The justice of Gideon

** "The Justice of Gideon" by Eleanor Gates is a story about Gideon Carr, a Justice of the Peace in Manzanita, California, whose sense of right and wrong is tested by his ties to the people around him. The story takes place in the early 1900's and follows Gideon as he deals with affairs of the court and his personal life. Love, duty, and the tricky problems of people are major ideas in the book, with attention on Gideon's involvement with a girl named Alicia, and a young man, Homer, that he brought up. The beginning introduces Gideon preparing for court, showing how serious his job is when Alicia comes to him with worries about Homer making poor decisions which places Gideon in a struggle between his care for the young man and his commitment to justice. **