JASON KERSTEN is a senior editor at Maxim magazine and holds a master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. He lives in New York City.
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Praise for Journal of the Dead
“Wholly absorbing.… Tells the story of Coughlin and Kodikian with quiet authority, lending unexpected dignity to the whole affair.”
—New York Times Book Review
“One hell of a fascinating ride.”
—National Geographic Adventure
“Five stars. As tough to put down as Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild.”
—Maxim
“This book is so addictive, I advise not cracking it until you have enough time to read it straight through.… Kersten has a keen, almost noirish, sense of suspense.”
—Time Out (New York)
“A taut, expertly researched true-crime narrative.”
—Boston Herald
“A gripping, readable tale.”
—Austin American-Statesman
“A fascinating case, a fascinating book.”
—Anderson Cooper, CNN
“Fascinating.”
—Oregonian
“A story that is inherently interesting, and one you can’t read without wondering… what you would do in a similar situation.”
—Rocky Mountain News
“Deftly penned by Jason Kersten, a rising star in the journalism world.… Resounding [and] unforgettable.”
—Denver Westword
“One of those rare books that the reader will be compelled to read in a single sitting.… It’s that good.”
—Tulsa World
“A brilliant new book… in the great nonfiction tradition of Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild.”
—Advertising Age
“Kersten’s direct prose creates a very real scene.… The reader… can’t help but feel for all involved in this perplexing and tragic scenario.”
—Library Journal
“A true American tragedy, beautifully written. Journal of the Dead is one of those books you’ll always want on your shelf.”
—Tony Hillerman, author of The Sinister Pig
“Journal of the Dead is more than a fine read and a riveting portrait of the American desert. It is the debut of a strong writer whose crystalline prose stands as an example of what writing should be.”
—William Langewiesche, author of American Ground
“This is a story that interested me from the moment it was first reported. Jason Kersten has gone behind the headlines and uncovered the true story of what happened in Rattlesnake Canyon. It’s a riveting story, a page-turner, a book that I couldn’t put down.”
—Lawrence Schiller, author of Perfect Murder, Perfect Town
“A provocative and deeply disturbing study of unexpected tragedy in the New Mexico desert when two friends lose their way. Harrowing and heart-wrenching, Kersten’s penetrating and tautly written account of one friend’s ‘mercy killing’ of his best friend continues to haunt long after the story is over: when, if ever, is such a killing justifiable?”
—Dick Lehr, coauthor of Judgment Ridge and Black Mass
“A brilliantly crafted exploration of a profoundly human mystery. Jason Kersten’s portrait of these two young men, of the choices they make and—especially—of the unforgiving beauty of the desert itself leaves a searing impression. It will leave you wondering: could the desert really be so cruel that you would beg your best friend to take your life?”
—Victoria Bruce, author of No Apparent Danger
“A gripping adventure narrative with a touch of backcountry CSI. Ours is not to divine what really happened in that remote New Mexico canyon, but Kersten presents the evidence in lucid, logical, riveting fashion, letting the reader draw their own conclusions. A page-turner.”
—Martin Dugard, author of Into Africa
Copyright
A hardcover edition of this book was published in 2003 by HarperCollins Publishers.
JOURNAL OF THE DEAD. Copyright © 2003 by Jason Kersten.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
EPub Edition © JULY 2010 ISBN: 978-0-062-03243-0
First Perennial edition published 2004.
The Library of Congress has catalogued the hardcover edition
as follows:
Kersten, Jason.
Journal of the dead: a story of friendship and murder in the
New Mexico desert / Jason Kersten.—1st ed.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-06-018470-1
1. Homicide—New Mexico—Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
2. Murder—New Mexico—Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
3. Kodikian, Raffi. 4. Coughlin, David Andrew, d. 1999.
I. Title.
HV6533.N4K47 2003
364.15’23’0978942—dc21 2003040714
ISBN 0-06-095922-3 (pbk.)
04 05 06 07 08 /RRD 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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