Category Archives: Reviews

Book reviews, as well as Reads to Reels

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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Memorial Day

Posted on May 30, 2016 by smellincoffee

Memorial Day© 2004 Vince Flynn407 pages “And if they manage to get this thing into Washington and end up killing the leaders of America, Great Britain, and Russia?”Rapp shrugged. “At least there won’t be any more ambivalence about the war … Continue reading →

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All the Shah’s Men

Posted on May 29, 2016 by smellincoffee

All the Shah’s Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror© 2003 Stephen Kinzler272 pages On one  dismal  night in 1953,  a conspiracy destroyed both Iranian democracy and American honor.  At the dawn of the 1950s, Iran was … Continue reading →

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The Grid

Posted on May 28, 2016 by smellincoffee

The Grid© 1995 Phillip Kerr447 pages Some modern architecture might make you want to kill yourself. Other modern architecture might try to kill you directly. The Yu Corporation’s newest project in Los Angeles, derisively called “The Gridiron” by everyone except … 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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8.4

Posted on May 25, 2016 by smellincoffee

8.4.© 1995 Peter Hernon393 pages San Andreas? You want a real earthquake, son, you come to Tennessee.  In America’s heartland lies a currently-quiescent fault, the New Madrid Seismic Zone. In the early 19th century a series of three massive earthquakes … 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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Science: the Index

Posted on May 20, 2016 by smellincoffee

This list includes most of the science books I’ve read since 2007, omitting  titles that received only scant mention. Brane and Brane! What is Brane?!- Cosmology and Astrophysics* The Grand Design, Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow Black Holes and Baby … Continue reading →

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