Donald Moore, in this study of Buber's life and work, presents not a critical analysis or an historical development of Buber's thought; rather, he focuses in on Buber's central message about what it means to be a human being, a person of faith, a community of faith, and about what mankind can do to overcome the eclipse of God.

Moore enters into a dialogue with Buber and explores Buber's belief that religion and community are as essentially interrelated as the Thou spoken to God and the Thou spoken to other human beings.

This new edition, with a foreword by Maurice Friedman, contains a new preface by the author. The preface addresses the new generation of readers who will be introduced to Buber. In addition, textual changes represent an increased awareness of gender, a recognition of important Buber scholarship since the first edition, and a strengthening of the author's original thesis - that Buber, the critic of religion, was, in the mold of the biblical prophets, a man of profound religious faith.