Some of the world"s most renowned leaders and visionaries--Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Marianne Williamson, Mikhail Gorbachev, Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D.--offer original essays and ruminations about taking one"s spirituality to task. The editors" premise here is singular and straightforward: it is not enough to pursue one"s bliss; one must apply the lessons of spiritual wisdom to healing the world. Yet these essays are anything but singular in voice and solutions. Author Stephen Levine, who spent 20 years counseling the terminally ill, vows to address our "confused and confusing world" by embracing "the qualities of the opening heart rather than the rusted machinations of the ever-defensive mind." John Bird, editor in chief of London"s Big Issue street magazine for the homeless, writes about his determination to replace despair with a belief that "It"s possible; whatever it is, it"s possible." Sheila Cassidy, a physician who was tortured in Chile for helping a wounded soldier, writes about her ongoing commitment to helping those in pain. In their introduction, editors Debbie and Eddie Shapiro state that "every change that each individual makes creates a chain reaction that is a benefit to all." One can"t help but believe that this expertly edited collection will ignite exactly this mighty of a chain reaction. --Gail Hudson