Category Archives: history

Harvest of Empire

Posted on June 27, 2016 by smellincoffee

Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America©  2000 Juan Gonzalez416 pages Harvest of Empire is a tale of two civilizations, Anglo and Spanish. In general terms, it recounts the history or rather the plight of Latin America, of people … Continue reading →

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Green, Blue, and Grey

Posted on June 18, 2016 by smellincoffee

Green, Blue, and Grey: the Irish in the American Civil War©  2009 Cal McCarthy325 pages Three cheers for the red, white, and blue! For the green flag of Erin so true.. The music of the Civil War reflects the sheer … Continue reading →

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Tubes

Posted on June 14, 2016 by smellincoffee

Tubes: A Journey to the Center of the Internet© 2012 Andrew Blum303 pages It turns out Ted Stevens was right: the Internet really is a series of tubes, connecting large boxes, and usually in nondescript warehouses that look like self-storage units. … Continue reading →

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When Asia was the World

Posted on June 10, 2016 by smellincoffee

When Asia Was the World: Traveling Merchants, Scholars, Warriors, and Monks Who Created the ‘Riches of the East© 2009 Stewart Gordon256 pages When Asia was the World revisits, through the lives of traveling monks, traders, and warriors,  the extraordinary vistas and … Continue reading →

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Volcanoes in Human History

Posted on June 8, 2016 by smellincoffee

As with Earthquakes in Human History, this is exactly as it describes itself. A mix of science and history, the authors begin with an explanation of volcanic activity before moving on to cover a few key eruptions. Volcanoes illustrate that … Continue reading →

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Earrthquakes in Human History

Posted on June 4, 2016 by smellincoffee

Earthquakes in Human History© 2005 Jelle de Boer, Donald Sanders304 pages de Boer and Sanders’ “Earthquakes” is exactly what it says on the tin: a quick survey of how earthquakes have affected human history.   An initial section explains the … Continue reading →

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The Persians

Posted on May 25, 2016 by smellincoffee

The Persians: Ancient, Mediaeval, and Modern Iran© 2009 Homa Katouzian452 pages Come, let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of kings. It’ll take a while, because there’s been a lot of them.The Persians: Ancient, … Continue reading →

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In God’s Path

Posted on May 21, 2016 by smellincoffee

In God’s Path: the Arab Conquests and the Creation of an Islamic Empire© 2015 Robert Hoyland303 pages A Roman author referred to the Roman and Persian empires as the two eyes of the world — but they didn’t see the … Continue reading →

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On the Grid

Posted on May 14, 2016 by smellincoffee

On the Grid: A Plot of Land, an Average Neighborhood, and the Systems That Make Our World Work© 2010 Scott Huler256 pages If modern humans have retained a penchant for magical thinking, little wonder. Our homes accomplish marvels seemingly by the … Continue reading →

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Iran and the United States

Posted on May 13, 2016 by smellincoffee

Iran and the United States: An Insider’s View on the Failed Past and the Road to Peace© 2014 Seyed Hossein Mousavian368 pages The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran have not been on speaking terms since the hostage … Continue reading →

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