Category Archives: USA

How Random Is That

In 1927, the publisher of Paris-Soir  newspaper hired the prolific novelist Georges Simenon to become an advertising attraction. They had a glass booth constructed in the lobby of the newspaper where Simenon, under eyes of the public, was to write … Continue reading

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“Hope”

 Happy Birthday Emily Dickinson   “Hope” is the thing with feathers BY EMILY DICKINSON “Hope” is the thing with feathers – That perches in the soul – And sings the tune without the words – And never stops – at all … Continue reading

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Devil’s Dictionary

Yesterday’s post on the dictionary word of the year reminded me of a recent book listing for the enduringly popular satirical book The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce. Bierce was one of America’s most popular humorists, journalists, and short story writers … Continue reading

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What’s The Word

“Authentic” was chosen as the 2023 word of the year by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, coming in as the most-looked-up words in the dictionary’s 500,000 entries, the company said in a press release. “Although clearly a desirable quality, authentic is hard to define … Continue reading

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A Boat

A Boat O beautiful was the werewolf in his evil forest. We took him to the carnival and he started crying when he saw the Ferris wheel. Electric green and red tears flowed down his furry cheeks. He looked like … Continue reading

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Short Stories for Flyers

I have run across some of the magical little short story dispensers over the years, but never one in an airport. For the last year, the Wichita, Kansas Public Library has installed one of their three machines in the Wichita … Continue reading

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10 years, 3.5 million photos, in 4 minutes

Photographer Jack Fisher is a globe-trotting photographer who created the amazing time-lapse video below which covers ten years of work in just four minues. Fisher says, “I called it Sequences because I try to create stories, or scenes in my timelapse photography, … Continue reading

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Maps: A Stranger Quest

Regular visitors to TBTP are well aware of my life-long fascination with maps, globes, and all things cartographic. So it won’t be surprising to find that I am excited to learn that Italian filmmaker Andrea Gatopoulos has made a documentary … Continue reading

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“In the End, Everything Gives”

Earlier this year, the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. held a symposium titled “Poetry is a country.” The symposium brought poets together to premiere original poetry inspired by works in the Gallery’s collection—including U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón, who wrote “In the … Continue reading

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“The Fall”

“The Fall” by Russell Edson There was a man who found two leaves and came indoors holding them out saying to his parents that he was a tree. To which they said then go into the yard and do not … Continue reading

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