Tag Archives: participation

The Awakening of Miss Prim

Posted on January 2, 2021 by smellincoffee

The Awakening of Miss Prim© 2014 Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera315 pages The Awakening of Miss Prim is a funny little novel, and not the sort of thing that would ordinarily be on my radar: a cozy romance, set in a ridiculously … Continue reading →

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Mary Roach in bed, Frank Underwood’s crib notes, and a love story for libraries

Posted on November 13, 2020 by smellincoffee

It’s been a week of …very different books here. First up, Mary Roach’s Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex. All of Roach’s previous other works, all mostly-humorous attempts to review the science of taboo or often overlooked subject, … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Civic Interest, Reviews, science | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Affluenza

Posted on February 13, 2017 by smellincoffee

Affluenza: the All-Consuming Epidemic© 2001, 2004, 2014  John de Graaf, David Wann, Thomas Naylor288 pages In getting and spending, we lay waste to all our powers — so sayeth the poet. Originally published in 2001, Affluenza is a critique of consumerism, … Continue reading →

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Out of the Ashes

Posted on February 9, 2017 by smellincoffee

Out of the Ashes: Rebuilding American Culture © 2017 Anthony Esolen 256 pages Some things, like a Roman bridge, can last for millennia through the virtue of their design, the simplicity of their use, and the inherent strength of their … Continue reading →

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On Bikes

Posted on January 26, 2017 by smellincoffee

On Bicycles: 50 Ways the New Bike Culture Can Change Your Life© 2011 ed. Amy Walker384 pages On Bicycles collects fifty cycling pieces, collecting in categories on why biking is awesome, how gear can make it better, how biking can … Continue reading →

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The Digital Divide

Posted on January 25, 2017 by smellincoffee

The Digital Divideed. © 2011 Mark Bauerlein 368 pages For those who often think about the way the internet has transformed every aspect of our society — our daily social interactions, the ways we shop and work, etc — The Digital … Continue reading →

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Local democracy and the State of Jefferson

Posted on December 17, 2016 by smellincoffee

mp3  One of the local-democracy initiatives Bill Kauffman covered in his Bye, Bye, Miss American Empire was the ‘state of Jefferson’, an area of northern California (and bits of southern Oregon) that want to be free of their respective governments. Today, … Continue reading →

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Bye Bye Miss American Empire

Posted on December 10, 2016 by smellincoffee

Bye Bye Miss American Empire: Neighborhood Patriots, Backcountry Rebels, and Underdog Crusades to Redraw America’s Political Map© 2010 Bill Kauffman You say you want a devolution? \ Far beyond the city across the river, this country is pregnant with happy … Continue reading →

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The Small Mart Revolution

Posted on July 16, 2014 by smellincoffee

The Small-Mart Revolution: How Local Businesses Are Beating the Global Competition© 2007 Michael Shuman285 pages Independence has long ceased to be the American credo, supplanted by another: efficiency. Throughout the 20th century, small businesses supporting towns and families were devoured … Continue reading →

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Toward a Truly Free Market

Posted on January 18, 2014 by smellincoffee

Toward a Truly Free Market: A Distributist Perspective on the Role of Government, Taxes, Health Care, Deficits, and More© 2011 John C. Medaille  282 pages  “I been a-wonderin’ why we can’t do that all over. All work together for our own … Continue reading →

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