And Then There Were Nuns

Adventures in a Cloistered Life

Bestselling author Jane Christmas decides to enter a convent to discern whether she is, as she puts it, "nun material." But just as she convinces herself to take the plunge, her long-term partner, Colin, surprises her with a marriage proposal. Determined not to let her monastic dreams get sidelined, Christmas puts her engagement aside and embarks on an extraordinary year-plus adventure to four convents—one in Canada and three in the U.K. Among these communities of cloistered nuns and monks, she shares—and occasionally rails against—the silent, reverent, pared-down existence she has sought all her life. With insight and humour, she provides a glimpse into a seldom-seen lifestyle.