Customer Reviews

Dan Eldon: The Art of Life

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This book is amazing. I first heard of Dan Eldon three years ago when I saw a special on CNN called DYING TO TELL THE STORY. That was a great program. I was very moved by it, and about a month after I saw the program I found Dan Eldon's book of journals, THE JOURNEY IS THE DESTINATION, listed on Amazon.com. I purchased that and I was fascinated by it. At the time I had just begun doing documentary still photography, and I have been keeping a journal for years - so Dan Eldon's journals were wonderful to look at and they were really eye opening for me. I found out he and I were born the same year ( 1970 ) and it was great to see art work like the journals from someone of my generation. I love the purity of the creativity in his journals. They're beautiful.

Last year I purchased the journal workbook, SOUL CATCHER, by Kathy and Amy Eldon, and I loved that also - so when I heard about this new biography I knew it would be good for me to read. I was not disappointed. It is fascinating. As I read through the chapters and began to realize how much Dan Eldon did and experienced in his life I kept thinking, "This is incredible".

The last few chapters of this biography made me cry. And I have not been moved to tears by a book since I was a child. All of the chapters were absorbing and inspiring to me. When I first saw the documentary DYING TO TELL THE STORY advertised on CNN three years ago it caught my eye initially because I saw that the program was largely about a young photojournalist in Somalia. The more I have gotten to know about Mr. Eldon's story, the courage and the explorative nature he displayed in his life, the more inspired by it I have become.

Jennifer New has done a wonderful job. The text and information is great and I also love the design of the book. It is unconventional and colorful. There are plenty of photographs of and by Dan Eldon and plenty of examples of Dan Eldon's artwork, and they are integrated into the text in an innovative way.

This book was hard to put down and it has made me look at my present life and my future in a different way. I highly recommend it.

Sometimes in life, we come across somebody who resembles in us everything we love, or envy, or just understand. Well, while reading "The Art of Life", a story about the travels of the young and corageous Dan Eldon, I stumbled upon all of these emotions and more. The book, a collaboration of work about Dan's travels, views, and passions, written by jennifer New and Kathy Eldon, is sure to spark a fire in each who reads it. This book is filled with more energy and spirit then I think I have ever possesed in all my years of being. Filled with colorful photographs and intelligent words, this story has been like a symphony to my weary eyes. After reading "The Journey is the Destination: The Journals of Dan Eldon" (the first book published about Dan's miraculous travels and premature demise), I thought to myslef, "nothing could possibly be more beautiful or enchanting than this." I was proven wrong as soon as my hands glided over the pages of "The Art of Life". It has been wonderful to read while sitting outside in a park on a warm afternoon, as well as inside on a rainy day when you feel all hope is lost. It has been a glorious gift, reminding me that all which stands around us is something to celebrate. My only hope is that others, even if it is one small being, find this book....it will open up a genuine desire for life in you, that is sure to last for as long as you stand beneath the blue sky which hangs above.

If you learn the Dan Eldon story and are not awestruck, inspired, moved, fascinated, deeply saddened and uplifted at the same time, there is something wrong with you. His short life was lived to the fullest - something not many people can truly claim, beyond the adventuresome spirit - his artwork was vibrant, colourful, emotional, playful and as full of contrast as the life he lived.

So, is this book worth buying if you already have "The Journey is the Destination"? A resounding YES. If you want to know more detail about his life (a lot of detail), see more of his art, read more of his writings. Dammit, why do the good guys die so young...?

It's a shame Kathy(his mother) never wrote this book.
By far the most imtimate and well written part of this book was the last chapter that Kathy Eldon wrote.
Obviously Jennifer New loves Dan's life like we all do but unfortuneatly she never met him and that glaringly stands out in the biography. There is way too much creative license here,the fact he is raised to almost sainthood can be squeemish at times.Jennifer's writing leaves a lot to be desired, but through the clumsy writing you can't helped but be inspired by the life of Dan Eldon.
Dan is amazing!! His photos say more about him than any bunch of words can. 'The Journey is the destination" is a must have book!!
Flip through that and I guarentee your life will be changed forever!

The beauty of Africa is revealed while reading this extraordinary account of Dan's travels. A book I could hardly put down, nor wait to return to!

Dan's mother, Kathy, and I met after my son was killed while helping the U'wa People of Colombia. Terence was a passionate defender of the environment and the rights of Indigenous People.

Both Dan and Terence seemed to be receiving a graduate degree in humanity, while in their natural habitat, the great outdoors.

Jennifer New's excellent organization and writing bring Dan Eldon's adventures to life.

Julie Freitas
Mother of Terence Unity Freitas

In order to get the most out of this book, check out Dan Eldon's book of collage, "The Journey is the Destination," first. Look through it over and over again. Each time, you'll find something new. The book has a life of its own and illuminates the importance of existence. Each of our lives represents a cross section of eternity. This book proves that by underscoring the immense value of human potential.

Not only did Dan Eldon live, but he recorded the gestures and issues of his blazing life. His perseverance is inspiring and reinforces the importance of taking action. Jennifer New's book, "The Art of Life," tells the story behind the images in "The Journey is the Destination." Discovering these stories after years of attempting to decipher Dan's journals was spectacular...

Jennifer New's book is an achievement precisely because it doesn't deify Dan Eldon. If Dan seems larger than life in this book, it's only because he seemed equally, if not more, so to those who knew him. New's treatment of Dan's life captures the youthful awe with which many of his friends observed him, and tempers this exuberance by exposing the very humbling foibles of a real "guy." Besides this book's success as a biography, it's a loving and gorgeous showcase for Dan's journals, his ongoing art project to playfully document his life. If only all biographies offered such first hand glimpses into the minds and hearts of their subjects!

I purchased both The Journey is the Destination and The Art of Life on the same day. Over the next two days, I rotated the books as I couldn't decide on which one to read first. Jennifer obviously dove deeply into Dan's life. The stories that are told from memories collected from Dan's closest friends and his family are engaging. There is no doubt that Dan left a mark on everyone he met. Even more incredible is that he continues to leave his mark on the lives of those who meet him through these books. His death may have been premature but he certainly didn't waste the short amount of time that he was given. He certainly deserves to be known as one of the twentieth centuries heroes.

A tribute to a young man who lived life to its fullest in his short span here on earth. The tendency is to paint him in saintly terms, but he did have flaws and his tangible accomplishments were by no means towering. But, he was deeply charismatic and left behind a body of work in the form of journals that are quite captivating. In other words, his accomplishments were in the form of effects he had on the people around him. Adventurous, engaging, and fearless, he left deep impressions on those who came across his path.

His story as depicted in these pages is sharply divided into two phases. The first, a bright and intrepid young man lives an idyllic childhood full of friendships and adventures. The second, a dark descent into hell on earth from which he does not return. As the story traverses from one phase to the other, the impact on the reader of the stark contrast is physically compelling: it slams you in the chest like a brick as you go from one to the other.

In the end, his story is one of inspiration. It gives you pause as you consider what you aspire to in your life. I challenge anyone to read this story and not reflect on how you spend your time on earth when contrasted with this person who crammed so much living into his 22 years.

A more artistic interpretation of the traditionally print-driven journal, Dan Eldon's records are colorful and compelling.