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.

Sharpe’s Fury

Posted on October 12, 2011 by smellincoffee

Sharpe’s Fury© 2006 Bernard Cornwell337 pages Winter 1811: most of Spain lies under the flag of the Emperor Napoleon, and the British army has beaten a retreat to a fortified corner of Portugal. Cadiz, the last city of the sovereign … Continue reading →

Posted in historical fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

This Week at the Library (12 October)

Posted on October 12, 2011 by smellincoffee

After reading several tomes in Will Durant’s Story of Civilization series, I’m rather…full of epic history at the moment, particularly religious history, so I returned Christianity: the First Three Thousand Years for some lighter fare. I have three recent reviews waiting to … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Good German

Posted on October 7, 2011 by smellincoffee

The Good German© 2001 Joseph Kanon512 pages Berlin, summer 1945. The heart of the most infamous empire in history lies in ruins, battered by bombs and ravaged block by block by Russian artillery.  Its contents sacked and its people abused … Continue reading →

Posted in historical fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Union Club Mysteries

Posted on October 7, 2011 by smellincoffee

The Union Club Mysteries© 1987 Isaac Asimov210 pages Evening falls in New York City, and inside the aristocratic Union Club, four gentlemen sit ensconced in their usual chairs in the club library. Three talk softly among themselves while a fourth … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Reformation

Posted on October 2, 2011 by smellincoffee

The Reformation: A history of European civilization from Wyclif to Calvin: 1300-1564© 1957 Will Durant1025 pages Although titled as a work of religious history, The Reformation is almost more a continuation of The Age of Faith in covering the final two … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Walking with Dinosaurs

Posted on September 28, 2011 by smellincoffee

Walking with Dinosaurs: A Natural History© 1999 Tim Haines288 pages A dull pre-dawn light spreads across the horizon, illuminating a landscape covered in forest. Rivers trace silvery lines through the dense vegetation, and along their banks icy puddles are melting. … Continue reading →

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

This Week at the Library (28 January)

Posted on September 28, 2011 by smellincoffee

This past week has mostly been about The Reformation, which I am 2/3rds of the way through. It started out strong (The Age of Faith, part 2), but boy — hundreds of pages about fanatics screaming at and killing each … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged | Leave a comment

Discourses and Enchiridon

Posted on September 27, 2011 by smellincoffee

Discourses and Enchiridon, Epictetus© 1967, translated W.A. Oldfather Stoicism might be introduced to the lay reader as Buddhism for the west. Students of Stoicism often take inspiration from Buddhist philosophy, given the common emphasis on mindfulness and freedom from desire. … Continue reading →

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

Marcus Aurelius

Posted on September 27, 2011 by smellincoffee

Marcus Aurelius: A Life© 2009 Frank McLynn684 pages Few figures in history can compare to Marcus Aurelius, and fewer still favorably.  Adopted into the royal family, this last of the Five Good Emperors has sat in silent judgment of politicians … Continue reading →

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

Top Ten Books I Want to Re-Read

Posted on September 27, 2011 by smellincoffee

This week, the Broke and the Bookish are musing over books they’d like to re-read. 1. The Black Widowers Series, Isaac Asimov(Tales of the Black Widowers, More Tales of the Black Widowers, Casebook of the Black Widowers, Banquets of the … Continue reading →

Posted in General | Tagged | 3 Comments