Monthly Archives: December 2009

This Week at the Library (30/12)

Posted on December 30, 2009 by smellincoffee

Books this Update: Black Edelweiss, Johann Voss The Triumph of Caesar, Steven Saylor China Marine, Eugene Sledge Skipping Christmas, John Grisham Ford County: Stories, John Grisham I began my Christmas break with another World War 2 memoir in Johann Voss’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged | 2 Comments

Ford County: Stories

Posted on December 29, 2009 by smellincoffee

Ford County: Stories© 2009 John Grisham320 pages I was delighted to receive John Grisham’s Ford County: Stories for Christmas. I’ve been a Grisham reader since reading a battered paperback copy of The Firm years ago, and many of my favorite … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

China Marine

Posted on December 29, 2009 by smellincoffee

China Marine: An Infantryman’s Life after World War 2© Eugene Sledge 2003192 pages Last week I read Eugene Sledge’s With the Old Breed, a memoir of his experiences in the Pacific War. The memoir ranks as one of the most … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Reviews | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Skipping Christmas

Posted on December 25, 2009 by smellincoffee

Skipping Christmas© 2001 John Grisham227 pages One of my own personal Christmas traditions is to read John Grisham’s Skipping Christmas. It’s a tradition I’ve maintained every year since owning the book, although part of the tradition is not reading all of … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Triumph of Caesar

Posted on December 21, 2009 by smellincoffee

The Triumph of Caesar© 2008 Steven Saylor308 pages The Triumph of Caesar is currently the last (Saylor may yet add to it, but I can’t confirm this from his website) book in the Roma sub Rosa series. I would not … Continue reading →

Posted in historical fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Black Edelweiss

Posted on December 19, 2009 by smellincoffee

Black Edelweiss: A Memoir of Combat and Conscience By a Soldier of the Waffen-SS© 2002 Johann Voss206 pages As the last coach slid by, it cleared the view of another train, a goods train as it appeared, slowly passing by … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

This Week at the Library (19/12)

Posted on December 19, 2009 by smellincoffee

Books this Update: Living Buddha, Living Christ; Thich Nhat Hanh With the Old Breed, Eugene B. Sledge When Religion Becomes Evil, Charles Kimball Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, Jeff Kinney Although I finished my term papers last week,  … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

With the Old Breed

Posted on December 18, 2009 by smellincoffee

With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa© 1981 Eugene B. Sledge326 pages The recruiting sergeant asked me lots of questions and filled out numerous official papers. When he asked, “Any scars, birthmarks, or other unusual features?” I described an inch-long … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

When Religion Becomes Evil

Posted on December 17, 2009 by smellincoffee

When Religion Turns Evil© 2002 Charles Kimball256 pages Published in 2002 before the Iraq War and the rise of the “New Atheism”  Charles Kimball’s When Religion Becomes Evil seeks to preserve religion for humanity’s sake by elaborating on five ways … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days

Posted on December 17, 2009 by smellincoffee

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days© 2009 Jeff Kinney 224 pages My niece (10) is in the process of reading through the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and enjoys it immensely, so I bought her one for Christmas. … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , | Leave a comment