First published 2008
In 1990, Andrew Krivak trades his life as a poet and yacht rigger for the rigorous world of Jesuit formation. The Society of Jesus requires all novices to complete the Long Retreat, thirty days of silence and prayer where men examine their desire for priesthood through Gospel reflection. Krivak's spiritual journey stretches across eight years and multiple continents, from the Dominican Republic to Central Europe, from Moscow to the South Bronx. During this extended formation, he wrestles with competing desires for poetry, travel, independence, and love while trying to live "for the greater glory of God." His path ultimately leads him away from the priesthood and toward marriage with a woman whose own spiritual search mirrors his. Krivak's memoir reveals why an educated, modern man would seek ordination in an era of church scandal. His story becomes a meditation on solitude, perspective, and the search for authentic calling in contemporary life.
Genres: christian, autobiography, religion, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, found-family
Setting: Central Europe, Dominican Republic, Moscow, South Bronx
Period: 1990
336 pages · Hardcover · Farrar, Straus and Giroux