Stephen Johnson, geboren in Australien, wechselte von einer Karriere in der Fernsehproduktion zum Schreiben in Auckland. Sein Romandebüt, inspiriert von seinen Erfahrungen als Reiseleiter in den 1980er Jahren durch Europa, wurde für den Preis für den besten Erstlingsroman nominiert. Dieses Werk entstand während einer ausgedehnten Wohnmobilreise durch Europa, die eine reiche Kulisse für seine Erzählkunst bot. Johnsons Schreiben verbindet somit Reiseabenteuer mit erzählerischer Fiktion.
Set against the backdrop of New Zealand, two Melbourne TV journalists embark on a holiday in a motorhome, seeking relaxation. However, their adventure takes a perilous turn as they face a monstrous storm and a lurking killer. The story intertwines suspense and survival, testing their resilience and camaraderie in the face of danger.
Set against a backdrop of tension and betrayal, the story follows a woman held captive, exploring her struggles and resilience. The narrative intertwines with a lover who faces the consequences of betrayal, adding emotional depth to the tale. An idealistic journalist seeks to uncover the truth, driven by a desire for justice and understanding. Together, their paths reveal themes of love, sacrifice, and the quest for freedom, making for a gripping and thought-provoking read.
This text presents an insight into the organisation and structure of the powerful army of ancient Rome. Find out what went on on a daily basis within the fort, and discover how the Roman army used ingenious techniques to defend the fort.
Music broadcaster and composer Stephen Johnson explores how Shostakovich's music took shape under Stalin's reign of terror, and how it gave form to the hopes of an oppressed people. Johnson writes of the healing effect of music on sufferers of mental illness and tells of how Shostakovich's music lent him unexpected strength in his struggle with bipolar disorder.
Paintings of various sites around New York City--from a shadow on a building to a wrought iron-gate to the Brooklyn Bridge--depict the numbers from one to twenty-one
Placing Mahler within his world, The Eighth reassesses Mahler's work in the context of the prevailing thought of his age, but also against the backdrop of that tumultuous summer, when Mahler worked desperately on his Tenth Symphony, was betrayed by his wife, and consulted Sigmund Freud.
Forget what you thought you knew about yourself and open your mind wide . . . 'You are part reptile, part mammal, part primate. You are a dopamine fiend. You are a walking assembly of patterns and waves, clusters of neurons firing in sync with one another . . . ' In Mind Wide OpenSteven Johnson takes us on a journey to the frontiers of brain science and reveals exactly how we're hardwired to think and feel. Experimenting with the latest technology he discovers (among other things) that everything we do from falling in love to forming a sentence is caused by neurons firing and chemicals swirling around our heads; that there are gadgets which can enable us to control our own brainwaves; that everyone's mind, like their fingerprint, is unique; and this can help us understand our own mental foibles and see ourselves in a totally new way.
Exploring the depths of human emotion, this collection features poignant verses that capture the complexities of love, loss, and longing. It delves into the dualities of happiness and hurt, reflecting the intricate tapestry of human experiences. Through vivid imagery and heartfelt expression, the poems resonate with the universal themes of connection and vulnerability, inviting readers to reflect on their own journeys.
Later Roman Britain , first published in 1980, charts the end of Roman rule in Britain and gives an overall impression of the beginning of the so-called ‘Dark Ages’ of British history, the transitional period which saw the breakdown of Roman administration and the beginnings of Saxon settlement. Stephen Johnson traces the flourishing of Romano-British society and the pressures upon it which produced its eventual fragmentation, examining the province’s barbarian neighbours and the way the defence was organised against the many threats to its security. The final chapters, using mainly the findings of recent archaeology, assess the initial arrival of the Saxon settlers, and indicate the continuity of life between late Roman and early Saxon England. Later Roman Britain gives a fascinating glimpse of a period scarce with historical sources, but during which changes fundamental to the formation of modern Britain began to take place.
Ancient Roman Fort explores the architectural genius the almighty ancient Roman army. Step inside a Roman fort and discover the innovative techniques used to defend the structure from hostile neighbours and marauding bands.
This marvelously evocative book by Stephen Johnson, Gerald Haslam, and Robert Dawson―all natives of the Great Central Valley of California―is the first to explore in detail the rich natural and social history of the state's agricultural heartland.Gerald Haslam's text celebrates the tenacious people of the Valley, where hard work and ingenuity are the means to both survival and success. This is land that gives little but yields, under pressure, to creative experiments with unusual crops. Stephen Johnson's and Robert Dawson's stunning photographs reveal the immense beauty of the region as well as the delicate relationship between the land and the people who work it.The Central Valley is California's economic hub as well as its physical center. A plain some 430 miles long and up to 75 miles wide, surrounded by mountains and covering nearly fifteen million acres―about the size of England―this valley has become the richest farming region in the world. More than 25 percent of the table food produced in the U.S. is grown here. Its southernmost county, Kern, produces more oil than some OPEC countries.The Valley is as rich in people as it is in resources. Tagalog, Hmong, Spanish, English, Cantonese, Russian, Italian―all are spoken here. The population of farm laborers, small family farms, powerful agribusinesses, and, increasingly, urban professionals make the region's economic disparities as palpable as its cultural diversity.The Valley has also produced a wealth of writers―Maxine Hong Kingston from Stockton, Richard Rodriguez and Joan Didion from Sacramento, Gary Soto from Fresno, among others―as well as the award-winning El Teatro Campesino (The Farmworkers' Theater).But the Valley is imperiled. The past 150 years of massive agricultural expansion and population growth have systematically destroyed much of the area's original wildlife, and the "plain of majestic oaks" seen by early travelers has vanished. The region is also plagued by a host of critical chemical pollution, soil erosion, water politics, the treatment of minorities, economic inequities, farm foreclosures. Johnson's and Dawson's photographs―which are complemented by engravings by Thomas Moran, paintings by Albert Bierstadt and William Hahn, and photographs by Carleton Watkins, Dorothea Lange, and Russell Lee, among others―bring home to us, as only visual images can, that it is up to us to safeguard the future of this endangered valley, to conserve its extraordinary human and natural wealth, and to try to reclaim some of its lost grandeur.
