"Fasting is deeply embedded in most of the world's major faiths. This book makes a modern argument offering a new form of transformation and redemption." - Ken Albala, Tully Knoles Endowed Professor of History, University of the Pacific"This “multifaceted, clear-eyed” account explores issues around fasting, including its health benefits and risks, why we are so well adapted to undergo it, and how we can balance its benefits with the demands of our busy lives." - Caroline Sanderson, The Bookseller