Category Archives: Books

War of the Worlds

Posted on July 28, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I have been intrigued by the H.G. Wells iconic science fiction novel  War of the Worlds since I first read the book as a 10 year-old. The terrifying tale was first serialized in nine issues of Pearson’s Magazine (1897/98) with … Continue reading →

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“The adverb is not your friend.”

Posted on July 27, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Stephen King’s 20 Rules For Writers 1. First write for yourself, and then worry about the audience. “When you write a story, you’re telling yourself the story. When you rewrite, your main job is taking out all the things that are not the … Continue reading →

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If I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear

Posted on July 26, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

TIL that Mary Shelley actually wrote her groundbreaking novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus while she was living in Bath, England. I also discovered that the new Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein, opened in Bath last week. The multimedia museum … Continue reading →

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trembling with the same cicada sound

Posted on July 25, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Here in the Northeastern U.S. we are experiencing the emergence of a brood of 17-year cicadas. Sitting in my garden listening to the noisy insects, I was reminded of this very short piece by the late American poet W.S. Merwin: … Continue reading →

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For a cat every day is caturday

Posted on July 24, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

 

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where they burn books, they will ultimately burn people

Posted on July 23, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

While recently helping a friend plan a trip to Berlin, I encouraged him to visit the brilliant memorial at Bebelplatz in the Mitte District. On May 10, 1933, in the Bebelplatz in central Berlin, members of the Nazi Student Union … Continue reading →

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Books That Fill You With Sudden, Inexplicable Curiosity

Posted on July 22, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

An excerpt from If on a winter’s night a traveler by Italo Calvino Translated by William Weaver So, then, you noticed in a newspaper that If on a winter’s night a traveler had appeared, the new book by Italo Calvino, who hadn’t published … Continue reading →

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one person out of 8,000,000

Posted on July 20, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

“Personal Poem” by Frank O’Hara Now when I walk around at lunchtime I have only two charms in my pocket an old Roman coin Mike Kanemitsu gave me and a bolt-head that broke off a packing case when I was … Continue reading →

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And the Moon Be Still as Bright

Posted on July 17, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Regular visitors to TBTP may recall my many posts about the novels and short stories by the great American writer Ray Bradbury. One of the first sci-fi gems of his that I remember reading as a young child is the … Continue reading →

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Primary Source

Posted on July 16, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

It’s now possible to read one of the oldest books of English literature in the world  online.The Exeter Book is a 1oth century anthology of poetry in Old English and one of  only four manuscript books containing virtually all the English … Continue reading →

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