Tag: educational

Merry Christmas, Cosmos: A Holiday Book For Families by Roshana Ariel Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Roshana Ariel offers a heartwarming, educational look at the evolution of life in the universe through a holiday lens in the book “Merry Christmas, Cosmos: A Holiday Book For Families.”

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The Synopsis

This is not your average Christmas story.

Merry Christmas, Cosmos begins at the Big Bang and stretches all the way to the twinkling lights on your tree. Blending science, spirituality, and celebration, it invites readers of all backgrounds to pause and marvel — not only at the birth of a child in a manger, but at the birth of everything.

From primordial seas to stardust, from ancient galaxies to modern hearts, this little book offers a sweeping, poetic reflection on our shared origins and evolving place in the cosmos. It’s both a love letter to humanity and a gentle call to live with more compassion, wisdom, and joy.

Perfect as a holiday gift or personal meditation, this is a Christmas book for children, adults, seekers, scientists, spiritual misfits, and anyone who ever looked up at the night sky and felt like singing.

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The Review

This was a heartfelt and engaging holiday read. The author expanded on the holiday season by delving into the fabric of the universe itself, using vibrant, powerful imagery to highlight the universe’s beauty as a whole. The fast-paced book and the author’s interactive writing, educating and engaging the reader with information and joy, make this book so fun to get lost in.

The author brings a sense of faith and belief to the story, bridging the gap between religious and non-religious readers to explore the inner workings of the universe and how they relate to the holiday season’s foundation. The balance of spirituality and science really came together beautifully in this book, and the holiday twist made this a memorable story that will resonate with all readers. 

The Verdict

Heartfelt, educational, and spiritual, author Roshana Ariel’s “Merry Christmas, Cosmos” is a must-read, spirituality-and-science-driven booklet. The author’s authentic, knowledgeable tone and authority, all while relating to the reader and driven by an emotional, intellectual, and spiritual quest to understand the building blocks of our universe better, made this book shine just in time for the holidays. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Roshana Ariel is a writer, editor, and musician who weaves wonder into everyday life. She’s the author of “Merry Christmas, Cosmos,” a holiday book for families that blends science, sacred storytelling, and a sense of belonging in the cosmos.

Her life’s path has taken her from playing in bands and as a solo performer across the United States, to working as a radio announcer, and eventually to journalism, where she worked her way up to managing editor at a daily newspaper.

Now living in North Carolina, she performs regularly at her local Unity fellowship and creates memes, meditations, and music that celebrate conscious living and our shared origins in a vast, unfolding universe—all in service to Goodness, Truth, and Beauty.

https://roshanawrites.medium.com/

https://amzn.to/4r88pSR

How Schools Make Race: Teaching Latinx Racialization in America by Laura C. Chavez-Moreno Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Laura C. Chavez-Moreno shares with readers how race and racism take shape in schools in the book “How Schools Make Race: Teaching Latinx Racialization in America.”

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The Synopsis

An investigation into how schooling can enhance and hinder critical-racial consciousness through the making of the Latinx racialized group

In How Schools Make Race, Laura C. Chávez-Moreno uncovers the process through which schools implicitly and explicitly shape their students’ concept of race and the often unintentional consequences of this on educational equity. Chávez-Moreno sheds light on how the complex interactions among educational practices, policies, pedagogy, language, and societal ideas interplay to form, reinforce, and blur the boundaries of racialized groups, a dynamic which creates contradictions in classrooms and communities committed to antiracism.

In this provocative book, Chávez-Moreno urges readers to rethink race, to reconceptualize Latinx as a racialized group, and to pay attention to how schools construct Latinidad (a concept about Latinx experience and identity) in relation to Blackness, Indigeneity, Asianness, and Whiteness. The work explores, as an example, how Spanish-English bilingual education programs engage in race-making work. It also illuminates how schools can offer ambitious teachings to raise their students’ critical consciousness about race and racialization.

Ultimately, Chávez-Moreno’s groundbreaking work makes clear that understanding how our schools teach about racialized groups is crucial to understanding how our society thinks about race and offers solutions to racial inequities. The book invites educators and scholars to embrace ambitious teaching about the ambivalence of race so that teachers and students are prepared to interrogate racist ideas and act toward just outcomes.

The Review

It is no secret that we live in a very tumultuous time. So many injustices are co-occurring, both abroad and in the United States. Without getting political, it is impossible not to recognize the moral failing in recent events in Los Angeles, and as a U.S. Citizen who is of both Caucasian and Hispanic descent, it has never been more clear that educating future generations on Latin culture and creating a better understanding of not only the cultures but the roles social justice plays in our society is essential, and that is the role this book plays for educators and students alike.

Immediately, what stands out is the accessibility of the material in this book. The author showcases a depth of research and expertise that speaks to the importance and relevance of this material, speaking on race, education, and language skills that need to be vital tools in educating future generations. The author introduces concepts and terminology that can benefit educators, from racialization to Latinidad and so much more, allowing the reader to better understand how to navigate bilingual education and how it is meshed together with social and racial justice.

The Verdict

Insightful, engaging, and vital to today’s cultural and social injustices, author Laura Chavez-Moreno’s “How Schools Make Race” is a must-read nonfiction education book on philosophy, morality, and multicultural studies. The insights, detail, and passion with which the author wrote this book and the depth it explores showcase the importance and struggle of this subject matter and why future generations need to better understand the integral nature of multicultural education. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Laura Chávez-Moreno is an award-winning researcher, qualitative social scientist, and assistant professor in the Departments of Chicana/o & Central American Studies and Education at the University of California, Los Angeles. She received her PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education. Dr. Chávez-Moreno’s research has been published in top-tier journals, and she has been recognized with multiple awards, including from the American Educational Research Association and the National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation. Dr. Chávez-Moreno has taught in all levels of schooling, including elementary, secondary, tertiary, and older-adult education. She was a high school teacher of Spanish in the School District of Philadelphia for five years, wrote district curriculum, and served on boards of community organizations. She grew up in Douglas, Arizona, and Agua Prieta, Sonora, México.

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Galaxy Astronomy: Field Guide for Kids by Ray Franklin Review 

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Ray Franklin shares a kid-friendly and educational look into the vast universe and the galaxies that make it up in the book “Galaxy Astronomy: Field Guide for Kids.”

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The Synopsis

How many galaxies fill the universe? What is light we can’t see? Are Imperial Space Penguins dangerous? Kids ask such questions every day, and Galaxy Astronomy has answers!

The author’s enthusiasm for NASA and the Hubble Space Telescope ripples through this journal of galactic growth. Forty-eight Kindle-wide, full-color images of spectacular galaxies punctuate the field guide. It’s filled with facts vetted by a professional astrophysicist. Kids learn of galaxy types, light-years, invisible light and galactic feeding frenzies. While identifying galaxies, kids see how these gigantic star formations change and evolve over billions of years. They’ll understand how astronomers use ultraviolet light to locate young stars, and infrared light to find stars hiding inside enormous dust clouds. It’s a fun, fascinating and factual read.

If you know a kid who likes science and goofy jokes, give your young astronomer Galaxy Astronomy today!

AudiobooksNow

The Review

What a fun and educational read. The author does an incredible job of bringing his background and passion for astronomy to the reader. The author’s writing style is very inviting, with the reader able to understand the overall subject matter of each chapter while also getting enough new information to challenge the reader to learn more and do the work to research and engage with this material.

The breathtaking and vibrant illustrations the author provides for the galaxies in this book and the star systems in place make this a compelling book to get lost in. The way the book stokes the flames of curiosity in young readers and the lessons the author could impart, including the fascinating structure of Seyfert galaxies and what makes them so dangerous, allowed the reader to lose themselves in the material.

The Verdict

The heart, passion, and thoughtful presentation of galaxies and their structure to readers made this a remarkable book. The balance the author struck between education and entertainment for young readers and how the author rewarded the reader’s curiosity with information that kept the reader eager to learn more and dive into the subject of space and astronomy. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Ray Franklin grew up in Houston, Texas, the home of NASA. He followed the space race for years and stayed up late to watch Neil Armstrong step onto the moon. Years later, when stunning images from the Hubble Space Telescope became available, he saw expansive possibilities. Being a father and working with kids as a volunteer had given him an appreciation for how fast children can learn complex topics with the right mix of fun and challenge. This is what drove him to write ‘Galaxy Astronomy: Field Guide For Kids.’

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A Practical Guide to Spanish: Learning Simplified by Zakary Kerr Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Zakary Kerr shares with readers a simplified and easier way of getting started on the path to having conversational fluency in Spanish in the book “A Practical Guide to Spanish: Learning Simplified”.

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The Synopsis

Concise, relatable, and contextual, with self study techniques for your independent learning!

Spanish simplified! If you’ve tried learning Spanish before or if you’re a total beginner, this book is for you. In my own experience, I’ve found many of the answers to my questions needlessly complex or simply lacking. I wrote this for you to be just what you need for a strong start in this rich and beautiful language. This concise guide comes with explanations and exercises for all you need to reach conversational fluency and explorative literacy in Spanish!

This book was written for you if you’re sick of these things:

  • Not enough material at the earliest stages of learning
  • Overly complex grammarian answers
  • Overly broad or simple answers
  • Scouring the web, forums, and social media, for just the right explanation
  • A lack of recommendations for further material


I understand and sympathize with how difficult it can be to get started in a new language. I’ve also met enough people with the same questions and frustrations and perhaps you’re in a similar spot. Break common misconceptions around learning, go through the basic parts of speech and grammar structures, learn how to immerse with recommendations for material, and round it off with a few graded reading exercises and more written just for you in this brief guide to the big, wide world of Spanish!

The Review

This was such an engaging and motivating read. The practicality and simplicity with which the author crafted this book allowed the reader to not only understand the lessons the author was teaching but to put these lessons into use with ease. The balance the author found in explaining and translating each word or phrase with the personal anecdotes that went with the author’s own experiences made this a very personable read as well.

The heart of this book was the ease and frequency with which readers will be able to turn to this book. Often, some educational or practical lessons found in books can be too wordy and overcomplicate the basics and necessary lessons a person needs about a particular subject. The author did a great job of pushing past this, allowing each chapter and lesson to speak for itself and to enable readers to go out and practice these lessons, all while bringing them back to freshen up on these lessons whenever they need to. This allowed a certain level of interactivity between the reader and the author’s lessons. 

The Verdict

Fast-paced, educational, and motivating author Zakary Kerr’s “A Practical Guide to Spanish: Learning Simplified “ is a must-read book for anyone looking to explore the Spanish language conversationally. The lessons found within, including the use of acute accents on certain phrases that change the meanings of the words used and so much more, allowed the reader to gain more insight into this beautiful language and find a means of communicating with more people in this world. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Zakary Kerr is the founder of Little House Publishing and the creative force behind Language Haus, a unique educational initiative dedicated to making language learning accessible and enjoyable for adults and children alike. With a passion for linguistic education and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by language learners, Zakary has developed the Language Haus Master Suite, a comprehensive series of educational resources designed to guide learners from beginner to advanced levels.

The first Language Haus Master Suite, focused on Spanish, combines a concise, practical guide, graded readers, children’s books, and engaging multimedia content. Zakary’s approach emphasizes real-world application, cultural understanding, and a structured yet flexible learning process. His materials are crafted to help learners independently achieve fluency in their target language while enjoying the journey.

Zakary continues to expand Language Haus with new language offerings, aiming to foster a global community of enthusiastic language learners.

Social Security and the Three Bears by Burt Williamson Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A family of bears engage in the conversation and decisions surrounding social security in the United States of America in author Burt Williamson’s “Social Security and the Three Bears”.

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The Synopsis

Mama and Papa Bear Bear have built a successful fishing business in the Great River Valley, and they have many of the same concerns about Social Security as most Americans. Mama tells stories of family members who had difficult situations in retirement, which worries her to no end. She meets a financial planner at a seminar, who turns out to be the only guide Papa will listen to.

Meanwhile, Baby Bear grows up and takes over the business along with a human partner. Thanks to Baby’s girlfriend, he later helps to solve the Social Security funding crisis once and for all.

The short story helps demystify the essential aspects of Social Security. It will appeal especially to women who are married, divorced or widowed, as the majority of the important decisions about Social Security for retirement apply to them.

The Review

This was a fun, heartfelt, and insightful blend of financial education meets fairy tales and was playful and engaging. The fast pace of the narrative and the relatable character development of the humans and the bears were playful and engaging, as they thoroughly represented all of the talking points surrounding our nation’s social security issues. The descriptive nature of the setting and actions the main cast of characters found themselves in allowed the reader to picture this fun story playing out in their mind’s eye.

The heart of the story, however, was the education and insight that the author provided to younger readers about this important program. The history of the program’s creation and purpose, along with the issues and fears that many have surrounding the program’s future, were expertly addressed in this book, which allowed both kids and adults to come together to better understand their own futures as well.

The Verdict

Memorable, thoughtful, and entertaining author Burt Williamson’s “Social Security and the Three Bears” is a must-read children’s fairy tale meets financial educational and retirement planning book. The development of this bear family, their engagement with the Social Security program, and the lessons readers will gain from this book make it a fantastic story to get lost in. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Burt is an award winning financial planner and a Certified Financial Planner (TM). He’s the owner and Retirement Specialist at PlanPrep. His goal is to teach important concepts people really need to know in ways that makes it easy and FUN for them to learn.

His daughter used to ask him to tell her bedtime stories rather than read them to her. Each night, the stories were about different characters in unusual situations. The stories here try to capture that magic with a spin on them.

Revolution and Witchcraft: The Code of Ideology in Unsettled Times by Gordon C. Chang Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Bookbaby.com helps independent authors bring their creative vision to the marketplace. Sell eBooks online in the biggest retail stores.

Author Gordon C. Chang takes readers on an academic journey to discover the powerful influence ideas and specifically “idea systems” have on people utilizing three powerful historical periods as examples in the book “Revolution and Witchcraft: The Code of Ideology in Unsettled Times”. 

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The Synopsis

Ideas influence people.  In particular, extremely well-developed sets of ideas shape individuals, groups, and societies in far-reaching ways.  This book establishes these “idea systems” as an academic concept.  Through three intense episodes of manipulation and mayhem connected to idea systems—Europe’s witch hunts, the Mao Zedong-era “revolutions,” and the early campaign of the U.S. War on Terror—this book charts the cognitive and informational matrices that seize control of people’s mentalities and behaviors across societies.  Through these, the author reaches two conclusions.  The first, that we are all vulnerable to the dominating influence of our own matrices of ideas and to those woven by others in the social system.  The second, that even the most masterful manipulators of idea programs may lose control of the outcomes of programmatic manipulation.  Amongst this analysis, sixty-plus central conceptual terminologies are provided for readers to analyze multiform idea systems that exist across space, time, and cultural contexts.

This is an open access book.

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The Review

I will be honest with you all and say this was one of the most profound, thought-provoking, and educational reads I’ve had the honor of reading. The author’s brilliance shines through every page, giving readers a glimpse into the scientific and philosophical findings of the author’s research that clearly showcases the various systems at work here in regard to how ideas impact people’s thoughts and viewpoints. While this is definitely a book for those looking to push themselves intellectually and philosophically, the author does a great job of writing in a way that allows all readers to get lost in the narrative the author developed. 

For me, it was the balance of historical accuracy and the sheer volume of detail the author provided that made this such a compelling read. The way author was able to showcase both the circumstances that allow these ideas to congregate together and inform how people behave or act and the means by which those who implement these ideas can quickly lose control over a situation. One of the best examples came in the examination of the Salem Witch Trials, which highlighted the combination of religious fervor in small-time settlements with the mistrust and politics that guided those in the town to launch this coordinated attack to get people to believe in the emergence of witches and demonic forces possessing people they all knew. The tragedy of so many people’s lives being lost to this idea system not only showcases the author’s theory and research perfectly but showcases how ideas like that can take a life of their own, spiraling out of control until it reaches a fever pitch. 

The Verdict

Enlightening, insightful, and thought-provoking, author Gordon C. Chang’s “Revolution and Witchcraft: The Code of Ideology in Unsettled Times” is a must-read nonfiction and educational book on sociological and psychological impacts of ideas and idea systems. The attention to detail, from graphs and terminology to in-depth discussions of the events that brought these theories to life throughout history, will create compelling education and fascinating conversations that will drive readers to pick up this book over and over again. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Gordon C. Chang is Associate Professor at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Western Illinois University, USA. He has taught political and cultural sociology classes at both Western Illinois University and University of California, Davis. His works in discourse analysis have appeared in Pragmatics, Discourse and Society, and the Journal of Language and Politics.

https://www.codeofideology.com/

The Day the Pirates Went Mad by Trevor Atkins Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A young girl must face impossible odds when she is the only one who stands in the way of a pirate curse taking over her entire ship’s crew in the Golden Age of Piracy in author Trevor Atkins’ novel, “The Day the Pirates Went Mad”.

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The Synopsis

In 1701, orphanage runaway Emma Sharpe changed the direction of her life when she stowed away aboard the New Adventure. A year later, she’s rated an able seaman and is an important part of the crew. Just how important becomes clear during her next voyage to the West Indies when the crew recovers an abandoned pirate treasure. As tempers fray and unusual arguments become more frequent, Emma starts to believe there might really be a curse on the gold they took. With the help of cabin boy Jack Randall, Emma dares to confront the growing threat of violence amongst the formerly close-knit crew. Will they save everyone in time? Can they save themselves?

THE DAY THE PIRATES WENT MAD takes place at the turn of the 18th century and the Golden Age of Piracy is just around the corner. Follow the adventures of eleven-year-old Emma Sharpe as she learns to sail the sea, bonds with her shipmates, and then must save them all from a cursed pirate treasure before it’s too late!

[Warning: Some readers may find the descriptions of discovered deceased pirates disturbing.]

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THE DAY THE PIRATES WENT MAD is an entertaining ‘cozy’ historical fiction that also conveys a ‘boatload’ of learning about the life and times of those sailing the seas 300 years ago, during the Age of Sail.

Intended for grades 5-7, this story can also be suitable for sharing with younger grades when supported by an adult. You know your kids best! 

The Review

A truly fantastic and engaging historical fiction read. The author not only finds a means of balancing the historical aspect of this narrative but writes the protagonists and the novel in a way that allows for children ages 10-12 to learn and discover life in the 18th century on the high seas. The author’s attention to detail in terms of language and terminology amongst the sailors and the era the narrative took place in was amazing, and the theme of how wealth and power can influence the mind, whether you believe it to be a curse or not, was really fascinating to see unfold here.

What stood out the most however was the incredible character growth and development here. Emma is a fantastic school-aged heroine for the age of pirates. An orphan who became a sailor and part of a crew and family makes for such a gripping tale, and the evolution of her character as she makes her way up the ladder of the ship’s crew and finds the adventure she has always sought was truly a great means of investing in this story.

The Verdict

A marvelous, entertaining, and educational read, author Trevor Atkins’s “The Day the Pirates Went Mad” was a must-read historical fiction and middle-age level narrative. The way the author writes really brought out the imagery and tone of what life on the high seas must have been like, and the swashbuckling adventure that the crew found themselves on as they traded treasure for trust made this a masterful story to get lost in. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Trevor Atkins lives with his family on the west coast of Canada. He has been working with words for much of his life, but has only recently pursued historical fiction. A storyteller and role-player of detailed characters, Trevor finds it natural to weave together many intertwining plot threads when writing. His bane is the perfecting effort of revision‌—there’s always something more that can be tweaked and improved. But then comes the day when enough is enough, and the story must be set free for others to read!

Inspired by R. L. Stevenson’s novel “Treasure Island” and Y. E. Allison’s poem “Derelict”, THE DAY THE PIRATES WENT MAD was originally intended as a short story for my daughter, peppered with nuggets of knowledge about real life during the Age of Sail and the Golden Age of Piracy in particular. As I found myself diving down one research rabbit hole after another, the tale grew into the novel it is today.

Follow Trevor on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/trevor.atkins.author and check out https://emmasharpesadventures.com for “behind-the-scenes” and additional materials meant to deepen the educational aspects of Emma’s adventures.

Want More Pirates?

Trevor also designs educational tabletop games. “Pirate Pursuit – The Spanish Treasure Fleet” is a game of cat-and-mouse on the high seas where 3–5 players must use their knowledge of real pirate lore to catch the crafty pirate before they plunder the Spanish treasure fleet! Visit http://silverpath.com for more…

 E-book: https://www.amazon.com/Day-Pirates-Went-Mad-ebook/dp/B091JMKVG3/

·       Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Day-Pirates-Went-Mad/dp/1989459021/  

Fractals: The Invisible World of Fractals Made Visible Through Theater and Dance by Kimberley Cetron

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Kimberley Cetron provides a new and unique approach to education in theater and dance utilizing intrinsic patterns known as Fractals in the new educational book, “Fractals: The Invisible World of Fractals Made Visible Through Theater and Dance”.

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The Synopsis

Fractals are patterns, infinitely reiterating, self-similar in shape. Benoit Mandelbrot coined the term in the 1970s, but scientists and mathematicians had been exploring the concept for centuries. Mandelbrot developed a geometry to express things found in the natural rather than the man-made world – coastlines, galaxies, anatomy, clouds, trees, snowflakes, and the like. Fractals are intrinsic to Chaos Theory – the science of surprises, of the non-linear and unpredictable. They reveal the order governing the seemingly chaotic in our world. As we learn to recognize them, we gain insight into our world, ourselves, and one another. Especially at this cultural moment, when the whole world has changed and we must re-imagine the ways in which we make art and the ways we educate, Fractals provides resources and approaches for collaborative art and for locating the intersection of arts and academics in ways that illuminate both.

The Review

This was such a different, unique, and thought-provoking read from what I normally feature here on my website. The author does an incredible deep-dive into the world of Fractals, of the patterns that occur in the universe such as anatomy and galaxies, and explores these patterns in connection with performing arts. The use of a system of order that reflects patterns in which the individual parts of these shapes are equal to the overall pattern is a unique educational tool for the author to utilize in this read, as it brings a whole new understanding to the subject material.

Perfectly blending into the current world we live in, the author’s expertise and perfect crafting of the subject matter is well written throughout this book. The balance of the subject matter of dance and theater with the science and technique that Fractals utilize when interacting with the subject matter is great to see unfold here. The concept of nature and order balancing the chaos of the world and the denial of self-serving creation over collaboration was an intriguing idea to explore in this read and really connects with readers who are looking for a new way to approach education and performing arts.

The Verdict

A brilliant, invigorating, and thoughtful read, author Kimberley Certon’s “Fractals” is a must-read book. Educational yet engaging, the author strikes a great and resonating chord with readers and pushes them to think differently to see the order within the chaos and apply it to something as artistic and moving as performing arts. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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The Gender of Debt: The Last 50,000 Years by Mariano Pavanello Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A unique study of the role of women throughout history and their contributions to the economy and the success of the human race as a whole comes to life in author Mariano Pavanello’s novel “The Gender of Debt: The Last 50,000 Years”. Here is the synopsis. 

The Synopsis

This book demonstrates, from a historical and an economic point of view, how the female contribution has been so determinant in the success of our species, and how it is linked to male dominance. Male hunting and female gathering were the two forces of production during 99% of the life of mankind on Earth. Ethnographic evidence shows that female gathering is more productive and less time-consuming than male hunting. Therefore, the prehistoric communities of Homo sapiens could manage their social labor-time in the most productive way, only if women lent their time to men through the supply of basic energy: a debt that men incurred since the dawn of history, but never acknowledged. It is time now to give the gender economic relations the crucial place they deserve in a theory of human cooperation and sociality, without forgetting that it is necessarily a theory of social inequality.

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The Review

From an analysis of the Biblical myth of Adam and Eve and the “Original Sin” which the author posits stems from the long history of women being gatherers for men while the men hunted for food, thus making women responsible for producing fruit and vegetables and the contribution of energy to men, to the specialized look at the role of hunting in general, or “meat”, played in the development of the nuclear family unit and how women’s contributions using gathering actually provided the most time and energy to the family unit, this book tackles the contributions of women to society in a large scale analysis that many people will instantly relate to.

The detail and historical context the author puts into this book blends well with the mathmatical and economic analysis used to justify the points the author makes throughout the novel. While I myself may not be adept at understanding the complex math and economics used throughout the novel, I think the overall history and research put into the novel by the author does a marvelous job of reaching multiple levels of readers out there, and anyone who enjoys novels on female empowerment, history and equality will love delving into this novel.

The Verdict

This is a unique and promising read that fans of history and equality for both men and women will enjoy reading. The sheer volume of contributions women had to the development of our society will blow the minds of any naysayers and doubters about the need for equality in our society, as without women our development in this world would have suffered greatly. A well researched, well written and fairly quick read, author Mariano Pavanello’s novel “The Gender of Debt: The Last 50,000 Years” is a must read book, so be sure to grab your copies today!

Rating: 10/10

Mother’s Day Promotion @ eBooks.com Save $5 on $40 purchase. Use code MOTHER$TREATcp. Valid until May 31, 2019

About the Author

Mariano Pavanello taught Social Anthropology and Africanistics in the Universities of Pisa and Rome “La Sapienza”, where he was Head of the Department of History, Cultures, and Religions. His extensive experience among the Nzema of Ghana was his main ethnological fieldwork that he concluded with the creation of the “Kwame Nkrumah Museum of the Nzema Culture and History” in the premises of the eighteenth-century Fort Apollonia in Beyin, Ghana. He has published a number of books, including Sistemi umani (1992), Le società acquisitive e i fondamenti razionali dello scambio (1993), Il formicaleone e la rana (2000), Perspectives on African Witchcraft (2017), and La papaye empoisonnée. Essais sur la société Akan des Nzema (2017).

Buy the Book:

https://www.cambridgescholars.com/the-gender-of-debt

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https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mariano_Pavanello

https://uniroma1.academia.edu/MarianoPavanello

SSRN at: http://ssrn.com/author=2374528

ORCID: 0000-0003-4314-5958