The best book on barbecue ever written. A labor of love. Staten and Johnson have guided me to great food in many different towns and cities. Find it, study it.

An exceptionally useful and informative book. This is a review of the best barbecue restaurants in the country by two men who set out on a barbecue "quest". Each restaurant chosen is described in both a charming and mouthwatering fashion by men who obviously love barbecue. In the last part of the book they offer outstanding recipes from some of the best BBQ joints as well as information on cooking and putting together your own backyard barbecue. Fun reading if you love to eat and fun eating if you follow their advice. Recommended!!!

I am fortunate to have been able to have Luke Timothy Johnson as one of my professors when I was studying religious studies at Indiana University in the early 1980s. He has since moved on to Emory University, which is definitely I.U.'s loss. Johnson has been one of the more prolific and studied historian/theologians of this generation. This recent book, 'Religious Experience in Early Christianity: A Missing Dimension in New Testament Studies', shows much of the way he thinks and some of what he considers important in Christianity. 'Combining trenchant criticism with careful analysis, Luke Johnson calls for a radically new direction in New Testament studies, one that can change the way we view the entire phenomenon of early Christianity.'

Johnson explores three main topics: baptism (ritual imprinting), glossolalia (speaking in tongues) and eucharist (communal meals). This book grew out of the 1997 Stone Lectures at Princeton Theological Seminary, and argues the need for a phenomenological approach to the examination of religious experience. 'This is neither history in the strict sense of the term, nor is it theology. That's the whole point: we need a new way of looking in order to see what we can't otherwise see.'

Johnson argues that there has been a comfortable agreement between scholars and clerics toward a more sanitary, orderly, control-able way of examining religious phenomena, which is only natural considering, particularly in Western society, medieval and modern scholarship grew out of the clerical ranks. The 'history' of early Christianity has thus been a history primarily built of ideas and institutions rather than experiences, which tend to be too subjective.

Perhaps the most remarkable chapter in this text is the one on Glossolalia and the Embarrassments of Experience. Speaking in tongues is something that fringe groups do, most scholars, clerics, and lay Christians believe (except for those in denominations which still regard this as a valid practise). Johnson, coming out of a Roman Catholic background, would be one of the last people one would expect to deal with this subject.

Even at Pentecost, speaking in tongues divided the crowd. Since then, glossolalia has been singled out as either the supreme criterion for the direct action of the Holy Spirit in Christian lives or the supreme example of how enthusiasm is a bad thing for Christian piety.

Part of the problem with analyzing this phenomenon is that there is no consistent form, either physically, psychologically, and gets into areas that certainly go against modern, more 'scientific and objective' ideas. Johnson does not try, with this topic or with baptism and eucharistic experiences, to formulate a definitive, 'this-must-be-it' way of thinking or viewing these phenomena, but rather strives to show the real experience in the real lives of early Christians as best as can be reconstructed. This is a fascinating text.

A clear, concise, much-needed perspective on the beginnings of Christianity. Critiques the limitations of the Theology perspective and the Historical Sociopolitical perspective, and explains why scholars are averse to looking at the origins of Christianity from the point of view of religious experiencing.

Central chapters cover glossalia and especially sacred meals, looking for the kind of experiencing that was common to the Mystery Religions and Jewish initiation. The convenient footnotes have valuable references to the books he praises and critiques. Ends with a call to start looking for religious experiencing as the main cause of Christianity.

Restoring Broken Vessels is an excellent written and well timed book. I was hooked from the beginning. Although I have never been sexually abused, the content held a lot of information that was helpful in realizing what occurs to the female psyche as one develops. I am a christian woman and the author's articulation and unfolding of spiritual attacks, spoke directly to my spirit and beliefs. I found the book so enlightening, that I began reading it to my 10 year old granddaughter, who in turn began reading it herself and in 2 days, had read 3/4/'s of the book. If one is a believer in the providential plan of God in their life, (of course the Bible is the first source), this is a must read book. I am looking forward to sharing this book as a teaching/learning aid to assist women I encounter who are hurting, confused, and at the point of giving up on relationships. Thanks Ms. Johnson for sharing your work with us, your readers.

This is a excellent book for women's Bible and study groups. It gives much background research on the origin and root of sexaul abuse and the attack on the female sexuality. An in-depth overview of women and sexuality through every transition of life. From young girls to old age. It gives personal testimonies of both men and women's sexual mistreat, but mostly geared to the women. A must read for women with tainted past, it gives much hope and pardon. Very Biblically based. We will use this book in our Women's Ministry Group.

For any Rifter, this is the must have of the collection. With details of the Pecos Riders and other such empires, the information alone is worth it. But there is also more character classes, weapons and gear than one can shake a stick at. The best part of the sourcebook it that it'll help recall some of the best (and worst) westerns you've seen and BAM instant adventures.

This book is great. I suggest the preacher, which is good for interesting play. For psychic players, there is a psi-slinger and it is great. The best list for the best TW weapons I have ever seen.

For over a century, admirer's of Susan Fenimore Cooper's "Rural Hours" (1850) have been dependent on a heavily abridged version dating from 1887 -- the only one to be reprinted in modern times. Though "Rural Hours" is generally accepted both as good reading and as a major contribution to American nature writing, it has not previously been available as the author originally wrote it -- and as others, including Thoreau, read it. Susan Fenimore Cooper, long overshadowed by her novelist father, is today becoming recognized as an important writer of the 19th century; this new text will make her most important and influential work fully available again both to scholars and to a new generation of readers.

This is a beautiful book, from the painting of Cooperstown on the cover to glossary where historical references, or the names of birds or other words that have changed over time are explained. Cooper's prose is insightful and charming, and, given the book's historial prespective, makes me think about present and future environmental concerns for our country. Rural Hours makes the chain of small mill towns we have here in the Blackstone Valley region of Massachusetts come alive--Cooper saw the quiet commerce of the canals give way to the noise and pollution of the railroad industry and realized that the land and species of bird and animal life surrounding her were threatened. However Cooper's response to these feelings of peril was not to preach, but rather to praise the countryside and the life forms she witnessed. As a woman reader, I must also say that it right and just that the parts of Rural Hours that were omitted from all editions since 1870 should be brought back to us to now think about, appreciate, and learn from. Since reading, this book has stayed with me--the many beautiful images of nature that Cooper portrays, but also her quiet voice of urgency that encourages me to continue positive action in my own community, to not only save what land is left, but also to restore urban and other environments that have been abused. I highly recommend Rural Hours--it's a great read, a book to cherish.

This is undeniably the best anthology of Johnson currently available. It outshines Penguin's much too abbreviated version and contains all the major items: a fine selection of the essays, several biographical pieces, including the essential Soame Jenyns and Life of Savage, the prefaces to the Dictionary and to Shakespeare, a selection of prayers, some wonderful letters, etc.

For the journey to Scotland (only excertpted here), I much prefer Penguin's complete edition of the Journey, which includes Boswell's Journal. Reading the two interlaced is an utter delight--moving from the formality, grace and power of Johnson to the smaller, more intimate pleasures of Boswell gives one the feeling of having captured, in the adventurous peregrinations of these two inimitable characters, the very breadth and depth of eighteenth century English writing.

I must say, with all respect to Frank Lynch whose standing as the leading Johnsonian of the web is beyond dispute, that to love and admire Johnson, but not appreciate the brilliant, even if much different, stylistic inventions of Boswell seems to me somewhat perverse. Certainly Boswell had his shortcomings, but half the joy of reading and 'knowing' Johnson and his circle comes from appreciating the little peccadilloes and foibles that each displayed in his turn--not the least the Great Cham, Johnson, himself. I cannot think of either of these two men that I don't see Thomas Rowlandson's wonderful caricature of the two walking arm in arm--the older man a head taller, wagging his finger and pontificating casually and brilliantly on some weighty matter, and the other rolling along beside him smiling with sweet admiration and pride of association. To read Johnson and bypass Boswell, is to find one great treasure and forsake another.

I asked Frank Lynch, who runs the "Samuel Johnson Sound Bite" site, to suggest a good starting point for someone who's never read Samuel Johnson. (I've never been able to get into Boswell's Life of Johnson, which Frank Lynch doesn't like either). Frank is of course a great Johnson enthusiast and regularly contributes Johnsonian wit and wisdom to alt.quotations. I've ordered this book on the strength of his recommendation. (Warning: this 884-page paperback appears to be a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BOOK with the from the 200-page hardbound published by Twayne, even though Amazon has them crosslinked as being the same).

Frank posted the following in alt.quotations:

"Without hesitation, I recommend the anthology published by Oxford & edited by Donald Greene. It has NO Boswell. It has about 40 periodical essays, all of Rasselas, the preface to Shakespeare, the preface to the Dictionary, a sermon, some of his Journey to the Hebrides, extracts from the Lives of the Poets, some letters, The Vanity Of Human Wishes, London, his review of Soame Jenyn's "A Free Inquiry into the Nature and Origin of Evil", The Patriot, the Drury Lane Prologue etc etc Hands down the best anthology going, and a great survey of the scope of his work."

This is undeniably the best anthology of Johnson currently available -- or for that matter that has ever been available under one cover. It outshines Penguin's much too abbreviated version and contains all the major items: a fine selection of the essays, several biographical pieces including the essential Soame Jenyns and Life of Savage, the prefaces to the Dictionary and to Shakespeare, a selection of prayers, some wonderful letters, etc.

Penguin had promised a selection of the Lives of the Poets (or Prefaces Biographical and Critical to be more accurate), but has yet to formally announce publication. There is but a small sampling of these wonderful and important essays in the Oxford edition here.

For the journey to Scotland (only excerpted here), I much prefer Penguin's complete edition of the Journey, which includes Boswell's Journal (but has the most eccentric annotation one might imagine -- more the product of a dyspeptic travel writer than a Johnsonian scholar). Reading Boswell and Johnson together is an utter delight -- moving from the formality, grace and power of Johnson to the smaller, more intimate pleasures of Boswell gives one the feeling of having captured, in the adventurous peregrinations of these two inimitable characters, the very breadth and depth of eighteenth century English writing.

To love and admire Johnson, but not appreciate the brilliant, even if much different, stylistic inventions of Boswell seems to me somewhat perverse. Certainly Boswell had his shortcomings, but half the joy of reading and 'knowing' Johnson and his circle comes from appreciating the little peccadilloes and foibles that each displayed in his turn--not the least the Great Cham, Johnson, himself. I cannot think of either of these two men that I don't see Thomas Rowlandson's wonderful caricature of the two walking arm in arm--the older man a head taller, wagging his finger and pontificating casually and brilliantly on some weighty matter, and the other rolling along beside him smiling with sweet admiration and pride of association. To read Johnson and bypass Boswell, is to find one great treasure and forsake another.

As Frank Lynch points out in the review below this edition is identical to the blue cover edition offered elsewhere on this site. (Although the lovely new Hogarth cover is a delightful addition, I bought a second copy thinking this was a new book with new content... I suppose I should also add that as the book is not new, neither is this review which you may find in its earlier incarnation under the listing for the blue cover edition.)

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It's a bit of a misnomer to call this anthology "The Major Works," because the principle guiding the original selection (under a different title) was to provide a diverse sampling of what he'd written -- and included items which would never be considered "major works" (such as a Latin school exercise and letters). They are worth reading, but not "major works." That having been said, as an *anthology* of Johnson's writings, this is the one to get.
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Oxford's anthology of Samuel Johnson's writings is superior to Penguin's because it is more comprehensive, and displays more of his variety, as well as more of what he is known for. In comparison to the Penguin anthology, this collection includes all of Johnson's short fiction "Rasselas" (an excellent book -- read my review of it in the Penguin edition of Rasselas): Penguin will ask you to buy a separate copy of Rasselas on top of their anthology. In addition, Oxford's anthology offers extracts of "Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland" (Penguin has a separate volume of that, although there it is complete and coupled with Boswell's companion piece).
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The Oxford anthology offers 40 periodic essays (Ramblers, Adventurers, & Idlers), a form for which he is well known; plus his prefaces to Shakespeare and the Dictionary; the major poems (chief among them "London" and "The Vanity of Human Wishes"); a sermon; an extract of a Parliamentarian debate; his Life of Boerhaave; his review of Soame Jenyn's "A Free Inquiry into the Nature and Origin of Evil," his political pamphlet "The Patriot," an extract from a law lecture, extracts from "The Lives of The Poets", some letters... At over 800 pages, this is very comprehensive.
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The late Donald Greene provided an excellent introduction and set of notes.
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Note, however, that this is essentially the same anthology Oxford has had in print for years (my first copy is 15 years old, and this is the third cover under which it's been published). The copyright indicates there have been some revisions to this 2000 edition, but they are not apparent. Very great wine in a brand new bottle.
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I still wish, however, that the content were re-thought with the new title. Including letters and odd bits was fine under old titles, but it seems to me that there are "major works" which are missing, at the expense of stray items. Too few of the biographies from "The Lives of the Poets" are complete, and "Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland" deserves more space than its extract receives under a title "The Major Works." Perhaps an additional sermon or two is called for. These are quibbles: the content is fine, it's the title that's off.

This is one of the best tape series of this genre. In my opinion it may even surpass the Anthony Robbins series! (gasp!) Kerry seems to outline the path clearer than any of the other books and tapes I have read/listened to. I feel that while he tells you where you are headed as most other authors do, he does a superior job on the "how to " part of getting there

A no-nonsense, step-by-step 6-cassette course, published by Nightingale-Connant. A very ejoyable, practical course that changed my life and made a lot of wonderful achievements possible!

I am a paralegal and this book gives a good, basic understanding of various state laws as well as requirements for finders. You can glean ideas from this book to start your own business, if you so desire.

The text takes you into the subject of unclaimed money in a very simple way. It shows you the origins of unclaimed money and some of the mechanics of how it is handled. You are given a general guide of how to go about tracking through this evident mess of uncorrelated data. He also tells you that some of the government agencies appear to rely on few citizens actually finding money, and most of the unclaimed money has actually been spent by states. There is also a overview of the business of returning money to owners,and earning a profit while doing it. The level is all introductory. Advanced techniques and logic are mentioned, but not extensively gone into. It is an easy, comfortable and easy to read and remember format.

Bishop Lymus Johnson's life is truly that of a pioneer in the Pentecostal Church. Sometimes when you are too close to something or someone you can't truly appreciate it or them.

I hope God gives him a long life, but we will never really be able to appreciate the impact that this Man of God has had on the 21st Century Church until after he is gone, especially, now when so many so-called Christians seem to be spiritually asleep or ignorant of the fact that they even need the Holy Ghost in order to be saved.

You can't serve God without His spirit! As the song says: "give me that old time religion" Bishop Johnson gives us that "old time" tarry service until you're endowed with power from on high. Acts-1:8.

Truly amazing! This book about Apostle Johnson was fantastic. I laughed, cried and was extremely joyful while reading about the life history of Apostle Johnson. Very powerful and enjoyable reading from cover to cover.