"Communal Solitude: The Carthusian Lay Brethren in Great Britain and Ireland, 1178–1569" by Francesca Breeden is a book that explores the history of the Carthusian lay brethren in England, Ireland, and Scotland. The book focuses on the vocational commitment of these men and their unique religious class within the Carthusian order. However, the book falls short of delivering a comprehensive analysis of the lay brothers, with only a few pages dedicated to their topic. Despite this, the book provides a valuable compendium of information about the English Carthusians, particularly the London and Mount Grace charterhouses. The bibliography is extensive, although it is not updated from the author's original PhD thesis. Overall, the book may not offer much new information, but it can be a useful resource for researchers interested in the Carthusian order. [Extracted from the article]