This book begins with two chapters written by Jonathan Wooding in which he gives a wealth of information and historical detail about the beginnings of monasticism through to the present age. His introduction begins with 'This book is aimed at the growing number of people who are drawn to monastic spirituality.' I think if you are in that category, then these two chapters would make an excellent foundation for reflection and further study. For myself, I found the other five chapters, written by Anthony Grimley, helped me to see the practical implications of the monastic way of living more clearly. Having said that, the book does not seem disjointed, the two parts of it fit very well together. Monasticism shows us an alternative vision for living and many people today find this appealing as they look for ways of balancing their lives - making time for work, prayer, study and rest while living in the 'secular' world. I particularly enjoyed the questions for reflection at the end of each chapter, and the appendix in which Anthony tells the story of how he and his family stepped out into unfamiliar territory and journeyed toward a secular monastic vocation.