Author Archives: smellincoffee

About smellincoffee

Citizen, librarian, reader with a boundless wonder for the world and a curiosity about all the beings inside it.

Disaster by Choice

Posted on March 5, 2021 by smellincoffee

Disaster by Choice: How our Actions Turn Natural Hazards into Catastrophes© 2020 Ilan Kelman180 pages What makes a natural event — rising waters, a hurricane, a sudden slip of tectonic plates — a disaster? Human suffering — and Illan Kelman … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Civic Interest, Reviews | Tagged , | 6 Comments

News and views: The New Theocrats

Posted on March 4, 2021 by smellincoffee

“When I was a boy in school, we were often encouraged to read banned books. Back then, to censor anyone was about the least hip thing you could do, the province of the glowering churchman and the cordless phone-wielding parent, … Continue reading →

Posted in General, News and Views | Tagged | 4 Comments

Selections from Jesus, Son of Man

Posted on March 3, 2021 by smellincoffee

Earlier I posted comments for Kahlil Gibran’s moving Jesus, Son of Man, and now share some quotations from it. Then He looked at me, and the noontide of His eyes was upon me, and He said, “You have many lovers, … Continue reading →

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Camino Winds | Jesus the Son of Man

Posted on March 3, 2021 by smellincoffee

Amid a category 4 hurricane that levels homes and floods an entire town, a man is murdered. The police shake their heads, insisting he was merely struck by storm debris. But falling limbs don’t leave blood splatter inside a home … Continue reading →

Posted in Religion and Philosophy, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Wisdom Wednesday: Self Reliance

Posted on March 2, 2021 by smellincoffee

Liberated from facebook, mostly likely the “Psychology of Stoicism, Buddhism, Epicureanism, Etc” group page. Douglas is an especially good source for this kind of quote because of his background: he found help to teach himself to read, and he escaped … Continue reading →

Posted in quotations | Tagged , | 6 Comments

2021: February Review

Posted on March 1, 2021 by smellincoffee

Annnnnd that’s a wrap for February. I don’t know about the rest of the country, but spring is definitely on the way here: after several weeks of bitter cold, we’re suddenly enjoying balmy 80 degree days – 26 degree days, … Continue reading →

Posted in General | Tagged | 2 Comments

The end approaches

Posted on February 27, 2021 by smellincoffee

Earlier last year David Mack, one of Treklit’s leading authors, suggested that To Lose the Earth was the last planned book in the Treklit continuity, as future releases would be centered on the current shows. It appears that a finale … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 4 Comments

The Last Stargazers

Posted on February 26, 2021 by smellincoffee

The Last Stargazer: The Enduring Story of Astronomy’s Vanishing Explorers© 2020 Emily Levesque336 pages Emily Levesque was drawn to the stars from childhood on. Having realized her dream of studying them for a living, in The Last Stargazers she offers … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science | Tagged , | 6 Comments

The death of Liberty

Posted on February 25, 2021 by smellincoffee

“Liberty never dies from direct attack. No man ever arises and says ‘Down with Liberty.’ Liberty has died in 14 countries in a single score of years from weakening its safeguards, from demoralization of the moral stamina of the people….If … Continue reading →

Posted in quotations | Tagged | 4 Comments

Cold Sassy Tree

Posted on February 24, 2021 by smellincoffee

Cold Sassy Tree© 1984 Olive Ann Burns391 pages “I know now the difference between a writer and an author. A  writer writes, and an author speaks.”   Those words came from Leaving Cold Sassy, an unfinished sequel to this work … Continue reading →

Posted in Classics and Literary, Reviews | Tagged , | 4 Comments