Methuselah? Faggetaboutit ...if you want the secret to longevity, read this book. Kotulak proves once again why he is worthy of the Pulitzer. The style and pace of this book not only make it one of the best scientific reads of the past decade, the language also simplifies the science without stripping away its essence. I highly recommend "The Garden of Eden Molecule".

From great writers come great insights and captivating books. Ron Kotulak has done it again with "The Garden of Eden Molecule."

At a time when new genetics books are popping up almost daily heralding the power of our genes in controlling all aspects of our lives, this Pulitzer Prize winner brings new clarity and rationality to the national dialogue how we age.

Despite the gene-of-the-day public relation blitzes reported as news in the media promising to do this or that (but never being held accountable), here is an on-target book that looks beyond the tempting (and marketable) genetic basis of aging.

There are more things about people than the sum total of their genes. Kotulak writes: ..."the more we know about how and why we age, the more we can control our fate. We have far more to say about how long we live than do our genes."

A beautifully constructed and excellently written book that I will read again. And certainly one of the best books you'll find anywhere on how people age.

Hats of to the author, and may more books follow.

In this so-called "Age of the Human Genome," we are constantly bombarded by news that genetics, not environment, is the final arbiter in determining how sick we all will end up sooner or later. Fortunately, there are a few good science writers who are helping to set the record straight in this continuing nature-nurture debate. Ronald Kotulak is one such writer, whose book "The Garden of Eden Molecule" provides a timely wake-up call to aging baby-boomers who might otherwise succumb to genetic fatalism. His clear descriptions of what goes on inside our bodies as we grow older -- and, more importantly, his compelling arguments of what lifestyle changes we need to make in order to stay healthy as we age -- make this book a must read for anyone who cares about making the most of life.

When enjoying this page-turner, the reader has to remind themselves from time to time that they are reading a non-fiction account. Father Mark's journey,which he unselfishly invites us to participate, is enthralling. The sights, sounds and personalities of the monastic subculture he describes are unknown to most of us, but are truly worthy of exploration. What begins as an academic pursuit evolves into a mission, sanctified in the most austere and remote corners of the Egyptian desert. Yet, the intensely sacrificial life of the desert monks, does not subjucate the reader. Instead, Father Mark's account brings to life the divine richness of their existance. To delight in this gem of a book, one does not need to be deeply religious. However, it is hard to imagine that a reader could participate in this expedition with Father Mark without being transformed spiritually, as he was.

Father Mark's book, Journey Back to Eden: My Life and Times Among the Desert Fathers, is such a compelling page-turner that the reader must remind themselves that they're reading a non-fiction account. Father Mark brings to life the sites and sounds and personalities of an entire subculture which is known by few, but is so worthy of exploration. Co-mingled with his physical journey is the touching depiction of Father Mark's own spiritual journey, which he unselfishly invites the reader to participate. To enjoy this gem of a book, one does not need to be deeply religious, however, the reader should be prepared for a a literary experience that will not easily be forgotten.

Father Mark Gruber, a Benedictine monk of St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, came to Stony Brook University in the early 80s to study for his doctor of philosophy in anthropology.In his second year of study at Stony Brook, Father Gruber enrolled in a dissertation methodology class in order to hasten his degree program. Much to his astonishment, on the first day of class the professor announced that if students did not have dissertation topics, a compiled bibliography and completed research, they should not be in the class. When asked for his topic, Gruber responded, without thinking and knowing almost nothing about the topic, "Egypt. I shall investigate the Coptic people of Egypt." And thus, he began his study of the desert monasteries of the Coptic monks in Egypt, which would culminate in a year-long ethnographic fieldwork in Egypt.
Now, many years since his doctoral work was completed at Stony Brook University, Gruber has written a journal of his experiences as a student of anthropology and a Benedictine monk in a world in which the secular and spiritual are deeply intertwined. The book, Journey Back to Eden: My Life and Times among the Desert Fathers (Orbis: New York, 2002), offers readers an insight into the daily lives of the Coptic monks, Coptic Christians and the world in which they live, a world which is largely Arab and Islamic. It is an affectionate portrait, full of profound respect for the Coptic church.
Father Gruber's journal of his year with the Copts cannot be called a travelogue of the trials and tribulations of a young American student in Egypt. Throughout his day-to-day activities and frustrations lies a deeper insight into the people of a world in which all things are influenced by the spiritual. In the early days of his journey, for example, he tells of building a sand castle on a beach. Father Gruber is accosted by some young Muslim boys who accuse him of spreading Christianity in Egypt, mistaking his sand castle for a church. Egypt is truly a place of discovery, Gruber says, " ... seeing the character of these people and how deeply their religious concerns and issues preoccupy them and how they tend to interpret everything they experience through the prism of their faith. In seconds, the boys kicked down the towers of my castles and ran away ... triumphant or afraid?"
He also learns with some amazement of the Copts' respect for monks and priests, and he marvels at finding himself standing in churches using a handcross on lines of pilgrims who approach for blessings. On another occasion, he is baffled by an encounter with two Muslim brothers who, thinking there is a bad spirit in their house after their father's death, ask Father Gruber to bless the house. When he expresses his puzzlement, they respond that this is perfectly acceptable, and he should not fear any problems would persist. He is told not to interpret this as a secret vote of confidence from the Moslems. A friend tells him Moslems rationalize that the Muslim sheik is dealing with God directly and "if you want to resolve a problem with evil spirits, you need someone whose religion is of a lesser sort."
While the book can easily be read as a journal from beginning to end, its daily entries lend themselves to being read individually as spiritual and cultural reflections on an ancient people who can offer insights to modern Western man. Father Gruber's conversations with the monks lead to his understanding of the sense of humility and charity of the desert monks. His travels to 12 Coptic monasteries in the Egyptian desert describe monastic lifestyles steeped in silence, prayer and an austere existence devoid of any modern conveniences. At the same time, the monasteries, defined in many ways by climate and geography, are built on a deep sense of community. How is it that in a world of every modern convenience, where geography and climate play little role in movement and lifestyle, most Westerners remain isolated?
As Father Gruber prepared to leave Egypt, he realized how intensely he was affected by the Copts of Egypt. Thus, this is essentially a book about a deeply spiritual pilgrimage and the profound impact it had on one man's life. The afterword strikes a note of longing to remain in Egypt tempered with a desire to return to America. "I shall only manage to return to the world from which I came if I consider myself a bearer of the desert harvest.... My eyes will be turning backward, even as I had once looked forward to a future horizon before I came here."

I first picked this book up thinking it was just another stupid anonymous comic book that I'd glance at and put down immediately, but upon browsing a few of the pages I started chuckling and then laughing out loud, and at one point I laughed so loud that I startled myself because I realized of course that I was in a book store and it was very very quiet except for my LOUD laughing.

A fantastic read, with realistic and believable characters that I suspect are probably taken from either the authors life or his dreams and imagination. I'd recommend to EVERYONE, however some of the jokes are aimed at older at least teenaged people, and some adult themes are weaved throughout.

The main characters are short-but-average-joe, a bunch of super-smart but WIERD animal-like characters, and the tall beauty naned Brandy that pretty much makes the book.

I wouldn't say I'm anxiously waiting for the next Frank Cho book because I have other interests that take up much of my time, but really, I'M WAITING ANXIOUSLY FOR FRANK'S NEXT BOOK! lol

Thanks for reading, I hope this review helps you decide on whether to purchase or not.

I first pick this book up thinking it was just another stupid anonymous comic book, that I'd glance at and put down immediately, but upon browsing a few of the pages I started chuckling and then laughing out loud, at one point I laughed so loud that I startled myself because I realized of course that I was in a book store and it was very, very quite except for my LOUD laughing.

A fantastic read, with realistic and believable characters that I suspect are probably taken from either the authors life or his dreams and imagination. I'd recommend to EVERYONE, however some of the jokes are aimed at older at least teenaged people, and some adult themes are weaved throughout.

The main characters are short-but-average-joe, a bunch of wierd super-smart but WIERD animal-like characters, and the tall beauty Brandy that pretty much makes the book.

I wouldn't say I'm anxiously waiting for the next Frank Cho book because I have other interests that take up much of my time, but really, I'M WAITING ANXIOUSLY FOR FRANK'S NEXT BOOK! lol

Thanks for reading, I hope this review helps you decide on whether to purchase or not.

"Eden" contains strips from the begining of "Liberty Meadow's" syndication run in 1997 and run to about mid-1998. There are NO Sunday strips included, only the Monday through Saturday daily strips. But, since Frank never had his Sunday strips included in his serials, they aren't really required.

For those who are unaware of "Liberty Meadows", this is a strip about the Liberty Meadows Animal Sanctuary. Here, several crazy animals live including a rescued midget circus bear, a LARGE frog, a hog who used to be a mascot for the University of Maryland, and other critters. You also have the shy, nerdy vet Frank, and the hot animal psychiatrist Brandy (whom Frank has a HUGE crush on but who can't seem to bring himself to ask her out). The artwork is VERY good and the humor is good but may not be for everyone. Frank Cho does a lot of parody in his strips and some of that may go over people's head.

There are a few things that set this book apart from other comic strip books. The first being the paper this is printed on. This is high-gloss, heavy paper which is very nice! Second, Frank has included some new material at the beginning of the book in which a very old Ralph and Leslie are visited by someone who wants to interview them about their days at Liberty Meadows Animal Sanctuary. From there, we are launched into the classic comic strips.

At the end of the book, Frank has graciously included several drawings from his sketchbook as well as the cover art from the various comic books (the strip went to comic book format after leaving syndication).

This is a great addition to anyones comic strip book collection.

I think the last time I was so enthralled in a book was when I read The Red Tent. This book is well written, extremely interesting, and drags you in and keeps you there until the finish. I was disappointed to see no more books available by this author. I'll be waiting for the next one to come out.

On the cover, this book was likened to The Far Pavilions, but I think it is much better.

Thalassa Ali puts us in the middle of India during the time of the Raj. All your senses are involved in the reading of this book. Ali puts us so in touch with her subject that we can't pull away from this exciting place in time. Action, suspense, love, emotion, revulsion, attraction. Excellent. Would have liked a bit stronger ending, but it was satisfying, nonetheless.

A Singular Hostage is the first book in a projected trilogy by Thalassa Ali. I can't wait till the next book in the series, apparently to be titled 'A Beggar at the Gate' and out in 2003, as the ending to this one is a cliff hanger and I wanted more!

The heroine has been sent out to the India of the Raj and the East India Company to find a husband. She accompanies Lord Auckland on his march of thousands to the durbar with Maharaja Ranjit Singh of the Punjab in 1838, where the British hope to enlist Ranjit Singh's aid in what will become the first Afghan war.

There is little actual romance in A Singular Hostage, as the hero and heroine, strangers to each other, come into random contac, unknowing that the future will bring them together. However, it seems this romance will develop in the future books.

Mariana, the heroine, is a rather naive and headstrong girl, who is not having much luck in securing a husband, and faces the dreaded fate of returning home an unmarriageable spinster. On the march to the Punjab she develops an unfashionable, and suspicious from the British point of view, fascination with Indian culture and language. This brings her into a plot involving the baby Saboor, grandson of a Sufi sheik, held hostage by Ranjit Singh and ultimately into contact with his father, Hassan, the hero, who will become her husband against her will.

Thalassa Ali is herself a Sufi, and there are allusions to Sufi mysticism through the book. The author draws the flavours of the India of the Raj and the Princely States very well too. If you enjoy M M Kaye, Rebecca Ryman and Valerie Fitzgerald's historical romances of 19th century India I would recommend Thalassa Ali. The only problem I had with this book was that the ending is abrupt and obviously the story will be continued in the sequel. I wish the trilogy had been published in one go, as this means waiting yearly for the next installment!

This book was interesting, but nothing much happened in the book. While there were many little events, there was nothing big. Brides of Eden wasn't my favorite, and there are better books out there.

This book will keep you riveted with the power of language used, and the situations these naive young women find themselves in. I read this book in one day, nonstop, because I thought it was so good.

I was priveleged to read an advance copy of Linda Crew's new book and to interview her and write a review for the local paper. This is a wondeful book. It is the story of a charming young man, Joshua, who comes to Corvallis, Oregon and manages to start a religious cult, populated mostly by young women. The story is told from the point of view of a 16 year old girl, Eva Mae Hurt, a real person who lived there and then. Her family was very involved with Joshua. Most of the information was culled from newspaper reports from the time, but (apparently), the Holy Rollers are local lore; Crew said she has always known about them. Crew imbues Eva Mae with a vivid personality and thoughts, and, although none of them can be verified, they make sense given the age and situation. This book inspired me to read all of Crew's other books, which I enjoyed. Although all but one are written for Young Adults, some adults will enjoy them. In the case of "Brides of Eden," it definitely will appeal to both young adults and adults. Come learn a bit about old Corvallis, back when it was populated by 2,000, not 50,000 people!

Here in one book were all the shots of flora and fauna that I missed. Upon opening the first page, I was instantly transported back to the rainforest. At times, I felt the author had stood in the same spot that I did to take his photographs. Glorious color that captures the mood, emotions and life in the rainforest. A beautiful book to give anyone who has been to Costa Rica or who can only be an armchair traveler.

Kevin Schafer's gorgeous photographs and thoughtful and well-written prose make Costa Rica come alive. This beautiful book definitely makes me yearn to visit Costa Rica sometime soon!

Costa Rica; Forests of Eden is a spectacular book with spectacular photos. The photos are realistic, they give a good view of how things really look. No tricks are used in the photography, so when you go to Costa Rica yourself you can actually see it as it is photographed. The text that goes with the photos give good information about ecotourism and about the environment and animals that are on the photos. The book is made with care of the photographer.

I am 15 years old and I read this book for a Schizophrenia research paper. Mark Vonnegut has been my doctor in Boston all of my life. It was an interesting journey to explore through HIS perspective of his own experience... Highly Reccomend it!

There are only a handful of memoirs about schizophrenia, and this book and "The Quiet Room" are probably the best ones available. The author apparently inherited his father's excellent writing and storytelling abilities, as this is an engaging and insightful description of life in the 1960s and the descent into and emergence from schizophrenia. The description of the illness alone makes the book worth reading, and is in some ways reminiscent of "Darkness Visible" and "The Bell Jar". The book is also quite humorous. Highly recommended. Avery Z. Conner, author of "Fevers of the Mind".

I had taken several classes in psychology in college and really thought that I had a grasp of what it was like to live with schizophrenia. Not so! This book takes you into the world and mind of a person with this disorder. Mark Vonnegut is so honest and open and you really gain a real world feel for what it is to be a person living with schizophrenia. If you are at all interested in this topic, I really feel it is a must read!

A young woman on her own in the not so urban area of wildcat county. Living a life of gambling, gossip, and scandal. Taking a risk, getting her self into trouble, and adventure. But not minding much of any thing at all. Untill she falls in love with one of the riches men in town. But who can this man be? After all, every man would love to court the scandalous Eden Moran. I love the book it's Romantic, Adventurous, Intriguing, Exciting, and of course. . . SCANDALOUS!

The plot was fascinating, kind of like the picture brides of the past. Fierce women are shipped to a town, believing it's a large city, only to find it be be out in the middle of nowhere. Females will love these romances, adults may also. Very graphic at times, but nothing raunchy.

If you're going to read this, you need to read all the books in the series. One is not complete without the others.

Eden and her father have always gone from country to country, city to city, earning a living from gambling. But one day, Eden's father leaves her, so she sets out for California to find a husband and start a new life. But there, she can't keep from gambling again, and she falls in love with a man that doesn't love her back - and when he finaly returns her love, Eden's father shows up, and he could result in Eden losing all that she has gained.

Something has come to the small town of Eden, Maine. Something dark,
something evil. Something with a mission the will unleash terrifying
consequences.
The tale begins at a labyrinthine storage facility called Reich's when a
strange bald man named Kurtz rents a number of compartments for some
mysterious purpose. Before long, Dell Trainer, a writer wannabe
moonlighting
at Reich's, finds himself plunged into a nightmarish world of sentient
tapestries, grotesque creatures and unspeakable evil.
Aided by a retired FBI agents named Gates Batton, Trainer learns a
startling
revelation as old as man. When the angels warred in Heaven and Lucifer and
his minions were cast out, it seems not all the Fallen fell as far as
Hell.
Some got caught in-between and Gates has been tracking them down,
destroying
them. The ashes of his first conquest reside in an urn in the Vatican, but
this angel, Uris, is even more powerful, and if Gates fails all Hell will
literally break loose.
SIEGE OF EDEN is a literary tale of horror weaved from a tapestry of Good
and
Evil, Angels and Demons. Not for the faint of heart, the author examines
the
violence of man and the wrath of gods in explicit detail. Complex
characters
mirror the book's themes and EDEN presents an intricate examination of
religious values and dogma. The plot builds to a lethal and explosive
climax
that portends even greater events.
--Howard Hopkins
Author of Night Demons
...

First of all I'd have to classify this as a top read of mine... Refreshing work for a first novel... It's always a great feeling to see the genre growing with new names to watch for in the future, and Hartsock has made my list.

Eden, Maine population 47,000. Reich's Storage has opened after years of inactivity. The building was built on accidents and misfortunes, both human and monetary. Death is an integral part of its history much like evil that is inevitable in the earth itself.

Eden - a name that conjures gardens, beginnings and a place of lurking evil, all notions that run true in the aptly titled story. Decades of disappearances that no one remembers: does a secret evil reside in Eden?

Dell and Steve, manager and assistant manager at Reich's, sense an evil seeping out of Reich's corridors as they do their rounds. They both notice that this place felt ancient and cold and just wrong, but it's a job and they don't talk to each other about what they feel. At least not until Anton Kurtz drives up and walks into their office. Gates Barton, a former FBI agent who specialized in tracking serial killers, follows a suspicion to Eden where he throws in with Dell. They are joined by a rich and interesting cast of characters, some seeking glory, some revenge, some power and some just victims of the evil that is deep in the heart of Eden. Each character travels his or her own path into Eden. Some won't return from the depths of Reich's Storage facility. Those that do will have their lives forever changed.

J. Dak Hartsock's ability to draw these and other characters to the town of Eden is a masterful work of storytelling. Past and present are drawn together in not only lives but also place. Rich character development, along with the ability to make the reader care about their fate is a true gift that Hartsock draws upon in Siege of Eden.

Fear, horror, & repulsion are all words that describe the roller-coaster of feelings that rocked thru my mind as I was reading. But the love for the story and a remarkable and deeply engaging prose style dragged me along to the heart-stopping end; the stage set for a final battle between good and evil that may shake the world to its foundations.

I do feel inclined to mention the only drawback is in the editing. But I want to stress that those errors have nothing to do with the story or the author's ability to write. Read past the typos and you're in for one hell of a ride.

Rare among books with great artwork, Siege of Eden more than lives up to the promise of the cover, which is exceptionally well done and among the best I've seen in a long, long time. If I rated covers, this too would get 4/4 Fangs. Together, the story and the cover make Siege of Eden a book to treasure and to tell friends about.

jane stebbins (jstebbins@summitdaily.com), staff writer Summit Daily News, January 18, 2002,
'Siege of Eden' hits mark for lovers of dark horror
If J. Dak Hartsock's 'Siege of Eden' is any indication [we] may well have a blossoming Stephen King in [our] midst. Or better. Hartsock has penned a novel for lovers of dark horror and mystery, for those who love suspense and evil. The horror unfolds in Eden, a small town in Maine, where a dark evil begins to awaken under an abandoned storage facility. It's been here before, it is only by the grace of God that people were able to keep it from surfacing then. Now it attracts the attention of a wide array of people--Gates Batton, an FBI agent that fought the evil before; Bishop Erwin Hester from the Vatican; and Dell Trainer, a writer who moonlights as a manager of the facility, and his assistant Steve Seasons--who, despite the realization of what they might be dealing with, continue to pursue the monster that threatens to take over all that is good in the world. [the monsters] slowly make their meticulous appearance by nabbing unsuspecting citizens of Eden, and ruthlessly killing them, or worse, transforming them into servants. In the darker-than-dark mazes beneath the surface of the earth, the forces of good and evil battle it out. What sets Hartsock's book apart from [the rest] of the horror genre is that he doesn't let the reader merely imagine what's going on as the characters feel their way down the stone passageways, or when a monster feeds on its prey: he tells you in blood-chilling detail that makes your skin goosebump. Not only can you envision a character running through the dark forest, you can feel the burn of every breath he draws to do so, you can feel the sharp rock onto which he falls; you can feel the fear. It's a great book for those who enjoy the extreme battle of good and evil. The writing is crisp and flows particulary well. -----jane stebbins, summit daily news

Something of a Wonderful mindless treadmill read. But, there are lots of issues that spark thought. Whippings by the master of the castle, reversals, revenge, betrayal by sex, family, society, sex, children. I'm going to read more of this author to discover the trend. Very Thought Provoking romantic delicious trash. My first venture into this author.

From the first words on page one, this book had me hooked to the very last page. Superbly written from the horrific, graphic details of a young girl's painful and humilitating ordeal to the beautiful, natural landscape of the land in which this story takes place.

From the first words on page one, this book had me hooked to the very last page. Superbly written from the horrific, graphic details of a young girl's painful and humilitating ordeal to the beautiful, natural landscape of the land in which this story takes place. Don't stop after reading this book. The sequels to follow are just as captivating.