This was a fascinating book about a pharmaceutical researcher who goes to Brazil to find out what happened to her work partner and to find the location of the drug researcher Dr. Swensen.
She leaves her comfort zone in Minneapolis for first, Menaus, capital of Amazonas, and then for the interior rain forest. She encounters the tribe of Lakoshi, the research doctor, the surprising research, an anoconda, and many other cool things. It is a continually interesting book that caused me extra miles as I had to keep driving to hear "just a little more".
It would also make a good book discussion choice for the issues raised in the book such as the ethics of testing medicines on indiginous people who cannot really give informed consent, how much is too much interference in a culture before it destroys a culture, how to protect an environment where potential medicines could be produced, and what is right or wrong in a world of conflicting shades of gray. I wasn't totally satisfied with the ending. I wanted more. Maybe she could write a sequel.
Thanks for blogging this. I may just read it. -walking2gether
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