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.

Podcast of the week: Amazon, Google, and Facebook as the new monopolies

Posted on January 3, 2018 by smellincoffee

Last Monday, EconTalk posted an interview about the ‘new monoplies’,  in which host Russ Robert spoke with Matt Stoller about the increasing danger of Google, Facebook, and Amazon.  Stoller is of the opinion that three companies are not only so … Continue reading →

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A Ceremony of Losses

Posted on January 2, 2018 by smellincoffee

Star Trek the Fall: A Ceremony of Losses© 2013 David Mack353 pages “I’m a ship captain, doctor. Risk is my business.” “…you’re an un-armed, one-man freighter.” “Okay, delivering cargo is my business. But I’m trying to diversify.” Now this is a … Continue reading →

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The Rooster Bar

Posted on January 1, 2018 by smellincoffee

The Rooster Bar© 2017 John Grisham352 pages The third year of law school is supposed to be the easiest, but for Todd,  Mark, and Zola…eh, not so much. Their best friend just committed suicide, leaving behind a tangled web of … Continue reading →

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Announcing: Peoples of the Americas

Posted on January 1, 2018 by smellincoffee

In the past few years I’ve explored the Middle East and Asia; for 2018, I am moving closer to home with “Peoples of the Americas”.  With it, I hope to remedy my ignorance of the United States’ southern neighbors (save … Continue reading →

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What I Read in 2017

Posted on December 31, 2017 by smellincoffee

Updated for the last time last night, here’s 2017 in books!  As usual, titles in bold were favorites. — January — 1. Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves; P.G. Wodehouse (Comedy) 2. Ask a Science Teacher,  Larry Scheckel (Science) 3. The Twilight War: the Secret History of America’s Thirty … Continue reading →

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Unfinished Business, 2017 Edition

Posted on December 31, 2017 by smellincoffee

Every year a few books will slip through the cracks, and become read but un-reviewed. Sometimes books are so good I keep pondering them until the thought of writing about them has slipped my mind; other times, the books are too … Continue reading →

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Science Report Card

Posted on December 30, 2017 by smellincoffee

Earlier in the year, in an effort to better organize my science reading, I drew up a list of categories to guide me along.   I kept a Word file on my computer and fill it out as the months progressed, … Continue reading →

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A journey’s end

Posted on December 30, 2017 by smellincoffee

A few minutes ago, I finished Jawaharlal Nehru’s The Discovery of India,  and completed my Discovery of Asia series, or challenge, for 2017.   My goal was to read two books per month on Asian history or culture, primarily Indian and … Continue reading →

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Fixing Your Computer

Posted on December 27, 2017 by smellincoffee

Fixing Your Computer: Absolute Beginner’s Guide© 2013 Paul McFedries336 pages This title is exactly as it describes itself, a beginner’s guide to computer maintenance. McFedries begins with the computer as a whole, and takes readers through physical and digital cleanup … Continue reading →

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Top Ten Books I’m Looking Forward To in 2018

Posted on December 25, 2017 by smellincoffee

This week le Broke and le Bookish are doing books they’re looking forward to in 2018, either as new releases or just-getting-around-to-reading-it titles. 1. Frank Sinatra: The Chairman,  James Kaplan This has been on my to-read list since …er, September … Continue reading →

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