Paradise Lust: Searching for the Garden of Eden by Brook Wilensky-Lanford is my favorite non-fiction read of books published thus far in 2011. It might get trumped by something in the next few months, but I highly doubt that it can be. Ever since mankind was forced to leave the Garden of Eden some people have been searching for a way to return, or at least where it might have been. There have been countless theories and fruitless searches. Even the advent of Darwin’s Origin of Species and evolutionary science has not squelched the search and belief that the Garden is still out there waiting to be found.
Paradise Lust is an entertaining and well-researched read that details the history of the most dedicated individuals obsessed with finding the Garden of Eden, the searches, and theories that they supported. The quest is still underway on many fronts. Wilensky-Lanford does a great job of exploring the obsessed searchers which include Mesopotamian archaeologists, German Baptist ministers, British irrigation engineers, the first president of Boston University, and more. Each Eden seekers began with the same brief Bible verses, but ended up with very different locations for Eden on the globe. Location theories include Florida, Ohio, China, Iraq, and my personal favorite the North Pole.
Each search is well researched and explained with both understanding and a sense of humor. Each searcher has their own reasons for the search, and where they think the Garden might lie on modern maps. They each also have their own faults and idiosyncrasies that are discussed in a way that can make the reader understand their motives, smile at their antics and respect their dedication. I reviewed the book as soon as I finished reading the electronic proof that I received through NetGalley, and here is that initial review. Since the book was published in August, and I have held a print copy in my hands, my enjoyment of the book has only grown. I greatly respected Wilensky-Lanford’s ability to fully explain each of these unusual characters and their widely varied theories with sympathy, understanding, and wit. The combination of well-researched history, three dimensional characterizations, and charming prose made this book a read that was both enlightening and enjoyable. That is why Paradise Lust: Searching for the Garden of Eden is my favorite non-fiction read from 2012.