When the Well Runs Dry: Prayers Beyond the Beginnings Book

Nice view of the prayer life. It is always strange to read the catholic "prayer guru's". Very often it just seems like warmed over buddhism (statments about destroying the will abound). Other times it seemed very tender and sweet. The common thread that I see in all of this type of literature is the belief that prayer is the one necessary step to the process of Christian maturity. This seems silly and one sided to me. There are so many important parts to becoming a mature Christian such as the Bible, fellowship (this one really burns the community fearing contemplatives), faith, obedience. They seem consumed by this idea of an experience that is wholly other, unworldly and strange, but it always seems to lead back to the simple and quiet thing they always knew. Imagine a marriage book that suggested that the best way to grow in your marriage was to sit silently together for extended periods of time, talking, walking, meeting with friends, and learning together are to be discouraged in favor of staring blankly into eachother's faces. Rediculous! God wants a relationship with us! He wants us to speak to Him and hear His words, share His love with others and grow closer to us each day. Why the need for this exclusive "few really get here" club of people who need to feel more specially selected?
Those criticisms being recognized Green comes to a great conclusion that most Catholics are not capable of coming to because of their dogma - God has done everything in Jesus Christ. It is not for us to DO something, but to rest in His great love and provision. He writes beautifully and tenderly. I don't doubt his heart for one moment, however he is so steeped in anti-Biblical teachings (i.e. continually returnig to the need for purgatory!) that I wouldn't reccomend the book to anyone who wasn't already well informed about the subject and it's common (often univeralist) pitfalls.