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.

Catalina’s Riddle

Posted on August 25, 2009 by smellincoffee

Catalina’s Riddle 1993 Steven Saylor 430 pages Returning to Steven Saylor’s Roma sub Rosa series was a treat last week, but I did not expect to be as riveted as I was this week while reading Catalina’s Riddle. Our principle … Continue reading →

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

The Japanese Experience

Posted on August 24, 2009 by smellincoffee

The Japanese Experience: A Short History of Japan © 1999 W. G. Beasley 299 pages, including glossary and index. I checked this book out in April 2007. I remember this well, because I tried reading it on April 22. It … Continue reading →

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

Who Needs God?

Posted on August 23, 2009 by smellincoffee

Who Needs God? © 1989 Harold Kushner 208 pages In God’s Problem, author Bart Ehrman reccommended Kushner’s When Bad Things Happen to Good People and Kushner in general. I decided to follow up on the recommendation and read the strangely-titled … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Audacity of Hope

Posted on August 22, 2009 by smellincoffee

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream © 2006 Barack Obama 375 pages Knowing my interest in political speeches, a friend of mine asked me in 2005 if I’d ever heard of Barack Obama, who spoke at … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Civic Interest, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Casebook of the Black Widowers

Posted on August 20, 2009 by smellincoffee

Casebook of the Black Widowers © 1980 Isaac Asimov 222 pages Readers who have been with me since last summer know how delighted I was to find the Black Widower mystery series. In the year since, I have checked out … Continue reading →

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

This Week at the Library (19/7)

Posted on August 19, 2009 by smellincoffee

Books this Update: Dolphins, Jacques Yves-Cousteau The Force Unleashed, Sean Williams A History of the Arab Peoples, Albert Hourani The Venus Throw, Steven Saylor The Essential Koran, translated and edited by Thomas Clearly. I began this week with Jacques Yves-Cousteau’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

The Essential Koran

Posted on August 19, 2009 by smellincoffee

The Essential Koran — the Heart of Islam: An Introductory Selection of Readings from the Koran © 1994 trans. and edited by Thomas Cleary 202 pages I was somewhat reluctant to include this as a TWATL post given its nature … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Venus Throw

Posted on August 18, 2009 by smellincoffee

The Venus Throw © 1995 Steven Saylor 308 pages Back during the spring I began enjoying Steven Saylor’s Roma sub Rosa series, depicting life during Rome as it passes from republic to empire through the adventures of Gordianus the Finder, … Continue reading →

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

A History of the Arab Peoples

Posted on August 17, 2009 by smellincoffee

A History of the Arab Peoples © 1991 Albert Hourani 565 pages, including appendices, maps, notes, and index. I picked this up (with both hands) to add historical context for my reading of The Essential Koran and to fill in … Continue reading →

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

Star Wars: the Force Unleashed

Posted on August 15, 2009 by smellincoffee

Star Wars: the Force Unleashed © 2008 LucasFilm & Sean Williams 319 pages Jar Jar Binks: Where wesa goin? Qui-Gon Jinn: Don’t worry. The Force will guide us. Jar Jar Binks: Ohh, maxi big ‘da Force’. Well, dat smells stinkowiff. … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , | Leave a comment