Category Archives: Reviews

The Whiskey Rebels

Posted on July 4, 2015 by smellincoffee

The Whiskey Rebels© 2008 David Liss544 pages “You have my word as a gentleman.”“You are no gentleman!”“Then you have my word as a scoundrel, which, I know, opens up a rather confusing paradox that I have neither the time nor … Continue reading →

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Last Call

Posted on July 1, 2015 by smellincoffee

Last Call: the Rise and Fall of Prohibition © 2010 Daniel Okrent 480 pages “Law and order should not ruin the lives of law-abidin’ people! Like that stupid law of Prohibition they had in the old days. Gangsters had to go … Continue reading →

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American Cicero

Posted on June 24, 2015 by smellincoffee

American Cicero: The Life of Charles Carroll © 2010 Bradley Birzer 230 pages When Charles Carroll of Carrollton signed the Declaration of Independence, he was risking the biggest fortune on the American mainland.  But Carroll had yearned for independence for … Continue reading →

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

Recarving Rushmore

Posted on June 24, 2015 by smellincoffee

Recarving Rushmore: Ranking the Presidents on Peace, Prosperity, and Liberty© 2009 Ivan Eland527 pages Presidential rankings tend to favor  those who were most active, reigning during a crisis or creating expansive new programs that alter the nation’s fortunes.  What of … Continue reading →

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The Cost of Liberty

Posted on June 21, 2015 by smellincoffee

The Cost of Liberty: The Life of John Dickinson© 2013 William Murchinson257 pages “Experience must be our only guide; reason may mislead us.” Can you claim to be a Founding Father if you didn’t sign the Declaration of Independence?  What … Continue reading →

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Behind the Mask of Chivalry

Posted on June 20, 2015 by smellincoffee

Behind the Mask of Chivalry: The Making of the Second Klan© 1995 Nancy MacLean336 pages             I’m a faithful follower of Brother John Birch, and I belong to the Antioch Baptist Church   — and I ain’t even got a garage, … Continue reading →

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The Terrorist Next Door

Posted on June 20, 2015 by smellincoffee

The Terrorist Next Door: The Militia Movement and the Radical Right © 2004 Daniel Levitas544 pages How does the grandson of Jewish immigrants become a leading voice in anti-Semitic movements? The Terrorist Next Door reviews domestic militancy in the United … Continue reading →

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American Colonies

Posted on June 13, 2015 by smellincoffee

American Colonies: The Settling of North America© 2001 Alan Taylor526 pages           American Colonies is a sweeping history of the New World,  one that attempts to convey the full American experience, beginning with the arrival of … Continue reading →

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The Ashes of Waco

Posted on June 12, 2015 by smellincoffee

The Ashes of Waco: An Investigation© 1995 Dick Reavis320 pages What happened at Waco?  Dick Reavis had an itch to find out, and since no one else at his alternative newspaper was curious, he volunteered as man on the ground … Continue reading →

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The English People on the Eve of Colonization

Posted on June 8, 2015 by smellincoffee

The English People on the Eve of Colonization© 1954 Wallace Notestein302 pages    If there was ever an exemplar for not judging a book by its cover, The English People on the Eve of Colonization is it. The binding is … Continue reading →

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