Author Archives: smellincoffee

Unknown's avatar

About smellincoffee

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

The Speckled Beauty

Posted on December 16, 2021 by smellincoffee

The Speckled Beauty: A Dog and his People© 2021 Rick Bragg256 pages There’s no bond like that between a boy and his dog – except, maybe, that of an old man and his dog.   Rick Bragg never meant to adopt “Speck”, the mangy and … Continue reading →

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

Readin’ Dixie: The Index

Posted on December 13, 2021 by smellincoffee

Pursuant to my goal of reading more southern history and literature, I’m creating an index to get an at-a-glance idea of areas I’ve read more in or have ignored. I’m planning on developing this more in 2022! LAND, LITERATURE, and … Continue reading →

Posted in General | Tagged , , | 15 Comments

Maria! I just met a girl named Mariaaaaaaaaa

Posted on December 12, 2021 by smellincoffee

Tonight I watched the new West Side Story in theaters, and I have to say — I’m a fan. I love it. I’ve seen the original at least a dozen times (I used to be obsessed with it), know the … Continue reading →

Posted in General | Tagged | 3 Comments

Sharpe’s Assassin

Posted on December 9, 2021 by smellincoffee

Sharpe’s Assassin© 2021 Bernard Cornwell400 pages Boney is beaten, his ruined army streaming across the country. The way to Paris is open for the Allied armies, and yet Richard Sharpe’s war is not yet done. As much as he’d like … Continue reading →

Posted in historical fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

November 2021

Posted on December 3, 2021 by smellincoffee

November proved to be a reasonably productive month! Classics Club Strikes Back:The Great Gatsby, F. Scott FitzgeraldWatership Down, Richard AdamsThe Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka Climbing Mount Doom:Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terror, Scott HortonWhen Harry Became Sally: Responding … Continue reading →

Posted in General | Tagged | 5 Comments

Studying naked people

Posted on December 2, 2021 by smellincoffee

The Naked Woman: A Study of the Female Body © 2005 Desmond MorrisThe Naked Man: A Study of the Male Body © 2009 Desmond Morris Years ago I read Desmond Morris’ The Naked Ape, an anthropological look at humanity. In scrutinizing human beings’ animal … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Once Upon a Wardrobe

Posted on December 1, 2021 by smellincoffee

Once Upon a Wardrobe© 2021 Patti Callahan 311 pages Once Upon a Wardrobe takes us to Oxford, 1950, where a young woman named Megs nervously approaches a tutor of English, C.S. Lewis, and asks: where did Narnia come from? She … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Advent hello

Posted on November 29, 2021 by smellincoffee

A close relative of mine was rushed to the hospital last week and discovered to have kidney (!) cancer, so it’s been a stressful few days. Their offending kidney has been removed and they’re recovering nicely. Who knew such little … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 7 Comments

The Reading Life

Posted on November 23, 2021 by smellincoffee

The Reading Life: The Joy of Seeing New Worlds through Others’ Eyes © 2019 C.S. Lewis 192 pages One of the reasons I’ve grown so fond of Jack Lewis over the years is that he and I share some of … Continue reading →

Posted in Classics and Literary, Reviews | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

The Razor’s Edge

Posted on November 22, 2021 by smellincoffee

The Razor’s Edge© 1944 W. Somerset Maugham314 pages Larry Darrell was an unremarkable young man with a pre-determined future: possessing independent wealth from his family background, he needed only marry his childhood friend and fiancé Isabel, take his place in … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments