In this revised and expanded version of her doctoral dissertation written for the University of Pittsburgh, Slagle presents the results of her research on the conversion experiences of American-born converts to Eastern Orthodoxy. At the heart of the book are personal stories culled from forty-eight interviews which Slagle conducted with members of various Orthodox churches. Most of the people interviewed attended one of three churches. Two of the churches are located in Pittsburgh and the other in Jackson, Mississippi. The bulk of the book emphasises the data gleaned from converts in Pittsburgh. After a brief general introduction to the study's purpose, scope and methodology, the body of the book begins with a chapter introducing the reader to Eastern Orthodoxy and to the main field sites from which the author drew her data. Chapter ii explores the diverse religious backgrounds of those who converted to Orthodoxy. Not surprisingly, many converts were raised in homes where religious exploration was the norm; relatively few grew up in ‘mono-religious’ families (p. 43). The next chapter discusses ways in which the converts to Orthodoxy were catechised and socialised into Orthodox churches. Chapter iv focuses on what motivated various individuals to convert to Orthodoxy and the religious self-perception of such converts. Chapter v explores how converts adapted to the sometimes complex religious rituals connected to their new faith. Interestingly, she points out that new converts often become critics of culturally-adapted rituals which they deem not to be ‘Orthodox’ enough. Chapter vi discusses how converts perceive and respond to the ethnicity inherent in some expressions of Eastern Orthodoxy. And the book's final chapter compares and contrasts the conversion experiences found in Jackson with those found in Pittsburgh. The book ends with a summary conclusion and several appendices that provide additional information about the author's interview methods and subjects. Due to the fairly small number of people surveyed, this work does not present or claim to present a comprehensive summary of the religious self-perceptions of most American-born converts to Eastern Orthodoxy. However, it does provide representative insight into the motivations of some converts to Orthodoxy, and it very capably presents both how and the degree to which such converts have been successfully integrated into churches often marked by strong ethnic identity and long-standing traditions. Overall this work provides a helpful window into Eastern Orthodox churches in America and especially into the thinking of some converts to such churches.