cover image The Historical Atlas of Eastern and Western Christian Monasticism

The Historical Atlas of Eastern and Western Christian Monasticism

. Liturgical Press, $99.95 (272pp) ISBN 978-0-8146-2778-5

This expansive illustrated guide to Christian monasticism offers a history of various monastic traditions and shows the rise of monasticism in different parts of the world. Although the text can be dry, it is enhanced by several hundred color photos and illustrations, including 59 detailed maps showing the locations of monasteries and the historical development of different branches of the Christian church. The book's real draw is the fact that it gives equal time to Eastern as well as Western monasticism, devoting pages to relatively obscure Eastern monasteries such as the Laura of Calamon (beside the Dead Sea), or the hermitages of Moldavia, ""characterized by exterior murals as well as completely painted interiors."" This book is an important attempt to understand monasticism on a global scale, but its hefty $100 price tag means that many readers will want to peruse its treasures at their local library.