Overall, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. The premise was the author, a former BBC World Service Correspondent, trying to understand the wisdom of monastic traditions for the modern world. The introduction was pretty good and I was excited to see where she would go. What came out was ten travel pieces of varying quality. It actually helped solidify the difference for me between good and bad travel writing. Part of this problem might be that Covid-19 derailed that author's original plans of for the book. But funnily enough, I found that the best chapter in the book was the one where she was forced to stay home. I could see the kernel of a good book but I just don't think this one came together.