Golden's Rule by C.E. Edmonson (Rated: C)
Pleasant Word - A Division of Winepress Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-4141-1378-4
Published July 2009
Trade paperback, 220 pages

Meet Maddie Bergamo. Fourteen years old. Young, pretty, and smart. Nicknamed “the Flash” for her quick moves on the basketball court, she dreams of eventually competing at the Olympics, until one day she falls flat on her face when her leg suddenly gives out during a game. This is the first symptom in a line of scary ones that leads to a diagnosis, shattering her world so quickly everything changes overnight.

Then her mother gives her the unexpected gift of a memoir written by her great-great-great grandmother, telling the story of her life as a slave girl. As Maddie lives through the most agonizing and life-threatening days of her life, the diary becomes a strengthening aid to her.

Meet Golden Lea Jackson Pitts. Fourteen years old. Young, black, and a slave. Her story is one of hardship but also hope as she embarks on her journey to freedom. The author deftly alternates between the voices of these two brave girls and how their lives are connected by their adversities and their challenge to cope. I must admit I loved Golden’s voice. She was so authentic and real. I could see her so clearly in my mind’s eye and hear her dialect voice through the pages. Her ordeals and losses touched me deeply. Golden had spirit and strength, dealing with her situations with wisdom and maturity. Despite the sufferings, she developed a beautiful rule by which she faithfully lived and passed on as an inheritance to her progeny—hence the title of the novel.

Reading the yellowed handwritten words of this strong female ancestor, Maddie learns to courageously face what lays ahead of her and also some important life lessons. It gives her a whole new perspective on life, and pride in her multi-racial heritage. Her future goals and what she thought were important takes on a whole new meaning.

Some of the issues that Edmonson touches on—racism, family appreciation, independence, parental attitude, and altruistic giving—are ones that all youths can relate to in one form or another. There are serious scenes in this novel that make the reader ponder on the injustices of this world today and in the past. However, it is far from being morose, but filled with hope and optimism instead.

This wholesome novel has the power to evoke strong emotions in readers of all ages. For teens, it will nudge them out of their comfortable zone to reflect on how they can make good use of their lives, even when an illness hits them. Conversely, it can give today’s youth bombarded with the pressures for sex, drugs and violence the motivation to keep going and to stand up for what is right. For adults, it will remind them that it’s never too late to take stock of their lives and keep their priorities straight, especially when it comes to family.

The author wrote this book for his daughters—a loving way to transmit a powerful message. After I pass the book to my book-loving teen friends, I will store it on my bookshelf, saving it for when I could pass it on and share this touching story with my own daughter.

Foundation is the first of a series of science fiction books written by the late Isaac Asimov, and since this seems to be the first science fiction review here on Library of Clean Reads, I thought a brief intro to the genre is in order.

Readers of Clean Reads are already familiar with Speculative Fiction. Wait, isn't that the same as Science Fiction? (The same abbreviation, SF, is commonly used to describe both.) Well, no, they are not entirely the same. Let's say that all Science Fiction is Speculative Fiction, while not all Speculative Fiction is Science Fiction. A few of the books reviewed here are referred to as "fantasy" and also fall under this umbrella because Speculative Fiction refers to many types of fantastic fiction, including "hard" science fiction, "soft" science fiction, space opera (such as Star Trek and Star Wars), fantasy, horror, pulp fiction, and the like. You can find an excellent explanation of Speculative Fiction here at the Lost Book Archives. All of this boils down to the idea that Speculative Fiction does not require an anchor in the real world to be a real story; in fact, the world in the story is often secondary to the novel idea or alternative reality being explored. For those who "get" SF, this is obvious; to those who want fiction set only in the real world, it seems like silly escapism.

However, my feeling is that life is about play, it is about exploration and wonder and "what if?" SF is uniquely able to do this and is certainly worth reading. But, as with all media, reading SF requires discernment and selectivity. This is why I am pleased to review this excellent book Foundation as an example of a good, clean, SF read.

Back to the story: Foundation is the epic story of the fall of a galactic empire. Hari Seldon is the architect of psychotherapy, a branch of science that can plot the behavior of large groups of people. Using this unique talent, Seldon is able to forsee the collapse of the galactic empire, and correctly plot the path mankind must take to escape a fall into a thousand year era of barbarism. To that end, Seldon establishes a Foundation to preserve a kernel of the knowledge and culture that once was. The path that the Foundation must follow (as mapped out by Seldon) is a series of crisis points and decisions, all of which lead the galaxy toward the establishment of a new Empire within a few hundred years instead of a thousand.

The Foundation is established on a small, resource-starved planet called Terminus. There they begin to compile the ambitious Encyclopedia Galactica. Their work is interrupted when the political turmoil of the surrounding planetary systems try to involve them. Quick thinking on the part of Salvor Hardin, the first mayor of Terminus, saves the Foundation from extinction and establishes a foothold of power using the one resource that they alone understand in this decadent time period: atomic power!

From that time on, the Foundation grows in power and influence using the atom, becoming almost an empire in itself. To read Foundation is to get a small glimpse into civilization; it’s a micro anthropology lesson. From primitive beginnings, to theocracy, to expansionism, and coming full circle to bloated bureaucracy. Mr. Asimov successfully convinces us that his story is part of a larger universe. This is why I loved reading Foundation and its trilogy sequels: Foundation and Empire, and Second Foundation. Oh, there are many, many more books from his Foundation universe. For the full list, check out the Wikipedia article.

Foundation began as a series of short stories published in Astounding Magazine between 1942 and 1950. Unfortunately, the short story origin of the book is the only flaw to be found; the story has a slightly disjointed feel about it. Do I care? NO. From one viewpoint, it’s that sense of discontinuity that creates the ‘bigness’ of the story, the feeling that it takes place in a very large and fragile galactic Empire.

Perhaps due to the sensibilities of the time period it was written in, Foundation and its sequels have very little profanity. Any violence is infrequent, mild, and plot driven. Preferring scenes that provoke thought over those that are gratuitous, Mr. Asimov has crafted an excellent story that I found worth reading multiple times.

Guest post by Guy Thomas Wade
http://crankingplot.wordpress.com/

I have chosen to deliver this award to the following book bloggers who have been friendly by visiting my blog and commenting.

• Alyssa at Teens Read and Write
• Jennifer at NY Book Café
• Joyce at JDP News
• Lucy at Enchanted by Josephine

Instead of picking 8 bloggers I have chosen 4, and I will follow Cindy's example by letting anyone who reads my blog take the award and link back to me.

Thanks to Cindy at Cindy's Love of Books  for allowing me to take this award and share it. Please go on over and check her book blog.

The World’s Easiest Astronomy Book by Hitoshi Nakagawa (Rated:C)
One Peace Books
ISBN: 978-0-9785084-4-9
Published September 2009
Paperback, 120 pages

Okay, so science wasn’t my forte in high school, but I always wanted to understand the mysteries of the universe—the simple way. If you’re nodding your head in understanding, you will love The World’s Easiest Astronomy Book, a little gem of a book that lives up to its name. Although written for young teens or astronomy-loving middle graders, I would certainly recommend it for all ages.

Hitoshi Nakagawa, a former JAXA space exploration officer and current high school teacher, has the amazing talent of explaining the wonders of space and its possibilities in easy, simple terms. Such things as universal gravitation, the theory of relativity, and the centrifugal force are no longer so complex to comprehend. They are simplified and easy to understand, as if you were listening to a knowledgeable friend whose love of the universe shone through his words as he sat and chatted with you.

The book is composed of 44 short lessons rather than chapters. Once you read the first one you will quickly want to read the rest, as your curiosity will be piqued. Nakagawa adds all sorts of tidbits about living in space and what that entails. What happens to the human body when it is in zero-gravity? And what about a flying bird? Or a lit candle? Ever heard of moon face? What’s the temperature and environment like in space? On the planets? Is time travel possible? And what is a shooting star anyway? Answers to such questions render this book fascinating.

I handed the book to a 10 year-old science-loving friend, who began reading it immediately. His observations were that although some parts of the book were a little hard to understand, he learned a lot of new things. He especially liked the short lessons as it kept the topic from getting boring, as some science books tend to do. He also found the illustrations cute.

Although this book makes no mention of God as Creator, but rather advocates the theory of evolution, it definitely made me appreciate my belief in God, the Greatest Scientist and Mathematician. The calculation of the number of stars in Lesson 21 shows the staggering, almost infinite number to be 20 billion trillion (that’s 20 followed by 21 zeros), making me instantly think of Psalm 147:4, where it speaks of God “counting the number of the stars; all of them he calls by their names.” Astounding! The author does such a marvelous job of showing us just how beautiful, calculable and mind-boggling complex the universe really is that it dispels any notion and is illogical to think it all came about by….chance? How could something as grand as the universe, which required immense energy to form, come from nothing?

Many experts in various scientific fields perceive intelligent design in nature, such as Byron Leon Meadows, who works at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the field of laser physics and states, “I find clear evidence that everything I observe has a cause. I believe that it is scientifically reasonable to accept that God is the original cause of all things in nature.”

In Lesson 12, in speaking of the definition of the universe, which comes from the Greek word cosmos (meaning an ordered system), the author concludes by stating, “Research into the structure and origins of the universe is deeply linked to a deeper understanding of the question of where we came from and where we are going.” Of course.

This well-translated version of the original Japanese bestseller is a unique book in that it introduces the marvels of the universe to young ones. The notion that “the time will surely come when countless people are born, grow up, and spend their whole lives in space” as Nakagawa concludes, may sound far-fetched to some. For me, it is forgetting that mankind’s physical, emotional and intellectual make-up thrives on this beautiful Earth, the only planet with absolutely everything in it to sustain life and most importantly, to make it enjoyable.

Once again, Rossano succeeds in pulling me into the world of her characters: this time, a mercenary named Darius and a slave girl named Brice. As in The Crown of Anavrea, the story begins with danger and intrigue, but unlike the former, this novella carries it through to the end.

The king—along with Darius, his bodyguard—and his army men lay siege to a castle, whose Lord is responsible for plotting against the king. As the men collect the spoils of war, the young slave woman Brice escapes from the scene and is caught by Darius who takes the impulsive move to protect her by marrying her. Accustomed to abuse since childhood, Brice doesn’t trust her new husband as they continue with the army back to Darius’ homeland, where the plotting against the king continues, and his queen and sons are taken hostage. In the midst of all this, Darius and Brice must make certain decisions and face their new lives together.

This book is a quick read, and will be liked by historical fantasy readers of all ages. Rossano’s strength is in creating believable characters that move the story along, including the secondary characters. I especially liked Kurt, the healer, as I did the Professor in The Crown of Anavrea. Both times, as I read this author’s two books, with their intriguing characters from Medieval-type worlds, I wished the story continued for longer. I wished I had a few more details, could get to know the characters more intimately. I felt I wanted to know Brice a little better, as she is a quiet woman and not much is disclosed about her. I also wondered about the scheming Gwendolyn and what became of her.

Despite all this, and more importantly, I found the simple yet powerful message in this short book refreshing. Through the characters, we are taught the value of such traits as honour, compassion, justice and meekness—a quality often misunderstood in today’s selfish world that fails to realize it takes far greater strength to be meek than to be a brute. Rossano’s stories remind me of some Bible accounts where, despite the lack of details, the characters and their stories are memorable and remain with us for a long time.

The Crown of Anavrea by Rachel Rossano (Rated: C)

The moment I began reading, the Crown of Anavrea, I was hooked. The story begins with action and suspense, laced with danger and intrigue pulling the reader into the world of Labren and Eve, in the kingdom of Anavrea, a fantasy world where kings rule and slavery is legal.

It is the story of Labren, a man on the run, hunted and badly injured when he is found by Eve, a slave from birth. Eve risks her life to care for Labren and saves his life. In return, he offers her freedom in the form of marriage. As they journey to his land, these two strangers who were thrown together by circumstance, must come to trust one another as their story is unveiled. Not much is revealed about Eve’s background and why she has been a slave from birth. Labren’s true identity is revealed and the reason he is a hunted man.

There is so much promise in the first dozen pages that I had high expectations for this book. However, because this book is a novella, only 79 pages long, I felt I had just read a small part of a book. And I wanted to read more! Because the characters are interesting and the premise of the story good, I feel this book could have been expanded into a full-fledged 350-page novel, with the characters and plot more fully developed, as strong conflicts (expected from the reader because of the great beginning) were missing. As a result the danger, suspense and intrigue were short-lived. The enemy doesn’t turn out to be an enemy after all, and although reconciliation is an honourable end result, the struggle and journey to get there is what readers look forward to most.

Nonetheless, despite my disappointment, I enjoyed reading this book. I liked the author's style and her voice. She wastes no time with flowery descriptions, but instead has a talent for painting a vivid picture through her characters and their interactions, making me sorely wish I had a few more hundred pages to read so I could be immersed in their world a little longer.

Still Alice by Lisa Genova (Rated: P)

When I first started reading Still Alice, I wasn’t crazy about the main character. But as this was a fiction novel about Alice Howland, a 50 year-old linguistic psychology professor from Harvard who gets diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, I was very interested in the story. As I continued reading, I was not disappointed.

As soon as Alice gets diagnosed, the book took off for me. I couldn’t put it down. The author chose to tell the story solely from Alice’s point of view, and I thought this was brilliant. The reader experiences first-hand the main character’s despair, her fears and frustrations. Although this story has its heartbreaking and sad moments, its ending was, oddly enough, uplifting and hopeful. I took a deep breath as I read the last page and was left with mixed emotions. I wanted to cry, but I was also smiling.

The strength of the story is in its portrayal of Alzheimer’s devastating effects on every aspect of Alice’s life, from her work to her daily life with her grown children and husband, with one exception. No mention is made of how the illness affected Alice’s sexual relationship. Alice and her husband are portrayed as physically fit, active individuals who act more like roommates than a married couple. Since sexual intimacy is a healthy and important part of a relationship, an illness such as Alzheimer’s (where a person begins to forget who their family members are) would definitely challenge how a couple would display affection. Omission of this aspect of Alice’s life may have been intentional on the part of the author to show the evident lack of passion that became almost pivotal as the story concludes with a questionable decision on the part of her husband.

I noted six f— words in this book. Friends have disclosed to me that when a family member suffers from dementia, it is not uncommon to hear them voice many colourful expressions, even if all their lives they were known never to swear or say vulgar things! Again, the author may have included this as a realistic portrayal of the changes that come with losing one’s mind.

There is no doubt that this book has made me see Alzheimer’s with new eyes. Most of us tend to associate this mental (and eventually physical) illness with the elderly population and not with persons in the prime of their life—some getting diagnosed as early as mid-forties. After reading this book, forgetting where you placed your keys may give you a momentary jolt of panic…but as you remember Alice’s story, you will also feel compelled to be grateful for a sound mind.