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.

Takedown

Posted on September 1, 2020 by smellincoffee

Star Trek TNG: Takedown © 2015 John Jackson Miller 369 pages “Captain, permission to speak freely? You’re a good egg.” “…I’m not sure how to respond to that.” I spotted this title at a surplus-goods store a few years back, … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

An Elegant Defense

Posted on August 31, 2020 by smellincoffee

An Elegant Defense: The Extraordinary New Science of the Immune System © 2019  Matt Ritchel 488 pages Back in January, long before the pandemic was on my mind (or anyone else’s outside of China),  I watched a charming and educational … Continue reading →

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

Scaling Mount Doom: August 2020

Posted on August 30, 2020 by smellincoffee

At the end of July I hit on an idea for reconciling my growing TBR Pile of Doom with my  intractable hunger for more books:  for every four TBR books I read, I’d allow myself to buy one book.  In … Continue reading →

Posted in General | Tagged | 2 Comments

Go Directly to Jail

Posted on August 27, 2020 by smellincoffee

Go Directly to Jail: The Criminalization of Almost Everything © 2004 ed. Gene Healy 194 pages What good are laws so numerous they cannot be known, or so opaque they cannot be understood?  James Madison knew enough to ask that … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Civic Interest, Reviews | Tagged , | 3 Comments

The Little Way of Ruthie Leming

Posted on August 26, 2020 by smellincoffee

The Little Way of Ruthie Leming: A Southern Girl, A Small Town, and the Secret of a Good Life © 2013 Rod Dreher 292 pages What is a meaningful life, but one lived in close connection with others?     Journalist Rod … Continue reading →

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Wisdom Wednesday: The Little Way

Posted on August 26, 2020 by smellincoffee

Inspired by recently reading The Little Way of Ruthie Leming, I’m sharing some related excerpts from one of my favorites, Bill Kauffman. ” [Walt Whitman] understood that any healthy political or social movement has to begin, has to have its … Continue reading →

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An Antidote to Chaos

Posted on August 25, 2020 by smellincoffee

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos © 2018 Jordan Peterson 402 pages Life is pain. We can surrender to it — or we can make it meaningful. Clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson here offers a prescription to those facing … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Of stars and saints (again)

Posted on August 24, 2020 by smellincoffee

(“Again” because last year I had a similar post called ‘Of stars and saints‘.) Recently I’ve finished two books which were aimed at more youthful audiences (middle/high school, not sure), so I’m presenting them together. The first is Hands of … Continue reading →

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

This Republic of Suffering

Posted on August 21, 2020 by smellincoffee

This Republic of Suffering:  Death and the American Civil War © 2008 Drew Gilpin Faust 401 pages     Oft in dreams I see thee lying On some battle-plain Lonely, wounded, even dying — Calling, but in vain Weeping sad … Continue reading →

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

The Great Ron Paul

Posted on August 21, 2020 by smellincoffee

The Great Ron Paul: The Scott Horton Interviews, 2004-2019 © 2019 ed. Scott Horton 315 pages Selected quotes Who is Ron Paul?    That question was on posters across my university campus in 2008, and I couldn’t help but be curious.   … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Civic Interest, Reviews | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments