Burns Books

This gives a quick, easy to understand, in a nutshell briefing on a difficult, legalized subject. It helps greatly. I recommend it to all students of the "Law" and future deacons like myself.

Jackfish, The Vanishing Village is an imaginary autobiography about a woman with a traumatic past and her need for redemption. Sarah Felix Burns has masterfully written a book so eloquent in description, yet so horrifically tragic that the line between beautiful and ugliness becomes blurred in a strangely contradictory way.

Burns did such a magnificent job of telling a story that was wrapped up in a small little village that vanished and using it as a metaphor for the main character's life. Though I realized pretty early on in the story this was what she was doing, the whole story was woven in such a way the village and the main character's life became synonymous with each other. More...The difference between the demise of this small village and the downward spiral of the character's life is the character was able to re-establish herself.

When I reflect on my experience reading Jackfish, I am utterly amazed at the lack of emotion I had while reading this, but also the intense emotion I had when I finished the book. I had become Clemance-Marie Nadeau from the Village of Jackfish in Canada. I'm not sure the last time that happened when I read a book. Just like the character shut herself off from feeling emotion, I shut myself off also...right after the part in the story that would have caused her to shut down.

Burns wrote Jackfish in such a way, I experienced every thing she was describing. I felt the cold weather in Canada. I felt like I had experienced the brutally horrific rapings. I felt like I was falling into the depths of hell without a lifeline to pull me back up. I seriously had to take a shower after these sections. I completely understood her need to tell someone everything and not wait around for analysis. I understand her reasons for leaving her husband and then wanting him back. I was exhausted when I finished this book.

This was the saddest, most tragic book I've ever read. Yet, its one of the only books that has ever touched my soul as incredibly as Jackfish has. I don't think I could ever read it again, but it will always be on my bookshelf. Have you ever heard Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven? If I had to put this book to music, I would pick Moonlight Sonata. Hector Berlioz is said to have remarked that this particular piece "is one of those poems that human language does not know how to qualify." This describes exactly my feelings on 'Jackfish, A Vanishing Village'.

There are few books in this world that tell a story as impactful as "Jackfish, the Vanishing Village". There are few authors who can tell a story as descriptive and as beautifully as Sarah Felix Burns. I, wholeheartedly, recommend this book. The story deserves your full attention. I suggest you do not attempt to read this book if you have several others you are working on.

Jon Sobrino argues for a Christology that is relevant for his cultural situation, and he begins from below with the person of Jesus of Nazareth presenting a genetic Christology from below, relying heavily on the synoptic gospels. Writing from El Salvador, Sobrino has a clear purpose in mind for his Christological work, Jesus the Liberator. He writes from the perspective of the poor, trying to uncover a Christ who speaks to those who have suffered much. The he presents God is so involved in human history to be able to suffer, along with the crucified people of history.

Heavily influenced by Jurgen Moltmann, Sobrino, furthers Moltmann's position on a crucified and suffering God, and applies the image to his own particular situation. Examining the cross and what it reveals of God is to be honest about the world, recognizing the recurrence of the cross over and over again in human history. Like Moltmann, Sobrino takes the crucifixion as a given element of revelation and works from it without attempting to explain it away. Rather, he examines it in order to see what it reveals about God.

Sobrino like other liberationists connects knowing God with action. In the fight against the forces of sin in this world, God shows that it is necessary to bear sin rather than sublimating it or denying it. In the face of suffering a person must adopt a position in relation to the suffering either through action or omission. Therefore, if God is to be known human persons must involve themselves in the suffering of the world. The wonder of the cross, on the other hand, leads away from peace in that knowledge of God includes action and leaves hearts forever restless, questioned and questioning. Sobrino writes from Latin America, and the presuppositions and cultural situation shape his goals and the direction of his theology. From Sobrino's perspective, theology needs to address questions surrounding the suffering of the poor. The poor receive priority of treatment because "liberation theology's guts are wrenched by the inhumanly poor and cruelly oppressed masses." For Sobrino, theology that does not directly face the "crucified people" in history cannot be adequate. Sobrino gives priority to the Kingdom of God in his analysis, arguing that Jesus' ministry revolved around the proclamation of the Kingdom which brings life for the poor and in which the human community recognizes the value and worth of each member. The good news of the Kingdom becomes real in "liberation from material want" in that the poor need a reality to grasp rather than mere words. Clearly, Sobrino always brings his thought back to the particular historical and cultural situation of the crucified people.

Elements of Sobrino's own history mingle with the excellent theological analysis and ground the work in the stark reality of real suffering. The book is excellent both as a Christology and as an introduction to liberation theology

This is a gem of a book! In addition to telling the story of
John Burns of Gettysburg, author Tim Smith has provided
a wonderful portrait of life in 19th century Gettysburg and lots
of insights into village life in general during that era. I hated
to have to put this book down for meals and sleep!

Intelligent, insightful,and thoughtful overview of the experience of reading. For anyone who enjoys books, this book is an entertaining and well written gem. Eric Burns is a fine media analyst, commentator, and cultural observer.

Unlike people who discovered Judge Dredd through the awful movie, I came across the stonefaced Dredd through Eagle Comic reprints in '83. I then read his stories when I bought his comics on the streets of Madrid in '85--in spanish, no less. I fell in love with the Judges of Mega-City One & always welcomed Dredd into my world whenever I came across him. He is the graphic symbol of British social commentary on the United States of America in their world of comics & great UK comic writers came from the world of Dredd--Morrison, Ellis & Wagner to name but a few.

And then Garth Ennis (Preacher, The Boys) started to write Dredd stories. Nobody does it better & MUZAK KILLER is classic Ennis. He uses Dredd as a prop through the story of one deranged man's quest to rid the Mega-City of shopping-mall muzak pop stars. Yes--elevator muzak is ruling the Billboard Charts & it is driving one man crazy enough to kill the trite pop stars on live t.v.--dreaming of the day 20th Century Alternative Music will make a comeback. & it's going to take Dredd to stop him & preventing "the day the muzak died." Like I said: it's classic Ennis. I only wish the artwork was not the airbrushed quality and more line work, but this can be overlooked by such an awesome Judge Dredd story.

If you haven't read Ennis' Judge Dredd stories, this is a good place to start. His morbid sense of humor runs wild in the first story & it's ever so bloody.

If you've never read Judge Dredd, I would suggest you start with the earlier stories where he is more of a dominate character. "The Complete America", "The Apocalypse War", "The Complete Judge Cal" & "The Cursed Earth Saga" are the early "classic" Dredd stories--revered by the die-hard fans--& show you the true man behind the phrase: "I AM THE LAW!"

But Ennis' Dredd stories are also fantastic "classics"; proving he is a great comic writer.

A well-told story that will make a grown man cry. The illustrations are glorious, bold and magical. The themes are timeless: self-denial, love and perseverance.

This paperback anthology was published in 1983 by the Southwest Missouri State University English department in Springfield. It features a poem by Miller Williams that I believe has never been published in any of his collections, "Looking for Johnny Cash." Well-known Arkansas novelist Donald Harington and poets David Baker and Donald Finkel also appear here. Regional interest, Williams's poem, and obscurity make this book a real collector's item.

I used this book with first graders last week in the Vestal School District in Upstate New York. I followed the Marilyn Burns activities suggested in the back of the book. The activities seem simple, but they are carefully designed. The lesson went very well and was easy to use. I was amazed that none of the children peeked when they closed their eyes for one minute so that they could feel how long a minute really is. We also stood on one leg for one minute, clapped our hands for one minute, and drew stars for one minute. We then counted the stars in different ways. We practiced the various ways of counting off a minute in time, and the children discussed with me what kinds of activities take more than a minute and which ones take less. I believe that every child in that classroom now has a fairly clear understanding of the length of a minute. The children liked the story and they related to Fred who is told, "just a minute." This is a great way to begin the study of time measurement.

These guides really give you a feel for what all aspects of a school are like. It's not really stuff you could find easily on your own either, like what the local area is like, where are the best places to get food and/or drinks around town, the quality of the dorms and dorm food, etc. I really would recommend picking up a few before choosing a school - especially if you can't afford to visit each place in person.