In this short volume, William Barry attempts to show the many creative tensions that work in the heart of Jesuits today and through history. With roots in the founding of the society, this work expounds on the changes that have shaped and shaken the society and the hearts of individuals among its numbers and those whose development for which it has been responsible. In all things, Barry attempts to provide a fair assessment, acknowledging not only the many graces of the Jesuits, but also the many times the society has strayed from its core values, whether those be internally in its structural and hierarchical relationships, its relationship to the world, or even its relationship to God.

The book is a wonderfully written overview of what it means to be a Jesuit, and should be near the top of the reading lists for those people discerning a call to religious life within the society, or those who find their lives surrounded by those interesting individuals.