Category Archives: Reviews

Book reviews, as well as Reads to Reels

The Iran Wars

Posted on October 3, 2018 by smellincoffee

The Iran Wars: Spy Games, Bank Battles, and the Secret Deals that Reshaped the Middle East © 2016 Jay Solomon 352 pages When the young people of Iran hit the streets in protest about suspicious election returns in 2009, the … Continue reading →

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Oktoberfest and Octoberfright

Posted on October 2, 2018 by smellincoffee

Well, dear readers, it’s October again.  I’ll be opening with a nod to German history, this time with a WW2 emphasis as I’m trying to address my TBR pile of doom.  I’m sure it will go down smoothly  with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | 6 Comments

Within Arm’s Reach

Posted on October 1, 2018 by smellincoffee

Within Arm’s Length: The Extraordinary Life and Career of a Special Agent in the United States Secret Service © 2014, 2018 Dan Emmett 320 pages Dan Emmett was a kid when he witnessed President Kennedy’s assassination on television, but instead … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Civic Interest, Reviews | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Build Your Own PC for Dummies

Posted on September 29, 2018 by smellincoffee

Build Your Pwn PC For Dummies© 2009 Mark Chambers336 pages Both my increasing interest in learning how to work with computer hardware, and my nephew’s desire to build a gaming computer,  have led to me watching hours of build videos … Continue reading →

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The Looming Tower

Posted on September 28, 2018 by smellincoffee

The Looming Tower: Al-Queda and the Road to 9/11 © 2006 Lawrence Wright 480 pages “[…] we’re told that they were zealots, fueled by religious fervor…religious fervor. And if you live to be a thousand years old, will that make … Continue reading →

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Digital Filmmaking for Kids

Posted on September 27, 2018 by smellincoffee

Digital Filmmaking for Kids© 2015 Nick Willoughby304 pages I am not, readers may spot, a kid.  However, when I WAS a kid, I was one given to wandering around the woods with a massive camcorder in my shoulders, attempting to … Continue reading →

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A Nation Challenged

Posted on September 23, 2018 by smellincoffee

A Nation Challenged: A Visual History of 9/11 and Its Aftermath© 2002 The New York Times240 pages The first few anniversaries of 9/11 had a weight as they approached — not only for what memories they evoked, but for the … Continue reading →

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Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom

Posted on September 21, 2018 by smellincoffee

Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom© 2003 Cory Doctorow202 pages In the not-very-distant future,  death is an inconvenience, and material goods are no longer scarce. Instead, the currency of society is reputation,  and Jules needs all of his reserves … Continue reading →

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The Water Will Come

Posted on September 20, 2018 by smellincoffee

The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World© 2017 Jeff Goodell332 pages Complex problems of enormous scale rarely have a patent solution. There are, however, rational responses. In The Water Will Come, Jeff … Continue reading →

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

Fire and Fury

Posted on September 16, 2018 by smellincoffee

Fire and Fury © 2018 Michael Wolff 336 pages “You look at the operation of this White House, and you have to say…’Let’s hope to God we don’t have a crisis.” – Bob Woodward, CBS Sunday Morning interview Even its … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Civic Interest, Reviews | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments