The Cloud of Unknowing
The Cloud of Unknowing
Book Brief
Beta176
Book • Nonfiction
2004
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
The Cloud of Unknowing, written by an anonymous 14th-century author, is a spiritual guide emphasizing contemplative prayer. It teaches individuals to seek divine union through love and humility while focusing on the "cloud" that separates humanity from God. The text advises placing all distractions beneath a "cloud of forgetting."
Contemplative
Mysterious
Serene
Reviews & Readership
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Review Roundup
The Cloud of Unknowing is praised for its profound spiritual guidance, offering a unique approach to contemplative prayer through surrendering intellect to divine love. Readers appreciate its depth and historical significance. However, its archaic language and complex concepts can be challenging, potentially alienating those unfamiliar with mysticism.
Who Should Read The Cloud of Unknowing?
A reader captivated by medieval Christian mysticism and introspective meditation would relish The Cloud of Unknowing by Anonymous. Fans of The Interior Castle by Teresa of Ávila or The Dark Night of the Soul by John of the Cross will find its contemplative guidance deeply resonant.
5,516 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
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The Cloud of Unknowing is a Christian mystical text, speculated to have been written in the late 14th century, intended as a guide for contemplative prayer leading one into divine union.
The book is written in Middle English and is notable for using the metaphor of a "cloud" to describe the soul's pursuit of God, emphasizing an approach of love over intellect.
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Despite its anonymous authorship, the text has been influential in Christian mysticism and has been referenced by various spiritual writers and theologians throughout history.
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176
Book • Nonfiction
2004
Adult
18+ years
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