Henri Nouwen, a Dutch Roman Catholic priest was one of the most beloved and important spiritual writers of the twentieth century. Since his death in 1996, his stature has only increased, and his books, have become cherished classics. For thousands of readers around the world, Nouwen's influence as a teacher and author is considered equal to, or greater than, that of the century's great spiritual writers, C.S. Lewis and Thomas Merton. Although Nouwen could be radically revealing about his personal thoughts and struggles, there are nonetheless gaps in our understanding of who he was. With this book, readers are given the first extrensive look into this man who touched so kmany, not only through his own words, but most powerfully, through the eyes of those around the world who knew Nouwen best. This portrain gives an honest and well-balaneced account of Nouwen's life that leaves no stone untourned, investigating his childhood, his family, his sexuality, and his life as a priest and member of the L'Arche Daybreak community in Toronto.