Once again, I'm surprised that I didn't register this book. I purchased it just to keep in my collection and it's brand new, never been read. I had a hardcover copy of the book for years and I finally gave it away early last year to either Goodwill or my local used bookstore.

The Earth Children series really devolved by this point into softporn encounters and a series of stories about Ayla to the rescue. Jondalar is considered to be chopped liver beside Ayla who is beautiful, able to pick up whole languages in a week, modest about her talents, one of the best healers ever, kind to everyone no matter how mean they are to her, multi-orgasmic every single time, invented domestication of animals as well as the "lighter" and understands the fine nuances of every person she meets and every culture she is exposed to because she's just that smart. And every man wants her. Jean Auel clearly fell in love with this character and decided to embue her with Cosmo looks and sex drive, Better Housekeeping charm, Psychology Today intuition and a Herbal Magic gift.

Though I'm being quite sarcastic about this book, I enjoyed the series as a whole and it was hard for me to decide to release these books. I only hope they find their way to someone who will enjoy them.

Released on Tuesday, February 11, 2003 at 1909 Yonge St. Starbucks in Toronto, Ontario Canada.

Tonight's BookCrossing meetup @ 7 pm.

Picked up at the Toronto bookcrossing meet-up. It is now in my T.B.R. pile.

Released on Tuesday, August 19, 2003 at Mailed to fellow Bookcrosser in Antioch, Illinois USA.

I received this in the mail today from Angeiship in Canada ... completing the trade for "Streams of Silver." Thanks for the trade & Happy Reading!!! My sister told me about the Earth Children series.

c. 1990 -- 865 pages + Acknowledgements -- Paperback -- The astounding #1 New York Times Bestseller -- 4th in the stunning Earth's Children series begun in the bestselling novel "The Clan of the Cave Bear" -- #96 on BookCrossing 2008 Favorites list (series)

Back Cover: Jean M. Auel's enthralling Earth's Children series has become a literary phenomenon, beloved by readers around the world. Now, in a brilliant novel as vividly authentic and entertaining as those that came before Jean M. Auel returns us to the earliest days of humankind ... and to the captivating adventures of the courageous heroine called Ayia. With her companion, Jondalar, Ayla sets out on her most dangerous and daring journey -- away from the welcoming hearth of the Mammoth Hunters, and into the unknown. Their odyssey spans beautiful but treacherous continent, the windswept grasslands of Ice Age Europe, casting the bold pair among thrangers. Some will become friends, intrigued by Ayla's ways of taming wild horses and wolves. Others will become fierce enemies, threatened by what they cannot understand. But always the orphaned Ayla and the wandering Jondalar will heed the voice and vision that urges them on, deeper into the dark and spectacular heart of an unmapped world. For they are driven to reach that place on earth they can call home. Together, they hold their future in their hands.

... on my TBR pile ... UPDATE: Reading (1/24/04).

My DH and I finished this book this morning. We didn't like it as well as the others, but are looking forward to the Shelters of Stone. Ayla and Jondalar make the very long trek back to his people with many adventures along the way ... crossing the Great Mother River and the glacier (where Ayla invents the tobaggon sled ;-). I agree with my DH that it gets "pretty ridiculous at times."

UPDATE: Offered on Read-n-Swap book chain on 3/14 - became dead chain on 3/23. This book is now available for trade.

Released on Tuesday, June 08, 2004 at Shell, 1038 W. US 2 in Manistique, Michigan USA.

We left this book in the store on top of the free newspapers. I had tried to leave it in the restroom, but a lady ran after me calling "maam" and gave the book back to me. We stopped here for gas and snacks on our way to Mackinac Island on vacation.