Douglas Shantz has provided a much-needed single-volume English-language introduction to German Pietism that draws on the wealth of European and American research on the topic since 1990. Without doubt, Pietism is the most neglected aspect of early modern western historical research and publication even though, as Shantz demonstrates, this religious movement played a significant role in shaping not only modern Christianity but modern European and American culture. Among the cultural achievements of Pietism that Shantz identifies are Bible translation and commentary, increase in literacy, innovation in social programmes to benefit the poor and otherwise underprivileged, Indology, linguistics, modern individualism and subjectivity, religious pluralism and toleration, musical innovation, and especially increased appreciation for women's agency. He also supports W. R. Ward's thesis that Pietism is the original of the Evangelical movement in England and America, but some mention should be made of how Pietism reshaped religious practices and the role of pastors generally in Protestantism. Also missing is the relationship of Pentecostalism to Radical Pietism. Readers of this volume will not only see the diversity of the Pietist movement but will also be introduced to the work of the leading scholars of Pietism. Schantz moves away from the older view that one or two key figures were the ‘founders’ of Pietism and presents a more complex picture of many streams of innovative Protestant and Catholic spiritual and intellectual traditions flowing together to create Pietism as a recognisable social and religious movement. Particularly noteworthy is the role that the alchemical/Rosicrucian tradition played in early Pietism. Shantz's chapter on women in Pietism is one of the stronger ones in the book. In fact, some of this material could have been more helpful had it been integrated in his discussion of the origins of Pietism. The Pietists themselves acknowledged the significance of women as initiators of spiritual reform, but Shantz still leaves Spener and Francke as the patriarchs of the movement. Shantz does a very good job of taking Pietism out of Europe by discussing the missions to India and Labrador, but is strangely silent about the success of Pietist missions among the enslaved Africans in the Caribbean, which is the original of Afro-Protestantism. In the appendices Shantz provides translations of a variety of Pietist literature and discussion questions that can be used in classrooms, but the decision of the press to print these in small type reduces their usefulness. It would have been better had the Anabaptist and Pietist Studies series produced a larger companion volume of readings to supplement the Erb anthology published over decades ago. All in all, this is a most welcome and useful introduction to an important religious and cultural movement.