Book Reviewed: Solar System Reference for Teens by Bruce Betts

An astronomy handbook This is probably not an essential guide to the solar handbook for kids but meets a very basic standard. This reference book begins from solar system, close to home. Given the vastness of the cosmos and the number of stars and planets solar system contains, it would take a blinkered view to learn about our solar system. There is an ordered retinue of eight planets, over 800 dwarf planets, 200 plus moons, 1,113,527 asteroids and 3743 comets, it Is a complex system to discuss. But the author provides simple facts about each planet and some of the moons. With continued interest in other habitable zones, we are learning about our habitable neighborhood in the galaxy. As we speak, the James Webb Telescope is seeking evidence for life on another remarkable system of seven planet system known as TRAPPIST-1. These are seven rocky, Earth-size worlds orbit an ultra-cool star 39 light-years from Earth. They are perfect for the origin of life, and perhaps Titan, the largest moon of Saturn. Kids can access lot more information about solar system and useful data from simple search on the web like Wikipedia, Britannica, NASA for kids website, James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) at NASA, Flickr portal for new images from JWST, and numerous informative blogs.

Book Reviewed: The Color Of Abolition: How a Printer, a Prophet, and a Contessa Moved a Nation by Linda Hirshman

Unholy partnership of Frederick Douglass with white abolitionists Much is known about the white abolitionists who engaged in the anti-slavery movement in 18th and 19th century America. There were also many African-American pioneer abolitionists who were active in their own abolition activities that included call for complete social and political equality for all people. But historically their efforts were ignored or downplayed. This book by Linda Hirshman, a former Professor of Law and Women’s studies program at the Brandies University in Massachusetts narrate the story about the uneasy alliance of pioneer abolitionist Frederick Douglass with white abolitionists William Lloyd Garrison and Maria Weston Chapman. Maria Weston Chapman was an executive committee member of the American Anti-Slavery Society in 1839 and she also served as editor of the anti-slavery journal “The Non-Resistant.” Maria was a "Garrisonian" abolitionist who believed in an uncompromising end to slavery by "moral suasion" or non-resistance. They rejected political and institutional coercion by churches, politicians, and the federal government for ending slavery. Maria Chapman became central figure among wealthy and socially prominent supporters of William Lloyd Garrison in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1835, Chapman assumed the leadership of the Boston Anti-Slavery Bazaar as a major fundraising event. Many abolitionists then discovered modern methods of solicitation for funds for abolition movement. Frederick Douglass went on a speech tour to England and Ireland, as many former slaves had previously done. He traveled in Ireland as the Great Famine was beginning, despite that the feeling of freedom from American racial discrimination amazed Douglass. He spent two years there lecturing in churches and chapels. His draw was such that some facilities were "crowded to suffocation". One example was his hugely popular London Reception Speech, which Douglass delivered in May 1846. Douglass observed that in England and Ireland he was treated with respect without any racial bias. During this trip Douglass became legally free, as English supporters led by Anna Richardson, an English abolitionist raised funds to buy his freedom from his American owner Thomas Auld. Douglass began to realize that white abolitionists in Boston had been working to undermine his European trip. Before he’d even left American shores, they had privately written his British hosts and impugned his motives and character. Author Hirshman initially considered Maria Chapman as a feminist, but after examining Chapman’s voluminous correspondence, she discovered the ugly personal rivalries and private politics at the center of a shaky alliance between the uncompromising Garrison and Chapman on one side, and the ambitious and self-possessed Douglass on other side. Douglass ultimately deserted the Garrisonians, and joined the Gerrit Smith faction of abolitionism, and adopt its antislavery reading of the Constitution. The author concludes that Garrisonians did not accept the full humanity of Frederick Douglass. In addition to abolition, Douglass became an outspoken supporter of women’s rights. In 1848 at the Seneca Falls convention on women's rights. Douglass stood and spoke eloquently in favor of women’s suffrage. Later, Victoria Woodhull of Equal Rights Party, who ran for president against Ulysses S. Grant, chose Frederick Douglass as her running mate in the 1872 election. Douglass also caused considerable controversy for marrying Helen Pitts, a white feminist from Honeoye, New York. She was a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and worked on radical feminist publications and shared many of Douglass’ moral and political principles. They were married until Douglass’s death. This book reads flawlessly, and it sheds new light on personal and political prejudices in the workings of white abolitionists like Garrisonians.

Book Reviewed: Watergate: A New History by Garrett M. Graff

Crisis in Nixon Administration Numerous books have been written on the Watergate scandal, and the book “All the President’s Men” by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, is one of the key works in the literature. Since then, several books were written with the new information from different sources, mainly from declassified material from FBI and CIA Archives. This book by Garret Graff shed new light on a topic that we know. Drawing on the CIA’s recently declassified history of Watergate and previously unpublished documents, the author reassesses the role of Watergate burglars and the men behind the break-in, and how they implicated the CIA and the White House in two break-ins targeting Daniel Ellsberg’s psychiatrist office, and the Watergate offices of the Democratic National Committee, ultimately leading to Nixon’s downfall. In this book, Watergate burglar James McCord’s letter to his Judge Sirica is described in detail and how it implicated others in Nixon Administration in the break-in. Nixon was directly involved in the entire operation using his staff at the White House, members of his cabinet, the CIA, FBI, IRS, DOJ, and the members of the Committee to Re-elect the President (CREEP). A key Nixon goal was to limit the Watergate investigation to the break-in alone, making it appear to be the dirty tricks of the burglars. Nixon did not want any enemy testifying against him or his closest allies. The book describes every campaign-trail dirty tricks, possible hostage situations, and questionable fundraising efforts. The book also gives the personal side of President Nixon who appears as a highly antisemitic goof masquerading as the President. His demeanor is wicked and his attitude towards political dissidents is that of Mafia boss. This is an exhaustive volume of 832 pages which makes an interesting read for anyone interested in American History, Nixon Administration, and the Watergate scandal.

Book Reviewed: All the Apostles of the Bible: Thomas Ben Levi: Apostle to India by M. E. Rosson

Did Apostle Thomas preach In Southern India? Did Apostle Thomas live in the southern state of Kerala? Did he preach the gospels and conducted the missionary work in India? Saint Thomas is considered as one of the Twelve disciples of Jesus Christ, but as we understand the life and work Jesus from the scholars of Jesus Seminar, the history of gospels is doubtful and unreliable. The historicity of Thomas and his missionary work in India is not only murky, but probably invented by Portuguese colonists when Catholic missionaries found it increasingly difficult to convert Hindu population. Early missions in Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu included brutality, force, and coercion of Hindus to become Catholics. Roman Catholic Church showed heavy-handedness and played a significant role to proselytize Hindus in Goa and Kerala. Thomas’s work described in the apocryphal/gnostic literature the “Acts of Thomas.” is known to have been written in the Third Century, almost 200 years after Thomas’s death, in Syriac language, and later Greek versions were re-written. According to the legend, Jesus (who was supposed to have been crucified, died, resurrected & ascended to heaven) comes back to trick reluctant disciple Thomas to spread the teachings of his ministry in India. He “sells” Thomas as a carpenter to Abbanes, a Merchant from the kingdom of Gondaphares. This is an Indo-Parthian Kingdom that included parts of Afghanistan, Baluchistan, and Northwest India. According to Christian tradition, The remains of Thomas were entombed in Edessa, Turkey. This book is highly condensed and described in 44 pages. Much of the text is copied verbatim from “Acts of Thomas,” the Seventh Act: of the Captain. The book is confusing and not easy to comprehend. I recommend staying away from this work since there is little to learn from this author.