Christian spiritual practices are the subject of this abridgment of Foster's 1978 book. The inward disciplines are meditation, prayer, fasting, and study; the outward disciplines are simplicity, solitude, submission, and service; and the community disciplines are confession, worship, guidance, and celebration. With intellectual clarity on par with that of C.S. Lewis, Foster is a wonderful teacher who is accessible as a speaker and in touch with the aimlessness of the modern era. He's also a humble teacher whose personality takes a backseat to his ideas and sensibilities. For anyone turned off by the concept of discipline and religious authority, this conversational audio will open up wonderful possibilities for introducing loving structure into one's life.

Lloyd James narrates this fascinating book, which addresses the problem of people's attempts to find satisfaction in their lives by acquiring more and more things--which, of course, rarely achieves the desired end. Instead, more possessions clutter our lives and create more concerns. The answer, Foster says, is to take our focus off ourselves and to work to satisfy the needs of others. To simplify our lives, he believes, is to find greater peace in a frenzied world. James's well-modulated voice reflects the author's passion. His strong, clear delivery creates a convincing presentation.