Tom Harpur, columnist for The Toronto Star, Rhodes scholar and Anglican priest, is a prominent writer on religious and ethical issues. He is the author of seven best-selling books. He has hosted numerous radio and television programs, including Life After Death, a ten-part series based on his best-selling book of the same name, and a six-part television series based on his best-seller ‘The Uncommon Touch: An Investigation of Spiritual Healing'.

Harpur shares his own experiences as he discusses various styles of prayer. He includes ready-made prayers which may be adapted for our own use, and suggests keeping a prayer diary. Each chapter ends with some suggestions for beginning the practice of prayer or trying a new approach. There is an interesting section on the physiological aspects of chanting, intoning or singing, all of which have formed part of public worship for centuries. -- Joan Bunce, The Star Phoenix -- 20101117

Prayer: The Hidden Fire, is an effort to come to grips with attitudes and pervasiveness of prayer at a time when interest in organized religious appears to be in decline. It's obvious that Harpur has given a great deal of thought to his subject and the book is punctuated with a number of personal and heartfelt recommendations on how we might make prayer a more effective part of our personal lives. Each chapter concludes with the author's "practical applications" for the reader to consider in replacing dusty, old prayer habits with more novel approaches Harpur's book presents a novel and provocative perspective on one aspect of spiritual life that too many of us take for granted, or ignore altogether. -- Mike Mastromatteo, The Catholic Register -- 20101117

Big sales of previous Harpur books such as For Christ's Sake and Life After Death have put the author on a pedestal as Canada's mainstream spiritual guide/guru. Acknowledging the steady decline in church membership in most religions [with his new book Prayer], Harpur hopes to help readers "reconnect with your inner need for prayer," a desire, he believes, that often leads people to literature for spiritual guidance. -- The Sunday Daily News, Halifax -- 20101117