Category Archives: Reviews

Book reviews, as well as Reads to Reels

Wisdom Wednesday: The Great Tradition

Posted on September 9, 2020 by smellincoffee

This week features a quote from Will Durant, whose epic Story of Civilization, partially co-written with his wife, was a masterful review of western history — surveying literature, politics, philosophy, etc — from Mesopotamia to Napoleon. This particular quote comes … Continue reading →

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The Brothers Karamazov

Posted on September 9, 2020 by smellincoffee

The Brothers Karamazov© 1879 Fyodor Dostoevsky, trans. 1992 Pevear & Volkonsky840 pages Fathers and teachers, I ask myself: “What is hell?” And I answer thus: “The suffering of being no longer able to love.” The Brothers Karamazov has the unusual … Continue reading →

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The Coddling of the American Mind

Posted on September 7, 2020 by smellincoffee

The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas are Setting up a Generation for Failure© 2018 Greg Lukianoff & Jonathan Haidt352 pages There was a time when I was a youthful idealist, full of love and … Continue reading →

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Firefly: Ghost Machine

Posted on September 3, 2020 by smellincoffee

Firefly: Ghost Machine© 2020 James Lovegrove336 pages Mal Reynolds didn’t survive the Independence War by not trusting his gut. It was that same gut that told him to back away from this latest job of Badger’s. The item may have … Continue reading →

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Takedown

Posted on September 1, 2020 by smellincoffee

Star Trek TNG: Takedown © 2015 John Jackson Miller 369 pages “Captain, permission to speak freely? You’re a good egg.” “…I’m not sure how to respond to that.” I spotted this title at a surplus-goods store a few years back, … Continue reading →

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An Elegant Defense

Posted on August 31, 2020 by smellincoffee

An Elegant Defense: The Extraordinary New Science of the Immune System © 2019  Matt Ritchel 488 pages Back in January, long before the pandemic was on my mind (or anyone else’s outside of China),  I watched a charming and educational … Continue reading →

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Go Directly to Jail

Posted on August 27, 2020 by smellincoffee

Go Directly to Jail: The Criminalization of Almost Everything © 2004 ed. Gene Healy 194 pages What good are laws so numerous they cannot be known, or so opaque they cannot be understood?  James Madison knew enough to ask that … Continue reading →

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The Little Way of Ruthie Leming

Posted on August 26, 2020 by smellincoffee

The Little Way of Ruthie Leming: A Southern Girl, A Small Town, and the Secret of a Good Life © 2013 Rod Dreher 292 pages What is a meaningful life, but one lived in close connection with others?     Journalist Rod … Continue reading →

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An Antidote to Chaos

Posted on August 25, 2020 by smellincoffee

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos © 2018 Jordan Peterson 402 pages Life is pain. We can surrender to it — or we can make it meaningful. Clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson here offers a prescription to those facing … Continue reading →

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Of stars and saints (again)

Posted on August 24, 2020 by smellincoffee

(“Again” because last year I had a similar post called ‘Of stars and saints‘.) Recently I’ve finished two books which were aimed at more youthful audiences (middle/high school, not sure), so I’m presenting them together. The first is Hands of … Continue reading →

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