From Monks to Mountain Gorillas

Ed Kaufman's linked memoir and travel essays sweep the reader along to coveted destinations on five continents in a fast-paced blend of adventure, humor, and poignant insights. At times the author, his wife Karen, and their young son Adam face danger - when a herd of thirsty elephants surrounds them in Zimbabwe, when Ed lands in crocodile-infested waters in Costa Rica - at other times they undertake an inner journey, participating in ancient rituals in Ethiopia, Tibet, and Papua New Guinea. The author, who has dual credentials as a psychiatrist with a MFA in creative nonfiction, brings a unique perspective to this odyssey, one courting risk yet circling back to family and home.