Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

Pure Act: The Uncommon Life of Robert Lax
Pure Act: The Uncommon Life of Robert Lax
Pure Act: The Uncommon Life of Robert Lax
Ebook703 pages14 hours

Pure Act: The Uncommon Life of Robert Lax

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

5/5

()

Read preview

About this ebook

An intimate biography of the avant-garde poet and spiritual seeker who abandoned his career to join the circus and live among fishermen in Greece.

Robert Lax inspired Thomas Merton, Jack Kerouac, William Maxwell and many others with his quest to live a true life as both an artist and a spiritual seeker. Known in Europe as a avant-garde poet, Lax worked at The New Yorker, wrote Hollywood screenplays and edited a Paris literary journal—when he wasn’t studying philosophy, serving the poor in Harlem or living in a sanctuary high in the French Alps.

Lax called his approach to life pure act: a way of living in the moment that was both spontaneous and practiced, God-inspired and self-chosen. By devoting himself to simplicity, poverty and prayer, he expanded his capacity for peace, joy and love while producing distinctive poetry of such stark beauty critics called him “one of America’s greatest experimental poets” and “one of the new ‘saints’ of the avant-garde.”

Biographer Michael N. McGregor met Lax in Greece when he was a young seeker himself. He continued to visit him regularly over fifteen years. Pure Act is a tale of adventure, an exploration of friendship, an anthology of wisdom, and a testament to the liberating power of living an uncommon life.

Excellence in Publishing Award, Association of Catholic Publishers

Honorable Mention, Catholic Press Association Book Award

Finalist, Washington State Book Award
LanguageEnglish
Release dateSep 22, 2015
ISBN9780823268023
Author

Michael N. McGregor

Michael N. McGregor is a Professor of English and Creative Writing at Portland State University. He has lectured at universities, conferences, and community events on both Robert Lax and Thomas Merton and is a member of Biographers International Organization and the International Thomas Merton Society.

Related to Pure Act

Related ebooks

Literary Biographies For You

View More

Related articles

Related categories

Reviews for Pure Act

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
5/5

3 ratings0 reviews

What did you think?

Tap to rate

Review must be at least 10 words

    Book preview

    Pure Act - Michael N. McGregor

    jdbook_preview_excerpt.html۲#G+y$j7lvfՅdm޺UiGcz kFlF'ia'%k-vhdzY[6Ȍp_~|7}?<ٗrelz9z/hEq^b/ݦo۾~ww/:Scxk?<)zs~v>~Bkm|c=C4\Oտ]ч?)?~,L7۰MCC U= Փ&m_MSn[}M*ӻU5گXm=Fssy7Oμxp76llC=VymSm3ۆsvq&nm|1݇UeϚЍm=M~UwvѮsl PoVUuS]DDF2zȔNLӗCb@Smd[^.LzLSt8oˍbk2N͝?Ќ}^$F`} , &Lʾyð4p&*v|^jmd{oRxWf9b7fW57 Y{GueԤWBFҬK9eNyh>pS宀Y5.oٍЦՍ>6{6{M3o~fx=b кƷSqgч>?s! u]=ftS}>}i*D}ƄjS'M`똾^S,૏?'hjQDyŧOdwn>Y+>y8rBV}V NSrpo"ɹxE'~Sp3._eД?a)5]،q<Ͷ9m;vulW}tS}mi3)^w'Y?Mrf~E58ΝAsG8)j?M`.j3DP}j/\wA/'>qsG9(/oU3oiΧTflHZk? )WL\] ~{E3]5{C6fg^9}W mIE$E6[3hت}kVVR}"|>%˾m٨~4?k/cJg– o+"m [!oWfc*7󥂴/.{\ޗO6w]jvߺ}e/1Ȼ3d'i$1JWdKB 7H5I;wx{gj4LEc3QEML{y+6?&mch4tfaDca^s="CԆ [iRuߚ4 Tk!HZP-55Xd?[gv{x퇀ȡLTk6z:F[ % \;P7|? 4w)6ÛHxc}?ӬivC;{>AT3VDi@=$<|l *A:T0G|`?4-;cCu|_;/8썒v]hklŦZIxeӏtnM >qHD^)][N Dc Q%8}x1292tƕFH*V7?@$%_g qkeLϞHX1@K `51ذe]\oFɌsu~>ۙTK.E?(D0aUm(jgUI- Sh=̭Qo{H)&-Лto0Ugyhŏ2mkn #LG sxC<_?obOԋ WxΈVP0k86[`ߝyE='S0pu7čIW~]u7:ekuçRPjZHzߩל?ީHܪ4:&IFY{cVWxt҉#j6Z7S_Vl!k@T,i|G,T$c4L-b mk=E`_W=ڟ :׆ Y.-x8o!}P 4&ژY%s{4n4a~L[j HkW2a3'%B6zw@JXi[S8edT6Nɤ4kM}aNQq> +LY[;rw:lɄ`JrxkZk,|XB4zP|Ĕ0wwr pz0DhW{WE8~ͭ&vkQLKL;ony~LgVA^y#Q^暩4f2(}pxDK7kR7O .MK;Ɖ9]_|8VˇDނ=6y a,4d֏urcG3&kcK` `c>&׌$QzGJO'y+]ރ059DʏeDm.}kB<6e&ރ#U쑽 D"e8QږKJbY ?[}Jc?6zɁF^ޗ~PȠEcy~ko m@v lXᾥ1r!߼?\` H7ձ\#4pUl:0bۿeʚOZ ԲўzF; ^h[q{Ӎӭ ,#Kw&uQ?0mnaδ5VĞ `{ Յx1ʴwls9!Sf4+h?t³LL`!i/dP_S- xm-FH>!mm ): W3oPكɇLE tCibA]x6mht?{\U=<Drlݾ1UBkR—d80N!ICs%lH vkݍs弈bMtsȅ3P˯~>٘1EZmZH3T.z)cz!~:kO>`$Zn1=sZ D*Y{ F`++rz/י6`74mnך h?}!­7}pH=] Iw=d5ҷ^)=z#t әAYK0$;Dpk@ ӽ4O|! pF&ҭ r+yPf\+&,⃞n ᷙ{"Zz$K7d1#%x"*ڇmɸt۔>0TSvaJU~Ѕ@$&7)q2%0CNPdAlZy@%sru(6 gGzUp1S=n6I2PI9QZ,lD60ꎊXB6I\b(0cu=WWD$ۙ3))`]}1$g>'pAcxiOwBov7B=Lr.R6!f$'K@!ab﹛dAٛ!A +Ľ S3$fvB){ !0 !DzHjؼ|[XBZ.ENk2m5@1 B})LR*/ak\/e\`O1O,Wn L~쪉 QxWmxsQ>F>GΔILJ^ W1nsjz!, ;4ldDoI$4nY7|&)o=RXQ7G巋BM##3H^`IPL XЊo룸\|Cc!NyQ6~=(Me B 8bJij(aWSNH(!)VKMpm3 d A]N}2F'2˕}J*F`$t 82)V u@U~p +g d7~SRpi[ۑb?ϵ In+s(ooְ &'uXVdluO̹-,u=Cy8b:٨pͱawUwJӴyR!f09tWhLcǀc-5":Jx7l26kzpIhQ;vh0kcjLbq"WLPcwhHc`=}A`VlاS|zg)vZ+q&<*84gڄSvbe!Ub'!Be(\**Xj2-7; S:ڸ"7ROG K&raAˁ4|\N~[4`44?WMmĀJ*퓥"%ƕrmkLTXxYog =l 's 3zUr7hܗHaԉK |ϨEf̢e B6.A>>dľ6.ġHӂ%7HmMѨ>sٮSdaȒ[gxa`<䤕[_i z.=a-oPiAG/k:k.~7"Hv$5L= Kk$!C!o4|i*"5cJ"&mro3;H)LefF8GRKLIe'Ěl f%{c,J 9ڋ:Y$hs姳 ɩJz aPԂFW9>@I!e˼p~۲t^Nf96JQb!('Ȝyj 4g C5- n P-Hw-i~/_j424RXyHHRg"ɫ΀ԇ }b)$q˺cQM'iMoag(LĞJ6u5jn^tʵo$3 @]́crLO=[J9s:]s  ѣJjJ< {_V]p] t~}qM߽Nd닠@ tAa?y;+D;w(A?gתm]CDc$Hx~0¦[? R.$pmI[.x\D#ΘOHAy_Tn!$k89?_R=n-# E6* #cӠd f:D QgeXlkFɋχ]j+!J6!*XT & +`°7gk!@=ϕln%x0uscP~ "=I)82(ޫ3kwGrBlo;3([Qv sS=ŕzv1,JYA lU&L ڇL^$j(uZL"qPpegiV? ,x-si,όfx&fR/}pnRo͕ ŸŠ"/9[1^&6!Dc5UʕzwCXLZvS'= u,ԜRU` @KTOut}*)xM+Q׵63C`2xTL]6ұMoz_ `&EF2k6ްDŽ9c5K{`l6 ݈Jrtzn] :̉YbB?hD zN&E[vW`/kiO gy*J!/eHѩ$`3Zo{sgvqlNx#H1٧Ձ>E,dS'L"Zi}Q 1[6SF rcJ+Ԩc˽h~2ut!nvB] %Nf]%+5J mdus[zL#>OZhSxXҸGvCS'`Svyޢ˓8&yXwdDCjii0ͣ]*{l^*&f~uLc0l*ЄDo!se|{~Bh(&вuNzT)&ߚαgg7lXʐ\np< fr[2|!! W-:3k̷2VSMa sqIm7Ch$\8 $/-Ǹ ho4.wE_iԠEeFJlKs\{t_Ҋ0;A{~1,=7nbMX4aB&ƜB ^*ߟ5{I)=R/ԧep,%xW+8ԯost.+~fdV&HSm)P~*zkUTaYWQi+㬐M2^%虹уMܥ4G#77GXy%}ZާTL> `adnUC5q1z(𐺷j dO[B"*M\r mA=[WYR29|+UNQᲓW"-Һ#̶]32T?@8Cj$ϯEj(Z?|EڰTVJhN=UuK`,7kJő[Z:0?u y53~3CɰWy% Mh5[7N5Vh1Bk7hLl6 >+%m;.}- [/11ݛˬҵ3dn*by ~\cn .&emA:.{4M폒"t 9zwê['IwU$Uݶ~H<_:nW3/x!7 .+7fOPɸFVXwA]i:]i6o=[^I5]./"Ռyo/{?LdP=_1L7CO TR^I}(H؂azBjbr`afMz8Hٲ4t]pS)"y!o'6RvtNƏK2G{y* +1!a`;A%frs`>OQ+fl5ߟ#Wczbj`RŲmTS6kv@چq&k˥\l*FQ⬧u-Ԟ}PE@y2Y n Ȼ{qb)?Ȗ=GT'>+]ăxAAHrXDԞE֥5!3>],MzbjR@E.N=" T!ݤ A^FNPI=.f9Gm čQ'J'S YP|TIJQOn Ez^O-,0u6yVBIIKR5^Np dj <T@UNq2^b[#u@d1Z~vpSܒ$# 9]Pځ?`A<(yZUsR9]L|եsI*־`Ӛt+\3sǶ W֓FOJzIu-/mVOIBjkIC"updE[BQ&Aw)o&%bs= fďv+wEiн&$RRH򊵔ZIq˞O}rS\]訹Koqh^Jt(<^ceGIc\ KT!n ci%0i;/gYIJ q4ÐwiE'?q'af=oi~݁Q!"O,ilyw`Iꥐe!I-+<.NmN9[`o@ uŎֻs'q #1iSjV/<{Dh>UM^goO8dmíȒpvJsrwa24؛`7JA_v=KLl7g0hd?rQ8tXLW0k!u$R |\͝ w^&WԪ($)TAD"LA.s@MTqڊlIEG%VV,aMf+'AI$KGMmJrB^e֔[qN |E8Q4xBN;qWia^5޲#>u&ty3'jɢMK6[?S 486]ETW[^ؖj[( M(8#!BE+oQL9KR:&tڗExK{\@J@FjȄ x/F JO g@hffJfDN.3ۨXa&@]t7`q7{'L4Bt:=؞6ԇ\r͡hSχ@)^K ZD-^3a/Cⴹs ^ӌXB.}.E+!1%r>@VV#Sitbssι4|ҖDd(YA>) >sËiKq2%xQ̘*{#[R,^HQX0lNrLs]#h>C_6tyE5S6:Kg=y1[jʶ,hq:V!LflH.F+_HV Gep* 2x7:zlq89 $P<)aXFCj:ۀ_5OZCT4LdL!E}$LTȋzXRTH'bo>m;j)}N^LGGc7 ?.)=6rLn! )'Vgݧ*g{ pK!LJ3NTrN&LGg|E2;. $"wyc.lV3ϮD ڤs*8?<'4D|LMj:񰀅(;!1#{N(P@#x_)Ddj:oB6{Сq'3L7Z&>0iBbD\EsMy^mkpݣ]$鐑TjX}+e,>+١|wN=W4v,txжW)Ͼfw8iNѶF2 )_*=|t P 2Dc|`H>h^3垃 }?kC6n#VeV4gɲۅ=m='ҹR Gi~vYr#fz؋>TQqy;HB o +xS\rBM[:j塜DLD Stuo22Ƌ1]y#6Aim,O`̈́)o$S@햂tnE&ѥP9/ K-8q̇TWl)`flᥗR><0D%>F=qhx/[07S踻0Ҭ!\G$_C'^B>M>&.kY+O:xoU=,l*-3gR"öE(ԐV))mqbN#VjwݎoSv5mNz)KǻҎ(adcp8dA]=kv.a !ڣp6\y+Enn,2s]pL:+pSiz_hIzf*s 74w(#8)mAGzu|&gBFI[r"cwx@[f)?e&M}fgS#qh,C%P0#";xLQ/iYb DJ Ћ8k6N 6nK+xƈOHvw}%XWuDsay#GmIb1 $첉xjLe0גI-(ãbĈ2}G)0oq`KOC^A>7zC4-tB*:`:f'7R/?S Y򍡰9[KB|]^NNLGp"S)^v^fMQʘ"r>l\Dpe8U3kA1R'dR])D./,p5ό&8X$)% ݶL(Ղ֙7 ̻[&Zvz/u|NLaxLb? RoDCAU. ETXGG :͡n_PFS>aϏrtOhY#ר ٩?VQ960".s;Xm{K R{rV,7c])Zܰ4q r* ^n5\ fRRR4G䆰єoc/w `reo'pS[O(NFt0yZU#iwq%Ji2!Tdjb+A8=2c9')w:ªQ})z98:,д?|7qqp:Q3Uu۲􍟝^ww p5Ґ:l ^k74@ti #$$! ~*FykH7c"A+%<̹끟y5Mђ^c\+Y! x teCW黁Qb*|21м@}$3_4)nSzxZ14˨OOGQ ZNaۅ[BQMޮ򳬭%Esg2^]oVvT%mK,vTrG\JU,o>WǫUfiDŢ&Pnɞf@7J c|mLh4IQI :~ڹ5#,ncʕSqE)$ȽX)j=Wh)VEpGP FX޹)?bS}P\؄o`,ɰa8?=k#fPH~BU:-})vÇxb+lJ`O)c4Y~{Jng9MjZ(@MpƏm "q37PER`οp NkrKģшEſ,zcSL{ `/F.C:ǚ E.3W1UTJ*^d"D+e+@ы&'~{)T] 8;<1pvͥ.b0-tXlo x{qׇRp!.-߄wPk["Kz>6SoB 8qz1;[_ `?䄖ʑ瑛(0lڍH.Ur8|0[o.0}$Rŭ#s+U3wbg5LJR)O|Aԫ7w=su exඳd%o C֊?K^wK&B5fhaUPnl')ZxNb; Y]B%9Ld5T-}ٸ^!mJ%ň&}Oe&VQ,7tAnyHJoD8x5Pg'gZ\`qZfofk#6~< & vFIMy2Ы~_2nVDQ3*xke"R䘘e S-ÚN92,_՟#o+ühpT6Ίa(}fD.l#Qxؽֶ=uyb8!l^nSVK#<1%W2h<2RI1C}n=XIyu'?sֹ#=a%RG gn4c$zVʑn[HܤCl zӤ+-ǧu81 v-9URO+jyqd%i.J\ƷeffS>E[mEӱc ˨`.}8),3leg(kCŁvb2ѝHv</ ݏ38 S<6Tz'y;,PO7Y10ҌOHB1ֈ`r4ܨyJ/j19:w>)Pf˨HWQ<~}}_{=9({L2e,rv'%v+^(W}J\}/x@i//}H&z: nFWTq'U?q߰Tf}gDjzWᾧ}aV?I'^ٴ&;=mXj}uùGztڄS!o m|G LXwH::au@EEpU?_7A6/:ycҞa9_żu9h=gwܸR~XrZ,3mQ~r+6,M`~_JC9W6aw%Bj yi7/S
    Enjoying the preview?
    Page 1 of 1