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.

The Lion at Sea

Posted on May 30, 2020 by smellincoffee

The Lion at Sea © 1977  Max Hennessy/John Harris 368 pages The atmosphere was electric and exultant. They were sailing into history at thirty knots. But what history? Defeat or victory? Kelly McGuire never consciously intended to follow his old … Continue reading →

Posted in historical fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

It’s not a problem, it’s…a…passion….?

Posted on May 29, 2020 by smellincoffee
Posted in General | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Wayside School Beneath the Cloud of Doom

Posted on May 29, 2020 by smellincoffee

© 2020 Louis Sachar 176 pages I was a weekly visitor to my childhood library, always bringing home  a fresh pile of books — but some books I checked out over and over again. Sideways Stories from Wayside High and … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , | 3 Comments

The Thing with the Feathers

Posted on May 28, 2020 by smellincoffee

The Thing with Feathers: The Surprising Lvies of Birds and What They Reveal About Being Human © 2015  Noah Strycker 304 pages One of the blessings of living in a semi-rural area like myself is the daily sightings of birds … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Never Home Alone

Posted on May 27, 2020 by smellincoffee

Never Home Alone: From Microbes to Millipedes, Camel Crickets, and Honeybees, the Natural History of Where We Live © 2018 Rob Dunn 278 pages They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky — – they’re your new roomates. Or rather, … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Uncle Tungsten

Posted on May 26, 2020 by smellincoffee

Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood © 2001 Oliver Sacks 352 pages No future scientist was ever better primed for the life than Oliver Sacks.   You may know him as a neurologist and the author of numerous books … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

What the Robin Knows

Posted on May 24, 2020 by smellincoffee

What the Robin Knows: How Birds Reveal the Secrets of the Natural World © 2012  Jon Young 277 pages I don’t envy people for their boats,  wardrobes, or  wine collections, but if I meet someone who can ‘read’ the natural … Continue reading →

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

The Science of Breaking Bad

Posted on May 23, 2020 by smellincoffee

The Science of Breaking Bad © 2019 David Trumbore,  Donna J. Nelson 264 pages Yeah, Mister White! Yeah, SCIENCE!  Breaking Bad remains the best-scripted, -filmed, and –acted show I’ve ever watched, and no matter how many times I watch a … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

The Body

Posted on May 22, 2020 by smellincoffee

The Body: A Guide for Occupants © 2019 Bill Bryson 464 pages Bill Bryson would like to introduce you to someone: yourself.  You really are a piece of work!   Other authors have explored various aspects of the human body in … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The Goodness Paradox

Posted on May 21, 2020 by smellincoffee

The Goodness Paradox: The Strange Relationship Between Virtue and Violence in Human Evolution © 2019 Richard Wrangham 400 pages The Goodness Paradox cannot help but be fascinating, for it seeks to address one of the most pressing questions of human … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment