Tag Archives: history

The Big Ones

Posted on February 5, 2019 by smellincoffee

The Big Ones: How Natural Disasters Have Shaped Us (and What We Can Do About Them)© 2018 Lucy Jones256 pages Earth is not a peaceful place; even it were stripped of all life, it would still teem with energy, from … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Politics and Civic Interest, Reviews, science | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Odd Egg Editor

Posted on January 30, 2019 by smellincoffee

Odd-Egg Editor © 1990 Kathryn Tucker Windham 170 pages Anyone who grew up in Selma, Alabama, prior to 2011 had heard of Kathryn Tucker Windham, and odds were they cherished her.  A master storyteller, she inspired an annual Tale-Tellin’ Festival … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Short rounds and the week ahead

Posted on January 23, 2019 by smellincoffee

On Saturday the library was partially evacuated owing to a tornado warning, and today Father Winter has well and truly hit the town.  I’m currently reading a scrutiny of political utopias, transhumanism, and religious-spiritual ideas about life beyond death (from … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Politics and Civic Interest, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

The Limits of Partnership

Posted on January 18, 2019 by smellincoffee

The Limits of Partnership: U.S.-Russian Relations in the 21st Century © 2014 Angela Stent 384 pages The Limits of Partnership examines the Russo-American relationship through four presidential administrations,  reviewing what progress was made  or conflicts each American executive had with his … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Reviews, World Affairs | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

How the Internet Happened

Posted on January 16, 2019 by smellincoffee

How the Internet Happened: From Netscape to the iPhone© 2018 Brian McCullough400 pages Who’s ready for a little nostalgia? Brian McCullough, host of the Internet History podcast,  here turns his research and many interviews in a compact history of how … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Reviews | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

In the Plex

Posted on January 6, 2019 by smellincoffee

In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives pub. 2011 Steven Levy 437 pages Full disclosure: I was a passionate Googler ten years ago, an early adopter of anything that the Mountain Brook, CA firm produced — … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Flying high in rockets and opiods

Posted on December 31, 2018 by smellincoffee

Well, folks, Christmas is over, and so is 2018 — almost.  Below are the final comments or reviews for 2018: Dreamland and Rocket Girls,   two very different histories. One is inspiring, the other….so very not. First up, Rocket Girls!  Call to … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Insanely Great

Posted on December 20, 2018 by smellincoffee

Insanely Great: The Life and Times of Macintosh, The Computer That Changed Everything © 1994, 2000 Steven Levy 304 pages Apple Computers had already made its mark before 1984, by pioneering personal computers long before IBM entered the consumer market.  … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

The One Device

Posted on December 13, 2018 by smellincoffee

The One Device: A Secret History of the iPhone pub. 2017 Brian Merchant 416 pages Love them or hate them, smartphones have revolutionized society like few other inventions. Entire sectors of the economy now exist which wouldn’t be there had … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

The Perfect Thing

Posted on December 12, 2018 by smellincoffee

The Perfect Thing: How the iPod Shuffles Commerce, Culture, and Coolness pub. 2006 Steven Levy 304 pages I’ve never had an iPod, but given that Audible was doing a sale this week and that I seemed to be doing an … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments