Book Description
John Lawson's amazingly detailed yet lively book is easily one of the most valuable of the early histories of the Carolinas, and it is certainly one of the best travel accounts of the early eighteenth-century colonies.An inclusive account of the manners and customs of the Indian tribes of that day, it is also a minute report of the soil, climate, trees, plants, animals, and fish in the Carolinas.

Lawson's observation is keen and thorough; his style direct and vivid.He misses nothing and recounts all—from the storms at sea to his impressions of New York in 1700, the trip down the coast to Charleston, and his travels from there into North Carolina with his Indian guides.

The first edition of this work was published in London in 1709.While various editions followed in the eighteenth century—including two in German—this edition is a true copy of the original and is the first to include a comprehensive index.It also contains "The Second Charter," "An Abstract of the Constitution of Carolina," Lawson's will, and several previously unpublished letters written by Lawson.A number of DeBry woodcuts of John White's drawings of Indian life, sketches of the beasts of Carolina which appeared in the original 1709 edition, and Lawson's map contribute additional interest to this volume. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Gov. James Hunt should name US Rt. 85, John Lawson Highway
Young John Lawson describes his adventure canoing and hiking through the Carolina Coastal Plain and Piedmont in the winter of 1700.Lawson's descriptions are detailed, especially of the many generous Native Americanswho helped him on his way.His journey started in Charleston, continuedthrough the Charlotte area, then east to Okeneechee Village on the EnoRiver (now Hillsborogh) and on to the coast near New Bern.This book is anunknown classic. ... Read more

Book Description
Already known for his works of speculative fiction, author John Edward Lawson uses Discouraging at Best to take a look at the "real" world. On the pages within are five interlinked tales that, when pieced together, paint a panorama of apathy, greed, and manipulation.We follow the self-inflicted plight of working class families and their efforts to step on others in the race to get ahead. We watch the petty wars of Nobel laureates. We become immersed in the minds of those caught in an ankle-biters rebellion. We are drawn into the intrigues and incompetence of those pulling the strings at the highest level of government. And, ultimately, we wonder: why?Here the absurdity of the mundane expands exponentially creating a tidal wave that sweeps reason away. For those who enjoy satire, bizarro literature, or a good old-fashioned slap to the senses, Discouraging at Best offers extra helpings of each. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Discouraging at Best by John Edward Lawson
In his latest book Discouraging at Best, award winning poet, fiction writer, and editor John Edward Lawson takes on everyday American life as his subject, becoming at turns hilarious and gravely serious.Functioning as a bizarro page-turner as well as social commentary, this collection of interlinked stories follows the life a working class family, the thought processes of a comically pompous Nobel Prize winning author, and the inner workings of the White House.These stories often intersect and illuminate one another, presenting the reader with a satirical portrait of the ways people of different genders, ethnicities, and social classes interact and view one other.



Lawson's approach to satire is highly inventive.His writing drifts gracefully between different characters' points of view, allowing the reader to view the same plot through several characters' eyes. In the first chapter of the novel, which deals with the struggles and adventures of the Havenot family, July Havenot tries to rent his son out to wealthy neighbors as a disciplinarian, and this incident is recounted from the point of view of the father as well as his daughter Josephine and his son Malcolm.Early in the book, for example, Lawson writes from the father's perspective:"This son of his would go from door to door, yes, with that supple, imposing thorn switch, and he would hawk his wares, oh yeah, unlimited whippings for just five bucks" (10).The narrative then shifts to Malcolm's point of view, revealing how frightening this scheme has become to the young boy, then transitioning daughter Josephine's perspective and her confusion as to the general state of chaos in her family.Providing the reader with a mosaic-like narrative comprised of different voices and perspectives, Lawson's approach is both imaginative and hilarious in its pairings, juxtapositions, and contrasts.



In portraying the interactions between these characters, the stylistic aspects of the book often change shape to suit the individual being described.For example, Lawson makes a dramatic shift in tone and diction between the first chapter, in which he describes the day-to-day lives of the Havenots, and the second, in which he writes in the voice of a fictional Nobel Prize winner.He narrates in the first chapter, for instance:"This was his scheme of schemes; no way could this fail to bring home the bacon" (9).The conversational tone, use of slang, and informal diction form a stark contrast with the following chapter, which reads:"...By that time my antagonized mind was bubbling with the lewdest of obscenities dredged up from the course sediment of my darkest sentiments..." (48). This ceremonious and stately tone in the second section of the book suits the scholarly Nobel Prize winner's character, whose voice narrates this chapter, just as the more casual opening of the novel reflects the personality of the Havenots.This juxtaposition of several different narrative voices gives the reader a sense of the diversity of the cast of characters, expressing on a formal level how these dissimilar people, views, and voices coexist and relate to each other.



Discouraging at Best is an accomplished and enjoyable read.A fabulous introduction to John Edward Lawson's work as well as a treat for long-time fans, these stories are stylistically innovative and engaging.Highly recommended.

Tight
In Discouraging At Best, John Edward Lawson has created and confronted intertwined tales of human behavior, political awareness, social morality and its boundaries, and the ever-present racial tensions that continue to drudge through this "civilized" nation among other topics.This serious approach to fiction is not without Lawson's ability to bring disgust and humor to the situation at hand at any given moment.His words are sharp on the tongue and his sentences sting the eyes, they read as though they are fully written books themselves.Tight, righteous and slightly surreal, Discouraging At Best is full of wonder and intelligent story telling.John Edward Lawson is easily a top dog of the small and specialty press. ... Read more

Book Description
Kenrick Brimley, the state prison's official gigolo, hangs over a lava pit on trial for his life in a strange land. He will reveal the course of his life one misguided step at a time for his captors. From his romance with serial arsonist Leena Manasseh to his lurid angst-affair with a lesbian music diva, from his ascendance as unlikely pop icon to otherworldly encounters, the one constant truth is that he's got no clue what he's doing.As unrelenting as it is original, Last Burn in Hell is John Edward Lawson at his most scorching intensity, serving up sexy satire and postmodern pulp with his trademark day-glow prose.The Director's Cut includes: deleted scenes, alternate ending, remastering for more enjoyable viewing, and more! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Prison life, Mexico, Pop stardom, and WEIRDNESS...
You know those crime movies you stumble upon late at night? The ones that were made (you assume) somewhere in the late 1990s? There's lots of action, backstabbing, double crossing, and sex? It's the movies that usually star some B actors you see everywhere but can't name. You know the type. The ones that aren't art films or heavy-handed attempts at making a "serious" film but rather fun crime romps through the desert, through Mexico, in and out of dangerous situations? Sexy women, strong men, strong women and action. Lots of action. Well... this is what LAST BURN IN HELL is like.. except the plot is warped with a keen sense of weirdness.

The feel of the novel reminds me of those films (which I love). Like a cross between TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M., RED ROCK WEST, ... and other such neo-noir films.. except LAST BURN IN HELL (director's cut!) has a sense of humor.. and a sense of the bizarre that'll satisfy fans of the odd, the surreal, and the strange.

I won't go into the director's cut angle. Actually, okay, I will. It's a gimmick but a good one. Deleted scenes, alternate ending, and even a soundtrack (well, no, you can't really LISTEN to it but still..).

I'm fairly sure that this is John Edward Lawson's first novel. If it is, well, then pat yourself on the back for even considering reading this. It's exciting, funny, weird, and fast-paced. All good ingredients for an entertaining read.

PROS:
Humor. It's funny.. but not really absurd funny (well, not too much). It takes a lot of shots at pop culture and that makes for some good laughs.
Organization. There are little chapters and blurbs here and there (like a top 10 US singles chart.. which ties in later with the story). They're clever and funny.
Plot. The story moves along and the reader encounters many different characters in many places. If this was a movie, it'd be one where you wouldn't be bored for a minute.

CONS:
Confusion. Especially towards the end. I'm guessing that because the author writes a lot of poetry, he may be use to setting the stage using obscure imagery. That works in poetry but in fiction, it can sometimes make it difficult for the reader to figure out just what is really going on. I don't consider myself an unintelligent person but by the end, I wasn't too sure what exactly happened. I get the gist of it.. but there are just some details and events that confused me. Again, some people may not feel this way. Regardless, it shouldn't stop you from buying and reading this book.

CONCLUSION:
You should read this book. It's fun and entertaining as hell. The fact that it says "Director's Cut" should clue you in to the fact that it flows like a movie albeit one with some weird twists and turns. The set-up is original; the characters are original and/or humorously based on real-type people.

This is a "bizarro" book that you shouldn't miss.

Forget all you know or think you know
Okay--forget for a second that John Edward Lawson is a fantastic writer.Forget that he's assisted in the pioneering of fringe and unusual literature.Forget, too, that his fiction is capable of making you physically recoil in horror one second and eliciting uncontrollable laughter from you the next.For a second, despite all that, let's focus on this book.

The story of a gigilo in a women's prison--when it was originally published, it had everything you'd think such a story would have.Here, the "Director's Cut," plays out like a special edition DVD, replete with bonus scenes, behind-the-scenes, alternate endings, and even a soundtrack (that probably WON'T play in your CD player).Lawson has taken creativity to a whole new level, insisting that the publishing industry as a whole stand up and take notice.The George Orwell of our time, John Lawson illuminates the new direction of fiction...then punches it square in the face.

A fun read -- with extras!
Kenrick Brimley (call him "Ken" or "Rick" but never "Kenrick" -- and he's no relation to that other Brimley who "eats the oatmeals") has a job you didn't hear about at the high school Job Fair. He works at the local women's prison as a sort of conjugal consultant, offering Death Row residents one final night of pleasure before the state kills them. The closest thing he has to a long-term relationship is with Leena, a convicted arsonist whom he has visited multiple times due to the various postponements of her execution.

Last Burn in Hell: Director's Cut is a newly expanded edition of the first novel (and reportedly the first of a series) by John Edward Lawson -- publisher, editor, author, and Bram Stoker Award-nominated poet (for The Troublesome Amputee). Just like the special edition DVDs of your favorite films, this book offers deleted scenes, an alternate ending (that lets the reader choose between "into the sunset" and "final confrontation" styles), a soundtrack to assemble, promotional stills, and more features that make it a must-have even for those who already have the original edition of Last Burn in Hell.

Lawson tells the story as a modern-day pulp-style adventure, with Brimley going from one implausible situation to another in rapid succession (see David Dodge's The Last Match for a good example of the style). We can only sit back and watch as Brimley goes from prison guard to Death Row gigolo, from pop star hanger-on to movie-set masseur, and from the inadvertent next big rap superstar to the inadvertent instigator of a rash of suicides.

Brimley's strange adventure itself would be enough to make Last Burn in Hell: Director's Cut a fun read, but the author also satirizes the style and himself in the process: he's quite aware of how unbelievable the whole thing is (and especially how his character is going through all too familiar fictional situations), and embraces it with fervor. But instead of seeming cliched and trite, it all adds up to a skewed kind of originality.

A few political statements worm their way into the story, but they're presented with a good deal of humor -- as if to say Don't take me too seriously ... but pay attention! -- that makes them go down easy. John Edward Lawson is very much a man of ideas (one need only read his poetry to understand that), and Last Burn in Hell: Director's Cut shows that not only is he constantly coming up with new ones, but he is also unlikely to run out of them anytime soon.

[A final note: Though it would be easy to slap a label on it based on Lawson's prior work (especially his appearance in The Bizarro Starter Kit), don't call this book bizarro. Lawson has used the picaresque method, very familiar to the mainstream, to tell his story, and Last Burn in Hell: Director's Cut is really no stranger than, say, John Irving's early novels. In fact, it would very likely appeal to fans of The World According to Garp, and it deserves that large and diverse audience.]

"A Punch Line Aimed at Your Chin . . ."
Without a doubt, John Edward Lawson is what Friedrich Nietzsche would have called an "Ubermensch" ("overman," or "superman") of the written word.Last Burn in Hell is a nonstop romp in a bizarre world of a man who has one of the best, and at the same time, worst jobs possible.His landscape is fresh, his strokes are perfect, and the final product is a wonderfully mastered piece of bizarro fiction that will leave you enthralled.You will be left craving more work of Lawson.

Last Burn in Hell: Director's Cut is s stunning piece of literary creativity; and original endeavor that is both entertaining and genius: a novel written in the format of a DVD.

Director's Cut includes the original novel Last Burn in Hell, along with Bonus Features: the Soundtrack, Deleted Scenes, an Alternative Ending, and Previews.To top it off, this one even comes with "errors" on the disc.

Last Burn in Hell: Director's Cut is a fresh take on the mundane format of the novel.John Edward Lawson has given birth to a greatly needed renegade with a push toward progress and "A punch line aimed at your chin . . . ."

... Read more

Book Description
The publishing world has just received its bill of health, and the prognosis isn't pretty. Literary marauders are rising up from the hazardous material bins labeled Horror, Surrealism, and Science Fiction. Here the pen is not merely mightier than the sword; it is a plague heralding the apocalypse for convention, writing a dirge for complacency. The stories herein explore illness in all its forms: physical, mental, and societal. These sick stories are horrendous, hilarious, and stupefying dissections of creative minds on the scalpel's edge. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Very SICK indeed ! Very Original anthology
Very "splatterpunky" if you like that. I do, but also very original in theme. I own over 300 horror anthologies, and this is at the top of my list! Find it if you can, and buy it if you arent squeemish. Gory and visceral, and scary

The only thing disgusting was the writing...
As an avid horror fan, and a fan of truly morbid things, I had very high hopes for this book.It was the type of book that I normally read, and love.However, after reading about 10 of the stories, I found myself not only disappointed, but wanting those hours of my life back!Inside this book you will find some of the dumbest, most poorly written horror short stories you will ever read.They were so laughable that I read parts of them out loud to my husband so he could get a chuckle as well.

I cannot emphasize how poorly written this book is.In fact a few of the stories made absolutely no logical sense whatsoever. The few and far between "disgusting" parts seemed gratuitous and written in there just for the anthology.Most stories dealt with mental "sickness" of deranged and insane people - for instance vietnam soldiers or altheimers victims.

If you are going to read a good horror anthology, there are plenty out there, but this is not one of them. It seemed more like the writing you would get from a high schooler than a professional writer.

Wrong in so many of the right ways...
SICK is a rock-solid antho.The sheer range of stories, from the directly, appallingly nasty shock of Sakowski's "A Terrible Thing to Waste" to the philisophical, Analog-type Dick-ery of Chambers' "The Kind Old Fellow," makes this worth reading.Add on the range of literary experimentation that actually succeeds here and you've got the makings of an underground classic.

I very seriously wish I would have skipped that Sakowksi story, though.Ed Lee fans and those who appreciate effective short fiction will dig it, but I don't know that I'll ever be willing to go under anesthetic again.

Damn, that story's messed up.

Pass me that barf bag, the one with the pretty picture on it
'Sick' is sick at it's best form, both ethereal and bloody and down right retching.

The editorial blurb said of Sick, 'Themes explored are physical, mental, and societal in nature.'
Not the best way to put in the divider marks, but Sick is basically broken down into three parts.

Part 1.01 - God Playing On The Posterior Of A Man When He Is Thinking About Tulips, would lean toward the more physical of the malaises.

Part 1.02 - Spontaneous Ars Poetica, tends to drift into the surreal.

Part 1.03 - Excessive Exposure To Time, seemed to leap into some shallow ponds of SciFi/Horror and left the best taste in my mouth of all.

There are too many stories to list individually, mostly short fiction with interspersed pieces of flash fiction to fill out the menu. You will find grotesqueries revulsion, stimulation, comedy, blood and gore, surrealism, and many other oddities that melted in a very satisfactory way on my horror palate.

At the back, Editor John Edward Lawson has kindly included short bios of the contributing authors, which is always a nice dessert after a horror read to me.

My absolute favorite story would have to be 'A Night To Remember With Mocha Sumatra', by Mark McLaughlin.
Very honorable mentions would also be:
The Garbage Eaters by Scott Christian Carr
The Legend Of Jimmy Wad by Vincent W. Sakowski
Wuornos by Harold Jaffe
The Will Of The Dresser, The Will Of The Blender by Kevin L. Donihe and satan165.
The Wishing Urn by Steve Goldsmith
The King Old Fellow by James Chambers
Drainage by Christian Westerlund
Along Came Auntie Rose Mary by Brutal Dreamer

And many many more.
If you like horror anthologies as much as I do, craving that tiniest of snacks before bedtime to feed and nurture the coming nightmare, then you must own a copy of Sick. It fed my soul just fine.

Of notable mention also is the amazing cover art of this book by David Anthony Migitis. I strongly recommend if you like surreal, odd, despairing artwork; you should check out his other works. Very talented artist. Enjoy!

Keeps you on your toes
Now I ask you, with so much going on in the world today and horrors revealed daily on the evening news, is it still possible to shock the apathetic and indifferent? After reading this book all I can sum up is, "Hell Yes"! In fact, let me back up that statement with the admission that I was physically ill not once but twice during my visit into this world. This is not your typical run-of-the-mill scare here kiddies. In an arena created with mayhem and anarchy, Lawson makes sure to not only make you tremble with fear; he's going to make you beg to be released.

Bringing together a stellar collection of writers to assist him, Lawson annihilates the standard. With thirty-six stories revolving around the abnormal, the insane and the alluringly repugnant, I warn you - you will find no comfort here. Lets start off with the tale that resulted in my illness, A Terrible Thing To Waste, written by Vincent W. Sakowski. A tale about an operation that went south, Sakowski took only two pages to mangle and distort the perception of hospital protocol and induce my lunch to resurface [figuritively].

Some other tales here are Mouthful of Dust, Along Came Auntie Rose, Drainage and Portrait of a Suburb. Adding their own piece of flayed skin to an overpopulated pool of horror, each author and story adds a new perspective. This collection confirms my theory that should horror writers not be permitted to write out their therapy, they might have been highly successful serial killers.

What makes a compilation like this stand out is the distinctive angle of each story. From one tale to the next, you're never really sure where you'll end up. From the quietly haunting to the appallingly shocking, this book keeps you on your toes and your mind in chaos.

My rating? I give it a 4 . For the Simple fact that even though I love horror, I like my meals even more. Buy the paperback and save those extra few dollars for some paper bags and a bottle of Pepto Bismol. ... Read more

Book Description
This book is the outcome of work undertaken in Greece during Mr. Lawson's two years' tenure of the Craven Studentship from 1898 to 1900. The scheme of the work originally proposed was the investigation of the customs and superstitions of modern Greece in their possible bearing upon the life and thought of ancient Greece. Partial Contents: survival of tradition; survival of pagan deities; communion of gods and men; relation of soul and body; cremation and inhumation; benefit of dissolution; union of gods and men; index of Greek words and phrases. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Highest Recommendation
Greek village life has been disappearing rapidly over the past 30 years as the actual villagers have died off. But this study was made over 100 years ago, when villages were thriving with thousands of people, and the direct connections between their religious and cultural practices and their ancient ancestors as shown in this book make it an incredibly important and truly invaluable historical document. ... Read more

Book Description

Kay Arthurs lifechanging New Inductive Study Series (morethan 880,000 sold) brings readers facetoface with the truth of Godsprecepts, promises, and purposesin just minutes a day.

The letters of James and John, and Pauls letter toPhilemon, are among the most practical writings in the New Testament. BelovedBible teacher Kay Arthur helps readers employ the triedandtrue methods ofinductive Bible study to discover Gods design for successful relationships,including...

• everyday friendships in the church
• business dealings between employers and employees
• interactions between the rich and the poor

Both individuals and groups will enjoy unearthing treasuresof biblical wisdom on many other contemporary issues as well.

Customer Reviews (1)

God's Love Alive In You (Arthur, Kay)- Wonderful Study
This is a great way to study in depth the books of 1,2,3 John, Philemon and James.It gives great insight and background and really challenges the reader to think about how these books apply to our lives.This is the second study I have done by Kay Arthur and am as impressed by the insight it gives.I would highly recommend this study to those who wish to go deeply in the word of God. ... Read more

Book Description
Includes Belief in God, The Jesus of History, The Word of the Cross, The Power and the Wisdom, The Spirit of the Lord, The People of God, The Means of Grace, The Written Word, The Double Cure, and The Hope of Glory. ... Read more

Book Description
This collection highlights dark surrealism at its most experimental and absurd depths. The texts are perception-altering and soul-poisoning, humorous in the way that accidental amputation and spontaneous combustion are. From the man who works at the foot fungus factory to the man who lives in a giant rectum, Pocket Full of Loose Razorblades will leave you wondering where you misplaced your sanity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Lick the Pages
Like all I have read by Lawson, Pocket Full of Loose Razorblades is infectious.Each story forcefully kidnaps your attention and doesn't let go until the very end, and when it's over you find yourself with a case of Stockholm Syndrome.With Lawson's unique voice, this smooth criminal twists and contorts your mind into believing the unbelievable; rupturing logical thought with industrialized bizarro worlds of corporate birthed chubby children first thought as impossible, and then giving belief in such impossibilities.The engrossment accomplished within his words leaves the reader pondering upon metaphors, reading deeper into the text to find a play upon our culture, our societies, and our humanity. A must read for anyone into the new genre of bizarro.

Dangerous to mix with lickable toads
Bizarro author John Edward Lawson's first short fiction collection is a messy affair.Messy in the pulsing, spurting, purple toxic sludge pit kind of way.Messy like those moments when Cronenberg decides to show you wet things writhing.For those jumping into this collection, invest in some wet-naps; you're going to feel dirty by the end of the affair.

Lawson's tales here, many of which are experimental in a way that defies standard storytelling, are uniformly strange.For example, the best story of the batch, "Consumable Leftovers," involves a man who leaves behind his cubicle life for the wilderness.What starts as an entertaining attack on modern culture takes a grotesque (or is it just gross?) turn when the narrator finds himself encamped in the warm and fruitful bowels of a giant.I'm not kidding.But Lawson manages to take what could have been a juvenile exercise in ass humor and turns it into a funny and entertaining metaphorical rumination.

Other stories of note are "Fabricating Opiates" in which three characters roam a labyrinthine house and are forced by old men to remove garments for reasons unknown, and "A Blight in the Darkness" about Urban Decay Specialists working in a corroding future to make sure the world continues to fall to bits.And the author has an obsession with ice cream trucks that can only be described as "unhealthy."

Not every strange bird in this collection takes flight (as in sections 2-4 of "Less Than Lickable," a lengthy piece about the obsessions of a mentally ill man) but when Lawson's firing on all synapses he's got a gift for the surreal that makes you follow him into the weirdest, wettest places with a smile on your face.And for those looking for an escape from werewolves, serial killers, and vampires, Pocket Full of Loose Razorblades offers a nice vacation- as long as you don't mind venturing into a gigantic bowel now and then.

Lawson is awesome!
This collection is an excellent introduction to the work of John Lawson. His stories conjure up worlds that are like cover songs of our reality, where the original version is recognizable, but its absurdism, grotesqueness, humor, and refusal to adhere to the laws of physics make it into something entirely different. There was this feeling that I kept getting as I read this book, something difficult to communicate without sounding a little silly: something alien-like and gooey, like I was spending time in a radically different headspace.

My favorite story in the book was 'Less Than Lickable,' which is novella-length. This one is a little different from the rest. Instead of using a world of the bizarre, Lawson chooses to use a more familiar setting while sucking up all the strangeness of his other stories into the body of the mentally unbalanced protagonist, who manipulates his environment in many amusing ways. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Ahfad Journal, published by Ahfad University for Women on July 1, 2003. The length of the article is 1252 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: John B Lawson and Kelsey A. Harrison Eds. (2001) Maternity care in Developing Countries.(Book Review)
Author: Souad Musa Ahmed
Publication: Ahfad Journal (Refereed)
Date: July 1, 2003
Publisher: Ahfad University for Women
Volume: 20Issue: 1Page: 56(4)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
Tow plays by John Howard Lawson.From the Author:Of the plays in this volume, The Pure in Heart existed for seven performances; Gentlewoman was performed 12 times. It is my belief of the management in both cases, that these plays would appeal to a limited, but appreciative audience. The cost of operation made a fair test of public response impossible. It is perfectly obvious that the plays were not closed by the public. They were closed by Irresponsible Dictatorship. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Cineaste, published by Thomson Gale on December 22, 2006. The length of the article is 1673 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Final Victim of the Blacklist: John Howard Lawson, Dean of the Hollywood Ten.(Book review)
Author: Larry Ceplair
Publication: Cineaste (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 22, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 32Issue: 1Page: 74(2)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document, covering the life and work of John Howard Lawson, is an entry from Contemporary Authors, a reference volume published by Thompson Gale. The length of the entry is 1340 words. The page length listed above is based on a typical 300-word page. Although the exact content of each entry from this volume can vary, typical entries include the following information:

• Place and date of birth and death (if deceased)
• Family members
• Education
• Professional associations and honors
• Employment
• Writings, including books and periodicals
• A description of the author's work
• References to further readings about the author

Book Description
Before he attained notoriety as Dean of the Hollywood Ten--the blacklisted screenwriters and directors persecuted because of their varying ties to the Communist Party--John Howard Lawson had become one of the most brilliant, successful, and intellectual screenwriters on the Hollywood scene in the 1930s and 1940s, with several hits to his credit including Blockade, Sahara, and Action in the North Atlantic. After his infamous, almost violent, 1947 hearing before the House Un-American Activities Committee, Lawson spent time in prison and his lucrative career was effectively over. Studded with anecdotes and based on previously untapped archives, this first biography of Lawson brings alive his era and features many of his prominent friends and associates, including John Dos Passos, Theodore Dreiser, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Chaplin, Gene Kelly, Edmund Wilson, Ernest Hemingway, Humphrey Bogart, Dalton Trumbo, Ring Lardner, Jr., and many others. Lawson's life becomes a prism through which we gain a clearer perspective on the evolution and machinations of McCarthyism and anti-Semitism in the United States, on the influence of the left on Hollywood, and on a fascinating man whose radicalism served as a foil for launching the political careers of two Presidents: Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. In vivid, marvelously detailed prose, Final Victim of the Blacklist restores this major figure to his rightful place in history as it recounts one of the most captivating episodes in twentieth century cinema and politics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Engaging Portrait of The Ten's Most Controversal Figure
This is an indespensible addition to the Hollywood Blacklist Canon. The author reevaluates Jack Lawson's plays, screenwriting, and political development, as well as documenting the conflicts of the Hollywood Left of the thirties and forties. The depth of research of this book is impressive, with Lawson's extensive self-analysis layered throughout the text. The author also mines such primary sources as FBI files and the then Red Baiting "Hollywood Reporter" for additional insight. A scholarly yet very readable book, this is a must for anyone interested in radical American politics of the period, Hollywood, and the Blacklist.

A Man and His Times
For many of us with an interest in the Hollywood blacklist period, John Howard Lawson appears as something of a negative symbol. Variously characterized as a Stalinist hardliner, a cultural commissar, and a hack writer, he frequently comes across as the least sympathetic of the purge victims. The image is usually that of a one dimensional minion of the party line, without either imagination or compassion. Horne's strongly focused biography attempts to get beyond the cliches to the details of the man's work as both writer and activist. The result is a much more complex portrait than what the public image conveys. But perhaps more importantly, Lawson's career also charts the rise and fall of the Communist Party in Southern California andthe wrenching struggle to organize screenwriters within the industry that employed him. Thus, the book follows not only Lawson's career but those larger events that he strove so mightily to influence. Horne's meticulously researched book is indispensible for anyone interested in those topics.

Several miscellaneous comments. What we learn of Lawson the man comes mainly from his professional life and little from the personal side. I wish there were more anecdotes about the personal side that might reveal more about the man than what the writer-activist reveals, which frankly tends to confirm the cultural-commissar accusations. Also, the text could use better editing, as, for example, the numerous points at which Lawson is said to have "committed" to the party. For me, that got confusing. As to the often leveled charge that Hollywood reds smuggled propaganda lines into their movies--that claim is thoroughly debunked by both Lawson and Horne, showing how many layers of supervision scripts had to pass through before reaching the screen. Lastly, the book is very revealing about the way in which the blacklist was used to strengthen the role of producers at the expense of writers, which, I believe, amounts to a lesser known aspect of the period.

Whatever one thinks of Lawson's politics, it's apparent that he remained a steadfast champion of social equality and economic justice throughout his life. Moreover, he participated at the center of one of America's most tumultuous and treacherous periods, with literary and film-maker contacts far and wide. In fact, it may not be possible to understand the trajectory of modern American film-making without the kind of insight into that crucial post-war period that Horne provides. Thanks to the author, the public now has an opportunity to better assess both the the Dean of the Hollywood Ten and his times. For, as the book shows, the two are inseparable in many ways-- ways that are still with us, as the anti-Moslem hysteria and repressive Patriot Act abundantly illustrate. ... Read more

Product Description
Theory and Technique of Playwriying ... Read more