The Ascendant Stars

Cobley, Michael. The Ascendant Stars. Book 3 of  Humanity's Fire. 2011. 467p. ISBN 9781841496351.

The forces in the galaxy are converging on Darien as the concluding chapter of Humanity's Fire reaches its climax. The Hegemony's battle fleet of over 2,000 ships is traveling toward the human planet, looking to inflict such a destructive lesson no one else will ever forget. A rag-tag alliance of representatives of the three lost human colonies with alien allies readies to defend the planet against overwhelming odds. Greg Cameron, the archeologist turned rebellion leader, successfully allies people with disparate interests as Catriona marshals Segrana and the Zyradin's vast resources to protect the planet and its inhabitants.

The Knight of the Legions of the Avatar has deployed his mechs and taken control of the warpwell on Giant's Shoulder, and the barriers preventing the rest of the Legions from escaping the deepest part of the hyperspace abyss have been removed. Meanwhile, the Construct and its myriad agents, among them Reski Emantes, work with the Earth Ambassador Robert Horst to defeat the Godhead, who set all of these plots in motion to gain ascension to a higher plane of existence. Talavares, the Godhead's agent, is ready to deploy 500 anti-dark matter missiles against 500 worlds, causing them to go supernova. Julia, like Catriona, an enhanced human, fractionalizes her mind and successfully escapes the prison her body has become. 

With all of these forces converging on Darien, the resulting confrontation threatens to destroy the galaxy!

Orphaned Worlds

Cobley, Michael. Orphaned Worlds. Book 2 of the Humanity's Fire series. 2010. 480p. ISBN 9781841496337. 

The deployment of Brolturan troops on Darien in Seeds of Earth was followed by a stiffening resistance as the humans on the planet sought to defend their home against a ruthless invader. Greg Cameron finds himself the unlikely leader of the resistance defending against mech attacks and assaults from Brotulran troops. A Knight of the Legion of Avatars, an ancient sentient race that long ago merged with machines to transcend the bounds of flesh, reaches Darian and diverts control of a Sendrukan mech factory for its own nefarious purposes. Ambassador Robert Horst, who traveled through hyperspace to meet with the Construct and then on to request the Godhead's help, seeks to transport the Zyradin, an ancient ally of the Forerunners, back to Darien to shore up the defenses of the forest entity that protects the planet and its moon.

When religious fanatics destroy the Brotulran's flagship and land troops on Darien and its moon, the human warship is forced to withdraw. Meanwhile, a group of humans known as the Enhanced have been captured by another human, who serves the Spiral but has devious plans of her own in place. As AI takes control of the Brolturan positions and battle strategy, the Sendrukan ambassador is isolated in a shifting political situation. With forces gathering on Darien, the Legion's ancient evil seeks to escape from its prison deep in hyperspace. Will Catriona's transformation into Guardian thanks to the Zyradin help shift the balance of power?

Mandela and the General

Carlin, John. Mandela and the General. 2018. 112p. ISBN 9780874868203. Available in the graphic novels section of the library.

General Constand Viljoen joined the South African army as a soldier in the 1960s, fighting against Communists and Black activists. As a member of the ruling white Afrikaan minority, Viljoen cheered when Nelson Mandela, a prominent member of the African National Congress (ANC), was arrested for sabotage and sentenced to life in prison. Viljoen raised through the ranks, becoming Commander in Chief of South Adfrica's armed forces. At the same time, hoever, the political regime known as apartheid, which represented White rule and which had been instaured following the Second World War, had begun to crumble under international pressure and internal activism.

As the world changed in 1990, with the Soviet Union's collapse, the reunification of Germany, and the rollback of the Iron Curtain, South Africa was not immune. The apartheid regime released Mandela after 27 years in captivity. Mandela took the reins of the ANC and negotiated with the South African president to put an end of the apartheid regime. Free elections were called in 1994. 

With the electoral campaign heating up and the most likely election of a Black government for the first time, General Viljoen was approached by radical members of nationalist militias, who offered their services to protect White power. Ready to lead a coup against a new government, Viljoen meets Mandela for the first time, and the two of them talk of their lives. Viljoen realizes that a coup attempt will lead to bloodshed and generational destruction, and though the White minority possess most of the weapons, they do not have the numbers needed to successfully win and occupy the country. Mandela, for this part, knows that a coup will lead to vengeance requests from his people, which would destroy their society. 

The two of them begin to negotiate a transition in secret, where no coup will take place, and where the rights of the White minority will be protected by the new government. Against all odds, in 1994 a peaceful transition of power takes place, and the predicted violence does not occur. General Viljoen refuses to lead the conspirators, and Mandela becomes the first Black president of South Africa. Bitter enemies became friends and gave their society a chance to thrive.

The illustrations of this graphic novel are crisp and the coloring reflect the tones of South Africa. Fans of history will learn how a coup almost took place against Mandela's ANC government, and how the Nobel Peace winner was able to diffuse the situation by turning an enemy into a friend.

Where to from Here? A Path to Canadian Prosperity

 Morneau, Bill. Where to from Here? A Path to Canadian Prosperity 2023. 328p. ISBN  9781770417144. 

Coming from the world of pensions, Bill Morneau was elected to the Canadian Parliament in 2015. He had been approached by the Liberals to join Justin Trudeau's team due to his strong economics background. The Liberals defeated the Conservatives and formed a majority, and Bill Morneau was appointed Ministers of Finances, where he served for five years. A combination of disappointment with government policy, political scandals that rocked the Liberal party, and the lack of political structures that promoted changes contributed to his exit of the federal political scene.

In Where to from Here? Morneau outlines a positive view of Canada, but he also points out the challenges that face the country, from low growth in prosperity due to high taxes and low dynamism, to relations between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, to a glooming crisis in health care and pensions. Part biography, part political treatise on the steps needed to make Canada more competitive and improve the lives of its people, Where to from Here draws a vivid map that political leaders could use to guide their actions and ensure that Canada remains prosperous.

Fascism: A Warning

Albright, Madeleine. Fascism: A Warning. 2018. 289p. ISBN 9780062802187.

The word fascist has regained currency in the last decade, and is being bandied about to label one's opponent with a wide brush indicating that they are against liberty. As a result, the word has lost some of its historical importance, and its power has been diminished. Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State and a survivor of the Holocaust, wrote Fascism to remind us of the ugliness and evil behind the word and to provide a historical perspective on its return to the political scene in the United States and abroad.

Albright defines a fascist as someone who is unconcerned with anyone's rights but their own, who claims to speak for the whole nation, and who is willing to use violence or any other means necessary to achieve their goals. Fascists sought to harness the power of the nation in an us versus them mentality, with anyone opposing fascists being labelled as unpatriotic and enemies of the nation. The 20th century saw the trend of early fascists like Mussolini and Hitler, only to be replaced after the Second World War by neo-fascists governments in South America and Africa. Ideas that should have been rejected as wrong and evil continue to thrive to this day, and are being advocated by governments and political leaders around the globe.

Albright's warning that fascism remains strong and alive in today's American society is a warning shot to us all not to drop the ball and allow the return of a murderous ideology aimed at gratifying the ego of the leader, not. as it usually implied, in saving the nation. Fans of history will appreciate this deep dive into a political trend and the dangers that it presents for us today.

Peril

Woodward, Bob and Robert Costa. Peril. 2021. 512p. ISBN 9781982182915.

The end of the Trump presidency was one of those consequential times in American history. After losing a historic election in 2020, President Trump stuck to discredited claims that the election has been fraudulent and that massive vote rigging had occurred. Despite winning more than 74 million votes, Trump's tally was eclipsed by that of Biden, who received more than 81 million votes. As Trump advisors and lawyers continued to unsuccessfully search for voter fraud, president-elect Biden prepared a transition of power that would be anything but smooth. 

Then January 6, 2021 happened. Stoked by claims that the election was stolen, thousands of people who were protesting in Washington, D.C., marched on the Capitol following Trump's instructions to do so. They broke into the building, assaulting police officers and causing damage to the building. Angry that their candidate has supposedly been cheated, protesters sought to reverse the American people's electoral decision through intimidation and violence. Following the deployment of the National Guard, Vice-President Mike Pence certified the election results, assuring that Joe Biden would become the 46th President.

Recounting two years in American history, Peril explores the ups and downs of an electoral campaign like no other and a chaotic presidential transition that made many people wonder whether American democracy was now in danger from authoritarianism. Fans of political history will enjoy this highly documented recent history into one of the most important times in recent American history.

Banned Book Club

Sook, Kim Hyun, Ko Hyung-Ju, and Ryan Estrada. Banned Book Club. 2020. 202p. ISBN 978-1-9458-2042-7. Available in the graphic novels section of the library. 

In 1983, South Korean Kim Hyun Sook is heading to college. She worked really hard during her high school years to excel and achieve the grades necessary enter the local college. Her mother would rather she follow the more traditional path of finding a husband and raising a family, but her unconventional father, who owns a barely surviving steak house, is supportive and wants her to accomplish her dream of studying literature.

At the time, South Korea is in theory a Republic, but in practice it is a military dictatorship supported by the Americans. Paranoid about the North Korean threat, the surveillance apparatus of the South Korean state sees enemies everywhere, especially on campuses. Ideas not supported by the regime are banned, people who resist are imprisoned, and even people who do not threaten the regime can find themselves subject to arrest and abuse. Having led a sheltered life and protected by her parents, Sook is unaware of the violence that plays on her campus, but her arrival quickly opens her eyes to the abuses and the struggle to achieve basic liberties like reading books and voicing one's opinion.

Joining a book club, Sook is at first horrified to realize she is now a member of a subversive group. When officer Ok, of the security services, closes in on her small group looking to arrest communists and make a name for himself, Sook must decide whether she will stand with her new friends and fight against the regime that oppresses so many, or let the totalitarian regime that governs South Korea silence her voice.

The black and white illustrations are very effective in setting an atmosphere of fear and darkness oppressing the population. Based on Sook's own biography, fans of politics and of history will appreciate the details on how one can resist an illegitimate regime.

Tear Down This Wall

Ratnesar, Romesh. Tear Down This Wall. 2009. 440 mins. ISBN 9781608146048. Available as an audiobook from Overdrive.

When the Second World War ended with the defeat of Germany, the country was separated into four zones of control. On the Western side, the zones quickly coalesced together to form the Federal Republic of Germany, whereas the Eastern side, controlled by the Soviet Union, a puppet Communist government was enshrined as the Democratic Republic of Germany (GDR). Dividing the two was an iron curtain stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. The city of Berlin was similarly separated, even though it was deep in the center of the GDR. In 1961, hoping the stem the flow of people from East to West Berlin and thence to Western Europe, the East German security apparatus erected a wall, cutting the city in half. The Berlin Wall became the deadly and ugly symbol of division between East and West.

In 1987, U.S. President Ronald Reagan visited Berlin for the second time of his Presidency, and he pronounced a speech in front of the Berlin Wall that stood just before the Branderburg Gate in which he bemoaned the separation of people and dared Secretary General of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, to tear down the wall and allow people to freely travel. This speech, which was little noted at the time, proved prophetic as the Berlin Wall fell two and a half years later. 

Tear Down This Wall is a historical account of the division of Germany, the life and times of Reagan and Gorbachev, the Cold War confrontation between Americans and Russians, and the origins, pronouncement, and impact that the speech had on world history. The audiobook contains the actual speech given by Reagan, as well as extensive interviews with government officials in the Reagan administration as well as American, Russian, and German eyewitnesses to this event.

Fans of history will appreciate the impact the speech had in retrospect on the events that occurred leading to and during the fall of the Berlin Wall, and will develop a newfound respect for collaboration and trust that the two adversaries developed. It is this, more than anything else, that helped both of them "win" the Cold War and avoid the world's destruction, which had seem so plausible a year or two earlier.   

The Cold War

Grant, Reg. The Cold War. 2012. 48p. ISBN 978-1-61535-606-5. Available as an eBook from Overdrive.

The Cold War was the defining feature of the 2nd half of the 20th century. Two powerful countries, the United States and the Soviet Union, faced each other, promoting and defending their interests throughout the world. Uncomfortable allies against Germany and Japan in the Second World War, these two countries became known as superpowers. Armed with nuclear weapons and mobilizing allies, each side sought to neutralize the other without resorting to actual warfare. With the collapse of the Berlin Wall, which symbolically and physically divided the two sides, and the fall of the Soviet Union two years later, the Cold War came to an end. Though tensions perdure between the United States and Russia, the risk of complete destruction is less than it was during the Cold War.

This short book highlights the roots of the Cold War, and its importance in world history. Weapons development, hot conflicts between proxies, advanced spying, and other aspects of the Cold War are examined. Famous and infamous individuals and their roles during this conflict are also explored. A fascinating period in history, the Cold War leaves no one indifferent to the fact that studying history is important to see where we came from and where we might be heading.

The Misfits

Howe, James. The Misfits. 2001. 274p. 494 mins. ISBN 0-689-83955-3. Available at FIC HOW on the library shelves and as an audiobook on Overdrive.

Students who are different are often identified as misfits. But at this Middle School, five misfits have gathered together and they have formed the Misfits, a group of close friends who stand with each other and who discuss important life issues once a week at their favorite restaurant, the Candy Kitchen. Bobby has been friends with Skeezie, Addie and Joe his whole life, and as the fat kid of the group he really appreciate each of their quirks. Addie is the smart one who never shuts up. Skeezie’s ugly mug is very distracting, but he has a heart, and an appetite, beyond measure. Joe is gay and has the best fashion sense.

When Addie refuses to stand during the Pledge of Allegiance, these friends have no idea they are in for the ride of their lives. Angry at being made to stand, Addie wants to change the rules. Told to run for student council, she’s informed that she has to run either as a Democrat or a Republican, but she doesn’t identify with either party. She wants to create her own, but the system of government is set up with two parties. Can a group of dedicated friends challenge the establishment and, in the process, learn to stand up for themselves?

Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World

Jensen, Kelly, Ed. Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World. 2017. 240p. Available at 305.42 JEN on the library shelves.

The word feminism is associated with several ideas, some of them portrayed in the media as negative. But really, what is feminism? What does it mean for young people to declare themselves feminists in the 21st century? This powerful word possesses as many meanings as there are people. Fraught with struggle, feminism is often ignored or not understood by society. The central premise of feminism is that everyone deserves equality, and diversity is not only necessary, it must be encouraged. This collection of 44 different voices attempts to explore, over seven wide ranging themes, some of the aspects of feminism and what it represents for men and women of different faiths, sexual orientations, physical abilities, and experiences.

These feminist voices, including pop culture icons, public figures, and authors eloquently present their views on what being a feminist means to them, and how they live it every day. In formats ranging such as essays, comics, photos, poems, and lists, each writer explores his/her/their emotions on the subject and delves into the complexity inherent in feminism. The stereotypes that abound on the topic of feminism may make it a hard sell to a significant proportion of readers, but with some librarian help getting over that initial hurdle, the reader will find him/her/them-self immersed in a creative exploration of feminism and how one can live with and embody this ideal every day.

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood

Satrapi Marjane. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood. 2003. 153p. ISBN 978-0-375-42230-0. Available in the graphic section of the library.

Marjane is an child and lives in an Iranian upper-income bourgeois family. For years the political climate in Iran has been deteriorating and people have been protesting in the streets. Her parents are politically active, and Marjane discovers that many people in her family have been imprisoned or executed by the Shah and his security service. When the government falls, however, it is replaced by an islamic republic where religion dictates every aspect of public life.

Soon, Marjane and her family’s life changes for the worse. Women must wear veils. Men must keep a beard and lose the necktie. War explodes between Iran and Iraq, and bombs and missiles are exchanged. Through it all, Marjane provides a running commentary on her society and the impact policies have on the people.

Presented as black-and-white comic, Persepolis illustrates one of the most important event of the 20th century that continues to affect American foreign policy to this day. If you enjoyed this book, take a look at The Arab of the Future, which explores similar themes.

Hamlet

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Part of the Plays of William Shakespeare audio series 2005. 202 mins. Available as an audiobook from Overdrive as well as numerous print copies on the library shelves.

Much has been written about Hamlet and his revenge against those who killed his father, King Hamlet of Denmark. This audiobook version presents the story of the prince and the torment that he is going through attempting to right the wrongs that have been committed against his family. Using a full cast ensemble, the production is faithful to the script and faithfully recreates the tragic environment that ultimately decimates the entire Danish court. Pair this audiobook with the actual play to gain a better understanding of the madness and questioning that lurks in the shadows and that seek to answer the question, “to be or not to be.”

Political Parties: From Nominations to Victory Celebrations

McPherson, Stephanie Sammartino. Political Parties: From Nominations to Victory Celebrations. Part of the Inside Elections series. 2016. 64p. ISBN 978-1-4677-7910-4. Available at 324.27 MCP on the library shelves.

The process of electing the 45th president is coming to an end in a few days, but many people do not realize that the election is in fact the culmination of a years-long process to select, endorse, and promote a candidate. This process begins with political parties. In this short book, the entire process of electing a candidate to local, state, or national office is explored based on the roles played by the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. Organization, financing, nominations, endorsements, conventions, and advertisements are discussed. Readers of all things political will appreciate the information presented and will gain a better understanding of the entire process.