Considers monasticism and monastic communities from ancient and medieval times right through to the 21st century~Compares the different religious traditions of monasticism -- especially Buddhism, Christianity, and Jainism -- and also non-traditional communities~Explores different settings, from East Asia to North America~Discusses the realities of daily life for monks and nuns throughout history and across the globe~Part of the Very Short Introductions series - over eight million copies sold worldwide