Ramblings of an Avid Reader

Dr. Stollznow takes a number of fringe religions and practices, condenses them into understandable bites, and helps the reader to get a better grasp of the religion or practice.
She includes such fringe groups as Quakers, Fundamentalist Mormons, Amish and Mennonite communities, New Age Spirituality, Satanism, Scientology, Charismatics,and Afro-Caribbean.
Each chapter concerns a different sect in which Dr. Stollznow gives a brief overview of the religion, including some history and background as to where the belief system originated. She explores the modern day practices, and does include her visits and experiences with the different groups.
Dr. Stollznow does take a hard look at each group through the lens of a skeptic, so do not expect all her experiences to be favorable. She does possess a dry wit, and this is very evident in her summations of each belief system.
If you are well versed in comparative religion, this is a very quick, enjoyable read. For those who are looking for information on different religious practices, this is rather informative, but does not dive particularly in depth into any group. It is a good book to have around for a jumping off point into discussion or education on a number of subjects, and Dr. Stollznow does include a number of reference books to look into for further information on each chapter.
I quite thoroughly enjoyed the book, as it is written in a very conversational style, and even while presenting more obscure information, never strays into a patronizing tone. I would certainly recommend this book to people of all ages, as there is little to no content that would require an age rating. It is also worth noting that Dr. Stollznow does regularly participate in the Point of Inquiry and MonsterTALK podcasts, and is a columnist for Skeptical Inquirer.