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.

Ballpark

Posted on March 26, 2024 by smellincoffee

Regardless of one’s personal beliefs about the origins of baseball, there’s no getting around the fact that the game as we know it is a product of the cities, particularly New York: the cities were where the people were, and … Continue reading →

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How has technology changed your job?

Posted on March 26, 2024 by smellincoffee

Oh, good lord. Where to begin? As some of you may know, I’m a librarian — not an official Librarian because I’m still working on MLS, but I’ve worked for a library for twelve years as a local historian, IT … Continue reading →

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March’s last Tuesday tease

Posted on March 26, 2024 by smellincoffee

Today’s TTT is TV shows or movies that would have made amazing books. But first, the teasin’. It is pretty generally recognised in the circles in which he moves that Bertram Wooster is not a man who lightly throws in … Continue reading →

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A Right to Read: Segregation and Civil Rights

Posted on March 25, 2024 by smellincoffee

Alabama public libraries were early stages for Civil Rights projects, given their high public profile and higher deals: libraries were created for the common good, for the benefit of society, meant to serve everyone. How could they bar someone from … Continue reading →

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OPENING DAY!

Posted on March 25, 2024 by smellincoffee

In celebration of baseball officially starting again this week, I’m going to be featuring books about America’s game. This will include a book about baseball parks and the American city, a baseball murder mystery, possibly a book on the science … Continue reading →

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Plum, in his own Words

Posted on March 22, 2024 by smellincoffee

I’d intended to save this for Read of England, but — rum thing, when you begin reading Wodehouse it’s as hard to resist finishing him as it is to rescue Bertie Wooster’s Aunt Agatha when she topples down the stairs. … Continue reading →

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Anxious People

Posted on March 19, 2024 by smellincoffee

The scene: an apartment showing, the day before New Year’s. The apartment is filled with people, and then enters one more: a masked individual wielding a gun, panicked. They’ve just tried to rob a bank, only the bank is a … Continue reading →

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Springing into Teases

Posted on March 19, 2024 by smellincoffee

Happy Spring! Today’s TTT is books on our TBR. But first, teases! But firster, Vivaldi! They say that a person’s personality is the sum of their experiences. But that isn’t true, at least not entirely, because if our past was … Continue reading →

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Satire and our dark hearts

Posted on March 18, 2024 by smellincoffee

From GK Chesterton’s Twelve Types: It has become a breach of etiquette to praise the enemy: whereas when the enemy is strong every honest scout ought to praise the enemy. It is impossible to vanquish an army without having a … Continue reading →

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Quotes from “Strange Gods”

Posted on March 16, 2024 by smellincoffee

I was going to post this on Sunday, but then I realized it’s the Feast Day of St. Patrick, and I’ve something else planned. So, here you quotes, quotes on idolatry and mindfulness for your Saturday. The human heart craves … Continue reading →

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