The people featured in this book lived mostly short lives and this was largely by choice. I'm in a much better position now to understand why someone might want to do that—a shorter life for something is better than a longer life for nothing. Men and women for others is better than non sibi. It's simply not enough to know the negative. A purpose must be stated in positive and definite terms. Once that is done the life unrolls like a scroll.
Another angle: how does a field get created? In this case it relied on transplanting then transforming an existing tradition. At its core though the process relied on a few people, then a few more.
I also just loved the cover. It's thoughtful and exquisite but doesn't take away from the book.