Category Archives: history

The Outline of History

Posted on February 23, 2011 by smellincoffee

The Outline of History, Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind (Volume I)© 1920 H.G. Wells, revised edition by G.P. Wells and Raymond Postgate © 1970550 pages At the close of the Great War, people wondered how such a … Continue reading →

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The Near East

Posted on February 13, 2011 by smellincoffee

The Near East: 10,000 Years of History © 1968 Isaac Asimov 277 pages Come, let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of kings. (“Richard II”, William Shakespeare) Civilization first began in the ‘land between … Continue reading →

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Electric Universe

Posted on January 31, 2011 by smellincoffee

Electric Universe: The Shocking True Story of Electricity© 2005 David Bodanis308 pages When you’re in the dark, and you want to see, you need Electricity, E-LEC-TRICITY! (School House Rock, “Electricity“) Every now and again, I misjudge a book and find … Continue reading →

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Beyond Band of Brothers

Posted on January 27, 2011 by smellincoffee

Beyond Band of Brothers: the War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters© 2006 Dick Winters and Colonel Cole Kingseed303 pages When I landed, the only weapon I had was a trench knife that I had placed in my boot. I stuck … Continue reading →

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The Rise and Fall of the Bible

Posted on January 23, 2011 by smellincoffee

The Rise and Fall of the Bible: The Unexpected History of an Accidental Book© 2011 Timothy Beal225 pages, not including index. Disclaimer: I read from an advanced review copy of the book, available through NetGalleys. No compensation for a review, … Continue reading →

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To End All Wars

Posted on January 14, 2011 by smellincoffee

To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion, 1914-1918© 2011 Adam Hochschild480 pages Disclaimer:   I read from an advanced review copy of the book, available through NetGalleys. No compensation for a review, good or negative, was offered … Continue reading →

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The Evolution of God

Posted on January 9, 2011 by smellincoffee

The Evolution of God© 2009 Robert Wright576 pages Evolutionary psychologist Robert Wright uses the concepts of natural morality and the ‘moral imagination’ to  understand the growth and (arguably) increasing maturity of the three Abrahamic religions — Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. … Continue reading →

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This Week at the Library (29 December)

Posted on December 29, 2010 by smellincoffee

Aside from the books I’ve already done full comments on, I also finished The Great American Wolf and The Golden Door.  My observations about them were shortish, so I decided to include them here instead of making seperate, strangely short … Continue reading →

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Coal: A Human History

Posted on December 11, 2010 by smellincoffee

Coal: A Human History© 2003 Barbara Freese308 pages I never expected to be so fascinated by coal. This book’s cover and title compelled my interest from the first moment I spotted it on my library bookshelves, and the text itself … Continue reading →

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The Earth Shall Weep

Posted on December 7, 2010 by smellincoffee

The Earth Shall Weep: A History of Native America © 2000 James Wilson466 pages Having grown up in Alabama, I don’t know what it’s like to live among buildings that testify to history. I’ve never stepped onto a sidewalk with paving … Continue reading →

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