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.

Let me have a country — a Free Country!

Posted on July 4, 2024 by smellincoffee

Happy Independence Day to my fellow Amerikanskis. Please observe the day by breaking petty laws, frustrating bureaucrats, and being otherwise ungovernable. Sic semper tyrannis and all that. That was very serious and dramatic. Here is something with more joy. And … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 6 Comments

We Will Prescribe You a Kitteh

Posted on July 3, 2024 by smellincoffee

Exploring Japanese literature has been a thing for me this year, and We Will Prescribe You a Cat is the latest in my explorations. It’s easily the strangest of the Japanese literature I’ve read this year, with an increasing level … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Social media: frenemy or foe?

Posted on July 3, 2024 by smellincoffee

Today’s prompt from Long and Short Reviews is “What are your thoughts on social media”, which is an interesting topic for me because I think about it quite a lot and consider myself a minimalist in regards to its use. … Continue reading →

Posted in General | Tagged | 4 Comments

Top Ten Book Covers of 2024 – So Far

Posted on July 2, 2024 by smellincoffee

Today’s TTT is books with our favorite color on the cover, but I don’t have a favorite color, so I’m just going to go with my favorite covers for the year. But first, teases! “This is interesting, meeting you here,” … Continue reading →

Posted in General | Tagged , | 22 Comments

June 2024

Posted on July 1, 2024 by smellincoffee

Well, 2024 is half gone. My reading this year has been unusual — lots of novels — but quite enjoyable, with a lot of five-star titles. Trying to create my top ten list for the year in December will be … Continue reading →

Posted in General | Tagged | 11 Comments

Moviewatch: June 2024

Posted on June 30, 2024 by smellincoffee

Apocalypse Now, which was…..different than I was expecting. Of course, I’ve seen Sheen’s son Charlie in Platoon and my Vietnam movie knowledge is very muddled.   Wonderful shots in the beginning, though:  as horrible as war is, they managed to … Continue reading →

Posted in General | Tagged | 7 Comments

Midyear Book Freakout

Posted on June 29, 2024 by smellincoffee

I saw this floating around the book-blogging world, so I figured I’d play along. 2024 has been a most unusual year, as long-time readers may know. I’ve been reading “in public” for seventeen years now, and while my approach to … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 5 Comments

Recoding History

Posted on June 29, 2024 by smellincoffee

A few years ago I read Broad Band, a history of women in early computing, which blew my mind. I’d taken for granted that computers and the early internet were wholly the domain of socially awkward dudes with glasses wearing … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

ST: Pliable Truths

Posted on June 28, 2024 by smellincoffee

After a half-century of vicious occupation, the Cardassian Empire is finally cutting bait and withdrawing from Bajor, pushed by aggressive resistance movements. The Federation has been asked to meditate the terms of a peaceful withdrawal and settlement and has asked … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

A Daughter of Fair Verona

Posted on June 27, 2024 by smellincoffee

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet was a cautious tale about the dangers of pride and unbridled passion. A Daughter of Fair Verona says phooey on that, tweaks Shakespeare so that our teenage lovers prove too incompetent to actually do … Continue reading →

Posted in historical fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments