Category Archives: Reviews

Book reviews, as well as Reads to Reels

This Week at the Library (19 June)

Posted on June 19, 2011 by smellincoffee

In addition to the reviews posted this weekend, I also finished Biology Made Simple — which proved to be too simple for my needs. Although the book improved vastly as the author covered the bodily systems, the opening chapters on … Continue reading →

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Cop Hater

Posted on June 18, 2011 by smellincoffee

Cop Hater© 1956 Ed McBain236 pages The heat is on for Detective Stephen Carella of the 87th precinct and his fellow officers. As a heat wave reduces the city to misery, someone is murdering the precinct’s detectives one by one. The … Continue reading →

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Posted on June 18, 2011 by smellincoffee

The Omnivore’s Dilemma© 2007 Michael Pollan450 pages What to eat, what to eat? Between our robust physiologies and intelligent, creative minds, there’s little on Earth that we human beings cannot eat or somehow convert into food. The entire planet is … Continue reading →

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Sharpe’s Triumph

Posted on June 18, 2011 by smellincoffee

Sharpe’s Triumph: India 1803© 1998 Bernard Cornwell291 pages Four years have passed since Richard Sharpe destroyed the Tippoo Sultan’s empire and earned his sergeant’s stripes, and those four years have been relatively peaceful. But now a malicious officer (Dodd) in … Continue reading →

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The Currents of Space

Posted on June 18, 2011 by smellincoffee

The Currents of Space© 1952 Isaac AsimovFrom Triangle (pp. 1-172). © 1952. “Frightened people can be very dangerous, my Lady. They can’t be counted on to act sensibly.”“Then why do you keep them frightened?” An entire planet is doomed, and only … Continue reading →

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All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

Posted on June 17, 2011 by smellincoffee

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: Uncommon Thoughts on Common Things© 1989 Robert Fulghum196 pages It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor — would you be mine, could you be mine? … Continue reading →

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Teaser Tuesday (14 June)

Posted on June 13, 2011 by smellincoffee

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish event in which participants share excerpts from their current reads, hosted by Should Be Reading. “I’m not an assassin. Killing is more of a hobby with me. Have you had dinner?” p. 1, The … Continue reading →

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Poisoning the Well

Posted on June 10, 2011 by smellincoffee

I visited the library today in the mood for some classic SF. I thought I might pick up an Asimov book I’ve not yet read, or introduce myself to Robert Heinlein. My local library only carries three Heinlein works: Stranger … Continue reading →

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Montevallo: Images of America

Posted on June 5, 2011 by smellincoffee

Montevallo: Images of America © 2011 Clark Hultquist and Carey Heatherly 128 pages A few years ago, I became a student and resident of the University of Montevallo. I fell madly in love with the town and its university and regard them … Continue reading →

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Precipice

Posted on June 4, 2011 by smellincoffee

Star Trek Vanguard: Precipice© 2009 David Mack352 pages To date, the Vanguard series has been marked by a vast archaeological and scientific mystery, but as its matured, the implications of the Taurus Reach discoveries have been taking precedent. We saw … Continue reading →

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