Category Archives: Books

Winter mornings are made of steel

Posted on January 18, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Winter mornings are made of steel; they have a metallic taste and sharp edges. On a Wednesday in January, at seven in the morning, it’s plain to see that the world was not made for Man, and definitely not for … Continue reading →

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The Promised Land

Posted on January 16, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

 

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Lost At Sea

Posted on January 15, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

On its maiden voyage en route from Southampton to New York, the RMS Titanic sank after colliding with an iceberg. Among those who died at sea were American book collector and Grolier Club member Harry Elkins Widener who at 27 had already amassed an … Continue reading →

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In The Stacks (Maisie’s Tune)

Posted on January 13, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

In the Stacks (Maisie’s Tune) by Robin Sloan is both a synthesizer with knobs you can fiddle with and a short story you can read. Here’s a sample, but you can read the entire story by the author of the … Continue reading →

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Help for struggling writers

Posted on January 12, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

 

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The Master of Mysteries

Posted on January 10, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

In the newest addition to the Library of Congress Crime Classics series, Gelett Burgess’ Astro the Seer proves that he is “The Master of Mysteries.”  This collection of short stories, originally published in 1912, features victims of crimes who bring their … Continue reading →

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Enough with the GOATs

Posted on January 5, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

It’s that time of the year when the faculty of Lake Superior State University releases an annual list of words that they say deserve to be “banished” from our vocabularies over “misuse, overuse and uselessness.” “Our nominators insisted, and our … Continue reading →

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In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love.

Posted on January 4, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

On this day in 1960, Albert Camus, French author, philospopher and journalist, died in an automobile accident at age 46. In his coat pocket lay an unused train ticket. Camus had intense Motorphobia (fear of automobiles), and thus avoided riding … Continue reading →

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A Library Is A Spaceship

Posted on January 3, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

I have been a fan of the wildly imaginative writing of Isaac Asimov since I was a child. Recently I ran across a charming story about the iconic sci-fi author and a letter that he wrote in 1971. He sent … Continue reading →

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Running Into A New Year

Posted on January 2, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Running Into A New Year I am running into a new year and the old years blow back like a wind that I catch in my hair like strong fingers like all my old promises and it will be hard … Continue reading →

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