Monthly Archives: December 2016

Classics Club: Year I

Posted on December 31, 2016 by smellincoffee

Twenty-sixteen was my first full year in the Classics Club challenge, and I’m off to a good start. Virtually everything came from my American Lit and English Lit specials in April, June, and July, though. 2015:Emma, Jane Austen (12/29/2015) 20162001: … Continue reading →

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The Whistler

Posted on December 30, 2016 by smellincoffee

The Whistler© 2015 John Grisham384 pages The offices of the Board of Judicial Conduct rarely see excitement.  Responsible for investigating claims of judicial abuse and defrocking offenders, their rowdiest target has been an old lech who forgot which bar  he … Continue reading →

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2017: The Discovery of Asia

Posted on December 28, 2016 by smellincoffee

For several years now I have dared myself to take on a formidable challenge:  Asia.  Prior to the 20th century, it is a historical black hole for me. I have caught glimpses of it from time to time, but have … Continue reading →

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Top Ten Reads, 2016

Posted on December 27, 2016 by smellincoffee

This week the Broke and the Bookish  invite readers to think about their top ten books for the year. Twenty-sixteen started off with a bang: no less than five top-ten contenders appeared in January, and four of them survived to … Continue reading →

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Glimpses of World History

Posted on December 26, 2016 by smellincoffee

Glimpses of World History© 1942 Jawaharlal Nehru1192 pages In 1930,  a man who would later become the first prime minister of India was thrown in jail for a period of two years. There, removed from his family and regretful that … Continue reading →

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LaForge Reads "The Night Before Christmas"

Posted on December 25, 2016 by smellincoffee

LeVar Burton, better known as Geordi LaForge of Star Trek TNG, reads The Night before Christmas.  Burton used to host a program called Reading Rainbow for children.  Here he reads a favorite in excellent style. Merry Christmas, one and all! And … Continue reading →

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Inside the Kingdom

Posted on December 24, 2016 by smellincoffee

Inside the Kingdom: Kings, Clerics, Modernists, Terrorists, and the Struggle for Saudi Arabia432 pages© 2009 Robert Lacey When I first began paying attention to politics, the cozy relationship between Saudi Arabia and the DC power-caste  confused me to no end. … Continue reading →

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You Have the Right to Remain Innocent

Posted on December 23, 2016 by smellincoffee

You Have the Right to Remain Innocent © 2016 James Duane 152 pages “One of the Fifth amendment’s basic functions is to protect innocent men who otherwise might be ensnared by ambiguous circumstances.” (Ohio v. Reiner) “People are inherently honest, … Continue reading →

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Middle East Wrapup

Posted on December 21, 2016 by smellincoffee

Back in January I drew up a short list of five titles in early Islamic history, one which unexpectedly flared into a broader series on the middle east in general — and one with a strong Persian/Iranian bent. The original … Continue reading →

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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

Posted on December 21, 2016 by smellincoffee

…at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Sunday  I went once again to view “A Christmas Carol” at the festival, delighting as usual in the music and the actors’ playful interaction with the audience.  After the big finale — Scrooge delighting in … Continue reading →

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