Stephen W. Angell and Pink Dandelion's contribution to the Oxford Handbook series sets out to chart both ‘Quaker history and the history of its expression as a religious community’ (p. 1). The wide scope of the volume and multidimensional nature of the themes and ideas that it examines provide the most comprehensive assessment to date of the history of the movement. Its major contribution lies in the editors' recognition of the ‘vibrant academic field’ in which Quaker history and expression can be presented (p. 7). As a consequence, we are confronted not with an ‘official’ history of the movement, but rather with a dynamic historiographical and interpretative approach to the evolution of Quaker thought from the movement's fraught beginnings in 1647 right up until the present day.

In aiming for a broad, thorough and in-depth treatment of Quakerism, the ambition of the collection is vast. The thirty-seven chapters are divided into four main parts: ‘The history of Quakerism’, ‘Quaker theology and spirituality’, ‘Quaker witness’ and ‘Quaker expression’. Whilst the volume can be read as a whole, each chapter works as a stand-alone piece, with readers able to dive into those sections and chapters that most appeal. Each chapter is meticulously authored with this in mind, containing broad geographical and chronological coverage of each of the themes and ideas explored. Whilst not as heavily referenced as standard journal articles, a short list of suggested further reading is appended to each chapter. A comprehensive bibliography and index also enable researchers to navigate between the different chapters and locate specific areas of inquiry that they might wish to pursue.

One inevitable consequence of such a broad survey is that some sections are less compelling than others. The second section, on ‘Quaker theology and spirituality’, is perhaps the least rewarding of the four, with many of its chapters following a rather formulaic chronological structure. This has the tendency to make a holistic reading rather monotonous, as some of the ideas, historical actors and writings discussed are duplicated between chapters. Nevertheless, the handbook contains much interesting and thought-provoking scholarship. The themes covered are very comprehensive, with in-depth discussions on important subjects such as slavery, race, gender, ministry, business and Quaker involvement in a number of reform movements. Betty Hagglund's chapter on ‘Quakers and print culture’ provides a stimulating assessment of the distinctive ways in which Quakers on both sides of the Atlantic used contemporary developments in printing and book collecting. This essay, which mainly focusses on the early history of the movement, brings a refreshing perspective and provides an interesting accompaniment to Kate Peters's study of Print culture and early Quakerism (2005). Other particularly strong chapters include Elizabeth Cazden's work on ‘Quakers, slavery, anti-slavery, and race’, which effectively navigates the burgeoning historiography on the Quakers' relationship to race, slavery and anti-slavery. Mary Van Vleck Garman's contribution on ‘Quaker women's lives and spiritualties’ will appeal to scholars interested in the movement's progressive attitudes towards its female members. Edwina Newman's discussion of the relationship between Quakers and the family is particularly thought-provoking in its call for historians of the Quaker family ‘to take into account the additional layer of the Quaker community between the individual family and wider society’ (p. 434). These are just a few contributions to an important collection that demonstrates how the experience of nonconformity has enabled Quakers throughout their history to creatively reassess the values and experiences at the heart of their faith.

One of the book's strengths is its recognition of the complex but remarkably universal nature of the movement and its testimonies. The editors certainly succeed in their aim to provide a broad treatment of the Quaker tradition in ‘all chronological periods, with coverage of Quaker meetings and churches in all parts of the world, and including both men and women’ (p. 8). A truly global perspective is presented, with comparisons frequently offered on the different phases of Friends' missionary work. The best chapters are those that contextualise Quakerism and its development within broader cultural trends. Janet Scott's chapter on ‘Quakers, other Churches, and other faiths’, is particularly important in this regard, as it offers an effective assessment of the influence of other groups and religious movements in the formation of Quaker identity.

The pressure on Quakers to identify themselves as separate from their contemporaries is an important theme of the book. But some chapters could have benefited from a deeper engagement with the distinctiveness of Quaker thought and ideas in relation to other socio-cultural developments. The balanced and unassuming tone of the volume is, however, to be admired. It is particularly evident in Robynne Rogers Healey's chapter on ‘Quietist Quakerism’, which explores the evolving portrayal of quietism within the movement's history and the on-going debates about its significance as an analytical category. This is one of many examples of effective comparisons made over both place and time, as well as within the interpretative framework of the movement.

This skilfully edited volume stands as testament to the vibrant work that continues to be pursued on the movement's history. Readers will certainly enjoy and learn much from this comprehensive collection. Despite occasional unevenness and a slight tendency to overlook broader historical processes, it provides a valuable insight into current internal debates about the nature and future of the Quaker tradition as a whole. This book will undoubtedly appeal to anyone interested in the global evolution of Quakerism and Quaker thought.