Thanks Thomas Nelson for this wonderful installation in 'The Ancient Practices' series.  As frequent readers know, I am a part of a book reviewing team for this publisher that has provided the book gratis in exchange for this review.

Truth be told, I may have purchased the book regardless as Joan Chittister has yet to write anything not worth reading.   The theme is laid out at the beginning (p. 8), "This book is about the role of the church year in bringing each of us to a fuller understanding of the Christian life - and, most of all, it is about explaining precisely what it means to live a Christian life."   This is stated in various forms throughout, perhaps to assure the liturgically suspicious who stumble upon this book that it's OK to put the guard down and let the spirit breathe new life into holy traditions.

Chittister weaves her way through the seasons with wit, charm, scholarship, and her characteristically obscure quotations that often inspire pause and ponder, taking great care, at every corner, to relate ancient practices to contemporary conditions.

As a Roman Catholic nun Sr. Chittister carves up the year a bit differently than other liturgical traditions, ie. there are two periods of 'Ordinary Time' whereas Anglicans traditionally talk about 'Sundays after Epiphany' and 'Sundays after Pentecost' but not to get bogged down here, her insights are helpful whether you celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25 or Jan 7.

Readers are helped along by large print, wide spacing, short chapters, and few words per page, it is, in many ways, an easy read, and one recommended for those curious about how the ancient themes, colors, and customs of the liturgical year help us live more Christianly today.