Eileen Carey, the wife of the Archbishop of Canterbury, has succeeded in a monumental task. She has compiled the stories of 22 bishops' spouses from the Anglican Communion. Through the means of her own personal contact (a tribute to her careful attention to bishops' spouses), and through a questionnaire, she tells the spouse's story. This is a seminal work because it is the first time that a collection of the experiences of these spouses can be read in one volume. It is fascinating reading because it is a tribute to the extent that faith stretches to meet and exceed trying times.

The reader is challenged to reflect on the strength of the spirituality of the spouse. Most spouses come to their marriage vows with a strong or emerging faith. This faith tried in the crucible of the institutional church grows and reaps amazing rewards. The lived experience of loneliness, relocation, unclear expectations, sacrifice, personal job loss, the demands of hospitality, the confusion of deferred authority and the conflict of church and family bring with them the graces of strength, courage and hope.

To a person, each spouse feels privileged to share the rich, diverse experiences of the bishop, particularly in such challenging locations as Sri Lanka, Israel, Rwanda, South Africa, Mozambique and Sudan.

Of particular interest is the offering of a prayer from each contributor. The request itself is a witness to Mrs. Carey's affirmation of the importance of prayer. Mrs. Eleci Neves, wife of the Bishop of South Western Brazil says, "We thank you, Lord God, for putting us in the leadership of this diocese. Strengthen our knees which are sometimes so weak, and may our missionary spirit never tire of searching for and serving others."