Interested in how the universe, the physical and the nonphysical, work? Read this book. Start with "Muddy Tracks" by the same author to understand his source. Then dive into one of the most interesting and important books I've ever read.

Ms. Erlbaum captures well the emotional roller coaster that those with a drug addict in their lives experience. We think we will recognize when we are being manipulated, but we don't. Even if we suspect or do recognize it, we are often helpless to escape. Despite all the advice to end the relationship with an addict, when he or she is your child that advice is nearly impossible to follow. As Ms. Erlbaum relates, it is extremely difficult even when that is not the case.

Ms. Erlbaum conveys her experiences with Sam and with Bill with admirable candor, telling us the good and the bad, the highs and the lows. She doesn't let herself off the hook, yet doesn't wallow in self pity, either. From my own experiences, I had a sense of dread when her relationship with Sam began, a sense well founded. On occasion, I wanted to shake the author to force her to see what was there in front of her, but I've been there - seeing clearly isn't easy or even possible.

I am glad to have read this book. I would enjoy knowing Ms. Erlbaum and her partner. They seem like sincere, likeable people.

A good follow-up to What the Bleep Do We Know (the movie or the book). The world (universe) is a stranger place than we knew, but some of those very strange things start to make sense when you read this book.

An amazing book. The author's speculation of the fate of the planet if humans suddenly disappeared reveals painful pictures of what we have done to the only world we have. Every other species, plant or animal, has good reason to see homo sapiens as the enemy, the spoiler, the worst result of evolution imaginable. Can we survive the crisis we have created? This book is a match with "The Chaos Point", an equally disturbing look at where we are and how close to the precipice we have come.

Many years ago, perhaps in the 70's, I read Diving Into the Wreck and other collections of Adrienne Rich's poetry. I found her poems to speak of emotions I was unable to articulate on my own. Now, all these years later, Ms. Rich writes poetry equally rich in emotions, yet reflecting the passing years and her gained maturity. Once more, she speaks to my life in surprising and moving ways. After I read the first poem in this collection, I wanted to call my Buddhist friends to read it to them, after saying to them, "Here is the soul of change and impermanence, brought to the human heart." Not every poem in this collection moved me in that way, of course, but many did. This collection is more mature and deeper than those of Ms. Rich that I recall reading when I was so much younger, as was she.

Everyone should read this book. If we don't change, the world as we know it will be the world we never wanted to know.

I love this book. The second half has some challenging plot twists. But the writing is beautiful, even delicious, and the characters well developed. Finding believable older women characters lovingly portrayed along with an eclectic assortment of interesting folks of all ages was heartwarming. I hope she writes more books as good as this one.