Tag Archives: American South

A People’s History of the Civil War

Posted on July 23, 2012 by smellincoffee

A People’s History of the Civil War: Struggles for the Meaning of Freedom594 pages© 2005 David Williams No war has left such an impression on the American character as its civil war. That conflict (1861-1865) claimed more American lives than … Continue reading →

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Rebel

Posted on June 12, 2012 by smellincoffee

Rebel© 1993 Bernard Cornwell402 pages Nathaniel Starbuck shouldn’t be in South, but this son of a preacher man is positively hopeless when it comes to the ladies. Love tore him from the seminary, and it led him into Virginia just … Continue reading →

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A Blaze of Glory

Posted on June 7, 2012 by smellincoffee

A Blaze of Glory© 2012 Jeff Shaara464 pages Come all you gallant soldiers, a story I will tell About the bloody battle on top of Shiloh’s hill It was an awful struggle; it’ll cause your heart to chill All from … Continue reading →

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To Kill a Mockingbird

Posted on May 30, 2011 by smellincoffee

To Kill a Mockingbird © 1960 Harper Lee 376 pages Mark Twain once opined that a classic is a book which everyone praises and no one reads. That cannot be the case with To Kill a Mockingbird, a classic coming-of-age story … 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 Chamber

Posted on January 20, 2010 by smellincoffee

The Chamber© 1994 John Grisham676 pages As a high school senior, my second John Grisham read resulted from rescuing a battered copy of The Chamber from my library’s discard pile. The librarian warned me against reading the book, saying that it … Continue reading →

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Ford County: Stories

Posted on December 29, 2009 by smellincoffee

Ford County: Stories© 2009 John Grisham320 pages I was delighted to receive John Grisham’s Ford County: Stories for Christmas. I’ve been a Grisham reader since reading a battered paperback copy of The Firm years ago, and many of my favorite … Continue reading →

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Sleep No More

Posted on June 16, 2009 by smellincoffee

Sleep No More © 2002 Greg Iles 382 pages Circumstances warranting my reading a third Greg Iles this book , which is a bit unusual. I have in times past read two books in one week by the same author, … Continue reading →

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Turning Angel

Posted on June 12, 2009 by smellincoffee

Turning Angel © 2005 Greg Iles 501 pages I didn’t intend to read two books by Greg Iles this week: frankly, I don’t want to exhaust my library’s Iles collection prematurely. As it happens, I finished Third Degree much more … Continue reading →

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Third Degree

Posted on June 11, 2009 by smellincoffee

Third Degree © 2007 Greg Iles 385 pages After being utterly captivated by The Quiet Game last week, reading more of Iles was a foregone conclusion. Although I had intended to read the fantasy-like Sleep No More, my sister — … Continue reading →

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