Early Review: Paradise Lust: Searching for the Garden of Eden

Paradise Lust: Searching for the Garden of Eden by Brook Wilensky-Landford is a non-fiction chronicle of some of the most notable searches to find the Garden of Eden. The exploits are told with a sense of understanding and humor. It is due to be released on August 2 2011. In reading, you can feel Wilensky-Landford's own interest in the search, the history involved, and the reasons behind each individual's search.

Paradise Lust entertains, while involving readers in what just might become a new obsession. The story which unfolds about Eden seekers involves the history, science and biblical studies about where the Garden of Eden was, and how it might look today. People have studied the texts and the physical evidence of our ancestors and come up with many different answers: the North Pole, Mesopotamia, Africa, Ohio, and more. Each seeker's search is colored by their beliefs and view of the world. What often influenced their search the most was their own set of ideals and how they felt science and religion should, or should not, be considered in relation to the other.

Paradise Lust explains that the search for Eden is closely tied to religion (as one might expect), but has also been shaped by politics, various fields of science, a certain degree of creativity, and the connections or relationships between these different aspects. Some sought to completely separate religion and science in their quest. Others ignored science completely in their search. Some Eden seekers believed that mankind could be united again by refraining from sin. Others Eden seekers sought to reconcile religion and science to make a single comprehensive theory of mankind's creation and spread across the world. The common thread among all seekers was to find a way, a theory that would allow all mankind to be peaceful and united again. Whether this was through science, faith or a combination of the two, the desire to discover our collective history and forge a better future was forefront in the quest.

Paradise Lust does a superb job of giving very different viewpoints and theories equal levels of respect, and attention. There is no mocking of disrespect found on Wilensky-Landford's part for any theory or belief system. The motivations and reasoning behind each seekers beliefs and theories offer the reader insight into themselves and mankind as a whole. Man continuously searches for our very beginning, redemption and validation of our own convictions and faith. I am greatly looking forward to Paradise Lust being published so that I can purchase a print version that I can add it to my personal collection. I received an electronic gallery through NetGalley in order to read and review this book.