Burning Souls - Book Review

by David Chernushenko  



The Risks of Telling the Truth

Four individuals from different backgrounds and cultures, looking together in the same direction for a common cause. They are the major characters in David Chernushenko’s Burning Souls. They meet in Cambridge University to pursue a Master’s Degree in their respective fields.

Simone Cohen, a journalist from Canada pursues an 11-month course on International Relations. She works on this thesis topic: “Motivating broad support for a sustainable model of global development depends less on delivering facts or persuasive cases for change than on emotional and values-based triggers”. To support her thesis, Simone conducts research on environmental stewardship and resource management.

Sagan Cleveland, a Natural Scientist specializing in Atmospheric Chemistry is from Detroit, USA. His Masteral thesis is about the impact of methane release on the atmosphere. For those who believe in his cause, Sagan is a respected speaker on topics that pertain to the environment. In one of his speeches, Sagan says: 
“The Earthly biosphere that gave birth to the human species, and all those from which we evolved is in a death spiral.”

But for deniers and skeptics, he is one of the most hated gays.

Ebitsubo Jiro is a Japanese lawyer. He takes a degree in Law in obedience to his father and brother. He comes to Cambridge to take a master’s degree in International Business Law, hoping to get a job in London. Jiro is aware that his country’s nuclear energy is not foolproof. He laments over the Japanese government’s inability to secure public safety from nuclear threats.

Jenny Fung is an engineer from Malaysia. She furthers her studies on battery storage. Being an Asian, she hopes to come up with affordable materials so that storage devices are available to rural communities in her region that lack central energy supply.

These individuals think that climate change is a real threat. They agree on pushing for renewable energy. Although they are aware of the enormity of the issue, they are all willing to do something positive. And, they must start from where they are and in their own capacity. Their efforts, however, are not without challenges and blocks. The four friends are attacked from all sides. Deniers and skeptics call them names, shout them down, and troll them online. Their personal affairs are probed. Worse, they receive death threats, forcing them to take alternative actions. Most of their accusers are from influential people and big businesses, especially from the oil and gas industry. Government authorities and politicians don’t offer them protection, either.

Considering the challenges and trials they face, will the four friends buckle down? I leave the answer for you to discover.

About the Book and the Author

Burning Souls is way beyond a gripping book. It tells of the reality. The threat of climate change is real, and yet it’s shrouded with controversy. In this book, David Chernushenko tries to present the actual situation humanity is in, leaving the readers to contemplate which side to take. Apparently, the author writes Burning Souls heavily from his own personal experiences and on what he observes first-hand.

In the end, the reader is left with two options: either to remain a skeptic or to help in whatever way possible.

Meanwhile, being an environmental advocate, I am biased towards David Chernushenko’s stance on climate change and renewable energy. I like his references to Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’ and the Holy Bible. These should awaken the passive Christians’ perspective regarding environmental stewardeship.

The Technical Side

I noticed a handful of grammatical and typographical errors in Burning Souls. But, since they are negligible, I choose to let them pass. I, therefore, give the book a rating of 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to all readers. Students doing research on renewable energy and climate change may find Burning Souls a substantial reference.

And, just a bit of caution to readers: This book might lead you to thinking about the plight of humanity and compel you to "burn" with passion for the environment.

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