Johnston Books

Again - what memories there are in these - we've all been there and remember this kind of thing.

Another Great book to visit the Patterson's with. "For Better / For Worse" has to be one of the best comic strips of all time. It really makes you think, "They are just like my family", and if you do not have kids, read the books so you know what to prepare for.

We own all of the "For Better or For Worse" books and the whole family enjoys them! In fact some of us read them more than once. This one is just as good as the others.

Really enjoyed this book, chuckled again over the strips we had enjoyed in the newspaper.

Although I am a longtime reader of For Better or For Worse, the last few years have been painful. This collection begins to show the downward slide of the storytelling and artwork. The native characters introduced have recently been completely trashed by Ms. Johnston, and this collection also covers the ongoing story of two main characters who conduct an emotional affair, even though one character is married and has a child. Even more bizarrely, everyone in the strip is portrayed as endorsing the breakup of the characters marriage and the hookup of these two.
Many of the forums devoted to FBOFW, have completely predicted all the storylines months (sometimes years)in advance. The plots are predictable and the character developments have been completely messed up, simply to fit into a nice little tie-up for Johnston's scheduled retirement date. Unfortunately, she should have retired two years ago when readers still had an affection for the characters.

This wonderful novel was recomended by a friend. I was a little sceptical as I'd never read Brideshead Revisited.

I wondered if I could relate with lives of British Aristocracy some 15 years prior to my birth. Before this question was answered, I was caught up in the intigue and was effortlessly following subtle streams of consciousness.

Brideshead Regained was a very enjoyable book.

I could not stop until I finished the book. One of the best sequels I read.

As a Waugh enthusiast for most of my life, I was delighted to read "Brideshead Regained," Michael Johnston's very well-conceived and -executed continuation of the memoirs of Charles Ryder. Johnston is a diligent and clever writer, carefully and convincingly tracing the immediate post-war lives of all the 'Brideshead bunch", including everyone from Mrs. Muspratt and her sons to Hayter. Perhaps I was disappointed that Johnston "killed" a few characters I especially like, but that is life: their deaths were probably inevitable given their life circumstances and geopolitical ealities beyond their control. And there are a few nice surprises, including Cordelia's discovery that she is not "thwarted" after all and Charles's recovery (or should I say "regaining") of familial rights he feared he had irrevocably "forfeited." For me the high point of the novel was the reunion of charles and Sebastian, and I thought Johnston's way of defining their unique bond was ingenius. A must read for any Waugh afficianado!

I approached Brideshead Regained with some trepidation but within a few pages my fears were soon unfounded. This is a wonderful read. Michael Johnson has achieved the impossible in successfully writting a sequel to Brideshead Revisited. In Johnston's book we experience the ups and downs of life during the Second World War through the eyes of Charles Ryder as he works as a war artist. We meet prominent leaders and a few old friends along the way. All together an excelent book, only one problem, I want to know what happens to Charles next, how about it Mr Johnson?

Brideshead Revisited is one of my favorite books (and the miniseries is an all-time favorite as well), and I read this sequel with high hopes, and an open mind--but I think "Brideshead Regained" failed as both a continuation of "Revisited" and as a novel in its own right.

**Some spoilers follow**

The first half of the book is pretty boring: it's near the end of World War II and Charles Ryder--now a war artist--is sent to North Africa to paint such real-life people as Charles de Gaulle. Ryder makes some boring observations about these people and occasionally reminisces about the Flyte family.

Charles then has his inevitable encounter with Sebastian and not much happens as they talk about God and Sebastian's new companion Hermann.

Later, Charles returns to the Brideshead estate for a funeral and sees Julia, Bridey and Cordelia. I won't go into all that happens, but the book ends very suddenly as a really bad thing happens to one of the characters--leaving you hanging about what happens next. Did Johnston hope to write yet another sequel to continue the story?

Johnston's prose is fairly dull, and he doesn't have a good sense of dialogue. "It took me a long time, Charles, to understand. Just to escape from the suffocation, the damaged relationships forever dragging me down..." Sebastian says at one point. Would anyone--let alone Sebastian--really speak like this in the mid 1940s?

Which leads me to biggest problem I have with the book: the characters only barely act and speak like the characters in "Revisited." Sebastian may say "mummy" but he has lines like the above, and Cordelia seems a completely different person.

There are also some weird distractions like having Charles reading an Evelyn Waugh novel, and Johnston calling the German who sponged off Sebastian in "Revisited" Klaus instead of Kurt (not once, but several times).

Save your money.

This book is a goldmine for those who want to learn something about the classical guitar and for those who love the instrument.

Although it does discuss some of the great classical guitarists -- Segovia, Williams, Bream, etc. -- it is oriented more toward the great classical guitar builders and has detailed information on the great luthiers of the present and recent past.

A real plus is the selection of superb color photos of a number of gorgeous guitars; the photos make clear that a guitar can be a work of art as much as an instrument of music.

It is a book the lover of the classical guitar will return to repeatedly, just for the pleasure of looking at some unquestionably beautiful works of musical art.

This book is what I wanted. Great color photos of classical guitars from many makers. Its a good book for those who love not only the sound but the look of these great instruments. Only wish it were available in a hardback version. Luscious photos !

This book is simply great. The rich, colorful photographs brings the guitars to life. There's plenty of information for the reader without being overwhelmed. Any guitarist would do well to purchase this book at least to have a snapshot of the wonderful world of guitar history.

For people interested in a detailed discussion of different types of guitar it may be just the ticket, but I was looking for something more general. There is precious little information about players, composers, repertoire, etc.
This book is for people interested in the construction of guitars and it's not really a "History of the Classical Guitar" as I understand the expression.
It's all very well for Amazon to say we can have a refund. What they don't tell you is that you have to post it back to America - and it's a large and heavy book!

Though I like the book, the highlights are more about the luthiers and not so much on the quality of the guitars they make. The book is layed out in a chronological order, and focuses on just one luthier and guitar per year.. This is confusing, as many luthiers produce guitars across 40,50 even 60 years. So, this approach doesn't really work for me.

The book could have benefited from a comparison of major achievements introduced by each luthier, and focused on broad comparisons of different guitars. It instead focuses on the personalities of the luthiers.

If the reason you want to purchase the book is to help you find a concert guitar, this book will provide a good reference to the major luthiers operating today. However, if you are looking to find distinguishing features about the guitars, you will be hard pressed to do so, as the book provides just a few tidbits of information in that regard.

I liked it--a book of literary stories anchored around the town of Corpus Christi. By the end of the book all the stories fit together and gave it the feel of a novel. If you like literary short stories, you'll like Corpus Christi.

The book was well-written and read quickly, but the stories themselves were a bit on the depressing side, and many had the same theme: man and woman meet, fall in love, have kid, kid dies, relationship goes down the crapper.

Bret Johnston's debut collection of fiction signals the arrival of a master storyteller. These are glimpses of lives in a minor key, as his characters struggle to continue in the face of tragedy. At the heart of this book is a novella in three parts which tells the death by cancer of a woman and the son who cares for her in her illness. You won't forget this mother and son; their sadness is palpable, something so authentic you may feel like looking away but can't, it's that real, that wrenching.

One of the biggest literary errors made by new (and even some veteran) writers is to trumpet THE BIG, EMOTIONAL EVENT. Not so with Bret Anthony Johnston's exquisite, powerful debut collection, "Corpus Christi." Whether dealing with madness, a father's violence or broken marriages, Johnston uses both restraint and often humor to paint characters who are as real and flawed as any in modern literature. "Corpus Christi" brings us to places plumbed by Annie Proulx and Dagoberto Gilb but with Johnston's own remarkable imprint.

Bret Johnston's debut collection of short stories is an excellent, powerful book. Such talent, compassion and insight coming from such a young writer is extraordinary. Johnston knows his craft, and "Corpus Christi: Stories" is beautifully written.

Another Great book to visit the Patterson's with. "For Better / For Worse" has to be one of the best comic strips of all time. It really makes you think, "They are just like my family", and if you do not have kids, read the books so you know what to prepare for.

Lynn Johnston and Robb Armstrong of "Jump Start" fame are comic geniuses in a class by themselves. No two ways about that.

Johnston has created a believeable and appealing family who, unlike most strips contend with controversial issues such as homosexuality; divorce; infidelity; physical challenges; racial issues; crime; death. It is always a treat to read her strip in the daily paper and it makes for something to anticipate daily.

Michael, the oldest Patterson child, now married has a child on the way. Readers follow Deanna's pregnancy up to the birth of daughter Meredith Anne. It makes for a riveting story line that is sure to delight most readers and maintain their interest.

Middle Patterson child, Elizabeth, now an adult and working towards her teaching degree moves in with her boyfriend, only to discover what a mistake that was. Her way of exacting revenge upon him was funny and resourceful.

April, the youngest Patterson child went from obnoxious pain to obnoxious teen and patriarch Grandpa Jim, a delightful character marries a woman whom he meets at a senior citizens' gathering.

A truly delightful collection that will not only evoke smiles, but will undoubtedly remind readers of milestones in their own lives.

I became a fan of FBOFW after reading "Lives Behind the Lines". My favorite aspect of the strip is that, while Johnston generally sticks with chronicalling the so-called "normal, everyday day occurances" of nucular family life, she isn't afraid to write about serious issues. Aside from the well known (and VERY well done) story dealing with Lawrence, Johnston has dealt with such issues as the death of a parent and the ethics of journalism ( when Michael and Weed photographed a vehicle accident, then later learned that Deanna Sobieski had been involved). Lynn continues that tradition in ths book by addressing an issue that I, for one, have NEVER seen addressed in a mainstream, syndicated comic strip - sexual abuse. This story, which involves Elizabeth's roommate Candace, was published in December 2001. As usual, Johnston wrote the story well, and showed a great deal of sensitivity. As a survivor of abuse, this story has alot of meaning to me.
Another issue brought up in the book is the fact that Elly's father is showing signs of Alzheimer's. I look forward to seeing how Johnston deals with this.

P.S. : As Elizabeth continues her training to become a teacher, I was pleased to FINALLYsee the adition of some First Nations characters. Given that Johnston's strip is both Canadian and, usually multicultural, this omission had always struck me as odd.

This book picks up where "With This Ring" finishes. I was actually disappointed with this book after reading the first one. There was no introduction, and the book goes from Michael and Deanna adjusting as newlyweds, only to 1 strip after Baby Meridith is born. I thought that this book would be more towards the baby's birth, but it wasn't. I enjoyed it however, more so for the other storylines in the book.

This, like all the FBorFW books, is fine comfortable family viewing. It is such a shame that everyone who reads it can't see the simple beauty of having a family (though 'fictional')like the Pattersons who really care for each other, their friends and their pets. Some of the other "reviews" I have read of this book seem extremely bitter and anxious to put down those of us who enjoy simple comics and stories of families where no one is on drugs or in prison for a hate crime or murder. If you want "gruesome", go watch TV and leave our Lynn Johnston alone!

Having lived on Johston Atoll for 5 years and having worked in the chemical demilitarization plant the book took on really special meaning to me. I had my hardback copy autographed by the various island commanders and the project manager for Chem demil. The plot was great and plausable. I could visualize the events taking place around me as I read the book on the island. While some poetic license was necessary it is mostly accurate.
I highly recommend the book.
Ben Janacek

This is a book! Great carachters and really interesting heros. Don't mind the homophobia because this is accurate, being that alll the Naval members, I, have met, really do act like this.

Being a fan of Japanese history, the author gave me the fealing of being with the team. The way he talks Navy and the ending Wow wee

alex widrow

This was a good read. Anyone who likes a good action novel will enjoy this book. Plus it adds a bit with the Japanese characters. If you like military thrillers, and NAVY SEALS etc. you will enjoy this book.

This was a good read, one that often compels you to read just one more chapter before the light goes off. This one has a lot going on during the tale. Japanese militant terrorists, Navy SEALs, hostages, plenty of military hardware, generals, admirals, a few pretty brutal parts, a daring rescue mission - the workds. I liked the bonding between the Japanese Defense Force commando unit and the SEALs, a good touch. I enjoyed the fact that the SEALs did have limitations and were not bullet-proof as so many other novels seem to indicate. Overall, a well-paced adventure and a convincing cast of characters. This would make a terrific motion picture. Check it out.

If you like Tom Clancy military technothrillers, you should love Dick Couch. His personal resume is impressive...Vietnam vet Navy SEAL platoon leader who led the only successful POW rescue, ex-CIA maritime officer,etc. Rising Wind is Couch's second best work. I personally liked Pressure Point the best. Not much for the wordiness of Clancy, Couch is more action and details. No fat. But more story and storytelling than Richard Marchinko and his " fiction ". For fans of the genre.

I recently purchased this book for an english resource center at a secondary school in Ukraine. While the book brings up many good points, I found misleading information when reading through it. I think perhaps part of the problem is that I was raised in a southern state, where as all know, the usage of English can be rather different from other parts of the country! Of course ouraccent is different, but the word usage and phrases are also often a bit different, and our dialects are known to be closer to British English than those of most other regions of the U.S. There at least should be a disclaimer mentioning that if they are planning on spending time in certain areas of the country, many of the "Americans don't say..." sections are not simply not correct.

Overall the book is good, it serves as a good introduction to the American Way of life and is very detailed for people new to the USA.
I find the best part to be the basics section, especially the part about "what americans say" and "what americans do not say", it is a little short but helps a lot. So if you are new to the country and want to find out about the culture, this is a good book for you.

This book is different from that I expected. I thought about a classical Idioms Dictionary. Althought it's a good book that introduce not only American idioms but American way of life too.
You can also lern idioms but are greater the advices ( Thanks to teach me to give tips!!!!!)

Very informative and the content is carefully categorized so it's quite easy to find what you want.

The size of the book also makes it handy to carry around.

I got this book from our ISS (International Student Service) office and at first, I only treat it as some reading materials while I am waiting for my laundry.
However, after I really went into the book, I realized it was the book I have been long seeking for: brief, clear and ultimately helpful. Yes, it is short, but since I have no intention to be a sociologist about American society, the simple and everyday facts and words are what I need to know.
The book covers many categories of American society like food, sports, education, transportation, etc., very comprehensively. The best of all is there is a list of frequently encountered words and phrases within this category at the end of each chapter.
After reading the book, I can now fully understand what the person said when I called in to order my pancake with eggs. This is the book you can finish in two weeks while still getting to know the essentials, not an enclyclopedia that takes forever. Actually, I finished it in 1 week and I no longer stutter while I am ordering food because I just didn't know which word I should use.
My suggestion to INS: include this nice booklet in your brochure to the new immigrants.

Any book that can make a reader who hales from the land of pleasant living (i.e., the mid-Atlantic region of the United States) seriously consider spending a winter in Newfoundland is clearly worth reading. Wayne Johnston once again manages to turn what most of us would consider a very dull subject (growing up in Newfoundland) into a minor masterpiece. If you enjoyed "Colony of Unrequited Dreams," you will be equally charmed, intrigued and entranced by "Baltimore's Mansion" but in a more personal -- and, perhaps, more meaningful -- way. I expect that if Mr. Johnston were from the USA, his books would stay at the top of the best seller lists. As it is, he remains a bit of a hidden treasure. Perhaps "Baltimore's Mansion" will help change the situation.

Any book that can make a reader who hales from the land of pleasant living (i.e., the mid-Atlantic region of the United States) seriously consider spending a winter in Newfoundland is clearly worth reading. Wayne Johnston once again manages to turn what most of us would consider a very dull subject (growing up in Newfoundland) into a minor masterpiece. If you enjoyed "Colony of Unrequited Dreams," you will be equally charmed, intrigued and entranced by "Baltimore's Mansion" but in a more personal -- and, perhaps, more meaningful -- way. I expect that if Mr. Johnston were from the USA, his books would stay at the top of the best seller lists. As it is, he remains a bit of a hidden treasure. Perhaps "Baltimore's Mansion" will help change the situation.

I don't know why I expected to read about the way of life in small Newfoundland communities, but I certainly didn't expect to read about the nationalist dreams of the people of the Avalon peninsula. This may be a good topic for a book, actually, but it would have to be better organized and more clear in its purpose than this aimless memoir. The main problem is that the author constantly laments Newfoundland's loss of independance, but never explains how or why Newfoundlanders would be better off as an independant country, or, failing that, why we should care.

Just wanted you to know that your review of this book has a factual inaccuracy.

The Avalon Peninsula ISN'T the most remote part of Newfoundland.Quite the opposite - its by far the most developed, densely populated part of the entire province. St. John's is on Avalon, as are most of the province's towns. Your reviewer was thinking of the Great Northern Peninsula (where Shipping News takes place) - although the most remote part of the province is certainly Northern Labrador.

An elegy for a country, a place, and a family - which can describe much of Maritime Canadian writing, but Johnston is such a gifted writer this one really stands out. Read it for the description of the horse leading the way home in blinding snow, read it for story of blacksmithing, just read it. And if you like this, you'll love "the Danger Tree" by David MacFalane - a different part of Newfoundland, a different family, another incredible writer.

I, too, dislike April. It's good that other people have pointed out the pipsqueak's shortcomings. I think she makes Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes look like a pure little angel. She really asks for it. She's the one who made up that stupid song about Jeremy. It would serve her right if he fixed her wagon. Somebody should. She rides roughshod over everybody and contributes nothing. I think she needs a good wet towel across the face and across the rump. All the other characters are good, solid, sympathy inducing and realistic. You love them. When it comes to being decent and considerate, that is where stupid little April gets off the train. You might want to put her outside with those pink flamingoes.

Fans of Lynn Johnston's 'For Better or For Worse' comic strip about a family's interactions and aging will relish this collection, which provides black and white strips from some recent comics. While truly avid fans may find little new here, The Big 5-0 gathers cartoons from 1998 through 1999 and any who have missed a few will certainly find some 'new' material.

This is a delightful comic series with believable characters. It is a good sign if any characters cause strong reactions and responses from their readers. I, too, dislike April. April is devious and sassy and often provokes others. I don't think she's a good kid. She is a spoiled little brat who needs a bun warming session. She's a good literary example of what overindulgence can do -- create a sense of entitlement and no respect for others. AztecPrincess said it best -- April is a spoiled brat who has no respect for anything.

The rabbit and dog chases are funny. Mr. Bunny Rabbit is a scream, the way he hops after that dog. It's a good thing the two species get along so well. Mr. B. is the best fictitious rabbit to ever grace the funny pages! Drawings of the rabbit really show the sense of speed and motion -- another nod to a great cartoonist.

Grandpa Jim is the best of the family characters. It is such a refreshing treat to see a senior citizen with a regular voice in the funnies. One of the best ones appeared in the paper on Veterans' Day, when he says the lucky ones came home. I also like the one on Memorial Day when he remembers dancing in his sergeant's uniform with his late wife, Marian. Hip, hip, hooray for Grandpa Jim!

The rest of the bunch are equally delightful, but for different reasons. Liz and Michael bring home the realities of college, job and impending marriage; they are wonderful characters who have never once lost their senses of humor.

I've sort of grown up with FBOFW, being basically the same age as Michael. My mum turned 50 this year so i found the book of appeal for that reason as well! Personally, i like April. She's a good kid that is trying to grow up in a hard world where on one hand she is supposed to know all the things a teenager is supposed to know, deal with knowledge that most of us didn't encounter until we were much older, deal with a throw-away culture and on top of that remain a child to fit the stereotype we hold of little girls. I worked at a primary school for a little while and i think Lynn has trully captured the dualistic nature of kids today. So leave April alone!:-) The book is great, although i'm not sure why 50 flamingoes, is there some sort of symbalism involved there? Is it a Canadian thing? If so, probably a bit of clarification for us other fans would be a good idea!:-)) Love the strip, love the book!

As always, Lynn Johnston captures the essence of a family whose members are maturing. She treats with especial sympathy the subject of young Gordon, an abused boy who has grown into a successful businessman and a wonderful father, even weaving into the storyline that his parents have gone into rehab for their alcohol problem. While there are conflicts, as anyone with siblings or multiple children knows, it is a joy to see some maturation between the older two's relationship. Also, I love seeing the community involvement, such as when Elizabeth helps with the foodbank and Michael works on a project to enlighten others as to the Canadian past. One of the final panels depicts all 3 of the Patterson children working together to cook dinner for Elly - and is a treat - and very true to life.

This is a must-have book for those beginning their fabric dyeing journey. Get this one along with her other book Color by Design and begin creating beautiful fabrics for your fiber art.

Easy to read, excellent explanations and formulas for dye concentrates. The book describes many techniques that lead to various looks in the fabric.

Must have!!!!

If you have ever wanted a definitive resource on alternative dyeing technique using Procion dyes, this is it! Ann Johnston is the authority on dyeing with these fiber-reactive dyes, and here she gives the basis for the type of dyeing that is so popular today: low-water immersion dyeing. She teaches the method using many different recipes which are revolutionary; at least to me they were! Going through the recipes, the reader will learn how to apply these same techniques using other color combinations. Most unique was the layered-dyeing technique called "parfait", which yields three different-colored fabrics from the SAME dyepot. Incredible!

All in all, this was just the book I'd hoped it would be, and then some. I've been using it now for about four years, and not once have I been disappointed with the results of my fabrics. For those interested in regular vat dyeing and direct application techniques, she also give basic instructions and recipes for these, too.

This book will hook you into dyeing for good!

As a quilter, who dyes her own fabric, I was disappointed in this book. First, I think her recipe for stock dyes uses a LOT of dye. Procion dyes are not inexpensive and she recommends 2 Tablespoons of dye/cup of water. In most receipes I have used, the yellows use 1 T of dye in 1 cup of water, blues use 2 teaspoons, and reds 1 teaspoon. The author makes no differentiation between colors of dye in her measurements even though the dye companies and all of the other books I have used, do. I think 2 T/cup is overkill and wasteful.

Second, I don't understand her process for adding Soda Ash. I don't think it works well and felt that a lot of the color washed out of the fabrics as a result. Most of the books I've worked with recommend pre-soaking the fabric and this seems to work much better. (They use a lot less dye in their stocks and the colors are brighter.)

Finally, I tried some of her recipes in the book and was disappointed with the results. The colors on the top of the value parfait were too weak and none of the fabrics in that batch had the texture of fabrics dyed by the processes recommended in Dyeing for Quilters, Fabric Dyeing for Beginners, and Robbi Eklow's new book. I ended up over-dyeing them to salvage the fabric. They are the first pieces I've dyed in 6 months that I didn't like.

However, for individuals who want a simple approach to fabric dyeing this book may work well. It simplifies the dye formulas (by using large quantities of dye and omitting salt) and reduces the steps involved in dyeing value runs and color runs. If you don't mind spending the money on dyes, her approach is easy to follow and can yield decent results. I would recommend more agitation and squeezing in the value parfaits to get adequate dye and soda ash into the center of the fabric.

For folks, who don't mind a few more steps, I think the books mentioned above cover the subject of fabric dyeing much more extensively.

This is a excellent book for people wanting to do silk or cotton dying. It is easy to understand and has a lot of project to do that are quite easy. It has a lot of ideas and allowes you to use you imagination to create different colors and abstract patterns. No two projects will look identical.

I have read and used many books for hand dyeing fabrics. Color By Accident by Ann Johnston is of extremely high quality. It is written much like a cookbook, with clear measures, clear directions and ample support for further creativity. This is not a tie-dyeing manual. It will help the ardent fabric dyer create wonderful materials usable for any type of sewing project. And it is an excellent introduction for those who have never tried this process and don't know where to begin. It is fully resourced, providing information on obtaining everything you will need to proceed.