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Content by Kurt A. Johnson
Reviewer Rank: 16
Helpful Votes:
5034
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Reviews Written by
Kurt A. Johnson (Marseilles, IL USA)
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12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
Simple and yet powerful, 21 Dec 2005
The Bible tells of the three wise men, Magi, who came from the East, following a star to the newly born King of the Jews. But, there was a fourth wise man, Artaban, who sold all that he had, and acquired three jewels, to give as his gift to the babe. But, when Artaban stops to help a sick man, he is delayed and misses accompanying the other three, and so he must set off alone. This is the story of the fourth wise man, who seeks the King of the Jews, and finds him in the most unlikely of places. This is an absolutely wonderful story. It takes the famous 1896 story, written by Henry Van Dyke (1852-1933), and puts it in simple and yet powerful words which can be read by the younger reader. But, this isn't just a kids' book. Indeed, the author wrote an excellent parable for all Christians, telling a powerful story in an easy-to-understand manner. I loved the story, and Jackie Morris's excellent illustrations. I am glad to have this book, and highly recommend it to everyone!
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3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
A great mystery, one of the best ones ever written!, 15 Dec 2005
When the body of a murdered young woman is found in their library, the Bantry's bring in their old friend, Jane Marple. There's a mystery within a mystery here: who is the murdered girl, and how did she get from where she was last seen to the Bantry's library? There are suspects galore, but only one person can possible get to the truth - Miss Marple! Jane Marple was the literary creation of that most famous of English mystery writers, Agatha Christie (1890-1976). For those of you unfamiliar with Miss Marple, she was your stereotypical elderly spinster-lady, who loves to gossip and grow her flowers. But, even more, she has a razor-sharp mind that she uses to solve mysteries, using her own brand of lateral thinking that allows her see clearer than anyone else around her. This is actually Agatha Christie's third Miss Marple novel, written in 1942. (The first one was The Murder at the Vicarage (1930), and the second one was Sleeping Murder, which was written in 1940 but locked away to be published after Ms. Christie's death in 1976.) Overall, I found this to be a fascinating read. If you love a good mystery, then get this book - it is a great mystery, one of the best ones ever written. I give this book my highest recommendations!
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
The fullest examination yet, 14 Dec 2005
The small book contains a wealth of information on that geological wonder, the Giant's Causeway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The author covers everything from the history of people's interest in it, through the flora and fauna of the area. The book is quite interesting, and my one (and only) complaint is that the book does not contain a comprehensive map of the Causeway.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
A fascinating and highly informative read, 14 Dec 2005
This book is part of the World History Series by Lucent Books. In this addition to the series, author and historian Don Nardo looks at the Assyrian Empire, following the course of its history from prehistoric time to its final destruction at the hands of the Babylonians and Medes. Also, the author does a good job of presenting what little is known about Assyrian society. Included in this book are many wonderful maps and black-and-white pictures. This is a great book that, though written for younger readers, will give any reader of any age a good understanding of the. Overall, I did find this to be a fascinating and highly informative read that is also concise and highly readable. If you want an introduction to the Assyrian Empire, then this is a good book for you to get. I highly recommend it!
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent, 13 Dec 2005
U.S. News & World Report was founded in 1933, and has built a reputation for their thorough and evenhanded reporting. This book was compiled by the magazine's staff, drawing on their many resources, and is probably the most thorough treatment of the 1990-91 Persian Gulf War that you are likely to find. The book traces the conflict from Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, through the diplomatic maneuvering between Iraq and the United States, and on to the final Iraqi surrender. I must say that I found this to be an excellent book on the Gulf War. The writers of the book go a long way towards being fair and evenhanded, reporting on Iraq's sponsorship of "some of the world's most deadly terrorist organizations..." and yet discussing America actions, including the attack on the "highway of death." Plus, I found the detailed information on the individual battles of the war made the war come alive in the reading. Overall, I have not read another book on the Gulf War that comes close to this book for overall detail and readability. This is my favorite book on that war, and I give it my highest recommendations!
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
An interested military history book, 13 Dec 2005
In this book, the author takes seventeen situations (sixteen battles and the non-violent collapse of East Germany), and shows how things other than military brilliance brought the situation to its climax. Sometimes it was stupidity, sometimes it was arrogance, and one time it was the lack of some nails!The narrative of each story is well written and presented in all of its fascination. What I liked about this book was that the author presented a number of battles that I have never bothered to read about before, and includes many details that I had never encountered about the ones I had read! I highly recommend this book In case it helps your decision, the chapters are on Troy (1184 BC), Hattin (1187), Agincourt (1415), Karansebes (1788), Waterloo (1815), Balaclava (1854), Antietam (1862) Koniggratz (1866), Spioen Kop (1900), Tannenberg (1914), Tanga (1914), France (1940), North Atlantic (1941), Moscow (1941), Vietnam (1968), Berlin (1989), and the Persian Gulf (1991).
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Worm Ouroboros
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by E.R. Eddison
Edition: Paperback |
| Availability: Currently unavailable |
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
A fantasy novel of epic proportions, 12 Dec 2005
On far off Mercury, there lie many nations. Paramount among these is the kingdom of Witchland, which is ruled by the terrible King Gorice. Standing proud against Witchland is Demonland, wherein lives a race of heroes. Among their leaders are the lords Juss, Spitfire, Goldry Bluszco, and Brandoch Daha. With great valor, these Demons wage a war of heroic proportions against Gorice, a war equal to that the Greeks fought at Troy. This is a story of dark magic and great valor.This was a rather flowery summation for me, but this book rather brought it out in me. The book is written using archaic words and phrases, which means that it is not for the faint of heart, but the gist of the meaning is always easy to determine. The use of the man Lessingham in the first few chapters is poorly done, but is quickly forgotten in the reading of the book. Overall, let me say that this book does not read like any other fantasy book I have ever read, not even Lord of the Rings. The author's use of the language, combined with style of telling, gives the story the feel of an epic, such as the Iliad. This book is quite rightly considered one of the classics of fantasy literature, and it is something that every fantasy-lover should read.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
A work of bluegrass art!, 9 Dec 2005
In December of 2002, three legends of bluegrass sat down to do some picking - Earl Scruggs (on banjo), Doc Watson (on guitar), and relative newcomer Ricky Skaggs (on mandolin). It was aired on the American Public TV program Great Performances, and it certainly was that! This is a great CD, a work of bluegrass art. The music is absolutely wonderful to listen to, sure to be enjoyed by any bluegrass fan. I love listening to this album, and highly recommend it to you!
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
A wonderfully different listening experience, 9 Dec 2005
Some albums sound like group of songs thrown together randomly. Some work together towards a story, like Tommy or Kilroy Was Here. But, this album is different than most. Mr. Happy Go Lucky is a collection of songs that have a sound that is different than what you hear with most modern rock, and they all hang together in a melodious way. Overall, I found this to be a wonderfully different listening experience. The tunes are not toe-tapping pop music, but are enthralling, and make for a fascinating music session. I really enjoy this album, and give it my highest recommendations.
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
An excellent resource for gardeners in Illinois, 8 Dec 2005
This book presents month-by-month plans for growing your garden in Illinois. It gives tips on such activities as planting, pruning, fertilizing, and so much more. The plans are organized into categories, including annuals, bulbs, herbs, vegetables, houseplants, lawns, perennials, roses, shrubs and trees. I love this book, and recommend it wholeheartedly!
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