Three Cultures and the Search for Heaven on Earth

I highly recommend this book. It was written beautifully and brings up very important issues that many people would rather ignore. Annette's words are captivating and touch your heart and soul. We read this for our book club and were fortunate enough to meet her. She is an incredibly sincere and genuine woman. Pure Land is a must read!

Part memoir, part crime story, and all real nonfiction, Pure Land by Annette McGivney is an important, gut-wrenching, and beautifully
written book. In McGivney's lovely prose, she tells the stories of three people bound by fate, and makes it nearly impossible for the
reader to put the book down.
Read it, feel the emotions it invokes, and know you are better for the journey.
Bravo, Annette McGivney.

Such a memorable book. Beautiful writing and a fascinating story. I read it for my book group and it was a great choice. There was so much to talk about! Thank you Annette McGivney for sharing your personal story, for shedding light on the history of the Havasupai and for immortalizing Tomomi's short but memorable life.

Three seemingly unrelated lives become entwined in this compelling travelogue, detective story, and memoir. In telling the story of a young Japanese tourist who was murdered in the Grand Canyon, McGivney weaves tale of trauma, violence, love and redemption--for herself as well as the accused.

Three heartfelt, tragic storylines masterfully intertwined to create a great read. Well researched and painfully honest book that keeps you in suspense and turning the pages. Made for a great book club discussion.

This non-fiction reads like a murder mystery but even better. The author digs deep into the emotional beings of the 3 main characters of this book: the victim, the murderer and the author herself. It's a tragic story but the underlying message is of hope and healing.

This book is a MUST read! Annette McGivney is an award winning and very talented storyteller. Pure Land is not her first book but it is a shining example of a true story that comes to life with her expert writing. The three main characters are from very different cultures with vastly different backgrounds. They share one commonality; they have all been either abandoned or abused in their young lives. From the vast beauty of the Grand Canyon and the American West, to the very populated Yokohama, Japan, with stops in Houston and Conroe, the story is built around a brutal murder and the pain and enlightenment that follows. Our Book Club finished the book this past week and it was a winner for every member. Again, it's a MUST read!

Phenomenal book. The writing is incredibly well done, and the story utterly fascinating. The perfect combination of journalistic writing, cultural understanding, and personal memoir. I already want to read it again.

This story is complex and fascinating. It deals with so many interesting subjects: hiking in the wilderness, psychology, many different cultures, history, geology and more. I was riveted and I learned a lot.

Annette McGivney treats both the murdered and murderer with the utmost respect.
This nonfiction accounting of the worst murder committed in the Grand Canyon allows
the reader to understand how it happened and the aftermath for the families involved.
Additionally, she has a nonprofit Healing Lands to help abused children experience the
outdoors. So, this event has stayed with her after writing about it for Backpacker and then
this book, Pure Land, and now she's giving back. This book is thought provoking and an excellent
choice for book clubs.