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Book reviews for "Wesley,_John" sorted by average review score:

The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons
Published in Paperback by Penguin USA (Paper) (1987)
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Exploration of the Last Unmapped Part of Continental U.S.
On May 24, 1869, Major John W. Powell, a one-armed veteran of the Civil War, along with nine others (geologists, geographers, scouts and adventurers), set out from Green River, Wyoming to explore the last great unmapped and unknown portion of the continental U.S. No man had ever descended the Colorado river as it cut its way through 1,000 miles of incredibly rugged badlands. However, Powell and his band of men completed a remarkable journey of exploration through this country.

A passage from Powell's narrative of the expedition, after they had been on the river nearly two months, conveys very well a perspective of the challenge Powell and his men faced, the courage they demonstrated and Powell's matter of fact, but powerful writing style.

"We are now ready to start on our way down the Great Unknown. Our boats, tied to a common stake, chafe each other as they are tossed by the fretful river. They ride high and buoyant, for their loads are lighter than we could desire. We have but a month's rations remaining. The flour has been resifted through the mosquito-net sieve; the spoiled bacon has been dried and the worst of it boiled; the few pounds of dried apples have been spread in the sun and reshrunken to their normal bulk. The sugar has all melted and gone on its way down the river. But we have a large sack of coffee. The lightening of the boats has this advantage--they will ride the waves better; and we shall have but little to carry when we make a portage. We are three quarters of a mile in the depths of the earth and the great river shrinks into insignificance as it dashes its angry waves against the walls and cliffs that rise to the world above. The waves are but puny ripples. We are but pigmies, running up and down among the sands or lost among the boulders. We have an unknown distance yet to run, an unknown river to explore. What falls there are, we know not. What rocks beset the channel, we know not. What walls rise over the river, we know not. Ah, well! We may conjecture many things. The men talk as cheerfully as ever. To me, the cheer is somber and the jests ghastly."

This book is a classic tale of exploration and discovery!

An epic narrative by an epochal figure
John Wesley Powell, for better or worse, made the American West what it is today. He was the primary founder of the Bureau of Reclamation, the agency that has vandalized the West, and of the United States Geological Service. He also completed the last great feat of exploration on American soil when he and his cohorts undertook the voyage that is the main subject of this book. That the book combines two voyages into one epic adventure is not widely known, but it does not detract from the narrative to any meaningful extent.

Powell's narrative of the so-called Grand Canyon voyage is simply, yet powerfully, written, even carrying touches of the poetic. It is easy to sense his feelings of awe and wonder, particularly in exploring the canyons themselves. Powell never put his main function, scientific discovery, out of mind until the race through the Grand Canyon became one against the calendar as well as the power of the river. Even then, his writing evidences a sense of charity and concern toward his men.

Powell's narrative evokes many vivid memories of the beauty and timelessness of the country he explored, particularly his writings on the now-vanished Glen Canyon. It seems a pity, somehow, that much of what he saw is buried under stagnant, polluted reservoirs, the worst of which ironically carries his name. Would this brilliant, feeling man approve? I do not think so.

The growing recognition of the role native Americans have played in our country's history and development would find a more sympathetic vein with Powell, and his studies of ethnography and acclimatation to the arid habitat by native Americans may prove a more lasting memoir. These parts of the book should be read with equal care.

As to the canyons themselves, Powell would be the first to tell you that the artificial plug of stone at Page, Arizona, is only temporary, and that, as with the volcanic debris at Lava Falls, the river will soon have its way again.

Best book ever
makes you feel like you are there, check out the song mr. powell by the ozark mountain daredevils.


A Real Christian: The Life of John Wesley
Published in Paperback by Abingdon Press (1999)
Author: Kenneth J. Collins
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A Real Christian = A Real Biography
Collins provides the reader with a wonderfully concise and through biography of John Wesley. Though Collins places significantly less attention on some of the prominent emphases of Wesley's theology, mainly the perfecting of holiness in the believer, and choosing instead to shift attention to Wesley's lesser (and more ambiguous) emphasis on being a "real Christian" in substitute, the author still maintains a historically intact overview of Wesley's theological journey. The reader should certainly approach this book as a biography as opposed to an exaustive treatment of Wesleyan theology. A rewarding read, I found Collins' style both engaging and informative.

A book to make you think
I read with great interest this biography, hoping to get an overview of a famous man I knew little about. Kenneth Collins has worked hard to present not just the man with all his flaws and brilliance, but also his thinking and the impact it had on our world. In addition to triumphantly succeeding in these goals, Mr. Collins is an excellent writer and keeps the reader's interest. Days later I am still thinking over some of the points he made and evaluating my own life in light of John Wesley's. I highly recommend this book.

A Respectful Tribute to an Important Christian
This is a beautifully written biography of John Wesley. This text presents an accurate history of Methodism's founder, with an emphasis on his life-long striving to be and remain what Wesley himself describes as a "real Christian," as opposed to an "almost" or "nominal" one. It is quite clear Collins brings a passion for Wesley himself and for his theology. His use of language is remarkable. The style and presentation he offers in this biography are both rhetorically satisfying and aesthetically pleasing. Do not be fooled by the size of this well-crafted work - it is only 160 pages - for it contains all the significant people, places and movements of Wesley's life, and is composed and presented in a fashion which is sure to attract a wide reading.


Leadership in the Wesleyan Spirit
Published in Paperback by Abingdon Press (1999)
Author: Lovett H. Weems
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uncommonly good
Lovett Weems has written a helpful book for leaders who have become frustrated with the authoritarian models of some traditional religious/business writers and/orthose who have become frustrated with the mantra of "if we just go back to...then it will be all right." One might suspect the later from the title of this book, but that is far from his approach. Weems shows that leadership in the Wesleyan spirit is not rote aplication of Wesleys writings and work to conemporary situations. He posits a hermeneutic move whereby we apply the broad general principles of the Wesleyan movement in the context of contemporary society. Generally useful to students of both leadership and Wesley studies. Highly reccomend

an author ahead of his time
I found Dr. Weems explanation of Wesleyan leadership incredibly on target for the needs this century is bringing us.

I was inspired and given a huge helping of food for thought. Ideas that I have never encountered in any other leadership or Wesleyan books. Plus its a fantastic source of interesting and powerful stories and illustrations.

Dr. Weems might be a leadership genius for our generation. One dissappointment I had was that he did get bogged down in an academic catch 22. But that was only once.

I strongly recommend this book for all leaders, secular and nonprofit organizations.


Responsible Grace: John Wesley's Practical Theology
Published in Paperback by Abingdon Press (1994)
Author: Randy L. Maddox
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A Systematic Theology for a Non-Systematic Theologian
In this excellent book by Randy Maddox, we encounter perhaps the finest attempt to systematically portray John Wesley's unsystematized theology. Maddox is suitably humble in his attempt, not claiming to be completely authoritative concerning Wesley, but recognizing that there is a real need to make an honest attempt at the project. Indeed, the greatest praise goes to the author for even attempting such a daunting project. Any portrayal of Wesley's theology must navigate the shoals of innumerable contradictions in Wesley himself, as well as the simple fact that Wesley expressed his theological convictions in writings that addressed specific situations and circumstances. He never wrote a treatise in line with the theological conventions that dominate the Academy.

All the praise I have for Maddox must be tempered, however, by the observation that he was not able to avoid the inevitable -- a Wesleyan systematic theology that spoke as much about him as it did about Wesley. Maddox over does it when he stresses the importance of Wesley's 'connection' to Eastern Church Fathers whose ideas of theosis are said to have shaped Wesley. This is doubtful to the degree that Maddox portrays it. Wesley was shaped more fundamentally, I think, by Pietist notions of holy living (which resemble in many ways Eastern notions of theosis). Likewise, Wesley was well acquainted with other Western writers who shared an interest in finding the 'way to heaven.' To place as much of the weight of his argument on an Eastern connection is not justified by the evidence that the author gives.

All in all, however, this is an excellent resource for those studying Wesley and his theology. But the reader needs to know that they still need to do more reading elsewhere -- though they would want to make sure not to miss this book along the way!

Wesley Rediscovered
Randy Maddox has done a great service for all those seeking to have a more comprehensive understanding of John Wesley's practical theology. He uses the key interpretive lense of "responsible grace," meaning that while grace comes to us as a gift from God, we are the ones who must respond in order to fully incorporate it into our lives. Maddox is a superb student of Wesley, demonstrating the ways that Wesley has drawn on both Eastern and Western Christian traditions in arriving at his theological sythesis. He helps us to understand Wesley's various historical periods in relation to his evolving theology and gives rich citations and footnotes to aid the reader in learning more. As a United Methodist pastor, I return to this book again and again, deeply grateful for the insights Maddox offers into a wholistic understanding of John Wesley's theology. This book is so well-written that it is also accessible to the educated layperson. I highly recommend it!


A River Running West: The Life of John Wesley Powell
Published in Hardcover by Oxford University Press (2001)
Author: Donald Worster
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Informative but a little sterile.
The book is well written and informative about the events of Powell's life and the geological survey in which Powell played such a major role. My primary disappointment with the book was that I felt I didn't know the person John W. Powell much better after reading the book. The book provided very little information about Powell's life outside of his work.

Growing With the Country
Reading this book was like being present at the creation of America. It will appeal especially to U.S. history buffs and to anyone interested in the American West. Worster's telling of the feat that won Powell fame, leading the first expedition down the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon, has definitely renewed my passion for exploring the West. Powell was a man of ideas, as well as action. For a quarter century he was at the forefront of debates over reserving land for American Indians, how to foster family farming in the arid West, and the thorny issue of water rights. For many years, Powell was a prominent official in Washington, as head of the U.S. Geological Survey, which he helped create, and in other positions. From what I gather in this book, Powell may have been as important as any single individual in making support of scientific research a normal function of the Federal Government. From the perspective of one man's career, Worster touches on a multitude of topics: railroads, telegraph, photography, landscape painting of the West, Mormon settlements, and many more. For the comprehension one gains of American life in those times, this biography is the equal of a first rate novel. Although a work of scholarship, it is written to be enjoyed by the general reader.

An Enchanting Piece of Scholarship
I enjoyed this book immensely. Thorough, evocative, thrilling, and comprehensive in its scope, it was a delight from beginning to end.
I completed a major in Geography at Illinois State University many years ago, where Powell taught at one time, and I am embarrassed to admit the sad truth that in all the courses I took nary a word was ever mentioned about the great man. Considering his extraordinary contribution to our understanding of the natural world, it is all too sad.


Strange New Worlds III (Star Trek)
Published in Paperback by Pocket Books (2000)
Authors: Dean Wesley Smith, John J. Ordover, and Paula M. Block
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Strange New Worlds III - Very intriguing tales!
I have to admit that prior to reading the first Strange New Worlds novel I was a little reticent about fan fiction. That being said, the Strange New Worlds I & II novels more than removed that reticence, they turned me into a huge fan of these fan fiction novels, leaving me very much looking forward to the third one. Strange New Worlds III is an even more impressive collection than its predecessors. I highly recommend this novel to any and all fans of Star Trek, for in each and every story lays the principles, ethics and overall atmosphere that Star Trek fans have come to love about Gene Roddenberry's universe.

Star Trek

If I Lose Thee (First Prize) by Sarah A. Hoyt & Rebecca Lickiss - It is extremely easy to see why this particularly great story involving Uhura and the Guardian of Forever won first prize and these two fine authors are now professional writers!

The Aliens Are Coming! By Dayton Ward - As with the two authors above, it is quite easy to see why Dayton Ward is now a professional author as well considering his fluid writing style and his talent for plot development. This particular story draws from the events in DS9's "Little Green Men" and TOS's "Tomorrow is Yesterday," weaving a wonderful tale as to what happened to Captain Christopher after the Enterprise left.

Family Matters by Susan Ross Moore - Another well written and thoughtful story! This extraordinarily interesting tale is about a younger Spock meeting his Aunt on Earth and helping with his cousin.

Star Trek The Next Generation

Whatever You Do, Don't Read This Story (Third Prize) by Robert T. Jeschonek - I must admit that at first, I was wondering why this story made third prize, needless to say though, the story plays out extraordinarily well and this author deserves high praise for such an inventive and original story.

A Private Victory by Tonya D. Price - This is a very well done story about Lieutenant Hawk during the events depicted in Star Trek First Contact. I look forward to this author's future endeavors.

The Fourth Toast by Kelly Cairo - Nods to this author for bringing this exceptional story to print that is one of those follow up stories that "needed" to be told. Following the events of STNG's "Yesterday's Enterprise," we're taken into Richard Castillo's world after the loss of the Enterprise NCC-1701-C. Great story!

One of Forty-seven by E. Catherine Tobler - This story is an exceptionally well done and quite poignant short story!

A Q to Swear By by Shane Zeranski - I look very much forward to any future stories written by this author as he has with this story written some exceptional Star Trek, tying in events from TNG and a certain, troubled character we saw in Star Trek Voyager.

The Change of Seasons by Logan Page - This is another fine short story that quite poignantly tells one of the small, between the scenes, tales within the frame of Star Trek Generations. Quite touching!

Out of the Box, Thinking by Jerry M. Wolfe - Nods to this author as well as he has written an intriguing and quite humorous story bringing back one of STNG's most interesting and endearing characters, Professor Moriarty.

Star Trek Deep Space Nine

Ninety-three Hours (Second Prize) by Kim Sheard - I'm not sure I can properly express how truly well written this story is and how much praise the author deserves for having written it. Had this author been published previously, this superb story about Ezri Tigan (Dax) would've surely made it between the covers of "The Lives of Dax" anthology!

Dorian's Diary by G. Wood - This is another well written DS9 tale detailing what Ensign Dorian Collins went through after the DS9 episode centered around the USS Valiant and the cadets who were forced to captain her. The author deftly weaves into the tale a couple of the better guest characters from TOS and TNG.

The Bottom Line by Andrew (Drew) Morby - This is another strong DS9 tale that is both highly entertaining and enlightening especially for those who might've been wondering how Cadet Nog was getting along at Starfleet Academy!

The Best Defense... by John Takis - This exceptional tale brings into light what Bashir and O'Brien were doing in the holodeck that the series didn't often have time to elaborate upon. This story was a true joy to read.

An Errant Breeze by Gordon Gross - This is an amazingly well told "short" story that quite poignantly tells the tale of Damar's family near the end of the war.

Star Trek Voyager

The Ones Left Behind by Mary Wiecek - This beautifully well written and quite poignant story told from the perspective of Lieutenant Joe Carey's wife, Anne is made even more poignant by the death of the character late in the seventh season, not long before they made it home.

The Second Star by Diana Kornfeld - This intriguing and well written story plays out quite well, telling the story of a young girl living in a pre-warp society who meets a star man named Chakotay.

The Monster Hunter by Ann Nagy - This story is quite an interesting and well told story involving Paris, Kim and little Naomi Wildman's "monster."

Gift of the Mourners by Jackie Crowell - This is a well told story bringing to light one of the more interesting aspects of Voyager's trip home through the delta quadrant and the myriad of species that they could've encountered.

If Klingons Wrote Star Trek - jubHa' by Dr. Lawrence Schoen - While not being a SNW submission, it was quite interesting to see an entire short story written in Klingon. Many thanks to Chapulina R, a fellow reviewer and highly knowledgeable klinfan, for the translation. {ssintrepid}

ST: Strange New Worlds III
This is the third installment of the on going series that the fans of TREK submit stories for publication. Strange New Worlds III is a good look into the talent of some of the fans and what their preception of the STAR TREK universe to be.

This volume contains 20 short stories and one is written in Klingon. The stories vary as to genre and are well written. As with other short stories, these help fill in some of the gaps to the story lines in films and televison series. And I must say that some are very inventive to say the least.

All in all, this collection of short stories is well worth your time in reading, as they are engaging, entertaining, and insightful. The fans know what they like to read and some talented fans know what to write. It is heart-warming to see new talent continue the dream of Gene Roddenberry. As long as there is fan involvement the dream will continue to grow and flurish.

Read this anthology and see the future writers of TREK evolve as they direct the course of TREK to new paths and fill in the gaps along the way. What an interesting future evolving on these pages, not only the storylines, but the grow to the authors themselves.

Fans Know What Fans Like.
They say you should never judge a book by its cover and, boy is that the truth with this book. I had bought this book so I could learn the rules of the writing contest but for six months I never bothered to read it. It looked, on the outside, very campy and silly. I didn't want to admit to anyone that I would read such a book. Recently, however, I was home alone and bored. I had nothing new to read, so I took a look.

This book was great! A lot of credit must be given the editors who went through, they say, 10,000 submissions to come up with this book, the best of the lot. Star Trek III, Strange New Worlds, is broken into four parts to reflect the four different shows. From Star Trek to Voyager, we are treated to stories featuring all of our favorite characters.

I was most surprised by how consistently good the stories were. While there were one or two flops, most of the tales here are very interesting. About half of them were insights into stories we have already seen. So, for example, in the movie "First Contact" Lt. Hawk died after becoming a Borg. What really happened to him? Now we know. The other stories were totally originally.

My favorite stories were found in the Generations and Deep Space Nine Section. I especially liked the return of Mr. Barclay and Mr. Moriarty. My only real complaint, a small one, was my strong disagreement with the stories awarded 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes. The second place winner was great. The other two were not as good or original as many of the great finds in this book. Still, since most of the stories were so good, I can see how the editors could have made this mistake. "Strange New Worlds," misnamed since it is really about returning old familiar ones, is a fun read.


The River Is Mine: John Wesley Powell's 1869 Exploration of the Green and Colorado Rivers and the Grand Canyon
Published in Paperback by Local Color Press (2002)
Author: Ardian Gill
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River view
The River is Mine: A refreshing splash of foolhardy pioneer derring-do. Based on the diary of one member of the party, we join the band of suicical explorers plunging blindly down uncharted waters with high hopes of succeeding either in making the headlines of history or the obits.

Accurately based on a genuine historical episode
Ardian Gill's The River Is Mine is a superbly crafted novel of John Wesley Powell's 1869 exploration of the Green and Colorado rivers and the Grand Canyon. Vibrantly and vividly told, embracing both the expedition's hardships and the majesty of the Grand Canyon itself, The River Is Mine is a highly recommended, powerful presented, and emotionally involving fictionalization which is accurately based on a genuine historical episode of 19th Century American exploration.

Some thoughts on "The "River is mine"
I marvel at the language I find in this narrative. It seems to move with the river and follow its powerful flow through a land that is both marvelous and frightening. Perhaps this clear, fluent language is the result of Mr. Gill's years of examining things through a camera lense and bringing images to light in darkrooms. Mr. Gill is obviously armed with the perfect vocabulary to write this book of men's actions on the big brown god full of dragons and sacred places where light and word converge to produce a beautiful narrative.


Lonely Planet Russia, Ukraine and Belarus (Travel Survival Kit)
Published in Paperback by Lonely Planet (1996)
Authors: Richard Nebesky, John Noble, George Wesley, and Nick Selby
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Very outdated and biased book
I'm glad this book is not sold anymore! When my mother-in-law (a NZer) read it and then came with us to visit Kiev, Lviv, Moscow and some small and mid-sized cities and towns, she said she read your book, but LUCKILY didn't find it to be true!!!

I think the author of the book needs to visit Ukraine and Russia soonish and re-write the book, or get some treatment for..., racism, cold war and a shield from what the media brings to your TV screens (everyone knows that only bad news and breakthroughs make news), so please use your brains!

I read the book after my mother-in-law's remarks and was sick in my stomach, for quite a while.

Don't go to Russia or even think about it without this book
I lived in Russia for a year and traveled extensively in European Russia and Siberia and this book never failed me. Although prices fluctuated, everything else was absolutely accurate and very thoroughly researched. The writers went to enormous lengths to write what is hands-down the best travel guide to Russia. The new edition is due out this April. Mine is already on order.

poor
I found this book fascinating. It was great the way the writer bought into consideration the fact that no-one wants to travel to the places in question. When reading this book be sure to enquire at your local travel agent for any misconseptions. great book. 5 star


The Pistoleer: A Novel
Published in Paperback by Berkley Pub Group (1995)
Author: James Carlos Blake
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Intelligent, but too cold for me
This book is written in installments: first-person narratives by people who know the main character. Most of them are only a few pages long, and few of the narrators repeat. Thus, it's impossible to really sympathize with any of them. The main character himself, gunslinger John Wesley Hardin, is hard to like: we never get into his head, and from the outside he looks like just another gangster. The reader sympathizes briefly when he's wounded and imprisoned, only to be put off when he commits his next act of mindless violence or drunken stupidity. The post-Civil War American West, as presented by the author, whacks the reader over the head with violence, lawlessness, and what I felt were rather gratuitous scenes of sex with prostitutes. I'm all for "gritty" historical fiction, but here it sometimes seemed like the author was just trying to show off. Without emotional content, grit is just an irritant. Having said all that, the book is intelligently written and apparently well researched, and it might be somebody else's cup of tea more than it is mine.

What Makes the American West Like Nothing Else
There was nothing like the American West in the history of the world and figures like Hardin exemplify it; deadly, brave, sad and foolish all at once. His death seemed a relief because by 1895 there was no place left for the bravado of a gunslinger who would draw over an insult.

I found the writing format, the telling through other's eyes, less engaging and certainly less tasty than Blake's current style.

Tin Horn Mike
This was some book ! Absolutely outstanding in every respect - as a story, in its style, very exciting, excellent dialect, really funny in spots, ..... Chapter by chapter I went from hating the arrogant ... (John Wesley Hardin), to wanting to be a Hardin. If he really was as portrayed in this book (which I doubt), he was mostly the kind of person I respect - leave him alone and he'll buy you drinks all night long and otherwise give you the shirt off his back. Meddle in his business, get in his face, or harm his family and he'll whip you or kill you. Now don't get me wrong. Any reader would try to see where they fit in, in that day and time and I am pretty much left with the sad conclusion that I would have probably been a sorry, boot-licking peddler of some kind . . . . not a Hardin.


Life of John Wesley Hardin As Written by Himself
Published in Paperback by Univ of Oklahoma Pr (Trd) (1977)
Authors: John Wesley Hardin and Robert G. McCubbin
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