Books by John Samson

'Cold Fact' by the artist simply known as Rodriguez was one of the world's great lost albums. It is now gaining attention through the documentary 'Searching For Sugarman' which tells the remarkable story of this mysterious singer. 'Cold Fiction' is a book of 12 short stories, each inspired by the 12 tracks on Rodriguez' album. The stories are not a re-telling the songs, but rather they take inspiration from a line or lines in the lyrics, the title of the song, and in one case from a rumour that sprung up in South Africa about Rodriguez' death. Warning: This book does contain some adult themes and is not suitable for young people.

'We shall go to the ocean, Oddsock. They said that it is very, very big, as big as the sky.' The donkey nodded its head, then shook it, watching the young boy, looking for guidance, a restlessness twitching in its body. He knew they should move on, get away from this place, but he was bound to the boy. They were twins, born of different mothers, he with one leg black to the knee, the only blemish on a grey coat, while the boy carried a strange pigmentation disorder that left one arm a pale pink to the elbow in contrast to the rich brown of his body, earning him the nickname of Whitearm. So begins Whitearm's journey of discovery and growth

When Deon Scott and Simon Tshabalala get stuck in a lift one Friday evening during a power cut in post apartheid South Africa, they are forced to face their demons of a traumatic time not only for the country, but in their own lives. Deon is a well off white businessman while Simon is a black security guard. Despite their different backgrounds, upbringings and current status, they were both touched by the violence that gripped the country as it fumbled towards democracy. As they begin to break down the social barriers and talk about their lives, Deon realises the effect his actions had on Simon's and other people's lives.

Father Andrew Compton is a village vicar with a waning faith. His 'good vicar' persona keeps him going in the job, but inside he is full of doubts. His life is thrown into turmoil when he has a dream in which God asks him to go and visit Paul McCready, a convicted paedophile. While trying to decide if this vivid dream is in fact God talking to him, or just a nightmare, he is confronted by 'The Rat', a sinister hooded youth. McCready, when Andrew meets him, is not what he seems and he gives some cryptic clues to resolve the mystery of the dream. What ensues is a battle between Andrew and 'The Rat' as the vicar tries to resolve the meaning of the dream. All the time he is confronted with unnatural forces, both good and evil. The Good Vicar becomes more of a being within Andrew than just a persona, while 'The Rat' seems to grow in strength and evilness. Who will triumph in this fight? What secret is McCready hiding? Was the dream a real message from God or just a nightmare?

When you want to build your mental muscle, these 188 word search puzzles are just what you need.Every search centers on a theme. Know all about music? Try "Rock & Roll Greats," "Golden Oldies," "The Rolling Stones," and "The Beatles." How about food? From "Pizza and Jellybeans" to "Wine," you won''t have a minute to eat or drink. Love language and a good play on words? Linguists will savor solving puzzles like "The English language," "from A to Z," and "Spelling "B" Words." There''s something for history buffs, too, with "Signers of the Constitution," "Great Detectives," and so much more. A perfect option for word-searchers of all ages and skill levels.

From "John Grisham Novels" and "Paul Newman Roles" to "Baseball Lingo" and "Hurricane Names," this expertly crafted collection will keep puzzlers of all ages entertained.Put your trivia skills to the test with themed crossword challenges like "This and That" and a "Mixed Bag" before attempting to "Break the Mold."   Pop culture more your speed?  Be sure to solve "Taglines," "Between the Lines," and "Advice from the Bard." Ready to test your grammar skills?  How about clues revolving around "Homophone Humor" or "Synonyms and Antonyms."  A fun way to give your brain a great workout.

Samson offers full contextual readings of Melville's five major narratives of facts-Typee, Omoo, Redburn, White-Jacket, and Israel Potter-demonstrating how Melville critically rewrote the sources on which he drew, making the genre itself a subject.