Has evolution made humans into big babies? Can a grown man be toppled with a straw and a newt? Is salamander spit the newest weapon of mass destruction? The answers lie Somewhere Upriver. Douglas Mortimer, just beginning graduate school, is on his way to fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a great scientist. But when Douglas hires an eccentric old herpetologist as a research assistant, his plans for a successful future are derailed. He enters a world of toxic salamanders, quirky characters and government conspiracies, where the outlandish becomes amazingly believable."A memorable mind-altering venture of wildlife biologists exploring Washington's rainforests, forging hilarious new trails beyond the beaten track, revealing secrets hidden beneath the skin of salamanders." -Diana Somerville author of Inside Out Down Under: Stories from a Spiritual Sabbatical"... wonderful characters, action, humor, a little sex, and a vivid picture of one of the last American rainforests. It's great testimony that I really cared how the characters fared. And oh, yeah; I almost forgot the toads. We learn a lot about toads, too!"-Terence Kuch author of The Seventh Effect and See/Saw"... packed with laughs and intrigue in which the hero meets his tests of courage with renegade herpetologist Peter Vernon and a cast of characters living on the fringe of society who help, hinder and educate Douglas. It's a story of homemade beer, homemade tofu, gourd banjos, living underground, alien encounters, salamanders, rainforests, and field biologists who tramp through streams in search of new species ... with a court trial and renegade FBI agents to round out this delightful story." - Barbora Holan Cowles author of Why wasn't my teacher in school today?