Ayrshire Its History And Historic Families Book

THE AMERICAN ORTHODOX CHURCH: A History of Its Beginnings by Herb Ham and George Michalopulos gives a sweeping view of the Orthodox presence in the United States from the first Russian missionaries in Alaska all the way up to today's jurisdictional mess and hopes for the future. The canonical irregularity of the American situation is detailed, and the major personalities of the 19th and 20th centuries, with their effects both positive and negative, are sketched. I found the book quite informative, especially in its account of the conversion of the Inuit and in its listing of lesser-known jurisdictions in the US. In the final chapter, the authors turn from history to a proposal for implementing unity, which is thought-provoking if brief.

Unfortunately, the book is in general vexing to read, as it seems a thoroughly amateur production. The book is not professionally typeset, and contains numerous typos. The writing is like a high school student's term paper. It is a pity that some Orthodox presses of North America produce books which are interesting yet so undermined by the poor production values. While Regina Orthodox Press doesn't hire a proofreader and a professional typesetter is beyond me.