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.

Top Ten Reasons We’d DNF’d a Book

Posted on April 30, 2024 by smellincoffee

Today’s TTT is picky reasons we’ve DNF’d books. Despite the number and variety of books I read, I’m rather picky about the ones I commit to, let alone buy, so it’s rare for me to DNF a book. I will … Continue reading →

Posted in General | Tagged , | 9 Comments

The Fall of Roman Britain

Posted on April 27, 2024 by smellincoffee

When we speak of the fall of the Roman empire, we’re usually engaging in hyperbole: Rome’s decline in Europe was more of a slow decay and transformation. In Britain, though, first Rome was there and then it wasn’t — and … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Reviews, science | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

A Prince of Wales

Posted on April 26, 2024 by smellincoffee

Gwynedd calls for aid! A few years ago, the rightful king of Gwynedd, Lylwelyn, marched to the assistance of the Earl of Chesire, largely out of friendship to the Earl’s men Roger and Roland. Now, ambushed after a parlay with … Continue reading →

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

The Dangerous Years

Posted on April 25, 2024 by smellincoffee

Hard to believe, but the bloody war’s over. Lieutenant Kelly McGuire distinguished himself as much as he was able, but it wasn’t much of a naval war, the Great One. But while the big war might be over, peace isn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in historical fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Ransomed Crown

Posted on April 23, 2024 by smellincoffee

Sir Roland Inness is returning to the hills he fled from as an outlaw, as a boy who’d slain three Norman men-at-arms for murdering his father and burning his home. He comes here not merely to pay respects to the … Continue reading →

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

April 23: Shakespeare and St George

Posted on April 23, 2024 by smellincoffee

April 23rd is the feast day of St. George, the patron saint of England, and for that reason I devote April’s reading to naught but English literature, English history, etc. I am not entirely sure how a man killing dragons … Continue reading →

Posted in General | Tagged | Leave a comment

Top Ten Unread Books on my Shelf

Posted on April 22, 2024 by smellincoffee

….hmm. Well, I dispatched Mount Doom last year, so I don’t have that many. The Shahnameh and The Houses We Live In, plus The Origin of Feces is hiding somewhere. I think Taxi, a collection of interviews with Cairo cab … Continue reading →

Posted in General | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Worth reading: “A Time we Never Knew”

Posted on April 22, 2024 by smellincoffee

Freya of GIRLS, one of my favorite substackers, just posted an article on one of my favorite book-authors’ substack called “A Time We Never Knew”, on the wistfulness that Gen-Zers can experience when seeing videos of high school in the … Continue reading →

Posted in quotations | Tagged , | 6 Comments

So I visited Whistle Stop….

Posted on April 19, 2024 by smellincoffee

Yesterday after a library conference (at which I was the only male attendee) I bolted over to Macon, GA, to hear one of my favorite musicians play. I was able to give her my librarian compliment (telling her I appreciated … Continue reading →

Posted in General | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The Broken Realm

Posted on April 19, 2024 by smellincoffee

Two young men land in England and begin their journey home, to the Welsh marches. They are not the cheerful young boys they were nearly two years ago, when they set off for the Holy Land with their lord. They … Continue reading →

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