Category Archives: Reviews

Book reviews, as well as Reads to Reels

This week: 1066 and all that

Posted on April 11, 2016 by smellincoffee

A third of the way into April, this year’s Read of England is already a roaring success. It helps that I had a head start in March, of course. The main reason I tried to reserve a block of time … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

Jane Eyre

Posted on April 11, 2016 by smellincoffee

Jane Eyre© 1847 Charlotte Bronte525 pages   Years ago an online quiz declared to me that of all the characters in English literature, I was most like…Jane Eyre. It may have been a quiz intended for women, but I had … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Reads to …er, Reels: War of the Worlds

Posted on April 10, 2016 by smellincoffee

“…coming this way, about twenty yards from my ri—” Tonight I turned off the lights and put on a recording of Orson Welles’ 1938 radio dramatization of H.G. Wells’ (confusing, that) The War of the Worlds.  According to a popular … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Bilbo’s Journey

Posted on April 9, 2016 by smellincoffee

Bilbo’s Journey: Discovering the Hidden Meaning of the Hobbit©  2012 Joseph Pearce147 pages The Hobbit begins with the sudden arrival of a pack of dwarves at Bilbo Baggin’s house. Though he is very much the quiet homebody, they have arrived … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

My Man Jeeves

Posted on April 8, 2016 by smellincoffee

My Man Jeeves© 1919 P.G. Wodehouse132 pages “There’s only one thing to do,” I said. “What’s that?” “Leave it to Jeeves.” What ho, readers all!   My Man Jeeves renews my acquaintance with young Bertie Wooster, exemplar of the aristocracy … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Frodo’s Journey

Posted on April 8, 2016 by smellincoffee

Frodo’s Journey: The Hidden Meaning of the Lord of the Rings © 2015 Joseph Pearce 158 pages Noting that Tolkien’s Lord of the Ring trilogy is rich with symbolism is rather akin to observing that the Pacific Ocean is big. … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Invisible Man

Posted on April 5, 2016 by smellincoffee

The Invisible Man© 1897 H,G, Wells149 pages The Invisible Man opens with the arrival of a Mysterious Stranger to a country inn. He is covered from head to toe, and remains so even after he takes a room. The townsfolk don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science fiction | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Lord of the Flies

Posted on April 4, 2016 by smellincoffee

Lord of the Flies© 1954 William Golding156 pages A group of boys marooned on a tiny Pacific Island must work together, battling the elements and one another. If they don’t adapt, they’ll be voted off the island — or thrown … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Reads to Reels: Great Expectations

Posted on April 3, 2016 by smellincoffee

“Hallo! Here’s a church. Let’s go in. Hallo! Here’s some gloves. Let’s put `em on! Hallo! Here’s Ms. Skiffins. Let’s have a wedding!”  I’ve never done a reels this close on the heels to a read before, but there’s no … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged | 2 Comments

Great Expectations

Posted on April 2, 2016 by smellincoffee

Great Expectations© 1861 Charles Dickens544 pages Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments