Author Archives: smellincoffee

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About smellincoffee

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

Of Darwin, dinosaurs, and Denisovians

Posted on July 6, 2022 by smellincoffee

I expect to leave the recovery-suite of the hotel at the end of this week and eturn home, though I’ll be returning to Birmingham every two weeks for checkups for the next few months. During this multiweek siesta, I’ve mostly … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Letters to an American Lady

Posted on July 5, 2022 by smellincoffee

Letters to an American Lady(c) 1967 C.S. Lewis, ed. Walter Hooper150 pages I was pleased recently to discover that Letters to an American Lady, a collection of letters from C.S. Lewis written to an anonymous southern woman in the 1950s … Continue reading →

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Joy Davidman on infirmity and humility

Posted on July 5, 2022 by smellincoffee

Once I would have pitched in and helped my housekeeper—but now, because I have to walk with a stick and have only one hand free, I’m more nuisance than help and can only sit on the sidelines and give advice … Continue reading →

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Two for forensics

Posted on June 30, 2022 by smellincoffee

Readers of Sherlock Holmes may remember that fictional character had such a command of diverse sciences and skills that his assistant Watson was impelled to innumerate them. American Sherlock introduces readers to the life of Edward Oscar Heinrich, a real-life … Continue reading →

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Bonaparte’s Invaders

Posted on June 29, 2022 by smellincoffee

Bonaparte’s Invaders(c) 1998 Richard Howard320 pages It is the year 1799, and Napoleon Bonaparte’s triumphant army, having recently earned the Corsican glory and loot in Italy, has now boarded a fleet of ships and sailed east — destination unknown. Bonaparte … Continue reading →

Posted in historical fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

The Ghost Brigades

Posted on June 25, 2022 by smellincoffee

The Ghost Brigades(c) 2006 John Scalzi384 pages John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War introduced readers to a harsh future, in which humanity competes for space in a crowded galaxy, fighting tooth and nail against a variety of alien baddies. Out of … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science fiction | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Of shotgun riders and serial killers

Posted on June 22, 2022 by smellincoffee

Medical update: I saw the doctor today and he was extremely pleased with my progress. According to him, my blood chemistry could not look better! I managed a 4-block walk today from the hospital back to my hotel room, after … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Beauty and the Werewolf

Posted on June 21, 2022 by smellincoffee

500 Kingdoms: Beauty and the Werewolf(C) 2011 Mercedes Lackey408 pages Isabella Beauchamps is accustomed to being the mistress of her house, keeping the servants and her twin stepsisters in line while her stepmother spends her days gazing out the window … Continue reading →

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The Sleeping Beauty

Posted on June 19, 2022 by smellincoffee

A Tale of the Five Hundred Kingdoms #5: The Sleeping Beauty(c) 2010 Mercedes Lackey352 pages Rosamond has the bad luck to be an orphaned princess in a wealthy little kingdom surrounded by larger, hostile enemies, any one of whom will … Continue reading →

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Of kidneys, the Lionheart, and Star Trek

Posted on June 18, 2022 by smellincoffee

Ever since my kidney transplant Tuesday, I’ve seen doctors, surgeons, and nurses on a daily basis with updates. They’re all very pleased about the progress I’m making toward recovery: my new kidneys (I received two, from a deceased juvenile) are … Continue reading →

Posted in historical fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments