Essential Works

I did not expect to like this book so much, especially since I never thought of nuns as scary, and this book seemed, from the cover, to be little more than a collection of "scary" nun pictures. Reading it, though, I was surprised to see that it was more like an overview of the history of nuns. I learned about different reasons that women have joined since the early centuries AD, and I learned a little bit about different orders and how they have changed. The introduction even goes briefly show more into a feminist analysis of nun life, explaining the limited options of women centuries ago and the ways that convent life might have saved them from other unpleasant possibilities.

I particularly enjoyed some of the non-"scary" pictures, which appear throughout the book and which show some of the delightful, more "normal" aspects of these mysterious women. Nuns (wearing traditional habits) are ice skating, boxing, enjoying the rides at Disneyland, swimming, dancing, and drinking coffee. This book turned out to be pretty fun. show less

Don’t let the title fool you – not all these nuns are scary! Some, in fact, are almost cute. Pictures include nuns wading knee-deep in water (in their habits!), nuns shooting guns, nuns shooting pool, nuns smoking cigarettes, and nuns in bumper cars. There are also nuns pictured doing the things you normally associate with nuns: praying, confessing, meditating, and teaching children. The really scary picture is one of a deceased nun. My main complaint of the book is not what it includes show more but what is left out. I wish there had been more explanations of the photos – what they depicted or why they were taken and displayed. Still, it is an interesting and short compilation of pictures – one that is sure to draw comments if you leave it on your coffee table. show less

The people at Essential Works must have been bored. Or someone had a beef against people who fear clowns. Nevertheless, this book is to fight back against clown phobia by putting "scary" images of clowns in the book. Some are familar, some are scary,others are culturally signifcant and a few are down right beautiful. You will go through a range of emotions reading this book. Especially when you linger over the images. Will it change your mind about clowns? The pictures towards the back might show more but it is a individual decision. Defintely a conversation piece. show less

Not really scary at all; but, then, my encounters with nuns was limited - only one that I knew who scared EVERYBODY!