Going to Water: The Journal of Beginning Rain

by Stan Rushworth, Victoria Devereaux (Editor)

Confronted with a small child whose will to live is desperately compromised by dreams of the future invading her, Agana (Beginning Rain) travels from her Tsalagi (Cherokee) home a thousand years before Columbus in an attempt to save the girl's life. She sees into the child's dreams to find that events of the modern era have slipped through time into her mind, so she journeys far into the future to change the human imagination, the human dream, to expand it beyond the limitations imposed by empires and despots and all those afraid to live a life in balance with Nature. She learns to move through centuries, through many places and times, in order to confront the perpetrators of destruction on a grand scale and a small scale both, to dive deeply into their minds and hearts, and to offer them a clear vision of what they are doing and what they have done to all people, and what they will continue to do unless they face themselves honestly and with courage. She succeeds and fails, triumphs and falls, and like all of us, has to come to terms with herself on the deepest levels of reflection possible. No matter what, she must go on, for Agana knows that every moment in time touches every other moment in time, and in this, her mission is for the salvation of all children's dreams of what life can be, across every culture and era. This deeply philosophical novel is an emotional, very current, and powerful journey through our time and the times surrounding us. An Indigenous story, it spans continents and peoples, meeting the famous and the infamous, always bringing us to reflect on our own values and experience in a world struggling to find, and sustain, the beauty that pulses at the heart of all life. It is the journal of a woman with relentless courage, a sharp tongue, a clear mission, and profound love.

Genres: History

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 22, 2013

Reviews

[Deena Metzger · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I finished reading the book this morning, I wrote to the Stan Rushworth, whom I do not know:
"I have never been so profoundly affected by a book. It is an essential text. These are the only words I have now."
This is a stunning book in all meanings of the word - its beauty, heartbreak, terrible truth telling and illumination. I really don't have words now that fit the book except ... Read it. Treasure it. Live accordingly.

[Brooke Sampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exploration of the ongoing battle of good and evil, across time and continents, but foremost in the mind of each human being.

[Linda Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deep dive into the fractured American psyche but with a refreshing view

It was difficult to follow the journey with Stan but impossible to put it down. I felt a healing taking place as I read.

[Jason Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many very powerful aspects - not needing to explain anything and proceeding in a deeply complicated story of a different world (even though it is the same world) and a different time and different culture and people. Yet it seems to turn into a retelling of Avatar in the end - the big battle of good versus evil. It left me disappointed. So similar to yet so unlike Leslie Marmon Silko's - Ceremony.

[Dianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is profound. I highly recommend reading this book.