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.

American Phoenix: John Quincy Adams

Posted on July 10, 2024 by smellincoffee

John Quincy Adams was the eldest son of John Adams, who followed the elder’s irascible devotion to principle and found himself an exile for it — after his support for a general embargo against European powers for continuing to harass … Continue reading →

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

Top Ten Books I’ve Experienced Inside the Covers and Out

Posted on July 8, 2024 by smellincoffee

Today’s TTT is a freebie, sort of: we’re directed to revisit topics from the past. I’m going to go full freebie and highlight Books I’ve Experienced Across Mediums. But first, teases: “But upon the stage of life, while conscience claps, … Continue reading →

Posted in General | Tagged , | 18 Comments

Sharpe’s Command

Posted on July 8, 2024 by smellincoffee

The Duke of Wellington is preparing to invade Spain , but there’s a little matter of prep work to do first. The Duke needs to separate French forces in northern and southern Spain, which means destroying a bridge deep behind … Continue reading →

Posted in historical fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Extinct: searching for murder amid the mammoths

Posted on July 5, 2024 by smellincoffee

Frankie Cash, newly promoted to Agent in Charge at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, has just received a whale of a first case. In an isolated park in the Colorado Mountains, where visitors go to see de-extincted species like woolly … Continue reading →

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

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