Monthly Archives: September 2011

Walking with Dinosaurs

Posted on September 28, 2011 by smellincoffee

Walking with Dinosaurs: A Natural History© 1999 Tim Haines288 pages A dull pre-dawn light spreads across the horizon, illuminating a landscape covered in forest. Rivers trace silvery lines through the dense vegetation, and along their banks icy puddles are melting. … Continue reading →

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This Week at the Library (28 January)

Posted on September 28, 2011 by smellincoffee

This past week has mostly been about The Reformation, which I am 2/3rds of the way through. It started out strong (The Age of Faith, part 2), but boy — hundreds of pages about fanatics screaming at and killing each … Continue reading →

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Discourses and Enchiridon

Posted on September 27, 2011 by smellincoffee

Discourses and Enchiridon, Epictetus© 1967, translated W.A. Oldfather Stoicism might be introduced to the lay reader as Buddhism for the west. Students of Stoicism often take inspiration from Buddhist philosophy, given the common emphasis on mindfulness and freedom from desire. … Continue reading →

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Marcus Aurelius

Posted on September 27, 2011 by smellincoffee

Marcus Aurelius: A Life© 2009 Frank McLynn684 pages Few figures in history can compare to Marcus Aurelius, and fewer still favorably.  Adopted into the royal family, this last of the Five Good Emperors has sat in silent judgment of politicians … Continue reading →

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Top Ten Books I Want to Re-Read

Posted on September 27, 2011 by smellincoffee

This week, the Broke and the Bookish are musing over books they’d like to re-read. 1. The Black Widowers Series, Isaac Asimov(Tales of the Black Widowers, More Tales of the Black Widowers, Casebook of the Black Widowers, Banquets of the … Continue reading →

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Sharpe’s Escape

Posted on September 24, 2011 by smellincoffee

Sharpe’s Escape© 2004 Bernard Cornwell357 pages “Lieutenant Slingsby,” the Colonel said, “tells me that you insulted him. That you invited him to duel. That you called him illegitimate. That you swore at him.”    Sharpe cast his mind back to … Continue reading →

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The Red Pyramid

Posted on September 24, 2011 by smellincoffee

The Red Pyramid© 2010 Rick Riordian516 pages For centuries the gods of Egypt have been removed from the Earth, imprisoned by human magicians in an attempt to put an end to their destructive inter-deity conflicts. But shortly before Christmas, in … Continue reading →

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Booking through Thursday: In Public

Posted on September 22, 2011 by smellincoffee

Booking through Thursday asks: Do you carry books with you when you’re out and about in the world?And, do you ever try to hide the covers?If I’m caught without a book, it was an accident — as I keep books in … Continue reading →

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Dhammapada

Posted on September 21, 2011 by smellincoffee

Dhammapada, Annotated and Explained© 2001 translated Max Müller, annotated by Jack Macguire129 pages Yesterday I drove to the state capital, Montgomery, and while there visited the main branch library. I noticed they offered several versions of the Dhammapada, one of … Continue reading →

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Teaser Tuesday (20 September)

Posted on September 19, 2011 by smellincoffee

Today I snuck into the children’s section of the library to pick up a Riordian number, and while in the R’s noticed a book I’d not seen before. Naturally I checked it out and read it at lunch, giggling the … Continue reading →

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