August Turak is a successful entrepreneur and award-winning author who attributes much of his success to his frequent visits with the Trappist monks of Mepkin Abbey where he lives and works alongside them sometimes for months at a time. In 2004 he entered the Templeton Foundation’s Power of Purpose essay contest by answering the question: “What is the Purpose of Life” in 3500 words or less. His essay, Brother John, about a Christmas Eve encounter at Mepkin Abbey, won the $100,000 grand prize. Now his essay is available in book form, ‘Brother John: A Monk, a Pilgrim, and the Purpose of Life,’ and is set for release on Sunday October 21. It includes over twenty full color paintings by Glenn Harrington, a multiple award-winning artist.

‘Brother John’ is the true story of the meaningful encounter between the author going through a mid-life crisis and an umbrella-wielding Trappist monk. Set in the Trappist monastery of Mepkin Abbey and brought to life by Glenn Harrington’s paintings, the essay revolves around what happened after a Christmas Eve service and party. It was raining and he was exhausted and still had to walk to his room in the rain. That was when he spotted Brother John, who had been up since 3a.m., waiting to walk him to his room and shelter him with his umbrella, just like he had done with the other guests. This selfless act eventually leads him to the redemptive power of an authentically purposeful life.

Despite the religious overtones and subject matter, this is not a religious book. Mr. Turak shares his experiences searching for the meaning of life in the hopes of inspiring others to do the same. It is an enjoyable read and meant to be read more than once. The paintings are beautiful and transport to reader to a simpler life at Mepkin Abbey. In the Introduction, he explains that he donated the money from the contest to charity, including the Self Knowledge Symposium Foundation, a non-profit corporation whose mission is “to bring Brother John’s transformative message of meaning and purpose to a Western culture increasingly bereft of meaning and purpose.” Just like Brother John offered him his umbrella at a critical time, August Turak now dedicates his life to sharing his magical umbrella with his fellow men. ‘Brother John’ may be a small book, but its moving message is bigger than life and is recommended for readers searching for life’s meaning.

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.