Firstly, don't go making the mistake of thinking that monasticism is irrelevant to today's society. Nothing, in my opinion, could be further from the truth.

Secondly, let me explain that the author of this book came to fame in the UK after a reality show where five very different men stayed at Worth Abbey for 40 days; it had a dramatic impact on their lives. He wrote this book as a response to the resulting, overwhelming response the monks received, recognising their way of life holds some valuable solutions to today's ills.

We don't have to look far to see that we're going wrong somewhere; people are more unhappy than ever before, and seeking refuge in unsustainable ways. So although this book looks at themes unfamiliar to the modern mind - silence, solitude, obedience - that's what makes it so exciting. This way of living isn't working - so why not try another?

Yes, Abbot Jamison writes from his own Christian beliefs and Catholic experience, but his agenda is not evangelical, it's compassionate. He has a lot of wisdom to offer, and you don't even have to believe in God to take some of it on board.