Great, wonderful book! I loved the essays on fuel and whale falls. I didn't know about whale falls and had never heard the term before. I agree with almost all I read-- the atheist part is a struggle only because of the 12 step group I'm in. I learned a lot when I heard Cecil speak. He is the only known atheist elected in this country. (The right wing tried to get his election voided which only brought attention for some archaic laws). ( )

Although this book is well written and easy to read, it fails in its subtitle. Though the subject of belief and consequences is occasionally brought up, this book is mostly a memoir of the author's life and his long-term relationship. Their travels through the back roads of the United States make for a nice environmental treatise, but even that is not fully realized. The author touches on ideas of life, love, death, and environmentalism, but it is more rambling memoir than any coherent discussion of the above. Still, it is easy to read and there are many things to recommend it, as long as you don't expect delivery of what the book promises. ( )