Eartheasy Book Review:

Balance Point
by Joseph Jenkins
Jenkins Publishing,Grove City, PA US

In 1992, the Union of Concerned Scientists, a group comprised of over 1600 scientists including half of all Nobel laureates, issued a "Warning to Humanity". "Human beings and the natural world are on a collision course. If left unchecked, our activities may so alter the living world that it will be unable to sustain life in the manner that we know. No more than one or a few decades remain before the chance to avert the threats we now confront will be lost...."

Remarkably, this warning from the world’s most respected scientists received little coverage from the mainstream media. Now, a decade later, the message is all but forgotten amid the consumer frenzy encouraged by the perception of economic wealth and well-being in the world’s more developed countries, especially North America. Today’s message is "Consume more!"

Balance Point, by Joseph Jenkins, takes the reader on a journey to explore the roots of our culture’s denial of this impending crisis, and details the author’s own awakening to a natural spirituality, a fundamental personal connection to the natural world which is essential to its preservation. Jenkins delivers these messages within an entertaining fictional narrative which takes us from city to jungle, from scientist to shaman, from mystery to awareness.

Balance Point is two stories in one, cleverly interwoven throughout the book, leading to a shared conclusion: everything we do affects everything else. We must become aware of our struggle between personal wealth (ego) and the health of the environment (eco) upon which all well-being is based. We must each find our personal balance point.

While reading Balance Point, it’s easy to separate the two strands of development: one is a fictional narrative of intrigue and adventure. The other is an important real-life message about our threatened environment. Midway through the book, however, the author includes a few photos of his visit to the jungles of Peru and his visit with the shaman, which adds an interesting twist to the book. Is the narrative fiction or non-fiction? The author did a seamless job of weaving his narrative with the message, keeping the reader intrigued right to the end.

My only criticism of this book is with the author's choice of devices used to develop his fictional narrative. Tarot cards, crystals and smudge ceremonies may have credibility for some readers, but I think most people are likely to associate these with a more extreme or marginalized way of thinking. The important message of this book needs to reach and influence the mainstream reader, and I hope the use of these devices does not dilute the credibility or appeal of the message.

Balance Point is well-written, entertaining and convincing. Suitable for young readers as well as adults, Balance Point should be required reading in High Schools across North America.

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