This is an engrossing spiritual autobiography of a man who calls himself "a ritual plumber." It is organized into sections titled Initiating, Marrying, Burying, Birthing, and Practicing. Ronald L. Grimes recounts the zigzag journey of his life including childhood hopes of being a cowboy, study for the Methodist ministry, teaching ritual in colleges, two marriages, a love affair with Zen, and much more. He helps us see the meanings and the mysteries of those rites which punctuate our lives. This isn't a manual because ritual refuses to sit still for definition and rules and regulations. So Grimes tells stories from turning points in his life, writes poems, and shares his dreams. And in the end, we are left with an even higher regard for ritual than when we started out. Bravo!