Category Archives: Reviews

John Tyler: The President Without a Party

Posted on January 2, 2026 by smellincoffee

I was instantly intrigued by John Tyler when I learned that his entire Cabinet, with the exception of the Secretary of State, had resigned on him in protest of his actions and that he had been declared excommunicate by his … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Train Dreams

Posted on January 1, 2026 by smellincoffee

My first movie for 2026 was Train Dreams, a beautiful but tragic story of a man who found happiness, then saw it ripped away from him, and then was forced to grapple for meaning like Job. After dealing with an … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Marce Catlett and the Force of Story

Posted on December 30, 2025 by smellincoffee

Marce Catlett  The Force of a Story takes a life we’ve visited with previously and then visits with it for a while, learning how the story of Andy Catlett was really a continuation of a story in which his grandfather … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

End Year Short Rounds: Frankenstein, Merlin, and Stephen Douglas

Posted on December 29, 2025 by smellincoffee

Although I ostensibly took a break from the blog on Christmas eve to focus on real life and all that, part of my brain is resolutely blog-oriented and insisted I keep reading so that I did not fail the Science … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Reviews, science | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Harry Potter and the Quest to Get Expelled: Full Cast Audio!

Posted on December 28, 2025 by smellincoffee

Recently I took a chance on the full-cast audio version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone that’s just come out. I say “took a chance” because the preview on Audible does not communicate the nature of the book especially … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

WWW Wednesday

Posted on December 24, 2025 by smellincoffee

WHAT have you finished reading recently? Bosom Friends, a book examining the alliance between James Buchanan and William Rufus King, and Zachary Taylor, a biography of President Zachary Taylor. Also, Millard Fillmore by the aptly named Finkleman. I will not … Continue reading →

Posted in General, history, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Old Rough and Ready Taylor

Posted on December 23, 2025 by smellincoffee

When I think of Zachary Taylor, I can see a craggy face right out of a western– and for some reason, I think of cherries. (My adult brain has somehow managed to remember some 25+ years after reading a book … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bosom Friends

Posted on December 22, 2025 by smellincoffee

James Buchanan remains the United States’  only bachelor president –  he was technically joined in this feat by Cleveland for one term, but by the time 22 had returned as 24, he had found his better half.  Buchanan, though,  despite … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

James “I Didn’t Start the Fire” Buchanan

Posted on December 18, 2025 by smellincoffee

What do I know about Mr. James Buchanan? Well, he’s our only bachelor president, leaning on his niece to be his hostess at White House functions; he was very chummy with the founder of my hometown, William Rufus King, and … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

1858

Posted on December 17, 2025 by smellincoffee

1858 is a history of the second year of James Buchanan’s administration, a year notable less for what Buchanan did than for what he refused to do while the slavery debate burned white-hot. He maintained that slavery was no longer … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Politics and Civic Interest, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments