Rating: 
Summary: I've become a big fan of Fredrica Mathewes-Green
Review: A great book that examines the glories of orthodox faith in modern times.
Rating:
Summary: Elegant, passionate reflections of the life of Orthodoxy
Review: As a convert to Orthodoxy, this is one of the books that was repeatedly recommended to me as a "must read" for getting to know a little more about the Orthodox church. I finally read the book (after about a year of attending an Orthodox church), and it came as somewhat of a let-down.In the very beginning, Mathewes-Green states that the main reason that she became Orthodox was because her husband, who had been an Episcopalian priest, felt his heart coming to Orthodoxy. I'm sure, with all the writing that she has now done about Orthodoxy, that her heart is in the Orthodox church, but, throughout much of the book, I got the feeling of her being somewhat just "along for the ride". This is the account of the third year of their mission church, done as a sort of journal through a church year. Because it is the third year, the reader misses all the hardships of the first, and trying to figure things out, as well as the "new familiarity" of it all in a second. I also missed things like people's reactions to their religion. They home-school their kids, and so I missed episodes like the kids having to explain to teachers and cafeteria people at their school that no, the kids aren't vegan, but there are certain days that they aren't supposed to eat certain things. (Then again, her kids were a little bit older than grammar school, but you get the picture.) Or trying to explain the difference of date of certain holidays (Pascha -the biggest Orthodox celebration in the year- comes to mind immediately). Or trying to explain that no, you aren't Russian, Greek, or Jewish. The people in the book were either members of their church or friends who weren't going to make a fuss if the family were Orthodox, Episcopalian, Luthern, Baptist, Jewish, or whatever. Overall, I found the book interesting, and I can't say that I wasn't happy to finally read it, but as for the kind of book that I was expecting, that it was not. Furthermore, if you are looking for something to basically explain Orthodoxy, this probably isn't the book for you either. However, if you are looking for a story about a certain parish's experiences getting a little more settled into its existance, here's a book for you.
Rating: 
Summary: Along for the ride...
Review: As a convert to Orthodoxy, this is one of the books that was repeatedly recommended to me as a "must read" for getting to know a little more about the Orthodox church. I finally read the book (after about a year of attending an Orthodox church), and it came as somewhat of a let-down. In the very beginning, Mathewes-Green states that the main reason that she became Orthodox was because her husband, who had been an Episcopalian priest, felt his heart coming to Orthodoxy. I'm sure, with all the writing that she has now done about Orthodoxy, that her heart is in the Orthodox church, but, throughout much of the book, I got the feeling of her being somewhat just "along for the ride". This is the account of the third year of their mission church, done as a sort of journal through a church year. Because it is the third year, the reader misses all the hardships of the first, and trying to figure things out, as well as the "new familiarity" of it all in a second. I also missed things like people's reactions to their religion. They home-school their kids, and so I missed episodes like the kids having to explain to teachers and cafeteria people at their school that no, the kids aren't vegan, but there are certain days that they aren't supposed to eat certain things. (Then again, her kids were a little bit older than grammar school, but you get the picture.) Or trying to explain the difference of date of certain holidays (Pascha -the biggest Orthodox celebration in the year- comes to mind immediately). Or trying to explain that no, you aren't Russian, Greek, or Jewish. The people in the book were either members of their church or friends who weren't going to make a fuss if the family were Orthodox, Episcopalian, Luthern, Baptist, Jewish, or whatever. Overall, I found the book interesting, and I can't say that I wasn't happy to finally read it, but as for the kind of book that I was expecting, that it was not. Furthermore, if you are looking for something to basically explain Orthodoxy, this probably isn't the book for you either. However, if you are looking for a story about a certain parish's experiences getting a little more settled into its existance, here's a book for you.
Rating:
Summary: Read this book.
Review: Beautifully done! Mathewes-Green writes with great love for the Orthodox religion as well as with humor and grace. The reader comes to care deeply about the author and the parishioners of whom she tells.Anyone who is dissatisfied with contemporary Christianity in America should be required to read this book. In its pages they can discover where REAL Christianity has been hiding, and they can find out why Protestantism and Catholicism are not the fullest expressions of the faith.
Rating: 
Summary: A "Cradle Orthodox" perspective of the book
Review: I am a 'Cradle Orthodox' (as opposed to a convert) and I had a hard time reading this book. When you are born and raised Orthodox you have a kind of second nature relationship with the Church and how one is to behave (for lack of a better word). I found that I had a hard time with the levity that was throughout this book. Now, in saying that, I have to admit that I will be the first one to take part in a good prank or joke, but there are some things that are just not in good taste.
While her style of writing is amusing and easy to read, it was disturbing because I felt that so much of the humor was at the expense of my Church and those of us whose anscesors were also Orthodox. I didn't "get" a lot of the book because I am Cradle Orthodox. I don't think of my faith as a "man's religion" because, quite honestly, most of the parishioners in the churches I've been too (both in the US and in Russia/Ukraine) were women. And "wear comfortable shoes"? yeah, we hear that a lot...
I guess that even though it was easy to read and humorous, I still felt offended in the end.
Rating:
Summary: This book makes Orthodoxy accessable to all
Review: I found this book to be an great joy to read. As I have just begun my search into the Orthodox faith I found Frederica M-G's account of her parish's year wonderfully lyrical. I did not find her attitude synicial or disrespectful. On the contrary - I found it to be an honest account of someone who was not a "cradle" orthodox trying to understand this ancient faith.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a typical conversion story
Review: I myself am a convert to Orthodoxy and cannot really relate to this author's experience at all. I'd like to make just a few points: 1. The author is a matushka (a priest's wife). This is a totally different life from the average layman who is chismated. It seems that most --if not all-- of her free time is spent in church services. This is definately not how it is for most of us in Orthodoxy. Sunday morning and a few extra times during Great Lent/Holy Week are about the best most of us can do. 2. Her children are home schooled, at least at first. This is starting to become a trendy thing to do, but most families I know send their kids to public school and do not keep them isolated from the heterodox/secular world. They have to deal with the tough issues of modernity day by day that the kids bring home. Her daughter got a nose ring in college and it seemed like the world was crashing down. Frederica, if that's all she brings home, count yourself lucky ! 3. The small parish of Holy Cross that they started is a place where everyone knows everyone and actually seem to like each other. This is definately not typical. I hardly know anyone in my parish and the cliche in fighting is terrible. It seems like the Holy Cross people practically live in a commune -- coming and going to each other's homes all the time. Once again, not my experience nor anyone I know. I would like to see a book about the more typical convert to Orthodoxy who works 9 - 5 and lives in the midst of the hertodox world with friends of all persuasions and trying to keep the Ancient Faith because of a personal realization (revelation) that this is the True Faith.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent resource.
Review: It all began when my roommate started dating an Orthodox guy. I was intrigued. I had never heard much about the Orthodox church, never thought much about the Orthodox Church. However, since that time I have visited their church a few times, including once during Pascha (Orthodox Easter). I was still intrigued, but I had a lot of questions, and nobody to answer them. "Facing East" helped. It didn't answer all of my questions, but it gave me a place to start. I'm not going to tell you that I'm going to convert to Orthodoxy because of this book. I don't know yet what I'm supposed to do about the Orthodox church. However, for those who are looking for something that will give you more of an idea of what being Orthodox is all about without having to struggle through heavy theological texts, this book may be just what you're looking for. It's light enough to keep one's interest, yet serious enough to answer some major questions. I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Well written for outsiders od Orthodoxy
Review: The author is great writer! This book explores her path to Orthodoxy with much information and humor. I identified a lot with this author, during her religious journey. I also recommend her other book At The Corner Of East And Now.
Rating:
Summary: Rather warm and fuzzy
Review: This book was a rather warm and fuzzy look at a particular group of people who decided to become Eastern Orthodox, but as someone who has investigated Orthodoxy himself, I didn't find it all that informative. For starters, their church was an Episcopal church that switched affiliations to Eastern Orthodoxy because of their previous denomination's liberal drift. They even kept their own priest. That's hardly a typical Orthodox church, where most of the service isn't even in English and most of the parishoners were born in another country. Greene never really asks the tough questions that evangelicals who are familiar with Orthodoxy want to ask: in a church that both baptizes and confirms babies, where the role of personal faith? How can a church so intimately tied to specific ethnic groups and national cultures proclaim itself to be the one, true, catholic church (many Orthodox believe that non-Orthodox are damned!)? How does such a church justify the fact that it has violently persecuted non-Orthodox not just in the past, but now in the present (the Russian Orthodox's attempts to suppress others comes to mind)? With its refusal to engage in any creative methods of outreach - something that Greene excoriates evangelicals for doing, insisting that presenting the gospel in a culturally modern way perverts it - how does the Orthodox win the lost, without simply siphoning away disgruntled fundamentalists and Roman Catholics who are already familiar with the Christian faith? What does one make of the "my way or the highway" spirit that characterizes so much of modern Orthodoxy, on par with the worst King James Only-fundamentalist? Greene presents a sanitized version of Orthodoxy that probably corresponds to the Orthodox church as it exists in her head. This is a good personal story, but not a serious, objective analysis of the Orthodox church as it truly exists.
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