Johnny L. Wilson ( of High Score)

Johnny rated a book really liked it Nuremberg: The Reckoning by William F. Buckley Jr.	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
It doesn’t matter whether he is writing fiction, political diatribes, or theological reflection (admittedly rare, but it’s there), the late William F. Buckley, Jr. taught me things I didn’t know. I didn’t always agree with him, but I was always stimu ...more
Nov 27, 2025 07:32PM · like · see review
Johnny rated a book really liked it The Black Ascot (Inspector Ian Rutledge, #21) by Charles Todd (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
If The Black Ascot had been a Dick Francis mystery, I would have been certain of the horse-racing connection immediately. As one of Charles Todd’s Ian Rutledge mysteries, I wasn’t certain if it involved dark neckwear, a horse running at Ascot, or, in ...more
Nov 27, 2025 07:30PM · like · see review
Johnny rated a book it was amazing Cold Iron Task (The Unorthodox Chronicles, #3) by James J. Butcher	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Cold iron, the protocols of magic suggest, is a disruptive influence on magic. Old cold iron is even more disruptive. Hence, the title Cold Iron Task refers to needing cold iron to accomplish a task. In this case, procuring the cold iron is fundament ...more
Nov 16, 2025 05:50AM · like · see review
Johnny rated a book really liked it Noir by Christopher Moore (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
The works of Christopher Moore are often laugh-out-loud funny. Sometimes, I laugh because I picture the preposterous situations he concocts; other times, I snicker out of inherent guilt for the blatant “naughtiness” in both diction and action; and st ...more
Nov 07, 2025 07:19AM · 1 like · like · see review
Johnny rated a book really liked it Dance with Death (Barker & Llewelyn, #12) by Will Thomas (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Just when one thinks that the world is, to use the cliché, Thomas Llewelyn’s oyster and the ex-con enquiry agent appears to be on track for a well-deserved reward, a complication from his past provides both a major obstacle in completing a case, as w ...more
Oct 31, 2025 08:58AM · like · see review
Johnny rated a book really liked it The Bookseller of Inverness by S.G. MacLean (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Although I enjoyed the novels in “The Seeker” series, The Bookseller of Inverness is more to my taste. It isn’t because of the mystery. The mystery seems more straightforward than those in the other series. It’s probably because of its Jacobite sympa ...more
Oct 31, 2025 08:54AM · like · see review
Johnny rated a book liked it Long Past Dues (The Unorthodox Chronicles, #2) by James J. Butcher	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
In my opinion, Long Past Dues, the second novel in The Unorthodox Chronicles, suffers from second book syndrome. It features good ideas and builds somewhat off the colorful and memorable characters of Dead Man’s Hand but it ends up with so many cleve ...more
Oct 24, 2025 10:27AM · like · see review
Johnny rated a book really liked it The Pot of Gold and Other Plays by Plautus	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
The Penguin Classics Edition of Plautus’ The Pot of Gold and Other Plays is a free and creative translation of the 2nd century BCE playwrights comedies. The penultimate inspiration for such famous plays as Shakespeare’s “Comedy of Errors,” Moliere’s ...more
Oct 17, 2025 09:19AM · like · see review
Johnny rated a book liked it The Bible and Recent Archaeology by Kathleen M. Kenyon	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Although the title is The Bible and Recent Archaeology, Dame Kathleen M. Kenyon’s coffee table book on largely Palestinian archaeology and its relationship to the Bible is largely outdated. That doesn’t mean it isn’t useful. It’s maps, site diagrams, ...more
Oct 17, 2025 09:13AM · 1 like · like · see review
Johnny rated a book liked it Appointment at Bloodstar (Family d'Alembert, #5) by E.E. "Doc" Smith	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Although I’ve read novels in the Lensmen universe and Skylark series by E. E. “Doc” Smith, I hadn’t been aware of The Family D’alembert Series until I saw Appointment at Bloodstar in a used bookstore. I nabbed it without realizing that this was going ...more
Oct 13, 2025 07:26AM · like · see review

Johnny rated a book really liked it

Nuremberg: The Reckoning
by William F. Buckley Jr.

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

It doesn’t matter whether he is writing fiction, political diatribes, or theological reflection (admittedly rare, but it’s there), the late William F. Buckley, Jr. taught me things I didn’t know. I didn’t always agree with him, but I was always stimu It doesn’t matter whether he is writing fiction, political diatribes, or theological reflection (admittedly rare, but it’s there), the late William F. Buckley, Jr. taught me things I didn’t know. I didn’t always agree with him, but I was always stimulated by his writing. When he was alive, I asked my friends in the New York literary scene to try to arrange it so I could meet him. He was one of those larger than life figures that would always make my list of famous people (even from history) that I would love to informally dine with. Except for our fascination with language and tendency to go against the grain of popular consensus, we’re really not alike—very different academic experiences, social class, and political activism (with a few exceptions of which I have mixed feelings).

So, finding Nuremberg: The Reckoning in what is the 80th anniversary year of the start of the trials was a major discovery for me. I don’t remember the book when it came out in 2002 as I was trying to get a new business off the ground and my reading and research was very focused. Interestingly, I started reading this novel on November 20th, the very anniversary of the start of the trials. Because of my schedule, it took me five days to finish it. I enjoyed the book and learned a lot as Buckley weaves together the intriguing coincidences of his protagonist’s background and his post-war task with actual historical details. I particularly enjoyed a snide remark about John Maynard Keynes’ prophetic remarks on the Versailles Conference (p. 16).

Sebastian Reinhard is the German-born son of an architect named Axel Reinhard and his American wife. When his father and mother see the handwriting on the wall, they decide to cruise to the U.S. and allow mother and son to claim citizenship. The father is betrayed (and the inadvertent betrayer is revealed late in the book) and is unable to join his family. Compromised, the father is forced to build a P.O.W. camp known as Camp Joni which eventually becomes quite something else. There is a mystery about the father’s death and Buckley reveals it at just the right time. There is also a mystery about Sebastian’s background which is revealed from a most unlikely informant.

As one might expect, Sebastian ends up attached to the Nuremberg trials. He assists in translating sensitive documents and testimony, as well as assisting in the interrogation of a certain prisoner, General Kurt Amadeus (the fictional commander of an extermination camp). I couldn’t help but think that Buckley had his own inside pun in naming this character because there was a composer named Karl Amadeus Hartmann who wrote a piece called “Miserae” in either 1933 or 1934 to protest construction of the first Nazi concentration camp. General Amadeus couldn’t have been “loved by God” as the name’s Latin origin would suggest since gassing hundreds of thousands of Jews was nothing to him.

The interrogation of Amadeus before (and interestingly, after) the actual trial testimony provides an interesting counterpoint to Sebastian’s assumptions regarding law, justice, and morals. I do not mean to imply that Buckley was excusing Amadeus’ genocide. To the contrary, the conversations simply demonstrate that the trial served a moral purpose, even though the actual law was not very clear. Amadeus proves a nice composite of the Hitler-inspired fanatic.

Nuremberg: The Reckoning gives glimpses of the politics surrounding the trials and some of the mundane considerations (Ever wonder where all of those people were housed? How simultaneous translation was accomplished? What security arrangements were in place for prisoners and the trial itself?) surrounding the trials. Interesting, Buckley’s fictional account of how Amadeus cheated the hangman’s rope rather nicely matches the way a former guard later admitted to smuggling a glass ampule of cyanide to Hermann Goering. We cannot verify that account, but it makes more sense than Goering’s alleged note that he had smuggled the ampule in with his hair cream.

Although Nuremberg: The Reckoning is solid reading and has its stimulating moments, I didn’t feel like the fiction itself was as compelling as the Blackford Oakes novels. They also provided a wonderful mix of history and fiction, but it seemed like they were better paced. A Blackford Oakes novel is comparable to a film while Nuremberg: The Reckoning is paced more like a season of Downton Abbey, though a bombed out Nuremberg is certainly not a match for the posh venue of the UK soap opera set between WWI and WWII. ...more

Johnny rated a book really liked it

The Black Ascot (Inspector Ian Rutledge, #21)
by Charles Todd (Goodreads Author)

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

If The Black Ascot had been a Dick Francis mystery, I would have been certain of the horse-racing connection immediately. As one of Charles Todd’s Ian Rutledge mysteries, I wasn’t certain if it involved dark neckwear, a horse running at Ascot, or, in If The Black Ascot had been a Dick Francis mystery, I would have been certain of the horse-racing connection immediately. As one of Charles Todd’s Ian Rutledge mysteries, I wasn’t certain if it involved dark neckwear, a horse running at Ascot, or, in an homage to Martha Grimes, a pub named The Black Ascot. It turns out that none of my assumptions were close. The eponymous reference in the title, The Black Ascot refers to the spectator’s dressed in mourning clothes at the Ascot meeting soon after Edward VII’s death. The story builds from a threat voiced at “The Black Ascot” in the prelude to the novel.

Yet, for all the set-up around a race meeting, The Black Ascot doesn’t have very much to do with the famous race course and prestigious event once the set-up has been displayed. That is not to say that this wasn’t a very satisfying mystery to me. The idea of seeking a missing fugitive accused of murder, solving a murder, and dealing with a shock-induced amnesia in one’s own life provides a lot of threads to weave together. As a result, the story is more than satisfying, though it misses my personal bullseye because I was never convinced that the person I most suspected didn’t do it. I didn’t realize, however, that it was that suspect who caused the traumatic experience for Rutledge himself, though.

Despite the dramatic setback in this novel, Rutledge seems to be getting some of his interpersonal relationships settled down. Regular readers know that he had been avoiding certain people who care about him for fear that the secret of Hamish, his PTSD-induced (well, “shell shock” in the nomenclature of the era) resident ghost who sometimes hinders and sometimes assists him in his cases. As readers, we know that Hamish is a guilty subconscious working on Rutledge, but it is a fascinating and welcome dramatic device to have Rutledge converse with Hamish (sometimes aloud to the inspector’s chagrin).

The Black Ascot is another gem in the detective crown jewels of mystery series. Only Martha Grimes and Anne Perry on the English side and Rex Stout and Michael Connelly on the U.S. side give me as many consistent conundrums as the writing team known as Charles Todd. The Black Ascot is a quality addition to the series. ...more

Johnny rated a book it was amazing

Cold Iron Task (The Unorthodox Chronicles, #3)
by James J. Butcher

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Cold iron, the protocols of magic suggest, is a disruptive influence on magic. Old cold iron is even more disruptive. Hence, the title Cold Iron Task refers to needing cold iron to accomplish a task. In this case, procuring the cold iron is fundament Cold iron, the protocols of magic suggest, is a disruptive influence on magic. Old cold iron is even more disruptive. Hence, the title Cold Iron Task refers to needing cold iron to accomplish a task. In this case, procuring the cold iron is fundamental to protagonist G. G. Grimsby discovering more about his past and vital to being able to help Rayne evict the unwelcome tenant lodged in her being. And unlike the second volume in the series, Long Past Dues, Cold Iron Task has pacing and characterization which makes for a significantly better reading experience.

Oh, Grimsby is still a “loser” with a capital “L” in many ways. He even confronts himself with being a loser, with being weak. But somehow, in the midst of that weakness, he perseveres enough and delves deep enough into his inner strength to overcome an avalanche of reversals—sort of, provisionally, beyond the odds, and with intriguing consequences. Better yet, Grimsby hasn’t lost his belief in the goodness of human and unorthodox nature, even when it puts his own well-being at risk. He is clearly the kind of underdog many of us enjoy rooting for.

Extremely interesting in Cold Iron Task are the new revelations about “The Huntsman” and his background. Les is finally showing more emotion under his rigorous demeanor and exacting standards. It adds another dimension to the character and makes him even more interesting when his relationship with others who have that role. And, although it is relatively miniscule compared to the scenes with Les and Grimsby, Rayne plays a strategic role in terms of both the MacGuffin for the adventure, the ensuing complications, and a significant turning point in one encounter.

Cast Iron Task is certainly the best of The Unorthodox Chronicles for my taste. The pacing is just right in that Grimsby really does take front and center more than in the other novels. The characters seem more real. The revelations are spaced out just far enough to tantalize but not to frustrate. The action scenes are clever and satisfying. The snark is welcome from expected and unexpected directions. I am extremely interested in seeing where this goes. ...more

Johnny rated a book really liked it

Noir
by Christopher Moore (Goodreads Author)

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The works of Christopher Moore are often laugh-out-loud funny. Sometimes, I laugh because I picture the preposterous situations he concocts; other times, I snicker out of inherent guilt for the blatant “naughtiness” in both diction and action; and st The works of Christopher Moore are often laugh-out-loud funny. Sometimes, I laugh because I picture the preposterous situations he concocts; other times, I snicker out of inherent guilt for the blatant “naughtiness” in both diction and action; and still other times, I chuckle in delight at clever, unexpected turns of phrase (or cultural references. I did all of these in Noir.
Noir does follow the genre pattern of placing a protagonist in a bad situation and having said protagonist circle the drain as she/he tries to solve the initial and subsequent disasters. However, it does so with preposterous and absurd complications which only enhance the fun. In this case, we see a foreshadowing of said protagonist (Samuel/Sammy, whom we later find is named after a book of the Bible like his brother Second Samuel) stumbling over a corpse victimized by a deadly snake for which Sammy is responsible.

There are multiple narrators in this book and we don’t find out the narrator of this scene until midway through the novel. After the foreshadowing by the mystery narrator, we hear from Sammy in a first-person parody of Damon Runyan (though Moore is surprisingly inconsistent in keeping this conceit going). When Moore is “on” with this conceit, these chapters (or occasionally, sections) of the book are my favorite parts. There is also a straight-forward 3rd-person omniscient perspective which comes into view who cannot logically be the mystery narrator. Yet, there are some clever moments even in this perspective.

Sammy’s immediate goal is to get the girl (described in the initial first-person narrative in typical noir/pulp style). Even worse (noir, right?), an air force general from New Mexico (yes, Roswell) shows up wanting some innocent-looking but clearly…er…adventurous female companionship for some movers and shakers. The soon-to-be-indisposed (or possibly hard to dispose of) boss tasks Sammy with finding said ladies just when he wants to impress one particular woman.

He seeks advice from his Chinese friend (this is post-WWII San Francisco of a sort) and that leads him into the idea of parlaying a deadly snake into a money-making scheme. Naturally, this turns into the corpse problem. Again, the visit to Chinatown. How does one do away with an oversized and obnoxious body of one’s late and unlamented boss? But even before that issue is dealt with, there comes the problem of what to do with a crooked copy who is out cold? And when the guys in black suits and sunglasses (“Men in Black?”) show up, you know that Moore is playing with the Roswell incident.

Noir may not be historical fiction per se, since it includes an incredible number of fantastic events, but Moore’s post-war San Francisco is full of delightful historical detail (which is enumerated in some entertaining back matter). Indeed, Noir touches all of my bases in that it pays homage to noir, Damon Runyon, conspiracy theories, secret societies, supernatural, inaccurate cultural stereotypes (mocking them), and a fascinating cast of characters. I would rate this the maximum available stars except for the unevenness in the Runyonesque narration. ...more

Johnny rated a book really liked it

Dance with Death (Barker & Llewelyn, #12)
by Will Thomas (Goodreads Author)

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Just when one thinks that the world is, to use the cliché, Thomas Llewelyn’s oyster and the ex-con enquiry agent appears to be on track for a well-deserved reward, a complication from his past provides both a major obstacle in completing a case, as w Just when one thinks that the world is, to use the cliché, Thomas Llewelyn’s oyster and the ex-con enquiry agent appears to be on track for a well-deserved reward, a complication from his past provides both a major obstacle in completing a case, as well as a bombshell to his personal life. Dance with Death deals with an attempt to assassinate future tsar Nicholas II. So, of course, one knows that someone (and hopefully, Barker and Llewelyn) will be successful in thwarting the assassination plot. The question is how they can do it.

The strength of reading novels set in a series is that the books can “feed” on one another. Dance with Death does just that by referring back to an experience from Fatal Enquiry (#6 in the series) and using a character that one reviewer cited as the greatest weakness in that novel to turn this novel upside-down. My opinion is that it worked extremely well. As a result, Dance with Death truly seems to be Llewelyn’s quest to win or lose. Barker seems almost as omniscient as he often does in these volumes, but still doesn’t seem as vital to the cause as our friend, Thomas.

The ensemble continues to take shape, as well. Mac shows human frailty under that proper exterior and Rebecca demonstrates courage and heroism (though some may think it is too understated for me to make that observation). Vic has become quite the gang lord and entrepreneur with his talents playing a major role in foiling the assassination plot, and Jacob Langwell, teacher and now writer, plays both a useful role and comic relief. In addition, Will Thomas parades a pageant of historical characters through the plot. Except for William Morris (of art and literary fame) and Eleanor Marx (daughter of the founder of Communism), they are primarily Russian, inclusive but not exclusive of Mathilde Kschessinska the prima ballerina/mistress, Pyotr Rachovsky of the Okhrana, and the future tsar, Nicholas II.

To be honest, Dance with Death might be said to have more gore than action. Action scenes are more sparse than in some of the novels. That may well be because the author is trying to build suspense and bewilderment while the sporadic bouts of action relieve some of that tension. If I were to describe Dance with Death in terms of a table-top role-playing game encounter, I’d say it was more about social conflict than combat. In terms of balance (and credibility) that’s not a bad thing.

What diabolical thing will happen to Thomas Llewelyn as he tries to foil an assassination in Dance with Death? That’s what I found out to both my dismay and satisfaction. Is that possible? ...more

Johnny rated a book really liked it

The Bookseller of Inverness
by S.G. MacLean (Goodreads Author)

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Although I enjoyed the novels in “The Seeker” series, The Bookseller of Inverness is more to my taste. It isn’t because of the mystery. The mystery seems more straightforward than those in the other series. It’s probably because of its Jacobite sympa Although I enjoyed the novels in “The Seeker” series, The Bookseller of Inverness is more to my taste. It isn’t because of the mystery. The mystery seems more straightforward than those in the other series. It’s probably because of its Jacobite sympathies and my familiarity with Inverness and environs. It may also be because of my sentimental nature tied to the fact that the romantic aspects get somewhere in this novel as opposed to staying in the limbo of “The Seeker” books I’ve read. There are twists, but they are properly foreshadowed. There are interesting revelations, but they are both inconvenient and congruent with both real and fictional history.

There is wisdom in The Bookseller of Inverness (and not just because I love books). For example, when a Scotsman wishes he had traveled to France with their “king” and “prince,” a Jacobite responds: “You would have grown listless in France, Bailie<—>it’s a country full of disappointed men living on scraps from others’ tables.” (p. 95) I offered historical insight regarding those “right-handed” stairs in many old castles: “…turn after turn of the darkened stairway that was designed so that any attacking swordsman going up with have to fight left-handed, whilst any defender coming down could fight with his right.” (p. 130) And, since I already confessed to being a sentimentalist, I rather savored this description: “Like a wildflower amongst the forced beauties of the hothouse.” (p. 219)

At its foundation, The Bookseller of Inverness is a combination spy/mystery novel. The recipe is firm, but the pacing seems to trudge along at times (for my taste). Still, I love the idea of a secret book with deceptive appearance and interesting code. I like the idea of the supposed good guys being tainted with betrayal, and said betrayal (as well as redressing the betrayal) being an ongoing threat. If one likes secret passages, “treasure” hidden in plain sight, and requital of past wrongs, The Bookseller of Inverness should please you as much as it did me. ...more

Johnny rated a book liked it

Long Past Dues (The Unorthodox Chronicles, #2)
by James J. Butcher

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

In my opinion, Long Past Dues, the second novel in The Unorthodox Chronicles, suffers from second book syndrome. It features good ideas and builds somewhat off the colorful and memorable characters of Dead Man’s Hand but it ends up with so many cleve In my opinion, Long Past Dues, the second novel in The Unorthodox Chronicles, suffers from second book syndrome. It features good ideas and builds somewhat off the colorful and memorable characters of Dead Man’s Hand but it ends up with so many clever twists that there is no satisfying denouement or sense of justice served as the “case” is wrapped up. It seems like James J. Butcher is working so hard to preparing for future sequels that he doesn’t take enough care with the characters and events in this one. I’m glad I read Long Past Dues, but it wasn’t the satisfying experience of Dead Man’s Hand.

I like the idea of Grimshaw Grimswald Grimsby, the protagonist as loser, “out-of-place” as an Auditor (keeper of the peace and law for the “unorthodox” (aka supernatural)) and frustrated at every turn. I love the fact that the comic relief is Wudge, a diminutive supernatural creature who complicates Grimsby’s life. Unfortunately for my taste, Wudge’s rudeness and ingratitude that worked in the first book seems grating and strained in this one. I liked the fact that Grimsby had a mysterious partner who seemed like a cross between a sheriff used to dealing with the supernatural in the Deadlands RPG world and Dirty Harry on the movie screen. Yet, Mayflower doesn’t seem as interesting in this book as he gives into his weakness and guilt. And, as an incurable romantic, I can’t even begin to describe how horribly I feel about Grimsby’s unrequited (apparently) feelings for Raynes, the attractive and excessively competent female Auditor of his dreams. I think what Butcher did with this dynamic is cruel and unusual, as interesting as it may potentially be down the road.

I did enjoy Mayflower’s rumination between feelings of responsibility for Grimsby as his partner and an obligation to the past. “Yet he had another obligation as well, one to the past. Many, or rather most, of his hunts had turned ugly. He wished he could say that he had saved more lives than he’d taken, but it was rare that he was able to stop the bad things before they happened. Instead, he had to learn to settle for stopping them from happening again.” (pp. 221-222) But if you want to know what really kept me coming back in this book, it was the absurdity of making sense of a statement like: “Now, after defeating a goat-wolf-moose-man, he was about to meet with some kind of frozen underworld train demigoddess.” (p. 289)

I hope there are more of The Unorthodox Chronicles; I just hope Butcher will lighten up on “some” of the disasters he throws into Grimsby’s life. I like the way some “bad” things that happen to Grimsby get transformed through fortuity on one hand and stubborn perseverance on the other, but the victories and rewards were sparse in this one. ...more

Johnny rated a book really liked it

The Pot of Gold and Other Plays
by Plautus

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The Penguin Classics Edition of Plautus’ The Pot of Gold and Other Plays is a free and creative translation of the 2nd century BCE playwrights comedies. The penultimate inspiration for such famous plays as Shakespeare’s “Comedy of Errors,” Moliere’s The Penguin Classics Edition of Plautus’ The Pot of Gold and Other Plays is a free and creative translation of the 2nd century BCE playwrights comedies. The penultimate inspiration for such famous plays as Shakespeare’s “Comedy of Errors,” Moliere’s “L’Avare” [also known as “The Miser”], the Miles Gloriosus stereotype (from which Futurama derived its Zapp Brannigan character), and perhaps, through the plots of “The Swaggering Soldier” and “Pseudolus,” A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. I label this as the penultimate inspiration since, ultimately, it is clear that Titus Maccius Plautus lifted many a plot from earlier Greek comedies like Menander’s Epitrepontes (“The Arbitration” or “The Arbitrators”) and the anonymously scribed Alazon (“The Braggart”). So, it is only fair that stereotypes, plot devices, and sections of his comedies be lifted by later playwrights.

The anthology of plays I read was The Pot of Gold and Other Plays.” The common denominator of all of them would be a slave (like the eponymous Pseudolus) who is smarter than his master and a plot based on lust in a male-dominated world. Scratch that, “The Pot of Gold” deals with miserly greed rather than lust. Almost all of them include mistaken identities, though they are usually obfuscated identities as a tool for more intricate ends.

The male-dominated world is most vivid in “The Brothers Menarchmus” when a philanderer’s wife appeals to her father to intervene and his response is that it is her business “to please your husband, not keep spying on everything he does, always wanting to know where he’s going and what he’s up to.” (pp. 131-132) When she protests that he is having an affair with the woman next door, her father responds with no sympathy: “I don’t blame him; and I warrant he’ll go one loving her all the more, the more you keep on at him like this.” (p. 132)

The clever slave stereotype is demonstrated when Palaestrio is plotting the continuation of his scheme in “The Swaggering Soldier” when he says: “A well-laid plan is worse than no plan at all, if the enemy can make use of it. If it’s any use to the enemy, it’s no use to you.” (p. 176) When his “real” master questions the capabilities of a co-conspirator, the elderly gentleman says: “Good God, man! Do you think I’ve got one foot in the grave already? You think I’ve lived long enough, do you, and ought to be in my coffin? I’m only fifty-four, let me tell you; I can see without spectacles, I’m nimble on my pins and I can turn my hand to anything.” (p. 177) The idea of 54 as the age of senescence is anachronistic compared to our era, but it is a sober reminder of the shorter life-span in the Graeco-Roman eras. And when the stereotypical superior slave over-instructs a co-conspirator in “Pseudolus,” said conspirator takes umbrage: “Can’t you stop jawing at me? It makes a chap forget all he remembers, to be constantly reminded not to forget what he knows quite well.” (p. 252) I know the feeling.

Finally, on the serious side. I like that Plautus retained the Greek name “Harpax” for the servant of the Macedonian soldier who was to be victimized. It is similar to a Greek verb for grabbing or hanging onto something, so Plautus makes the most of it. When Pseudolus makes fun of Harpax by saying that they don’t want any of his “harpacity” here, the victim responds: “I’m noted for snatching my victims alive off the field of battle; that’s how I got my name.” (p. 242). Pseudolus accuses him of snatching brass pots instead.

I’m very glad to have found and read this anthology. The translation is vibrant and makes one inspired to chase back some of the original lines in the Latin. I thoroughly enjoyed this and will now look for the other Plautus anthology published by Penguin Classics. ...more

Johnny rated a book liked it

The Bible and Recent Archaeology
by Kathleen M. Kenyon

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Although the title is The Bible and Recent Archaeology, Dame Kathleen M. Kenyon’s coffee table book on largely Palestinian archaeology and its relationship to the Bible is largely outdated. That doesn’t mean it isn’t useful. It’s maps, site diagrams, Although the title is The Bible and Recent Archaeology, Dame Kathleen M. Kenyon’s coffee table book on largely Palestinian archaeology and its relationship to the Bible is largely outdated. That doesn’t mean it isn’t useful. It’s maps, site diagrams, black and white photographs, and summaries of conclusions through three-fourths of the twentieth century are extremely valuable. It is, of course, most interesting to read the sections on Jericho (where Kenyon directed a major dig and my grad school prof was an assistant director) and Ai (where my prof was director).

I well-remember the day in a seminar when I advocated something of a hybrid between Callaway’s own idea of a small Iron Age village atop the ruins of Ai and Norman Gottwald’s presentation of a combined, rebellion, conquest, settlement scheme. Callaway said that he had tried to convince Kenyon of such a theory (pre-Gottwald, of course) but had been unsuccessful. Well, in this little volume I read: “Professor Callaway has identified a modest Iron Age village, in which two stages can be recognized. He suggested that the first of these was the one on wich the attack in the Book of Joshua is so vividly described. The pottery found does not suggest an early stage in the entry of the Israelites, and the break between the two stages seems very slight.” (p. 40) With regard to the latter, one wonders how significant the break would need to be, and regarding the former, one needs to sift that evidence carefully to make sure it doesn’t reflect contamination from a later settlement.

Still, Kenyon’s generally skeptical view of “conquest” evidence leads one more and more to a conclusion that the “conquest” narrative is a slender portion of what was going on in that era such that it is no wonder that those seeking to undermine the Bible have resorted to assertions that there is “no evidence whatsoever.” What we see in Kenyon is that there is some ambiguous evidence in places that might be possible and that there seem to be multiple incursions going on over a much larger period than the biblical schema covers.

Once the subject turns to the era of the unified and divided monarchies, the evidence is more helpful in illustrating the biblical history. I particularly liked her concise summary of Egyptian/Phoenician/Assyrian influences in construction along with illustration of how the cherubim carving at Nimrud might inform our understanding of the cherubim over the Ark of the Covenant (image on p. 58). But it was really when she began to describe findings in the Northern Kingdom (starting on p. 67) that the most valuable insights for Bible students came into being.
I enjoyed the very brief synopsis of Qumran’s history (discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls—pp. 93-95), though I was somewhat disappointed with the limited description of Masada (pp. 91-92). But, since I have largely focused on archaeology and the Hebrew Bible as opposed to New Testament archaeology, I was startled to realize that Kenyon believes the traditional Church of the Holy Sepulchre site for the crucifixion and burial may be the authentic one due to later recognition of a north wall (in agreement with Josephus’ description) where those sites would both have been outside the wall (pp. 97-99).

It just goes to show that no matter how much one has studied a subject, it is always useful to review one’s knowledge from the overview provided by an expert. The Bible and Recent Archaeology is a most useful overview, even though I have sources which are much more recent. ...more

Johnny rated a book liked it

Appointment at Bloodstar by E.E. "Doc" Smith

Appointment at Bloodstar (Family d'Alembert, #5)
by E.E. "Doc" Smith

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Although I’ve read novels in the Lensmen universe and Skylark series by E. E. “Doc” Smith, I hadn’t been aware of The Family D’alembert Series until I saw Appointment at Bloodstar in a used bookstore. I nabbed it without realizing that this was going Although I’ve read novels in the Lensmen universe and Skylark series by E. E. “Doc” Smith, I hadn’t been aware of The Family D’alembert Series until I saw Appointment at Bloodstar in a used bookstore. I nabbed it without realizing that this was going to be space opera in a tremendous pulp adventure tradition. It has super secret interstellar agencies and super secret enemy conspiracies. It has interstellar spies and galactic pirates. It has secret bases and spies who operate out of an insterstellar circus. Can there be anything more “pulp adventure” than this? Doc Savage and The Avenger can eat their hearts out (chuckle).

In Appointment at Bloodstar, as I assume in the rest of the series, the Empire serves as the “good guys” as opposed to other space operas where the imperial forces and authorities stand as tackling dummies for the evils of imperialism. Since we know very little as of yet about the sinister villainess, Lady A, and her associates, they may be metaphorical punching bags for evils of capitalism. We don’t know, but they seem to have unlimited funding and an inexplicable access to advanced technology. I doubt this is a full-blown criticism of capitalism because that doesn’t seem to fit what I’ve read in other “Doc” Smith novels, but from this book alone it isn’t clear what the motivation is for the disloyal opposition.

The novel has the typical pulp adventure traps, bad luck, periods of unconsciousness, and forced fumbles along with the daring acrobatics one would associate with circus performer undercover operatives. There is romance, jealousy, and betrayal. The action scenes are right out of Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon tradition. I could easily see this as an old-time movie serial (and as in movie serials, some of the action is redundant as though reusing footage), but let me make it clear that I very much enjoy old movie serials.

Unlike the premise of Appointment at Bloodstar with its multiple assassinations of the imperial elite basis, the novel is not earth-shaking science-fiction or space opera. However, it is the kind of book that keeps you reading. If one is the kind of reader that can suspend disbelief and just go with the flow, Appointment at Bloodstar is an enjoyable experience. If one is looking for something deeper, nothing to see here. ...more

Johnny’s Year In Books

Johnny L. Wilson’s Followers (144)

Johnny’s Bookshelves

Johnny’s Friends (79)

2025 Reading Challenge

Johnny L. Wilson

Goodreads Author

2 posts
Johnny L. Wilson's Blog: Doctor Johnny's Literary Medicine Show

Comic Book Novels

Combine Editions
Johnny L. Wilson’s books

rss
Johnny’s Recent Updates

Johnny’s Friend Comments

	High Score by Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson (Goodreads Author) 3.95 avg rating — 243 ratings — published 2002 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Simcity Planning Commission Handbook 3.56 avg rating — 9 ratings — published 1990 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sid Meier's Civilization or Rome on 640k a day by Johnny L. Wilson (Goodreads Author), Russell Sipe, Alan Emrich 4.33 avg rating — 6 ratings — published 1992	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Official Simcity 2000 Planning Commission Handbook by Peter Spear, Johnny L. Wilson (Goodreads Author), Virginia Soper really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 4 ratings — published 1993 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Dungeon Magazine #96 by Chris Thomasson (Editor), Matthew Sernett (Editor), Stacie Fiorito (Editor) 3.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2003	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Call to Power II: Official Strategy Guide really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 2000	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Civilization: Call to Power, Official Strategy Guide liked it 3.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 1999 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Simearth Bible liked it 3.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 1991	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Death Beyond (Lost Tomes of Karak, #1) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2006	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Metal Lords: The Official Strategy Guide by Alan Emrich, Johnny L. Wilson (Goodreads Author) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Johnny L. Wilson’s Followers (144)

Johnny L. Wilson

Goodreads Author

rssJohnny’s Recent Updates

rss
Johnny’s Recent Updates