Frontiers of the Soul

"Frontiers of the Soul" continues the theme set in "Stories of the Yaak" with Bill Fritz's final break with the Seventh-day Adventist church and the emotional consequences. As the title might imply, there is less focus on adventure and more on the effects of his religious upbringing. Examples include the unexpected and sudden separation from his father, dealing with issues of scientific creationism, decision to leave the church, and subsequent loss of mentors, friends, and family. The book continues to describe frontiers of rural Wales and his connection with the spirit of Charles Darwin who faced some of the same conflicts on the same mountain but 200 years earlier. The narrative is set against a backdrop of Puerto Rican culture, time spent in the Caribbean on a research vessel, scuba diving, caving, and other adventures all woven around the theme of his path away from a cult-like upbringing.