Close, microhistorical examination of the way rituals are actually performed goes well beyond the standard, ideal description of such ceremonies to reveal participants who modify the proceedings in shrewd, subtle, strategic ways that advance their own interests, sometimes going so far as to challenge, even subvert the protocols, traditions, and values favored by presiding officials. The wide-ranging set of examples includes a Roman funeral, a Mesoamerican healing ceremony, a Jewish-American Thanksgiving dinner and others, each of which receives meticulously detailed consideration. Each one has its own engaging characters, intricate maneuvers, analytically revealing developments, and moments of high drama.