Category Archives: Reviews

Book reviews, as well as Reads to Reels

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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Lights Out

Posted on June 13, 2016 by smellincoffee

Lights Out: A Cyberattack, a Nation Unprepared© 2015 Ted Koppell288 pages In Lights Out,  investigatory journalist Ted Koppel comments on the vulnerability of the United States’ power grid to a cyber attack,  and reviews the way government agencies, private citizens, … 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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Cyber War

Posted on June 10, 2016 by smellincoffee

Cyber War: The Next Threat to Our National Security and What to Do About It© 2010 Richard Clarke, Robert Knake320 pages Soon, the ultimate tool will become…the ultimate enemy! So said the 1982 trailer for Tron, a heavily dated computer … 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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Saving Congress from Itself

Posted on June 7, 2016 by smellincoffee

Saving Congress from Itself: Emancipating the States and Empowering their People© 2014 James F. Buckley120 pages According to the latest Gallup poll, only 11% of Americans approve of Congress’ job performance, but virtually every senator or representative who runs for … Continue reading →

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Big Box Swindle

Posted on June 5, 2016 by smellincoffee

Big Box Swindle:  The True Cost of Mega-Retailers and the Fight for America’s Independent Businesses© 2006 Stacy Mitchell336 pages What happened? Where did America go? ..everything’s Wal-Mart all the time, no more mom & pop five and dime.. (Merle Haggard, … 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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Trojan Horse

Posted on June 4, 2016 by smellincoffee

Trojan Horse© 2012 Mark Russinovich336 pages Something sinister is developing in the depths of the dark net. There are inexplicable power outages in Washington, and misinformation filtering through the systems of the United Nations. Jeff Aiken and his partner Daryl … Continue reading →

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The Return of the TBR

Posted on June 1, 2016 by smellincoffee

Dear readers: A couple of days ago I received a book in the mail and a little alarm bell went off in my head, the subconscious recognition that yep, I’ve not another stack of unread nonfiction books: at least twelve. … Continue reading →

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