If you have yet to read any of the Silver John stories then here is the place to start, since the short stories collected in this volume are perhaps the finest writings Wellman did about this wonderful character. "John The Balladeer" is really an expanded and updated version of "Who Fears The Devil?" but does suffer slightly from having the small vignettes from that collection grouped together, which rather lessens their impact. Although the tales of John are out of print they can easily be found on the second-hand market, with the exception of the final volume "The Voice of the Mountain" which is harder to locate. All are well worth the effort of looking.

...is that it will whet your appetite for other stories about Silver John and they're all out of print. Wellman, who lived in the Appalachians and knew their people, uses these stories to illustrate the kind of people who lived up in the 'hollers', their lore (told correctly, I suspect) and their music (correct, I know). There are some hints of something transcendent, that John may be more than just a man who 'bears some of the goodness of others of that name', and there is history woven into these accounts, but both only add depth to some well-told stories worth the reading.

The 1977 (or 1978) Hyperion edition is a reprint of P. E. Mattheson's 1926 edition. There have been two recent translations, one by John R. Russell (1996) and the other by Ritchie Robertson (1997). I cannot speak authoritatively about either translation, having not examined them in detail, but I can tell you that Robertson's includes the 'Gedankenstriche' (long dashes) that Moritz used, rather than converting them into more modern punctuation. This and the price would lead me to order Robertson's paperback edition.

Without reading this book I can recommend it because the author's grandfather has the same name as me and was my Uncle.

The author had the good sense to get out of New Jersey and into the coal mining country of Pennnsylvania. Oddly enough one of my aunts by marraige family left the same area for Newark,NJ.

Talked to John and he seems like he could write an interesting book. Leaving the Garden State shows good common sense.

Semper Fi
WoodstockWeid.com

My friend, Karen Alf, participated in the 1st chapter. Anything, she has touched with her intelligence and charm is wonderful.

Another look into the mind of Karl Marx. His communist views of economics and revolution show in what in written, and what is to be inferred. It shows the essence of Marx's ideas and gives a generalization of his thoughts. Another thing you can see is the relationship Marx has had on the mindset of other authors. Included in this could Howard Zinn's People's History of the United States. A good read and well worth the time to get to know Marx.

This first person style memoires discover not only hero's life but bring some more - spirit of music era of 1920-1940s. I think it's the most valueable part of the book, e.g. - childhood in Graz, 1914 war, coworking with Bruno Walter, friendship with Richard Strauss. Also there are ideas about performing Mozart and Wagner, Strauss and Bruckner. And of course life story from childhood till 1970s. In addition there is brief editor article about Karl Bohm activities.

Deftly translated for an English readership by Byron R. McCane (Associate Professor of Religion and Chair of the Department of Religion at Converse College, Spartanburg, South Carolina), The Place Of The Gospels In The General History Of Literature the distinguished biblical scholar Karl Ludwig Schmidt (1891-1956) presents a scholarly and articulate argument that the gospels of the New Testament represent a literary genre which does not derive from others in Mediterranean or Middle Eastern antiquity. Schmidt's contention was that the gospels are the written record of an oral tradition rather than a biographical or historical text. An erudite and seminal body of work, this edition of The Place Of The Gospels In The General History Of Literature is further enhanced with an informed and informative introduction by John Rices (Professor of Divinity and Biblical Criticism, University of Glasgow) and is an invaluable and much appreciated contribution to New Testament Studies.

This book presents a strong defense for representative democracy. It argues that not only is representative democracy the best option available, but that much of the criticisms of the the legislative branch is based on inaccurate perceptions.
The public has become less trustful of government. Polls show about 75% of the public during the 1960s trusted government. In 1973, 42% of those polled had "a great deal" or "quite a bit" of confidence in Congress, In mid-2001, 26% stated that had a "great deal" or "quite a bit" of confidence in Congress.
The public distaste for politics along with the mean spiritedness of campaigns discourages many capable people from even entering politics. Further, many who do select public service as a career are finding the burdens of service are causing them to leave public careers prematurely. The loss of dedicated public servants weakens the legislative process as well as reduces the public image of legislatures.
While the public may be disillusioned with representative democracy, and while politicians may similarly have reservations, the alternatives are no better. The authors argue that the option of Executive dominance can lead to concentrated and abused power. The alternative of direct democracy may be cumbersomely unpractical and may be more readily manipulated by powerful interests.
Negative campaign advertising is cited as a major influence in the declining appreciation and respect for politics and for government. Political scientist Richard Fenno has found that negative campaigning is further affecting government, as candidates are elected by claiming their opposition to the institutions to which they seek eleciton and, upon election, their negativity hampers their abilities to serve in office.
The authors note the very nature of legislative politics is bound to create negative public perceptions. Most legislation that is passed reflects compromises and the mere act of compromising often leads proponents and opponents both feeling disappointed. Legislative work thus usually wins few friends, yet it produces important results.
Despite its complexities and nuances, representative democracy does work. The legislative branch does a good job of bridging the gap between the public and policy makers. The alternative of administrative control concentrates power too much and the alternative of direct participation is too cumbersome. Representative democracy may not be perfect, as this book discusses, but it is the best system there is. Readers wishing to explore these discussions will greatly appreciate this book.

The greatest story ever, on the greatest players ever

As a student of sociology, I found the text to be definitive and an excellent resource during my studies. The text offers a clear analyasis that is very readable and user friendly to the less initiated in the ranks. A very good companion for Giddens in the study of classical sociological ideology.