Tag Archives: Britain

The Armada

Posted on April 21, 2017 by smellincoffee

The Armada© 1959 Garrett Mattingly443 pages In the late summer of 1588, all of Europe held its breath as an enormous Spanish fleet, consisting of a hundred and fifty vessels of varying sizes, set sail for the English channel. Their … Continue reading →

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Sister Queens

Posted on April 16, 2017 by smellincoffee

Sister Queens: The Noble, Tragic Lives of  Katherine of Aragon and Juana, Queen of Castille480 pages© 2011 Julia Fox Virtually any reader of Tudor fiction is familiar with the sad story of Queen Catherine,  the lawful wife of Henry VIII … Continue reading →

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Hood

Posted on April 12, 2017 by smellincoffee

Hood © 2006 Stephen Lawhead 496 pages Beyond the borders of Norman-controlled England lies free Britain, and between them the March — a thick band of forest whose depths may conceal outlaws and monsters.  Hood reimagines Robin Hood as an exiled … Continue reading →

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The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

Posted on April 8, 2017 by smellincoffee

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood © 1883 Howard Pyle 648 pages,  Duke Classics Edition. (Other editions seem to have anywhere from 200 to 400 pages, which is odd.) You who so plod amid serious things that you feel it … Continue reading →

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London at War

Posted on April 8, 2017 by smellincoffee

London at War© 1995 Phillip Ziegler372 pages “London doesn’t look down at the ruins of its houses, at the remains of its churches and houses; London looks upwards, towards the Dawn,  and faces the new day with calmness and confidence.”  … Continue reading →

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The Eagle and the Wolves

Posted on April 5, 2017 by smellincoffee

The Eagle and the Wolves© 2003 Simon Scarrow452 pages The Roman Empire’s campaign in Britain may about to become a victim of its own success. While a great victory last summer established a stronghold in the heart of the island, … Continue reading →

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Surprised by Joy

Posted on March 20, 2017 by smellincoffee

Surprised by Joy© 1955 C.S. Lewis252 pages “When I first read Chesterton, I did not know what I was in for. God is, if I may say it,  quite unscrupulous.” Mention the name C.S. Lewis and the image of a … Continue reading →

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A History of Saint Augustine, Florida

Posted on March 2, 2017 by smellincoffee

A History of Saint Augustine, Florida© 1881 William Dewhurst196 pages St. Augustine is the oldest European city in North America, founded by the Spanish in 1565.  Sitting at the mouth of the St. John river in northern Florida, it originally … Continue reading →

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Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves

Posted on January 5, 2017 by smellincoffee

Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves© 1963 P.G. Wodehouse227 pages As had so often happened before, I felt that my only course was to place myself in the hands of a higher power. “Sir?” [Jeeves] said, manifesting himself. Bertie Wooster has two … Continue reading →

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Danger Heavy Goods

Posted on December 4, 2016 by smellincoffee

Danger Heavy Goods: Driving the Toughest, Most Dangerous Roads in the WorldAlso known as: Juggernaut: Trucking to Saudi Arabia© 1988 Robert Hutchinson288 pages “Makes Smokey and the Bandit Look Like Smokey and the Boy Scouts” When is a lorry not … Continue reading →

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