Category Archives: Reviews

Book reviews, as well as Reads to Reels

The Goodness Paradox

Posted on May 21, 2020 by smellincoffee

The Goodness Paradox: The Strange Relationship Between Virtue and Violence in Human Evolution © 2019 Richard Wrangham 400 pages The Goodness Paradox cannot help but be fascinating, for it seeks to address one of the most pressing questions of human … Continue reading →

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The Mustering of the Hawks

Posted on May 21, 2020 by smellincoffee

The Mustering of the Hawks © 1972 John Harris/Max Hennessy 272 pagws “When you consider that practically every aviator in the world’s been mustered together in France in a strip of territory some three hundred miles long by ten miles … Continue reading →

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18 Miles

Posted on May 6, 2020 by smellincoffee

18 Miles: The Epic Drama of Our Atmosphere and its Weather © 2018 Christopher Dewdney 272 pages Maybe it’s a life spent watching the skies for signs of tornadoes talking, but few everyday things strike me as more dramatic than … Continue reading →

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Hooked on this writing

Posted on May 5, 2020 by smellincoffee

I’m presently reading 18 Miles: The Epic Drama of Our Atmosphere and Its Weather, and loving the writing.    In advance of a review, I’m sharing some of my Kindle highlights: “Insubstantial factories of infinite forms, clouds are both ephemeral and … Continue reading →

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British Historical Fiction

Posted on April 29, 2020 by smellincoffee

This is an index post of historical fiction set in Britain that I originally published in November 2016. I’ve just updated to keep it current. The order of books is roughly chronological. Ancient and Legendary BritainStonehenge, Bernard CornwellThe Winter King: … Continue reading →

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Cruel as the Grave

Posted on April 28, 2020 by smellincoffee

Cruel as the Grave: A Medieval Mystery © 1998 Sharon Kay Penman 274 pages Justin de Quincy has a problem. Several problems, actually.   Chiefly, there’s the fact that his king is presumed captured overseas, and possibly dead, while the king’s … Continue reading →

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The Bright Blue Sky

Posted on April 27, 2020 by smellincoffee

© 1983 Max Hennessy 250 pages High above was a layer of stratus, ice-white so that the sky seemed full of light, and Dicken knew against it they were silhouetted perfectly, a wonderful target for the ground gunners. Dicken Quinney … Continue reading →

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The Weather Machine

Posted on April 25, 2020 by smellincoffee

The Weather Machine: How We See Into the Future ©  2019 Andrew Blum 224 pages How do we know what the forecast will be?  Well, we don’t — yesterday my chances of afternoon rain were supposedly minimal, and yet by … Continue reading →

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An English shield-maiden and England’s army

Posted on April 20, 2020 by smellincoffee

Time for two mini-reviews! First up, The Making of the British Army.   Retired brigadier Allan Mallinson  traces the history of Britain’s army to the creation of the New Model Army during the English civil war. Unlike armies of old, the … Continue reading →

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The White Horse King

Posted on April 8, 2020 by smellincoffee

© 2009 Benjamin Merkle 272 pages It reads like the best of high-stakes adventure stories: a young,  conscientious king watches as his neighbors fail to unite to the creeping threat of the Norsemen, and fall in their time, one by by … Continue reading →

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