Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Product Description
Provides basic problem-solving for the do it yourselfer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

fast and perfect condition
i bought this book and it was in perfect condiionand shiping was fast.i am very happy with this purchase from amazon...

keep this book until you retire
If you cannot learn from this book, you are not trying. This is written at a tenth-grade level so get your brain in gear and be the best refrigeration operator / serviceperson you can be, OK?

Good for service
This book is a good field manual for service technicians and
for apprentices. Ive been doing HVAC for 20 years and found
techniques that could be used as a refresher for journeymen or a begginner. Its not as in dept as a Roy Dossat Principles of Refrigeration but works well for people who are in the service end of the bussiness.

Good for service
This book is a good field manual for service technicians and
for apprentices. Ive been doing HVAC for 20 years and found
techniques that could be used as a refresher for journeymen or a begginner. Its not as in dept as a Roy Dossat Principles of Refrigeration but works well for people who are in the service end of the bussiness.

it is essiential for the novice and expert
it is a great reference for any expert as well it is the source for technical information for the keen novice it's simplicity to explain each section of HVAC systems, theory and application makes this book a grteatsource for learning students, to enhance their ability to deal with complexapplications, techniques and easy procedure to service such systems ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1987, "Thwarting Enemies at Home and Abroad" is a unique primer that teaches the principles, strategy, and tradecraft of counterintelligence (CI). CI is often misunderstood and narrowly equated with security and catching spies, which are only part of the picture. As William R. Johnson explains, CI is the art of actively protecting secrets but also aggressively thwarting, penetrating, and deceiving hostile intelligence organizations to neutralize or even manipulate their operations.Johnson, a career CIA intelligence officer, lucidly presents the nuts and bolts of the business of counterintelligence and the characteristics that make a good CI officer. Although written during the late Cold War, this book continues to be useful for intelligence professionals, scholars, and students because the basic principles of CI are largely timeless. General readers will enjoy the lively narrative and detailed descriptions of tradecraft that reveal the real world of intelligence and espionage. A new foreword by former CIA officer and noted author William Hood provides a contemporary perspective on this valuable book and its author. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Decent snapshot of C.I. work.
"Thwarting Enemies at Home and Abroad" provides a pretty decent overview of counterintelligence work. If you work in the intelligence field (or even if you're just someone who reads on the subject), you might find the book a little boring.

I think the first half of the book flows pretty well and provides the reader a quick overview of several areas of intel work. The second half of the book, however, slows down a bit as it spends an unpleasant amount of time (personal opinion) on recruiting assets and "double agents." Now keep in mind, recruiting assets/agents is one of the areas that makes counterintel different than other types of intel specialties (such as Collections, Analysis, etc.).

Be that as it may, I found the latter half of the book a little dry/tough to get through and found myself saying, "Yeah, yeah, I've got it. Can we please move on?" So unless you're really interested in "recruiting assets," you may want to consider a different book. If you're okay with nearly half the book dealing with recruiting and handling assets, you should be fine.

Other than that, I like how the author touches bases on the polygraph, surveillance, and interrogations. It doesn't go in depth (and definitely stays on the "unclas" side of things), but it's still good to get some insight on the specific topics from someone who has a lot of experience.

If you are interested in learning a little bit about C.I. work, this is a good start. It's not very long and offers decent "bang for your buck." I bought a used copy of it off Amazon and don't regret it. I like it enough that I will keep it in my "library" at home, so I give it a "thumbs up" overall.

Lame
I am very disappointed with this book. I thought it might be entertaining at the very least, but became a drudge to get through after only the third chapter. It seems like the author went to [...], typed in spy, and wrote a book from that. A lot of the writing is vague, and I understand that is has to be, but that doesn't make for a good how-to, or a satisfying read.

A high-yield source
What a cool little book! I'd subtitle it 'The Case Officer's Primer.'Johnson is an engaging, even teasing writer. It's obvious all you're getting is the surface stuff, but this is still the best book I've come across on the routine management of intelligence work. It focuses on 'double agents' and defectors and how to handle them, but the practical insights into the day-to-day work of a Case Officer, from mundane to occasionally chilling, and from management to spycraft, are only infrequently described elsewhere, and never in such an entertaining style.

An Accurate Insight Into The World of Counterintelligence
If you are looking for an insight into counterintelligence operations... This Book Is It!

"Thwarting Enemies At Home And Abroad" will give you an inside look at how counterintelligence agents really do their jobs.You will learn how counterintelligence is different from security and different from law enforcement, and you will learn where these areas overlap.

The book explains collection, collation, and indexing, and how to develop counterintelligence databases. It explains how agents are recruited and run, and how they are safeguarded. And... it explains how to manage security of your operations.

Overall this book is very informative and yet still easy to read and understand.

Highly Recommended.

*** Contents ***
1. What Is Counterintelligence?
2. Who Goes Into Counterintelligence, and Why?
3. Conflicting Goals: Law Enforcement versus Manipulation
4. The Support Apparatus
5. Interrogation: How It Really Works
6. How To Manage The Polygraph
7. How To Manage Physical Surveillance
8. How To Manage Technical Surveillance
9. Double Agents: What They Are Good For
10. Double Agents: How To Get And Maintain A Stable
11. Double Agents: Feeding And Care
12. Double Agents: Passing Information to the Enemy
13. Moles in the Enemy's Garden: Your Best Weapon

The best introduction to CI
People have mistaken ideas about what counterintelligence is all about.This book is the clearest, most direct write-up of the nuts and bolts of spy catching and protecting on-going operations that I have read.I fear that over the last few years many of our intelligence professionals have lost some of the skillsdescribed in this bookand I urge both current and would-be future intelligence officers to read this text.

Yes, the book is a bit dated.The author was an "Angleton" (not a totally good thing) but he definitely knows how to explain acomplex issue in terms anyone can understand.I will be using this book with my undergraduate and graduate intelligence classes.
... Read more

Product Description
"A true emotional phenomenon...Entertaining...Of particular interest to fans will be the evolution of Johnson's relationship with Bird, his great karmic partner in the game."
NEW YORK NEWSDAY
He's faced challenges all of his life, but now Magic Johnson faces the biggest challenge of all, his own brave battle with HIV. In this dramatic, exciting, and inspirational autobiography, Magic Johnson allows readers into his life, into his tirumphs and tragedies on and off the court. In his own exuberant style, he tells readers of the friends and family who've been constant supporters and the basketball greats he's worked with. It's all here, the glory and the pain the character, charisma, and courage of the hero called Magic.
AN ALTERNATE SELECTION OF THE BOOK-OF-THE-MONTH CLUB


From the Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Great Book!
I purchased this book for my husband and he loved it.I think he read it in two days.

May Others Learn From His Story
For those seeking the limelight, a must read. Be prepared for all the pitfalls that come along with the ride to fame. Inspirational autobiography of dedication and determination. May our young people keep the thought before them, that nothing comes without full commitment. Mr. Johnson has seen the highs and lows of life. There is strength in the testimony of others.

the magic is not in the book
A good book as far as it goes, but it doesn't go far into truth. Although Johnson recalls his early years,the lessons he learned about hard work,etc. this book reads like a fluff job.It would have been a lot better if he told the full truth.Anyone who has some experience with life knows that there is another side to the story.Intrestingly, this side is seldom heard.Pro athletes and other celebrities are usually portrayed in a glowing light that hide dark truths.Johnson claims that in the cities he played in there were usually many beautiful women who waited for the athletes.In the book it is implied that this is one of the perks of being a pro. Really? You hear of other athletes who take advantage of this and are slapped with paternity suits, the women are given hush money, the athletes pay for their education and then are dropped by the groupies,or the groupies are set up for life by the athletes.With all the thousands of women Johnson supposedly slept with you hear nothing about this, and outside of AIDS he didn't get any other sexually transmitted disease sleeping with all these women?I find that incredible, since anyone else would be seeing the doctor pretty often.Most of the groupies are beautiful because its easier to trap the athletes money with. Does anyone really believe that athletes will sleep with ugly women?These groupies aren't stupid. The hard truth is that people are selfish.They don't sleep with athletes or other celebrities because of their status, but what it will get for them ie, bragging rights, paternity suits, etc. Most athletes are notoriously tight-lipped about this.But sometimes the truth comes out.One nameless athlete said "If the public knew what's going on with groupies, the payoffs etc. sports would lose a lot of money."Its all about the money.This is why opposing evidence is suppressed and why you seldom hear about the dark side.Does anyone seriously believe that vested intrests who profit from the athletes image, who make money selling sports merchandise and everthing connected with it want the truth out? Yeah, right. This book is little more than propaganda.If Johnson were serious about helping people out, he would tell the full truth.Save your money.

Magic
Earvin Johnson a.k.a Magic is a regular guy who is a nba legend who has aid, that' s what we all know, but at the reading of this book i found out, Earvin the man , how he felt when he found out he has aid , how much he got respect for other NBA players like Michael Jordan or Larry bird, it's a very interesting book,..., just buy it and enjoy it!

Magic's Review
This book is awesome!I have been a fan of Magic Johnson forever and I still love him today.This book tells you all,from when he was a child and how life was growing up in the ghetto and his life now with his wife and son.It is very inspirational for any age.If you are an athlete this is a must read.Magic brings out his humorous side and his emotional side in this book.WELL DONE! ... Read more

Product Description
Brings a strikingly original perspective to Johnson's life, and suggests new ways of thinking about Johnson's part in creating a nation he did not live to see. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Best Baronet Bio
It is curious, but very fortunate for us History readers, that two excellent biographies have been written about one of the most remarkable, and most thoroughly forgotten, figures of Colonial America.Sir William Johnson appropriately died in July, 1774, only nine months before the pivotal battles of Lexington and Concord.He thus literally and figuratively left the world at almost the precise moment when the British colonies began their long struggle to become America.Pulitzer Prize-winning author James Flexner first took up the task of describing Johnson's incredible career in 1959's `Mohawk Baronet,' reissued in 1979.It was, and remains, a fine read, well-written, well-illustrated, and nicely descriptive of the man and the times.

But I must say I prefer `White Savage' for at least three reasons.First, O'Toole is a marvelous writer who is able to weave obscure but meaningful background into his narrative in a truly innovative and delightful way.He begins many chapters, for instance, with anecdotes which seem to have little to do with the story and then masterfully explains their significance to Johnson's life and works.Second, the author demonstrates again and again the vital importance of Johnson's heritage to his hard-to-credit accomplishments.The Baronet's life was a perfect illustration of the geocentric maxim, `You can take the man out of Ireland', etc.Relative success in the Ireland of Johnson's day required `going along to get along,' and one could end up dead for neglecting the lesson.And so Johnson was an instinctive negotiator, instantly understanding in any situation thrown at him what the other actors were after and how to satisfy their desires while never neglecting his own interests.Finally, O'Toole does a superb job of assessing the period's major military events for their larger meanings in the ebb and flow of the relations of the Colonials with their French enemies and their on-again, off-again Indian friends, highlighting, for instance, the counterintuitive effect of the French capture of Fort William Henry in 1757 and how the subsequent `massacre' of defenseless soldiers and civilians by Montcalm's Indian allies redounded to British advantage by rallying theretofore indifferent state militias.

I am both of Irish extraction and a French and Indian War `buff' who lives about three city blocks from the reconstructed Fort William Henry, so perhaps I am a bit biased.In fact, readers can't lose with either of the Johnson bio's discussed here, but I will add `White Savage' to the my very select list of `must-read's' for the period, the others being Ian K. Steele's `Betrayals,' Fred Anderson's `Crucible of War,' and, of course, Francis Parkman's classic 'Montcalm and Wolfe.'History books don't get much better than these.

Fascinating biography, masterfully told
This is an immensely enjoyable book. As a fan of Colonial history, I find Johnson himself is a subject of inexhaustible interest. Author O'Toole brings to the table a lyrical yet droll Anglo-Irish style and a master's hand at story telling. Many of the chapters are framed with illustrative incidents from Johnson's life that give theme and sweep to the historical accounts sandwiched between them. O'Toole also uses Johnson to bring the vast and complex colonial frontier (when upstate New York and Ohio were exciting places) to life with a boundless appreciation for all the many participants - Native Americans of many ethnicities, British agents, soldiers, English, Dutch, French, Scots-Irish and African colonists. I haven't enjoyed a biography this much in quite some time.

Not Bad!
There is better coverage of William Johnson's life but this work by Fintan O'Toole is quite acceptable. Born into near poverty in Ireland, Johnson moves to America to develop his uncle's estate in the Mohawk Valley in the early 1700s, begins trading in furs and land and ultimately buys his own property. Befriending the Mohawks, he is adopted into the tribe and continues to rise within North American politics to become a Baronet, Superintendent for Indian Affairs for the Northern colonies, a position equal to a Colonial Governor.

In this capacity he serves as the Crown's principal intermediary with the powerful Iroquois Confederacy, becoming a principal within their Councils. He commands the British, colonial and Iroquois forces in the victory over the French at the battles of Lake George and Niagra and developed the first group of "rangers" for colonial forces, the precursor of the Rangers within today's US Army.

He dies in 1774, just prior to the American Revolution, but is credited with keeping the Iroquois on the side of the Crown during that conflict. A remarkable colossus in North American history, the Iroquois Confederacy, which lasted for over 200 years, is destroyed during the French and Indian War, due in no small part to Johnson's participation within its governing during that conflict. A well researched work, this is a good rendition of a most amazing life.

A Great Irish-British-American
William Johnson may be the greatest colonial American in our history. Had there been no revolution, or had the British won, he would be remembered with the esteem we now reserve for "founding fathers". Johnson proved himself a giant in three arenas. First he made a fortune in the fur trade and parlayed his wealth into vast real estate. The Iroquois preferred to deal with him because he respected them, didn't cheat and kept his promises. Secondly, Johnson became a master diplomat. For most of the 18th century, he kept the six Iroquois tribes pro-British and important allies in the French and Indian War. Thirdly, Johnson was a valiant commander in that war, winning the Battle of Lake George, capturing Fort Niagara and assisting in taking Montreal.


O'Toole's book is especially good at bringing out the diplomatic history.
In fact, if you are thinking of joining the Foreign Service, Johnson has left a record that is still of use today.One can learn what it takes to negotiate with a non-Western, non-progressive people who are given to barbarism and who control extensive natural resources.

O'Toole is Irish and never misses any nuances regarding Johnson's heritage. Such an approach is unusual, but does give clues to the man's psychology. What I hoped to find, but did not, were numerous anecdotes and personal asides revealing the fascinating character that was William Johnson. Alas, the 18th century collected little trivia. Still it's a worthwhile read.

Sir Paradox
Once I started reading, I found this book hard to put down.It is about a paradoxical man and a fascinating period of history.

Unlike some reviewers, I thought the references to Irish history were a logical link to understanding William Johnson's identity and actions.In the process, I also learned something about Irish history.
... Read more

Product Description
From the mechanics of reproduction to the issues receiving increasing public attention--AIDS and child sexual abuse--Masters and Johnson add completely original material while updating their findings on many familiar topics. Illustrated. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

excellent
This is a very good book, everyone should be well educated on sex, by reading books from people like Masters and Johnson.They are serious professionals on the issue, with countless researches. And as doctors we can rely on them. This book is written for all ages, since childhood to people over 45 years old.The sex life of my partner and I, changed incredibly. We are 58yo and 54 and we have been together for 9 months. As latinamericans had a lot of troubles with our sex life. But this book it is not important only for people like us. Every parent should read it and learn how to educate his (her) kids. every adolescent should read it too and learn how to avoid pregnancies in early stages of life. ... Read more

Product Description
The Chief Justice presents a dramatic account of two precedent-setting impeachment cases that strengthened the concept of separation of powers and further defined the institutions of American government.Amazon.com Review
With Supreme Court Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist playinga front-and-center role as the presiding officer in President BillClinton's impeachment trial, it's no wonder that his 1992 study of thetwo most important previous impeachments in United States history wasbrought back into print. But anyone looking for political commentarywill probably be disappointed--Grand Inquests is astraightforward, and surprisingly readable, narrative account,top-heavy with historical details.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase was impeached in 1805 both for hispolitical views and as a result of his demeanor as a judge. Rehnquistacknowledges that Chase was "impatient, overbearing, and arrogant,"but asserts that his behavior falls far short of the grounds forimpeachment: high crimes and misdemeanors. He further argues that theacquittal of Chase helped safeguard the independence of the SupremeCourt, preventing future Congresses from removing judges "whose viewsthey considered to be unwise or out of keeping with the times." Theacquittal of President Andrew Johnson in his 1868 trial was a similarvictory for the executive branch, permitting future chief executivesto govern as they see fit ... even if that runs counter to the desiresof Congress.

Rehnquist makes it clear that he believes the impeachments of bothChase and Johnson were politically motivated, and that it was a goodthing for the United States that neither was convicted. He says arelaxed standard of impeachment would have been like "a sword ofDamocles, designed not to fall but to hang" over the head of futurepresidents who would fear removal from office if they did not go alongwith Congress. --Linda Killian ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

A Jewel of a Book
This book is much more than an account of the two major impeachments in U.S. history. The bulk of the book consists of a remarkably well-written history lesson covering the period of 1775 to the 1868 Johnson impeachment trial. The last part of the book then discusses the lessons to be learned from these two impeachment efforts.

The 1805 impeachment trial of Justice Chase, a Federalist judge, involved his (mis)handling of 3 cases as a circuit rider judge (in those days Supreme Court justices actually spent most of their time riding circuit). The best the Republicans could do was a 19-15 vote for conviction on one of the Articles, still 4 votes short of the 2/3 needed to remove Chase from office. The effort failed because 6 Republicans defected and voted for acquittal, realizing the impeachment effort was partisan in nature and contrary to what the founding fathers intended.

The 1868 impeachment effort against Johnson similarly failed when 7 Republicans voted against removal. (Terminology here can be confusing; in 1805 Jefferson's party was called "Republican", and later came to be called "Democratic". In 1868 "Republican" was used for the new party formed in the 1850's.) These 7 Republicans can now be seen as the true constitutional heroes that they are. Had the radical Republicans succeeded in removing Johnson, it would mean that from then on the President would serve at the pleasure of the Senate, and the true purpose of the impeachment provision in the Constitution would have been obliterated in a sea of partisanship.

Rehnquist concludes that "The importance of these two acquittals in our constitutional history can hardly be overstated....These two "cases"--decided not by the courts but by the United States Senate--surely contributed as much to the maintenance of our tripartite federal system of government as any case decided by any court." He is right, and he has contributed enormously to our understanding of this issue by his articulate discussion of it contained in this book.

A Grand Piece of Writing
Who knew that the late Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, leader of the conservative counter revolution against the legacy of the Warren Court, wrote so well?

You would not guess that from his opinions penned over a generation. His court writing is exact but dry, a great contrast to the colorful rhetoric of his conservative colleague, Antonin Scalia.

But in "Grand Inquests," a telling of the impeachment trials of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase and President Andrew Johnson, Rehnquist demonstrates a compelling narrative style and the novelist's keen eye for detail. Rehnquist also demonstrates the good novelist's ability to describe the important details at considerable length while limiting the lesser facts in length.

The important details of these two impeachments surround the personalities of the major players that brought about the impeachment instead of ascribing the trials to historical circumstances, as if the impeachments were forced by mysterious forces instead of angry human beings. Rehnquist paints vivid portraits of Andrew Johnson, a one-time tailor and self-made politician, the ambitious and independent Edwin Stanton, whose refusal to give up his post as Secretary of War set the impeachment proceedings in motion, and the Radical Republicans who were furious with Johnson for obstructing Reconstruction, Thaddeus Stevens, Ben Wade, George Boutwell, Charles Sumner, and Ben Butler.

Rehnquist makes a convincing argument that men make their own destiny by their choices when he implies, quite correctly in my view, that Justice Chase would not have been impeached if he were not abrasive and heavy handed in court, and President Johnson would not have been impeached if he had been more even tempered in his disagreement about Reconstruction and presidential appointment power with the opposition Republicans. Johnson, for example, referred to Radical Republican leaders Thaddeus Stevens and Charles Sumner as "traitors."

Both impeachment proceedings occurred in the wake of highly charged political times, Rehnquist observes. Chase was impeached shortly after President John Adams had packed the federal government with appointees of his Federalist Party in the final hours of his presidency. And Adams had also tried to stifle dissent by his political opponents, incited by his idelogical adversary, Thomas Jefferson, with the repressive alien and sedition acts. Johnson faced impeachment during the difficult aftermath of the Civil War. Brave Senators such as Bradley of Vermont and Gaillard of South Carolina risked their political careers to acquit Chase. Likewise, Senators Edmund Ross of Kansas and Lyman Trumbull of Illinois defied the public hysteria against Johnson.

Rehnquist brilliantly cuts through the emotions of the times to show that Chase basically faced impeachment because of biased instructions to a grand jury and questionable instructions to a jury in a criminal trial involving sedition. Johnson was impeached for opposing Reconstruction and firing Secretary of War Edwin Stanton.In firing Stanton, Johnson's political enemies asserted that he was in violation of a congressional act, The Tenure of Office Act, which called for Senate approval of presidential firings. Clinton, of course, whose trial Rehnquist presided over, was impeached for engaging in oral sex in a bathroom near the Oval Office.

Presidential powers became more firmly defined by Supreme Court decisions in the 20th century, Rehnquist notes. A President's sole authority to hire and fire executive department political appointees was not as clear in 1866 as it is in 2006. Indeed the rule of law on presidential power to fire at will political appointees was not decided until "Humphrey's Executor v. United States" in 1935. The Court then held that President Franklin D. Roosevelt had the power to fire Federal Trade Commissioner William E. Humphrey on political grounds. Today we would laugh at the idea that a President would have to seek permission from Congress to fire an executive branch official who was not a career public employee.

Rehnquist has written the best book on impeachment. Read it and enjoy it.

[Hansen Alexander is an attorney who lives and works in New York City. He is the author, most recently, of the introductory legal text "A Tort is Not a Pastry."]

A pedestrian examination of two pivotal impeachments.
There really isn't much to say about Chief Justice Rehnquist's book. _Grand Inquests_ is an inquiry into the impeachments of Justice Chase and President Johnson but the inquiry is done without any real depth or serious historical research. It's a bland recounting of basic facts of the cases that, as Richard Bernstein has already pointed out, ignores most of the relevant studies of this subject. Basically Rehnquist presents a great deal of the immediate detail but fails to place the events firmly in the context of the times. Also he regularly adds in completely irrelevant material, such as in the discussion of Chase's actions as a trial judge he cites his experience in litigation during the 1950s and 60s, which can have practically no bearing on the subject of the trial procedures of 1800. If you're looking for a long winded presentation of the details of individual charges and descriptions of testimony heard by the Senate during these trials than you may enjoy this book. Otherwise any competent constitutional history can provide just as good a discussion in only about ten pages.

Review of Grand Inquests
What I'd hoped for was a historical perspective on the impeachment process as a primer to further reading on the Clinton impeachment proceedings.The historical context provided is, at best truncated--the history reads like an early draft compiled from a chronologically ordered fact list.Hence, the reader is to often required to make the connections between historical precedent and subsequent results. Also troubling were some typographical errors.For example, my paperback edition has James Buchanan being elected president in 1865.When a nonhistorian catches errors like this, doubts begin arising about other listed facts.

I thought too that the book is not especially well written.I ran across too many paragraphs whose thoughts seemed to have been morphed in with insufficient attention to their contributions to context.As one who believes fuzzy writing to be symptomatic of fuzzy thinking, alarm bells went off each time.

In the end, I wasn't confident that I had gotten a good primer for the follow up reading I'd planned.

Good summary of the issues surrounding impeachment
Rehnquist is obviously alot more thoughtful than the "liberal" community, in which I often count myself, has been led to believe.He provides a good summary of the issues that surrounded the impeachments ofChase & Johnson, the constitutional questions these events raised &helped to settle, and their long-term implications.Rehnquist is not, inthis book anyhow, the best stylist in the world, but he also doesn'tdescend into so much legal mumbo-jumbo that non-lawyers would be turnedoff.Also, his sections of background history are just OK.History buffsmay find some factual, emphasis or interpretative points to dispute inthose sections. ... Read more

Product Description
This reassessment of the theology of Karl Barth seeks to make Barth relevant for postmoderns through his suggestion that theology is best seen not as a restating of old orthodoxies but as an ongoing response to the divine mystery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The postmodern promise of Karl Barth
Johnson challenges the static 'neo-orthodox' image of Karl Barth, bringing him into conversation with postmodern thought, especially that of Jacques Derrida. He picks up on the Barth's idea of God as mystery and of Barth'simage of the empty space of the wheel at which the spokes of theology'squestions converge and finds in these a point of contact for dialogue withpoststructural thought. Weighed against Barth's Christocentrism (the centerof the wheel) is Barth's theocentrism (God as mystery); as Barth had said,God is veiled in His revelation and vice versa.Johnson takes a refreshingand promising approach which is a fine contribution to a larger discussiontaking place between Barth's theology and postmodern thought. ... Read more

Product Description
In Readers and Reading Culture in the High Roman Empire, William Johnson examines the system and culture of reading among the elite in second-century Rome. The investigation proceeds in case-study fashion using the principal surviving witnesses, beginning with the communities of Pliny and Tacitus (with a look at Pliny's teacher, Quintilian) from the time of the emperor Trajan. Johnson then moves on to explore elite reading during the era of the Antonines, including the medical community around Galen, the philological community around Gellius and Fronto (with a look at the curious reading habits of Fronto's pupil Marcus Aurelius), and the intellectual communities lampooned by the satirist Lucian. Along the way, evidence from the papyri is deployed to help to understand better and more concretely both the mechanics of reading, and the social interactions that surrounded the ancient book. The result is a rich cultural history of individual reading communities that differentiate themselves in interesting ways even while in aggregate showing a coherent reading culture with fascinating similarities and contrasts to the reading culture of today. ... Read more

Product Description
The sometimes raunchy, often legally dubious New York and Mexican exploits of William S. Burroughs, one of the godfathers of the "Beat" generation, are well known. Less familiar are his experiences in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, where for several years he was a cotton farmer (while avoiding the law in New York). This intriguing chapter in the famous author’s life is thoroughly recounted for the first time in Rob Johnson’s new book.

From 1946 to 1949 Bill Burroughs prepared himself for the writing of his first books by, among other pursuits, raising marijuana and opium poppies and entertaining Beat visitors such as Allen Ginsberg and Neal Cassady at his farm in New Waverly, Texas. Less known, though, are stories about his other farm, a "serious" fifty-acre spread, in the Valley near Edinburg, described in the 1977 edition of Junky. Here he raised legal crops such as cotton, carrots, and peas. Other Beat writers move casually in and out of the narrative, which includes the "William Tell" episode in Mexico in which Burroughs fatally shot his wife, who had placed a drink glass on her head as a target.

As a setting in Burroughs’s work, the Valley is central in Junky (1953), "Tiger in the Valley" (an unpublished 1955 short story), and, to a lesser extent, Queer (1985). But the Valley recurs as a setting in almost all of his books, in some form or another.

Rob Johnson conducted over forty hours of interviews with people in South Texas and Mexico who knew Burroughs, his business partner Kells Elvins, and other "South Texas Beats." Johnson paints a picture of a fascinating place, time, and people: South Texas and Northern Mexico in the post–World War II period and the Anglos, Mexican Americans, and Mexicans who lived there. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Before he was a writer . . .
I always find it interesting to study the life of someone before they were famous. Whether it is a writer, artist, singer, or serial killer. Later, you can see how fame changed their life. I found it fascinating to learn of Burroughs living in South Texas, in many ways the most "un-beat" area of the country, a place that to paraphrase Burroughs, people come to die. However, even without a connection to South Texas, the book is an excellent read. I missed an appointment, sleep, and my favorite tv show to finish the book.

South Texas Beats
Great book.Very interesting read on a part of South Texas History.

william burroughs
i found it an interesting aspect of burroughs life. a cotten farmer in south texas is 180 degrees out from new york city or london or paris. i have read burroughs extensively. this a lost chapter in his life. kudos to the writer for doing the research. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Feudal Frontiersman
Sir William Johnson, the greatest frontiersman of the American Colonial period, defied all of the stereotypes that we typically associate with the term. Rather than a rough hewn log cabin, he inhabited a feudal manor. In place of the proto-democratic individualism of our mythologized frontiersmen, he epitomized the clannish feudalism of his native Ireland. And rather than being a noted Indian slayer, he was an adopted Mohawk sachem, a chief both in war and peace, and one of the Native's greatest friends among the whites.

Johnson ranks among the most important men of the entire Colonial period, rivaled in fame and influence only by Benjamin Franklin. He earned honor and respect from two worlds; made a Baronet for his service to England as the Crown's Indian Superintendent, and made a chief of the Mohawk nation of the Iroquois Confederation. His keen understanding of the strategic importance of the Natives to the balance of power in North America and his mastery of Indian diplomacy made him the single most important man to the victory of British Arms in America during the French and Indian War. Had he not died in 1774, on the eve of the American Revolution, he likely would have been a crucial, if not deciding figure in that conflict as well.

James Thomas Flexner, who is best known for his outstanding, four volume biography of George Washington, here handles the fascinating life of Sir William Johnson just as brilliantly. From his prologue to his final sentence he grabs and holds the readers attention, weaving a gripping tale that is also illuminating history. He makes a strong case for Johnson's preeminent importance to the development of Colonial America and even to the eventual formation of The United States. Anyone with an interest in Colonial America, The French and Indian Wars, or The Five Nations of the Iroquois Confederation should consider this book a must read. It receives my very highest recommendation.

Theo Logos

Biography of a little known, but important historical person
Sir William Johnson was a loyal subject of the British crown.Yet his contribution to what is now the United States of America is little known or appreciated as it ought to be, most likely because he was a loyalist.Without his contribution to the British victory over France in North America, the United States simply would not exist. Flexner provides us with a biography of this man that avoids the pitfalls of some of the exagerated Johnson legends by careful historical research.

From the complicated family life of a man who never married his children's mothers, to his intricate involvement and dealings with theIroquis Confederacy that held that Confederacy to the British side, Flexner presents a fascinating story of a side of American history many Americans are probably not aware of.You can not fully understand and appreciate American history without knowing about Sir William Johnson. ... Read more

Product Description
In Lord of the Mohawks, James Thomas Flexner, winner of the National Book Award and the rarely awarded Special Pulitzer Prize has restored to life the most influential frontiersman our nation has ever known. Sir William Johnson, an Irish immigrant became through his own efforts a British baronet, an adopted member of the Mohawk Tribe, a wealthy land-owner, colonizer and furrier, and married a beautiful and political scion of the royal blood of the Mohawks, Molly Brant. He was a powerfully romantic figure, and never was a more picturesque protagonist, moving in a more exciting setting, offered to the biographer's pen! Flexner definitely delivers a fine historical biography. ... Read more

Product Description
As well as containing the major texts in Wimsatt's volume, Woudhuysen includes more of Johnson's annotations of individual plays and his essay "Preface to Shakespeare". It looks at Johnson's studies on Shakespeare in their 18th century context and analyzes their significance and achievement. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Not helpful for everyone
This is quite complete as a tool for finding service friends, but you must have some vital information (such as Social Security numbers or military ID numbers, etc.) for a search to be successful.It's not enough to know where someone was stationed (an Air Force base, for example) in what years.Maybe that was too much to expect.

No help for me
Book is no help unless you have a lot of information on person you are trying to find. I had name, year of birth, where born, branch of service, year of enlistment, etc, and was unable to find if person(s) were deceased or not using info in this book.

Directories, Internet sources, and much, much more
Now in its eighth edition, How to Locate Anyone Who Is or Has Ben in the Military, collaboratively written by Lt. Col. Richard S. Johnson and Debra Johnson Knox, is a direct, easy-to-use, "reader friendly", how-to-guide packed with tips, tricks, and techniques for finding anyone with an American military connection, whether they are active duty, reserve, or retired. From steps anyone can take to verify claims of a military background, to locating veterans for a reunion, How to Locate Anyone Who Is or Has Ben in the Military is packed with practical, useable information, directories, Internet sources, and much, much more. To put it simply but accurately, How to Locate Anyone Who Is or Has Ben in the Military is an excellent and useful resource.

Excellent Resource!!!
I have run the website Sgt. Mom's Place (recently partnered withMaingate.com) for approximately 4 years now and this book has been anexcellent resource for me!!I constantly get requests to help someone finda lost friend or relative, others wanting the records for their father orrelative from WWII, etc.I have used this book countless times to givethese visitors the information needed to help them in their search.Mythanks to the authors!!I will continue to buy the updated versions too soI can keep up to date on everything!

This is a guide to find anyone who has a military connection
Find people you served with, find friends, fathers, etc. This book guides you step-by-step in locating just about anyone who has any sort of military connection. Now in 7th edition. Foreword by William Westmorelan ... Read more

Product Description
The anonymous heroine, N, is a young woman who has broken free of a constricting marriage and is struggling to raise four children alone in a housing project. Coming home one day N finds her door hacked with an ax and smeared with what appears to be a mixture of blood and crankcase oil. A few days later a strangled cat is left outside her apartment door. Everyday, she is plagued by mysterious, disturbing phone calls. Playing detective and attempting to figure out who her enemy may be, N's real fears merge with paranoid fantasy in this fascinating story which rivals the best of Henry James's dark, psychological gothic tales.
• Johnson's most recent novel, Le Divorce, was aphenomenal success.
• Long out-of-print, this classic Diane Johnson novel is now available for all the readers of Le Divorce left hungry for more.
• The Shadow Knows received outstanding reviews. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Answers in the Shadows of Life
Meet N.

She may be your next-door neighbor or someone who lives down the block. Maybe she is a relative or just a person you happen to see when shopping at the local grocery store. N. has struggles on the rugged track of life - divorced mother, rocky finances, a relationship falling apart - but it's the shadows which lurk in the deepest regions of the soul that seem to be consuming her.

Author Diane Johnson takes the reader on a wild ride of raw emotions, quirky feelings and fears as N. tries to find love - and answers - in all the wrong places. She does a masterful job in developing N. and a wealth of supporting characters, with each one playing a believable role in a story that is rich in imagery and a plot that - like life - takes an unpredictable twist in the end.

And the consequences to shine a strong light on those shadows may be very chilling.

The Shadow Knows (1977 Textbook Old Time Radio Scripts)
Note:
This is not a review of the Romance Novel by Diane Johnson. This is a review of the 1977 School Textbook "The Shadow Knows" it is a book of Old Time Radio Scripts of the radio series The Shadow.

ISBN: 0-673-03533-6

The Shadow was on the air from 1937 until 1954 one of the longest running Mystery/ Drama series from radio's best and brightest years.

The Text book has many many episodes that do not survive other than in script form. This book is out of print so if you are a fan of the Shadow, and want to read episodes that are 'truly' lost. Find this book. It's out of print and quite hard to find but worth the effort.

Wry, Tongue-in-Cheek Tale That Can Reach Many Women
This is one of the best books I've ever read. It has a tete-a-tete, intimate style (characteristic of many novels written by women from the '60s to the present). You feel as though you are talking to your best friend, who is telling in an informal way a fascinating story whose events are very bizarre and--and this is what makes this book brilliant--very familiar.

The protagonist speaks in the first person.It is the voice of a middle-class American housewife of the '60s. She is thoughtful and sensitive; she is perceptive; she is mild mannered--even a little self-effacing. She is a devoted and nurturing mother of several kids. She has a warm, gentle, bemused jenny-wren-like quality, not unlike many women we have known and loved.

She is recently divorced from her husband because they were emotionally incompatible.

Here's where the story starts to veer slightly to the left of center. The protagonist, although apparently middle class, is living in a public housing development, because divorce has left her in financial straits with several children to raise. And the character seems to become more anomalous when she starts getting death threats. She gets threatening telephone calls, finds dead animals placed on her car windshield, and threatening amulets in her mailbox. This gentle, mild-mannered, self-effacing, healthy, normal, and conscientious woman is being threatened with death.

For the rest of the novel, our heroine casts about in her thoughts, memories, and fantasies, with greater and greater intensity, to think of who might want to kill her.

And as she ponders this mystery, she puts together a longer and longer list of people who might like to kill her.

At this point, we begin to see the black humor peeping out of the structure of this novel, somewhat akin to ARSENIC AND OLD LACE.Femininity, daintiness, nurturance poised against death and violence.

And this is where the novel finally becomes most radical, most improbable, most bizarre.A wry, subtle humor becomes more and more apparent, as we realize that no matter how truly sweet, how mild mannered, how gentle, how nurturing this prototypical woman is, she still has a very long list of people who would like to kill her.

Diane Johnson makes us want to know who the culprit is, and at the same time she has us laughing and nodding in recognition--that women in general have many virulent enemies--even a woman of valor and sweetness; that the most stable, sane, and healthy people have bizarre currents running underneath their lives and threatening to engulf them.

And that, along with the author's brilliant writing style, is what endeared this book to me.

Stays in the mind for a long long time
I read this book when it was first published, a long time ago. I loved it then. It was funny and scary and elegantly written. I'm buying it in this incarnation because I want to reread it. I'm so glad it's available.

well written but wearisome
Diane Johnson writes with great sensitivity and skill about a divorced woman with four children, a lover, and ANGST.Her protagonist's interior monologues describe the paranoia engendered by the dislocations and unpredictability of modern life. About halfway through the novel, I found the themes too repetitious and I stopped caring. My ennui ultimately marred my appreciation for this well-written novel. ... Read more

Product Description
William encounters a bully.There are many ups and down, but in the end there is a unexpected ending. ... Read more

Product Description
Many would argue that a true understanding of contemporary Christian thought is impossible without a basic understanding of John Calvin’s contributions. Now, just in time for the 500th anniversary of Calvin’s birth, William Stacy Johnson, a leading theologian, offers this clear and fundamental study of Calvin’s insights as a primer for those with little or no knowledge of his work.Calvin is more than just a figure from history. His life and work—both infused with his passion for the reform of the church—had a continuing impact through the centuries, not only on the church but on society in general. Enhanced with questions for discussion and a handy glossary, this volume is sure to be an invaluable resource for those who seek an accessible way into a deeper understanding of Calvin’s role in the development of today’s Christian faith. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Rethinking Calvin
A new look at an important if sometimes controversial religious reformer.Having read many critical works on Calvin, I was glad to read this more balanced appraisal.Johnson does not shy away from Calvin's shortcomings and moral failures but he also gives a fair explanation of Calvin's theology using Calvin's own words and teachings.So much of his teachings have been altered by his followers that today it is difficult to know what was taught by Calvin and what was taught,expaned on, and altered by his followers.

Johnson does a good job of giving John Calvin his rightful place in reform theology while not leaving out his shortcomings.

Exellent summary of pivotal Reformation leader's importance
This short review of the life and work of John Calvin covers a remarkable amount of Calvin's work and legacy.While written for a general audience, it describes clearly the complex and critical issues that rocked Christendom in the 16th century.While not excusing Calvin for his faults, including his connection with the burning of Servetus, Johnson portrays Calvin as more concerned with reasoned accommodation with other reformers than some of his comtemporaries. Similarly, Calvin's teaching of reformed theology, such as the doctrine of predestination, was not as radical as some later followers.

This Calvin I like
Johnson has presented a Calvin for the 21st Century, for the Arminian, for the Calvinist, for the Christian. He has presented a very subtle argument for a continued reformation today, grounded in the same which supported Calvin.

In his 129 pages, Johnson is able to take the seclude Calvin, buried in 450 years of tradition, myth, folklore, and followers, and bring him to life, often times in examining today's social problems. He pulls no punches with Calvin, stating his disagreement with him on at least one issue, double predestination. Further, he allows Calvin to remain in the 16th century but forces him to encounter our world, or perhaps, our world encounter John Calvin.

He starts like he should, with Calvin's early life and the impact his father had on him. He spends little time on Calvin's exile and troubles with the Genevan authorities. He does, finally, shed a different light upon Calvin's association with the murder of Servetus, placing it in a historical context that I did not expect, and indeed, helping to shed, in part, the myth around it. He does not shy away, however, from controversy with Calvin's political realm and the fights with the Anabaptists. Further, Johnson details Calvin's disagreements with Luther and Zwingli.

The book is divided into 12 chapters. Each chapter, after the first, is centered on a different aspect of Calvin's doctrine. There are times he allows Calvin to speak for himself, but generally Johnson summarizes and includes references to the Institutes. Further, he allows Calvin's interpreters, such as Barth, to shine light on the reforming notion of the Reformation. He closes in two ways. In the first section, entitled Always Reforming, he brings Calvin's doctrine, of that section, into a modern perspective, refusing to leave the Reformation a dead movement of dead theologians teaching a frigid movement. He then concludes with several study questions meant to draw the reader into meditation not only on Calvin by on 'always reforming.'

If there is one introductory book on Calvin, or perhaps you need a different perspective on Calvin, get this one. It is Johnson's portrait of Calvin that has given me pause to reconsider him. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Nice Surprise for Casual Readers & Medical Professionals
Right Hemisphere Stroke is an amazing surprise. Johnson has approached his topic with humor, intelligence, and good writing skills. The result is a sometimes-funny, always-informative, and touching memoir about the stroke he suffered when he was 38 years old. I read it to get some specific information about strokes. I didn't find the information for which I was searching, but happily read on, learning answers to questions I hadn't thought to ask. For instance, I found out stroke victims often suffer personality change. Johnson was lucky; his personality shifted from someone who cared little for others to a kinder, more affable person. This was only one of the benefits for his family. His wife now has a more considerate, attentive lover: "I could not plop over Judy in the traditional missionary manner; I had to entice her to come to me. Our sex now had a good deal of give and take rather than a one-sided domination."
Of equal interest is how Johnson learned to function as a part of a hospital environment that seemed designed more to fulfill job descriptions than to meet patient needs. Yes, it would seem that meeting patient needs is the essential framework of medical workers' job descriptions, but there arises a perverse difference between the medical establishment's perception of the patients' needs and the needs perceived by the patients themselves. The doctors, nurses, therapists and diverse hospital staff are focused on getting the patient as close to recovery as possible (or, as Johnson found out, as close as they can get before the insurance runs out). Johnson learned to navigate the system both honestly and superficially, as the occasion demanded. In one instance, he observed that patients who were perceived as "religious" or "a family man" got more compassionate treatment, and so he put a framed photo of his son on his dresser top alongside a Gideon bible. Having the time to study his surroundings, he was thus able to construct ways to maximize the benefits of his hospitalization. Sometimes, this was as simple (yet excruciatingly difficult) as putting up with an unpleasant roommate in order to be labeled "a good patient."
The unexplainable continues to fascinate me and pique my curiosity about the brain. I have an abiding interest in the spiritual episodes experienced during and after stroke by many sufferers, a topic Johnson touches upon lightly and with apology to "scientific" minds. The power of emotional memory is another of my interests, and in this regard, Johnson offers his ever-so-interesting version of anniversary disease: Each year on the anniversary of his stroke, he suffers transient ischemic attacks (TIAs).
Johnson begins by saying "there are only two kinds of strokes, those that kill you and those that don't" and ends by quoting his wife's words of comfort to their son who longed for a happy ending: "We have yet to live our ending." ... Read more

Product Description
During the Cold War years of the 1950s, William F. Knowland was one of the most important figures in American politics. As the Republican leader of the U.S. Senate, the wealthy California newspaper heir was recognized and respected by millions. His influence with President Eisenhower led to Earl Warren's appointment as chief justice, and Knowland set in motion a U.S.-China policy that remains part of our international direction today. Yet he committed suicide in 1974, following a personal decline that included political humiliation, a ruined marriage, and the loss of his family fortune.This is the first full-scale biography of Bill Knowland, written by two journalists who came to know him after he left Washington in 1958. Gayle B. Montgomery was a political editor at the Oakland Tribune, the newspaper owned by Knowland's father, the power-wielding Joseph R. Knowland. James W. Johnson was a Tribune editorial writer. Both men worked with Knowland when he returned to the newspaper after giving up his Senate seat in a failed bid to become governor of California. Knowland lost the governorship race to Edmund G. (Pat) Brown; had he won, many observers felt Knowland would have had a clear shot at the White House.This is a book not only about Mr. Republican, but also one that illuminates the strengths and deficiencies of Republican party politics during the years when the party was at its zenith. In portraying the life of Bill Knowland, the authors cast a glaring light both on the machinations of political power and on the Republican establishment's aspirations in the Warren-Eisenhower era.Amazon.com Review
William F. Knowland was a leading figure in Republican politics during the 1950s. As Senate Majority Leader, he was instrumental in shaping government policy throughout the decade and played a key role in the appointment of Earl Warren to the Supreme Court. But he left Congress to run for governor in his native California in 1958, hoping to set a presidential campaign in motion, and instead brought his political career to a halt. Biographers Gayle B. Montgomery and James W. Johnson both worked for Knowland at the Oakland Tribune, which he published from 1966, taking over after his father's half-century reign, until depression and debt led him to suicide in 1974. Their account of his life is notable for its thoroughness of detail, which--by explaining just how much power Knowland held and just how far he fell--renders its tragic tale all the more powerful. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

ONE STEP FROM THE WHITE HOUSE: SENATOR WILLIAM F. KNOWLAND
Gayle B. Montgomery and James W. Johnson have presented an excellent book on the complex life of Senator William F. Knowland. This book is great history of California and the (SF) East Bay Area;the Republican Party ofthe 1950's and the Oakland Tribune. DanielWyatt, the author of the life of Bill Knowland's father, Joseph RussellKnowland.

Well-written, informative biography of William Knowland
One Step from the White House is a very satisfying, well-written biography of a pivotal figure in both post-World War II U.S. political history as well as 20th century San Francisco Bay Area history.The book chroniclesWilliam Fife Knowland's life in a straight-forward narrative from his 1908birth to his suicide in 1974.Knowland's life makes a compelling story --from his early days as the favorite son of a politically ambitious father,to his Senate years as a strong voice for the Republican Party'sconservative wing, to his self-destructive golden years.Montgomery andJohnson allow the story to unfold slowly and tell itself without too muchanalysis or summary. While this style gives the book good narrativemomentum as the reader becomes more and more familiar with Knowland, thissometimes analysis-free style resulted in this reader wondering how certainevents came about, such as Knowland's meteoric rise in the RepublicanSenate leadership.The book is also too "soft" on its subject for apost-Watergate era political biography.While the author's introductoryremarks thanking the Knowland family for their confidence and trust seempolite and appropriate, they ultimately reveal an excessive concern for thesubject's descendants at the expense of the story at hand.When Montgomeryand Johnson do impose some analysis on the story, it is sometimesunconvincing.The most prominent example of this is naming the book"One Step from the White House," clearly an appropriate title fora biography of Thomas Dewey or Hubert Humphrey, but the author's do notsuccessfully sell its applicability to Knowland.In spite of such lapses,Montgomery and Johnson deliver a effective chronicle of a fascinating manand flawed man.

A compelling read for everyone.
I knew Senator Knowland well, having worked for twenty years for theOakland Tribune, and having had the unenviable assignment of writing his obituary for the newspaper following his death. Gayle Montgomery and JimJohnson have done a magnificent job of capturing the driving demons of aman whose brusque and hearty demeanor disguised a complex and, in the end,tortured personality. This is a compelling book for every reader, not justthose interested in the social an political history of the time.

One of the finest Amrican political biographies.
" Big Bill " Knowland is the " forgotten man' among the titans of post-war (and Cold war) American politics. Now, thanks to this compassionate, richly detailed biography,people might come to a better understanding of this very able, but tragically flawed , human being. This book also sheds light on the careers of LBJ, Nixon, Eisenhower, Earl Warren, Ronald Reagan , and Barry Goldwater, among others. However, even the reader uninterested in American politics, or the history of California, will find this book fascinating. Knowlands personal tragedies, and the amazing story of his family, are the stuff, if not of Greek tragedy, then at least of a novel byJames Gould Couzzens or John O'Hara. Indeed, attentive readers might be reminded of "The Magnificent Ambersons", the real-life Knowlands in Oakland were very much likeTarkington's ( and Welles) fictional Ambersons, in Indianapolis.

An important insight into Cold War policy and Calif. history
... The story is truly an American tragedy.Knowland in today's political world would have been much different, and he would not have had to lead a double life.He was a victim of his times. ... Read more