Category Archives: Reviews

Book reviews, as well as Reads to Reels

The Lady Elizabeth

Posted on May 15, 2010 by smellincoffee

The Lady Elizabeth© 2008 Alison Weir480 pages “Can you do what you like when you are king? [Elizabeth] asked, a whole new vista of freedom opening up in her mind. “Of course I can,” her father replied. “People have to … Continue reading →

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The Iron Heel

Posted on May 11, 2010 by smellincoffee

The Iron Heel© 1907 Jack London354 pages (Mysteriously, my public library’s 1907 copy of this book has survived a century of use, although its tattered pages testify that the years have been harsh on it. If it ever had a … Continue reading →

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Plato’s Podcasts

Posted on May 9, 2010 by smellincoffee

Plato’s Podcasts: the Ancients’ Guide to Modern Living© 2009 Mark Vernon215 pages I encountered this book a  few weeks ago while enjoying a virtual photo-tour of ancient Athens hosted by an Greek philosophy enthusiast. The title immediately drew my attention, … Continue reading →

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This Week at the Library (6/5)

Posted on May 5, 2010 by smellincoffee

Once more, I have kept my head above the water and am finished with term papers and finals for this semester. I had the good luck to do research on topics I enjoyed (history of science, the Great War, and … Continue reading →

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The Trials of Life

Posted on May 5, 2010 by smellincoffee

The Trials of Life: a Natural History of Animal Behavior© 1990 Sir David Attenborough320 pages Following up on last week’s The Private Life of Plants, I enjoyed another of Attenborough’s books documenting the extraordinary natural world: this with a focus … Continue reading →

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Hard Contact

Posted on May 4, 2010 by smellincoffee

Star Wars Republic Commando: Hard Contact© 2004 Karen Traviss293 pages A few weekends ago I finished Star Wars: Republic Commando, a particularly fun first-person shooter set during the Clone Wars, placing the character as the lead of “Delta Squad”, a … Continue reading →

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Commodore Hornblower

Posted on May 1, 2010 by smellincoffee

Commodore Hornblower© 1945 C.S. Forester384 pages My previous reads in the Hornblower series have been through collections of the shorter works, but Commodore Hornblower is a standard novel set shortly after Captain Hornblower. Hornblower has by now distinguished himself as one … Continue reading →

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The Last Juror

Posted on April 29, 2010 by smellincoffee

The Last Juror© 2004 John Grisham355 pages As [Padgitt] was about to step out of the witness box and return to the defense table, he suddenly turned to the jury and said something that stunned the courtroom. His face wrinkled … Continue reading →

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The Private Life of Plants

Posted on April 28, 2010 by smellincoffee

The Private Life of Plants © 1995 David Attenborough 320 pages I spend a little time every week contemplating my home library’s eviscerated science section, hoping against hope to find some interesting volume amid the remains. Last week, picking through … Continue reading →

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This Week at the Library (28/4)

Posted on April 28, 2010 by smellincoffee

This week at the library… I began with Young Hornblower, a collection of three Hornblower novels set during Horatio Hornblower’s early career. C.S. Forester’s novels are fast-paced naval adventures with plenty of variety, often including political intrigue and shore-side missions. I’ll be continuing in … Continue reading →

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