his book deals heavily with Merton's and Smith's romance, it does not treat the subject in depth, so he instead recommends several examples of additional reading materials that do look closely at the affair (6–7). Although Hudson frames his book as a biography, that description doesn't quite do the book justice, but regardless of the book's genre, The Monk's Record Player is a compelling story. In an interview with Eerdmans, Hudson explains, "I just want readers to enjoy it" (Eerdword: The Eerdmans Blog. "Five Questions with Robert Hudson," March 12, 2018). If enjoyment is the book's true purpose, The Monk's Record Player succeeds on all counts. Even without including the sordid details of Dylan's rock star life or Merton's forbidden affair, Hudson transforms the quiet tale of a solitary monk's music-listening habits into a moving, fascinating narrative.

The first storyteller's tool Hudson wields is a tripartite structure that mirrors the book's themes. As the full title suggests, Hudson focuses primarily on the summer of 1966, significant for Dylan because of his whirlwind world tour and infamous motorcycle crash, and significant for Merton because of his love affair with Margie Smith. For Hudson, 1966 also marks "an apotheosis" for each...