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.

Top Ten Authors I’ve Never Read

Posted on November 14, 2023 by smellincoffee

Today’s TTT, hosted by the Artsy Reader Girl, is authors we’ve not read. I’m going to be straining a little here- my fiction reading is so specialized (almost entirely historical or science fiction) that I’m not really plugged into who … Continue reading →

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Hellfire

Posted on November 8, 2023 by smellincoffee

August, 1942. The English and the Germans have been trading punches with bloody noses for a while now, and while American tanks and G.I’s are on the way, the Desert Fox is still plenty dangerous — as he proves when … Continue reading →

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

Teaser Tuesday, war and body parts edition

Posted on November 7, 2023 by smellincoffee

This is a paraphrase instead of a quote, I’m afraid.. “What have they done to you? Lieutenant in His Majesty’s Armed Forces?!”“I think they must have killed all the others off, sir.” Hellfire, James Holland. Jack Tanner #4. But when … Continue reading →

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Nonfiction November

Posted on November 6, 2023 by smellincoffee

I just spotted a reading challenge over at Marianne of Let’s Read’s, called “Nonfiction November“. Given that my nonfiction reading reliably counts for 60% to 70% of my reading, it caught my attention: it looks like a series of reflections … Continue reading →

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The Outlaw Ocean

Posted on November 6, 2023 by smellincoffee

The Secret Life of Groceries was a disturbing wake-up call for me last year, exposing as it did how slavery is a core part of the fishing industry that supplies seafood the world around — in which men are trapped … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Civic Interest, Reviews | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Highlights from People vs Tech

Posted on November 3, 2023 by smellincoffee

Moments ago, I finally posted a review for a book I read back in September, The People vs Tech. We won’t witness a repeat of the 1930s, everyone’s favourite analogy. Rather, I believe that democracy will fail in new and … Continue reading →

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The People vs Tech

Posted on November 3, 2023 by smellincoffee

Democracy must bring big tech to heel, adapt itself to thrive despite big tech, or perish. Born of different times, with different expectations, they cannot coexist in their present date: the latter will surely destroy the other. In The People … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Civic Interest, Reviews | Tagged | 3 Comments

Chaos Machine Highlights

Posted on November 2, 2023 by smellincoffee

A few minutes ago I posted a review for The Chaos Machine: How Social Media Rewired Our Minds. Below are selected highlights from it. The thought process that went into building these applications,” Parker told the media conference, “was all … Continue reading →

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How Social Media Rewired Our Minds

Posted on November 2, 2023 by smellincoffee

One of my core beliefs is that we live in a world which we made for ourselves, and yet which is not fit for ourselves. Our eyes expect to see what they do not see, our arms reach for which … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Politics and Civic Interest, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

October 2023 in Review

Posted on November 1, 2023 by smellincoffee

October was a fun month! The highlight was reading some classic SF of the 1970s and 1980s, particularly True Names, Shockwave Rider, and Neuromancer. I was also able to revisit some favorite contemporary authors — Scalzi, Doctorow, and Suarez. I … Continue reading →

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