Category Archives: Reviews

Book reviews, as well as Reads to Reels

The Glory of their Times

Posted on April 23, 2023 by smellincoffee

The Glory of their Times: The Story of the Early Days of Baseball Told by the Men Who Played It© 1966 Paul Ritter300 pages C.S. Lewis remarked that he enjoyed nothing more than the sound of men laughing. Listeners will … Continue reading →

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The Beauty of the Beastly

Posted on April 20, 2023 by smellincoffee

The Beauty of the Beastly© 1995 Natalie Angier304 pages The Beauty of the Beastly is a fun collection of science pieces by Natalie Angier, ranging from macro to microbiology, with some science interviews added at the end. The reader will … Continue reading →

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Blockade Billy

Posted on April 18, 2023 by smellincoffee

Blockade Billy© 2010 Stephen King112 pages Okay, this has nothing to do with Read of England, unless I can claim that it’s a baseball story, and baseball grew from rounders which was invented in England and is slightly older than … Continue reading →

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Falling into Battle

Posted on April 12, 2023 by smellincoffee

The War to End All Wars: Falling Into Battle© 2020 Andrew Wareham243 pages Christopher Sturton and Richard Baker are two young midshipmen who have come to the end of their day as mids: Christopher is moving on greater things as … Continue reading →

Posted in historical fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Of British invasions and medieval haunts

Posted on April 10, 2023 by smellincoffee

As a followup to Hitler’s Armada, I read Frank McLynn’s Invasion from the Armada to Hitler, a history of planned attempts to invade the British isles, and has an interesting mixture of deep background and absurd simplification.  McLynn begins by … Continue reading →

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Essex Dogs

Posted on April 6, 2023 by smellincoffee

Essex Dogs© 2023 Dan Jones464 pages In 1066 Normandy invaded England: in 1346, England returned the favor. His majesty Edward III has come to make good his claim to the French throne, and in advance of England’s troops arriving, a … Continue reading →

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Hitler’s Armada

Posted on April 2, 2023 by smellincoffee

Hitler’s Armada: The Royal Navy & the Defence of Great Britain© Geoff Hewitt246 pages Summer 1940. Britain stands alone, its ally France having lain down her sword and surrendered to the German blitzkrieg, which has already consumed Norway, the Low … Continue reading →

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Gaming on the ZX Speccy, oceans, and harrumphing at the White House

Posted on March 30, 2023 by smellincoffee

I think I’ve managed to avoid doing any ‘short rounds’ posts this year, but three months in the streak ends. It’s not my fault, I swear. It’s the books. First up is The Nostalgia Nerd’s Retro Tech, a mostly-graphic look … Continue reading →

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Purgatorio

Posted on March 28, 2023 by smellincoffee

Purgatorio© 14th century Dante Alighieri, translated 2004 by Anthony Esolen544 pages, including appendices and notes Seven years ago I descended into hell with Dante and his guide, Virgil,   and after that arduous descent into a valley of desolation and … Continue reading →

Posted in Classics and Literary, Religion and Philosophy, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The wretch, concentered all in Self….

Posted on March 24, 2023 by smellincoffee
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