Poet and bestselling author Kathleen Norris (Dakota: A Spiritual Geography) muses in this book on 18 months' worth of experiences as an associate at a Benedictine monastery. She found herself deeply moved and spiritually enriched by the daily Liturgy of the Hours, the oral recitation of Scripture, and the spiritual practice of hospitality within this community. As a Protestant who abandoned the church for many years, Norris discovered within the monastic tradition a deep appreciation for metaphor and a sensitivity to the sacred potential of all things. In the end, the author's close encounter with liturgical life enabled her to come to a richer understanding of friendship, marriage, worship, and community life. The Cloister Walk by Kathleen Norris is a truly original and enlightening account of the deepening of one person's spiritual life.