Recipient of the prestigious $100,000 Templeton Prize , Brother John is the true story of a monastic encounter between August Turak , going through a midlife crisis, and an umbrella wielding Trappist monk: a magical Christmas Eve encounter that eventually leads the author and us all to the redemptive power of an authentically purposeful life. Uplifting, deeply moving, and set in the magnificent Trappist monastery of Mepkin Abbey, Brother John is dramatically brought to life with twenty-two full-color original oil paintings by Glenn Harrington, a multiple award-winning artist. Brother John works equally well either as a Christmas gift or all year long, and the book’s inspirational message and rich illustrations are sure to bring the reader back again and again.