John W. Cook's Books

The Refiner's Fire

The Making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644-1844

By: John L. Brooke

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The Refiner's Fire

The Making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644-1844

By: John L. Brooke

This 1995 book presents an alternative and comprehensive understanding of the roots of Mormon religion.

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Page Count

448

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0521565642

ISBN 13

9780521565646

The Reason for the Darkness of the Night

Edgar Allan Poe and the Forging of American Science

By: John Tresch

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The Reason for the Darkness of the Night

Edgar Allan Poe and the Forging of American Science

By: John Tresch

Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize | Finalist for the 2022 Edgar Award Winner of the 2021 Quinn Award An innovative biography of Edgar Allan Poe—highlighting his fascination and feuds with science. Decade after decade, Edgar Allan Poe remains one of the most popular American writers. He is beloved around the world for his pioneering detective fiction, tales of horror, and haunting, atmospheric verse. But what if there was another side to the man who wrote “The Raven” and “The Fall of the House of Usher”? In The Reason for the Darkness of the Night, John Tresch offers a bold new biography of a writer whose short, tortured life continues to fascinate. Shining a spotlight on an era when the lines separating entertainment, speculation, and scientific inquiry were blurred, Tresch reveals Poe’s obsession with science and lifelong ambition to advance and question human knowledge. Even as he composed dazzling works of fiction, he remained an avid and often combative commentator on new discoveries, publishing and hustling in literary scenes that also hosted the era’s most prominent scientists, semi-scientists, and pseudo-intellectual rogues. As one newspaper put it, “Mr. Poe is not merely a man of science—not merely a poet—not merely a man of letters. He is all combined; and perhaps he is something more.” Taking us through his early training in mathematics and engineering at West Point and the tumultuous years that followed, Tresch shows that Poe lived, thought, and suffered surrounded by science—and that many of his most renowned and imaginative works can best be understood in its company. He cast doubt on perceived certainties even as he hungered for knowledge, and at the end of his life delivered a mind-bending lecture on the origins of the universe that would win the admiration of twentieth-century physicists. Pursuing extraordinary conjectures and a unique aesthetic vision, he remained a figure of explosive contradiction: he gleefully exposed the hoaxes of the era’s scientific fraudsters even as he perpetrated hoaxes himself. Tracing Poe’s hard and brilliant journey, The Reason for the Darkness of the Night is an essential new portrait of a writer whose life is synonymous with mystery and imagination—and an entertaining, erudite tour of the world of American science just as it was beginning to come into its own.

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Page Count

288

Publisher

Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Published Date

ISBN 10

0374717443

ISBN 13

9780374717445

American Fun

Four Centuries of Joyous Revolt

By: John Beckman

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American Fun

Four Centuries of Joyous Revolt

By: John Beckman

Here is an animated and wonderfully engaging work of cultural history that lays out America’s unruly past by describing the ways in which cutting loose has always been, and still is, an essential part of what it means to be an American. From the time the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, Americans have defied their stodgy rules and hierarchies with pranks, dances, stunts, and wild parties, shaping the national character in profound and lasting ways. In the nation’s earlier eras, revelers flouted Puritans, Patriots pranked Redcoats, slaves lampooned masters, and forty-niners bucked the saddles of an increasingly uptight middle class. In the twentieth century, fun-loving Americans celebrated this heritage and pushed it even further: flappers “barney-mugged” in “petting pantries,” Yippies showered the New York Stock Exchange with dollar bills, and B-boys invented hip-hop in a war zone in the Bronx. This is the surprising and revelatory history that John Beckman recounts in American Fun. Tying together captivating stories of Americans’ “pursuit of happiness”—and distinguishing between real, risky fun and the bland amusements that paved the way for Hollywood, Disneyland, and Xbox—Beckman redefines American culture with a delightful and provocative thesis. (With black-and-white illustrations throughout.)

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Page Count

434

Publisher

Vintage

Published Date

ISBN 10

0345803779

ISBN 13

9780345803771

The Wonders

Lifting the Curtain on the Freak Show, Circus and Victorian Age

By: John Woolf

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The Wonders

Lifting the Curtain on the Freak Show, Circus and Victorian Age

By: John Woolf

The untold story of the Victorian freak show and circus, and the remarkable cast of characters who performed in them.

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434

Publisher

Michael O'Mara Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

1789290368

ISBN 13

9781789290363

Reports of Cases argued and determined in the Supreme Court of Tennessee

Vol. III

By: John W. Head

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Reports of Cases argued and determined in the Supreme Court of Tennessee

Vol. III

By: John W. Head

Reprint of the original, first published in 1866.

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Page Count

861

Publisher

BoD – Books on Demand

Published Date

ISBN 10

3752555351

ISBN 13

9783752555356

Wittgenstein's Metaphysics

By: John W. Cook

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Wittgenstein's Metaphysics

By: John W. Cook

Wittgenstein's Metaphysics offers a radical new interpretation of the fundamental ideas of Ludwig Wittgenstein. It takes issue with the conventional view that after 1930 Wittgenstein rejected the philosophy of the Tractatus and developed a wholly new conception of philosophy. By tracing the evolution of Wittgenstein's ideas, Cook shows that they are neither as original nor as difficult as is often supposed. Wittgenstein was essentially an empiricist, and the difference between his early views (as set forth in the Tractatus) and the later views (as expounded in the Philosophical Investigations) lies chiefly in the fact that after 1930 he replaced his early version of reductionism with a subtler version. So he ended where he began, as an empiricist armed with a theory of meaning. This iconoclastic interpretation is sure to influence all future study of Wittgenstein and will provoke a reassessment of the nature of his contribution to philosophy.

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Page Count

382

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0521460190

ISBN 13

9780521460194

Delphi Complete Works of John Buchan (Illustrated)

By: John Buchan

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Delphi Complete Works of John Buchan (Illustrated)

By: John Buchan

John Buchan’s ‘shocker’ adventure novels have entertained readers for over a century and now, for the first time in publishing history, readers can explore the author’s complete fictional works in a single collection. This comprehensive eBook presents numerous illustrations, rare texts, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 2) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Buchan’s life and works * Concise introductions to the novels and other texts * ALL 29 novels, with individual contents tables * Special series contents table for the Richard Hannay and Dickson McCunn novels * Even includes rare works, like the children’s novel THE MAGIC WALKING-STICK and the author’s last novel THE LONG TRAVERSE, appearing here for the first time * Images of how the books were first printed, giving your eReader a taste of the original texts * Excellent formatting of the novels and other works * Several novels are illustrated with their original artwork * Special chronological and alphabetical contents tables for the poetry and the short stories * Easily locate the poems or short stories you want to read * The complete short stories and poetry, fully indexed in chronological order * Includes a selection of Buchan’s non-fiction, including his celebrated biographies on Sir Walter Scott, Lord Minto and King George V * Features Buchan’s rare autobiography, published shortly after his death – explore Buchan’s literary life * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres * UPDATED with 7 non-fiction works and corrected texts CONTENTS: The Richard Hannay Series The Dickson McCunn Trilogy The Edward Leithen Novels The Novels Sir Quixote of the Moors (1895) John Burnet of Barns (1898) A Lost Lady of Old Years (1899) The Half-Hearted (1900) A Lodge in the Wilderness (1906) Prester John (1910) The Power-House (1913) The Thirty-Nine Steps (1915) Salute to Adventurers (1915) Greenmantle (1916) Mr Standfast (1919) The Path of a King (1921) Huntingtower (1922) Midwinter (1923) The Three Hostages (1924) John Macnab (1925) The Goddess from the Shades (1926) Witch Wood (1927) The Magic Walking-Stick (1927) The Courts of the Morning (1929) Castle Gay (1930) The Blanket of the Dark (1931) The Gap in the Curtain (1932) A Prince of the Captivity (1933) The Free Fishers (1934) The House of the Four Winds (1935) The Island of Sheep (1936) Sick Heart River (1941) The Long Traverse (1941) The Short Stories The Short Stories of John Buchan The Poetry The Poetry of John Buchan The Non-Fiction The African Colony (1903) Preface to ‘The German Fury in Belgium’ (1917) by L. Mokveld The Battle of the Somme: Second Phase (1917) A Book of Escapes and Hurried Journeys (1922) The Last Secrets (1923) Days to Remember (1923) Lord Minto (1924) Montrose (1928) Sir Walter Scott (1932) Oliver Cromwell (1934) Men and Deeds (1935) The King’s Grace (1935) The Interpreter’s House (1938) The Autobiography Memory Hold-The-Door (1940)

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Page Count

9100

Publisher

Delphi Classics

Published Date

ISBN 10

1909496588

ISBN 13

9781909496583

Delphi Collected Works of John Buchan (Illustrated)

By: John Buchan

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Delphi Collected Works of John Buchan (Illustrated)

By: John Buchan

John Buchan’s ‘shocker’ adventure novels have entertained readers for over a century. This comprehensive eBook presents the collected works, with numerous illustrations, rare texts, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 2) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Buchan's life and works * Concise introductions to the novels and other texts * ALL 17 novels in the US public domain, with individual contents tables * Images of how the books were first printed, giving your eReader a taste of the original texts * Excellent formatting of the texts * Special chronological and alphabetical contents tables for the poetry and the short stories * Easily locate the poems or short stories you want to read * Almost the complete short stories and ALL of Buchan's poetry * Includes a selection of non-fiction works * Ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres * UPDATED with four novels and five non-fiction works Please note: to comply with US copyright restrictions, later novels cannot appear in this edition. Once new texts enter the US public domain, they will be added as a free update. The Novels Sir Quixote of the Moors (1895) John Burnet of Barns (1898) A Lost Lady of Old Years (1899) The Half-Hearted (1900) A Lodge in the Wilderness (1906) Prester John (1910) The Power-House (1913) The Thirty-Nine Steps (1915) Salute to Adventurers (1915) Greenmantle (1916) Mr Standfast (1919) The Path of a King (1921) Huntingtower (1922) Midwinter (1923) The Three Hostages (1924) John Macnab (1925) The Goddess from the Shades (1926) The Short Stories The Short Stories of John Buchan The Poetry The Poetry of John Buchan The Non-Fiction The African Colony (1903) Preface to ‘The German Fury in Belgium’ (1917) by L. Mokveld The Battle of the Somme: Second Phase (1917) A Book of Escapes and Hurried Journeys (1922) The Last Secrets (1923) Days to Remember (1923) Lord Minto (1924)

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3491

Publisher

Delphi Classics

Published Date

ISBN 10

190949657X

ISBN 13

9781909496576

Network Nation

Inventing American Telecommunications

By: Richard R. John

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Network Nation

Inventing American Telecommunications

By: Richard R. John

The telegraph and the telephone were the first electrical communications networks to become hallmarks of modernity. Yet they were not initially expected to achieve universal accessibility. In this pioneering history of their evolution, Richard R. John demonstrates how access to these networks was determined not only by technological imperatives and economic incentives but also by political decision making at the federal, state, and municipal levels. In the decades between the Civil War and the First World War, Western Union and the Bell System emerged as the dominant providers for the telegraph and telephone. Both operated networks that were products not only of technology and economics but also of a distinctive political economy. Western Union arose in an antimonopolistic political economy that glorified equal rights and vilified special privilege. The Bell System flourished in a progressive political economy that idealized public utility and disparaged unnecessary waste. The popularization of the telegraph and the telephone was opposed by business lobbies that were intent on perpetuating specialty services. In fact, it wasnÕt until 1900 that the civic ideal of mass access trumped the elitist ideal of exclusivity in shaping the commercialization of the telephone. The telegraph did not become widely accessible until 1910, sixty-five years after the first fee-for-service telegraph line opened in 1845. Network Nation places the history of telecommunications within the broader context of American politics, business, and discourse. This engrossing and provocative book persuades us of the critical role of political economy in the development of new technologies and their implementation.

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Page Count

529

Publisher

Harvard University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0674088131

ISBN 13

9780674088139

Chelsea Porcelain at Williamsburg

By: John Cecil Austin

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Chelsea Porcelain at Williamsburg

By: John Cecil Austin

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has amassed an outstanding collection of ceramics produced by the Chelsea porcelain Manufactory during its years of operation, 1745-1769. The most important part of the collection falls within the Manufactory's earliest, or triangle, period, and includes examples of nearly all the extant forms. Exotic teapots shaped like Chinamen holding creatures, and objects copied directly from silver prototypes are but a few of the fascinating forms from the early, experimental period. Also illustrated are unique and aesthetically pleasing examples that were manufactured at Chelsea later.

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Page Count

250

Publisher

Colonial Williamsburg

Published Date

ISBN 10

0879350237

ISBN 13

9780879350239

Extraordinary Experiences

Personal Accounts of the Paranormal in Canada

By: John Robert Colombo

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Extraordinary Experiences

Personal Accounts of the Paranormal in Canada

By: John Robert Colombo

A collection of over seventy gripping personal accounts of past and present Canadian experiences and events that can be regarded as supernatural or paranormal.

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Page Count

288

Publisher

Dundurn

Published Date

ISBN 10

1459725557

ISBN 13

9781459725553

VOLUME II THE CREATION OF MORMONISM: JOSEPH SMITH JR. IN THE 1820S

The Quest for the New Jerusalem: A Mormon Generational Saga

By: JOHN J HAMMOND

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VOLUME II THE CREATION OF MORMONISM: JOSEPH SMITH JR. IN THE 1820S

The Quest for the New Jerusalem: A Mormon Generational Saga

By: JOHN J HAMMOND

This is Volume II of an epic, multi-volume work entitled The Quest for the New Jerusalem: A Mormon Generational Saga, which combines family, Mormon, and American history, focusing upon how the author’s ancestors were affected by their conversion to the Mormon religion. In Volume I, four of the author’s ancestral families—the Carters, Hammonds, Knowltons, and Spencer’s—and the ancestors of Mormon Church founders Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, are followed from the time they enter the Massachusetts Bay Colony in New England in the 1600s down to the early 1800s. Their private lives are described, as well as how they are affected by such events and situations as King Philip’s War, the Salem Witch Trials, the institution of black slavery, the French and Indian War, and the American Revolution. Toward the end of Volume I, the focus is upon Joseph Smith and his family, including their move from Vermont to western New York, their religious and “magic world views,” the latter involving astrology, ritual magic, and treasure-seer and treasure-digging activities. Volume II takes up the narrative at about the year 1820, and involves a detailed, comprehensive, and critical look at the events in the life of Joseph Smith, Jr., during the decade in which he purportedly was visited by numerous heavenly messengers, received the “golden plates,” translated the writing on the plates to produce the Book of Mormon, received priesthood authority from other heavenly messengers, published the Book of Mormon, and organized the Mormon/LDS Church. Making use of the most recent historical research, the author tackles the controversial issues surrounding the First Vision (the supposed appearance to Joseph Jr. of God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ in 1820), the Second Vision (1823 to 1827) which produced the Book of Mormon, and the Third Vision (late 1820s or early 1830s) which involved the “restoration” of priesthood authority. The author looks at original sources/documents and also compares the perspectives of major loyal Mormon, non-Mormon, and ex-Mormon scholars on these controversial questions. There is a discussion of the serious lack of congruence between how Joseph Smith, Jr., described these events “officially” after 1837, and what was being said by the Smith family, their neighbors, early Mormon converts, and by newspaper accounts during the 1820s and early 1830s. There is, for example, no mention of a First Vision for at least twelve years after it supposedly occurred, and there are several conflicting versions of it by Joseph Jr. in the 1830s, once he started talking about it. Primary focus, however, is upon what the author collectively calls the Second Vision, which purportedly involved multiple visitations by an angel/spirit between 1823 and 1827. It was from this heavenly messenger that Joseph Jr. obtained “golden plates,” and the Book of Mormon was, he maintained, a “translation” by him of the ancient American writings on these plates. There is a thorough examination of the complex and contentious issues surrounding the origin of the Book of Mormon, and several chapters look closely at the evidence regarding its “authenticity”—the question whether it was written by Joseph Jr. or by ancient American prophets/scribes. The author also thoroughly discusses the “testimony” in the Book of Mormon of the Three Witnesses and Eight Witnesses, and offers an alternative narrative regarding what really transpired with Joseph Jr. during the 1820s. Later in Volume II several chapters look at how Mormon Church organization went through a significant evolution during its earliest years, moving against the American democratic grain toward an increasingly centralized, authoritarian structure. There is a detailed look at Joseph Jr.’s claims regarding a “restoration” of priesthood authority during the late 1820s and early 1830s, and the considerable controver

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Page Count

411

Publisher

Xlibris Corporation

Published Date

ISBN 10

1462878520

ISBN 13

9781462878529

Book's by John W. Cook

The Refiner's Fire

The Refiner's Fire

The Reason for the Darkness of the Night

The Reason for the Darkness of the Night

American Fun

American Fun

The Wonders

The Wonders

Reports of Cases argued and determined in the Supreme Court of Tennessee

Reports of Cases argued and determined in the Supreme Court of Tennessee

Wittgenstein's Metaphysics

Wittgenstein's Metaphysics

Delphi Complete Works of John Buchan (Illustrated)

Delphi Complete Works of John Buchan (Illustrated)

Delphi Collected Works of John Buchan (Illustrated)

Delphi Collected Works of John Buchan (Illustrated)

Network Nation

Network Nation

Chelsea Porcelain at Williamsburg

Chelsea Porcelain at Williamsburg

Extraordinary Experiences

Extraordinary Experiences

VOLUME II THE CREATION OF MORMONISM: JOSEPH SMITH JR. IN THE 1820S

VOLUME II THE CREATION OF MORMONISM: JOSEPH SMITH JR. IN THE 1820S

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