A Year in the Company of Angels: A Pilgrim on Spruce Island

by Anthony Linderman

In A Year in the Company of A Pilgrim on Spruce Island, author Anthony Linderman presents true tales from his long pilgrimage to the monastic world of St. Michael’s Skete in Alaska. In these stories he shares in the daily lives of the monks and nuns—subsistence fishing with the fathers in the gulf, splitting winter wood supplies for the sisterhood, and hiking through the evergreen woods to holy sites from the heights of Mount St. Herman to the beach of Monk’s Lagoon. Each act is woven into the liturgical tapestry of their monastic life, and the author discovers that his best loved literary, musical, and pop-culture references all find their proper place in this microcosm. His book is a jubilant glimpse of the intimate, sanctifying relationship that this wild edge of the world shares with the entire cosmos.

142 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 16, 2025

Reviews

[Caroline Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A Year in the Company of Angels: A Pilgrim on Spruce Island” by Anthony Linderman was a thought-provoking and thoroughly enjoyable read. The book details the author’s stay on Spruce Island, Alaska with incredible detail and exquisite metaphorical language to help the reader understand and absorb the unique beautiful experience that is life on Spruce Island, at St. Michael’s Skete.

The author thoughtfully organizes the book into distinct chapters which each share very meticulously written anecdotal experiences of his time there while each tying into notable lessons he learned. He ties in a breadth of literary and cultural references which made me smile but also brought the lessons home in a way that is easily relatable. I felt as if the author was a friend by the end of the book! I may even be inspired to try the LOTR series again - we will see!

The author is well read and truly has a way with words - I can’t remember the last time I learned upwards of 3 new words from a recreational read, but it was refreshing to learn so much from Anthony Linderman.

Overall the book was a beautiful compilation of the authors experience, and the reader cannot help but meditate on the intriguing thoughts shared, as well as feel as though they’ve experienced just a little bit of Spruce Island themselves. By the end, I really wanted to visit Spruce Island myself to meet Fr. Andrew (and the cats!) myself.

[Whitney Keller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Year in the Company of Angels is a light, engaging, and beautifully written book. Its humor and warmth are paired with a lively, expressive voice that brings scenes to life while offering genuine spiritual insight. Through elegant, observant prose, the author makes monastic life feel accessible rather than remote, infusing even simple moments with quiet contemplation.

What surprised me most was the author’s daily encounter with an icon of the Romanov family. His sincere reflections echoed some of my own thoughts and gently softened my skepticism about their canonization, leaving me curious to explore their story and sainthood more deeply.

Overall, this was a delightful and enriching read—approachable, intelligent, and warm. I would readily recommend it to anyone interested in spiritual memoir, monastic life, or a well-crafted literary journey.

[Leah Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

delightful, as expected :)

[Maura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised at this book. It's short and very easy to get through. If you don't have a lot of time to read the chapters go by quickly so you can easily read one through in about 15-20 minutes. The author shares with us small short stories of his time as a pilgrim on the island with the monks and nuns. He tells the stories poetically and inserts anecdotes about his life and some of his inspirations.
Usually I enjoy much more strict narrative accounts, so I was a bit disappointed that this book wasn't of that nature, but I still really enjoyed it! And I still felt that I went with him to Spruce Island for a glimpse of it there. It made me want to find out more about the the place.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I felt like I was on Spruce Island with Anthony as I read his stories and entered the world. The way he wove stories together invites the reader in. Not only did I enjoy the stories, I also grew spiritually. I connected with God on a new level through the way Anthony described Him. It was beautiful!

[Julianna E Mueller · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a joy! I was personally sent a copy by Mr. Linderman with a handwritten note no less! I don't know him personally, but my brother lives and Spruce Island and they became good friends.

With wonder, I have stepped into and come to know the spiritual warren he writes of: the connections of Christ's body across great distances. Who would have thought Southwest Florida and little Spruce Island are so connected?

This book is artfully crafted and has brought me to fall in love with written language yet again. His writing captures the reader's imagaination and grounds it in Truth and Beauty. He connects seemingly small moments of his time on Spruce Island with some of the greatest works of fiction to reaveal hidden depths of truth. Here is proof that our wildest dreams, whether they be living in a castle, becoming a warrior bard, or going on a quest for the king, all find their fulfillment in Christ.

One of my favorites quotes (other than the entire chapter about the cats) is, "God reveals himself to each of us through a beauty that strikes us as deliberate--as a gift that only God could have known us well enough to give." I have encountered many of these moments recently and I find it uplifting to hear of those moments in his own life throughout this book

Of his pilgrimage he says, "It was the first decision I had ever made that felt inspired not by necessity, but by Beauty." After reading this book, I too have been moved by his love of Beauty and encouraged by a glimpse into a new layer of God's glory. I am reccomending this noble work to all my friends.