'Monk Dawson' by Piers Paul Read is a novel that follows the life of Edward Dawson, a man who aspires to dedicate his life to helping others. The story explores Dawson's journey from his youth at a boarding school run by Benedictine monks to his decision to become a priest and his subsequent struggles within the Church. Through a series of events, Dawson's beliefs and faith are tested, leading to a thought-provoking exploration of spirituality, self-discovery, and societal expectations.
The novel is narrated by Bobby Winterman, a classmate of Dawson, who provides insight into Dawson's evolution and conflicts. The plot delves into themes of faith, doubt, ambition, and the impact of societal changes, particularly within the Catholic Church. Piers Paul Read's writing style is characterized by its depth, clarity, and objectivity, allowing readers to engage with the complex characters and thought-provoking narrative.
From The Publisher:
Edward Dawson is sent by his widowed mother to be educated at Kirkham, a Catholic boarding school run by Benedictine monks. Conscientious and idealistic, Dawson is persuaded that he has a monastic vocation and joins the community upon leaving school. He soon feels that educating the sons of the rich is an inadequate response to suffering and injustice and so leaves Kirkham to serve as a secular priest in London. Under the eye of an indulgent archbishop, Dawson's radical sermons and provocative articles in the Catholic press gain him many admirers, but they also persuade him that the solutions to human suffering are to be found in social work, politics and perhaps psychology but not religion.
Dawson leaves the priesthood to work as a journalist. He is taken up by a rich divorcée, Jenny Stanten, and becomes her lover. He enters her circle of decadent, fashionable friends and follows a precipitous Rake's Progress towards debauchery and disillusion.
Awarded the Hawthornden Prize and the Somerset Maugham Award
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