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.