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.

COVID Diary #6

Posted on May 1, 2020 by smellincoffee

As the expiration date for the governor’s stay-at-home order approaches, we in the Heart of Dixie have been waiting expectantly to see what will happen. The governor declined to open early last week, when the states surrounding us did, and … Continue reading →

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British Historical Fiction

Posted on April 29, 2020 by smellincoffee

This is an index post of historical fiction set in Britain that I originally published in November 2016. I’ve just updated to keep it current. The order of books is roughly chronological. Ancient and Legendary BritainStonehenge, Bernard CornwellThe Winter King: … Continue reading →

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

Some favorite bits of corona culture

Posted on April 28, 2020 by smellincoffee

This is just a quick post to share some of my – — well, it’s there in the title.  Presented in the order that they come to mind. “One Day More” “Sh%t Southern Women Say in a Pandemic” “When this … Continue reading →

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Cruel as the Grave

Posted on April 28, 2020 by smellincoffee

Cruel as the Grave: A Medieval Mystery © 1998 Sharon Kay Penman 274 pages Justin de Quincy has a problem. Several problems, actually.   Chiefly, there’s the fact that his king is presumed captured overseas, and possibly dead, while the king’s … Continue reading →

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

The Bright Blue Sky

Posted on April 27, 2020 by smellincoffee

© 1983 Max Hennessy 250 pages High above was a layer of stratus, ice-white so that the sky seemed full of light, and Dicken knew against it they were silhouetted perfectly, a wonderful target for the ground gunners. Dicken Quinney … Continue reading →

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The Weather Machine

Posted on April 25, 2020 by smellincoffee

The Weather Machine: How We See Into the Future ©  2019 Andrew Blum 224 pages How do we know what the forecast will be?  Well, we don’t — yesterday my chances of afternoon rain were supposedly minimal, and yet by … Continue reading →

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

An English shield-maiden and England’s army

Posted on April 20, 2020 by smellincoffee

Time for two mini-reviews! First up, The Making of the British Army.   Retired brigadier Allan Mallinson  traces the history of Britain’s army to the creation of the New Model Army during the English civil war. Unlike armies of old, the … Continue reading →

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

Quarantine Gaming

Posted on April 17, 2020 by smellincoffee

I’ve been gaming a bit more in the last month or so as a result of La Corona, so I thought I’d share a few screenshots…..because I can. I was told to cook. No one told me when to stop. … Continue reading →

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Corona Diary #5

Posted on April 14, 2020 by smellincoffee

Library service, corona style! Sunday, all news of pandemics disappeared as we in Alabama looked to the darkening skies and wondered what Easter night would bring.  It was nine years ago that an April outburst of tornadoes killed over three … Continue reading →

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The White Horse King

Posted on April 8, 2020 by smellincoffee

© 2009 Benjamin Merkle 272 pages It reads like the best of high-stakes adventure stories: a young,  conscientious king watches as his neighbors fail to unite to the creeping threat of the Norsemen, and fall in their time, one by by … Continue reading →

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