Tag Archives: biography

Alexander Hamilton

Posted on June 25, 2013 by smellincoffee

Alexander Hamilton© 2005 Rob Chernow832 pages Who is  Alexander Hamilton? The greatest founder save George Washington, or the Antichrist?  The latter is the view of Hamilton one may derive from the accounts of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, whereas Rob … Continue reading →

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John Adams

Posted on August 18, 2012 by smellincoffee

John Adams© 2001 David McCullough751 pages The memory of some American presidents looms over the national mind like their monuments tower above the landscape. But John Adams has no monument on the National Mall: his face does not stare down … Continue reading →

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First Family

Posted on July 29, 2012 by smellincoffee

First Family: Abigail and John Adams© 2010 Joseph Ellis320 pages ‘Til then, ’til then, I am, as I ever was….yours, yours, yours.  1776, a musical film which celebrates the Declaration of Independence, is an absolutely delightful movie, as funny as … Continue reading →

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Reporter

Posted on January 30, 2012 by smellincoffee

Reporter: Covering Civil Rights…and Wrongs in Dixie© 2006 Alvin Benn388 pages When a young Alvin Benn left the Marine Corps to beome a civilian editor working with United Press International,  he was asked by UPC’s vice president where he wanted … Continue reading →

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Marcus Aurelius

Posted on September 27, 2011 by smellincoffee

Marcus Aurelius: A Life© 2009 Frank McLynn684 pages Few figures in history can compare to Marcus Aurelius, and fewer still favorably.  Adopted into the royal family, this last of the Five Good Emperors has sat in silent judgment of politicians … Continue reading →

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You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train

Posted on March 26, 2011 by smellincoffee

You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train: A Personal History of Our Times© 1995, 2002 Howard Zinn224 pages Howard Zinn not only taught history: he helped make it. The product of a working-class family in New York, Zinn left … Continue reading →

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Confessions

Posted on March 3, 2011 by smellincoffee

ConfessionsAugustine of Hippo, 354 – 430Translation © 1961 R.S. Pine-Coffin346 pages At the age of nineteen a young man encountered the golden voice of Cicero. Inspired by Cicero’s lush oratory, this boy began to pursue the love of wisdom, philosophy; … Continue reading →

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Frank: The Voice

Posted on November 22, 2010 by smellincoffee

Frank: The Voice© 2010 James Kaplan786 pages “I’ve been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet… a pawn and a king,  I’ve been up and down and over and out, and I know one thing — each time I … Continue reading →

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This Week at the Library (8 Sept – 15 Sept)

Posted on September 15, 2010 by smellincoffee

This week at the library… Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir is the story of Lady Jane Grey, a young girl who was made queen in an effort to  Karl Marx: the Passionate Logician by Joel Carmichael is a brief biography of … Continue reading →

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The Life and Times of Horatio Hornblower

Posted on August 31, 2010 by smellincoffee

The Life and Times of Horatio Hornblower© 1970 C. Northcote Parkinson304 pages Last week I finished C.S. Forester’s series of sea stories following the adventures of Horatio Hornblower, a navy man who rose to prominence during the Napoleonic Wars. I … Continue reading →

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