Category Archives: Reviews

Book reviews, as well as Reads to Reels

The New World

Posted on April 26, 2013 by smellincoffee

A History of the English-Speaking Peoples, Volume II: The New World© 1956 Winston Churchill400 pages Shortly before the eruption of the Second World War, Winston Churchill was busy at work authoring a history of the English and American people, of … Continue reading →

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The Plain Reader

Posted on April 24, 2013 by smellincoffee

The Plain Reader© 1998 various authors, edited by Scott Savage272 pages What really matters?  Such is the question explored by the contributing authors of The Plain Reader, a collaboration between Amish and Quaker communities to express how living simply allows … Continue reading →

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This week at the library: cities and simple living

Posted on April 19, 2013 by smellincoffee

This week at the library, I’ve started a series of England-themed readings to commemorate St. George’s Day, on 23 April. My selections are A History of the English-Speaking Peoples, Volume II: The New World by Winston Churchill, and A Dangerous … Continue reading →

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A Spectacle of Corruption

Posted on April 13, 2013 by smellincoffee

A Spectacle of Corruption© 2004 David Liss381 pages When Benjamin Weaver went to a pub, he never expected to end up fighting for his life, let alone be arrested for the crime of killing a man he only met when … Continue reading →

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Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet

Posted on April 13, 2013 by smellincoffee

Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet352 pages© 2008 Michael T. Klare For much of the 20th century, a handful of industrialized countries enjoyed access to a seemingly infinite supply of oil. But a century of economic progress has seen global demand for … Continue reading →

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1356

Posted on April 6, 2013 by smellincoffee

1356 © 2013 Bernard Cornwell 432 pages And by God, he thought, there was nothing like this feeling. A good horse, a tight high saddle, a lance, and an enemy taken by surprise. It’s the year..well, 1356, and after a … Continue reading →

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Straphanger

Posted on April 6, 2013 by smellincoffee

Straphanger: Saving Our Cities and Ourselves from the Automobile336 pages© 2012 Taras Grescoe The cheap energy era is over, unless someone invents a Star Trek replicator that can magick barrels of oil into existence. Cities across the world are working … Continue reading →

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Sundays in America

Posted on March 30, 2013 by smellincoffee

Sundays in America: A Yearlong Road Trip in Search of Christian Faith© 2008 Suzanne Strempek Shea311 pages The outpouring of devotion that followed Pope John Paul II’s death stirred Suzanne Shea: why hadn’t she felt like that in a long, … Continue reading →

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Hey Mom, Can I Ride My Bike Across America?

Posted on March 28, 2013 by smellincoffee

Hey Mom, Can I Ride My Bike Across America? Five Kids Meet their Country© 1990 John Siegel Boettnerwith excerpts from the journals of Heather Deutsch, Joy Fulton, Jimmy West, Carl Fagerlin, and Ethan Turpin.439 pages The United States isn’t a … Continue reading →

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Pedaling Revolution

Posted on March 25, 2013 by smellincoffee

Pedaling Revolution: How Cyclists are Changing American Cities© 2009 Jeff Mapes288 pages That’s some serious wind resistance there, buddy. Governments across the world today are beset by problems common to all: rising fuel prices and obesity rates, the ever-present spectre … Continue reading →

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