Category Archives: USA

Happy Hemingway Day

Posted on July 21, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

“Cat in the Rain” by Ernest Hemingway There were only two Americans stopping at the hotel. They did not know any of the people they passed on the stairs on their way to and from their room. Their room was on … Continue reading →

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Beyond the Great Wave

Posted on July 19, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

I was hoping to get to Boston this summer to see the “Hokusai: Inspiration and Influence” exhibition, but alas it only ran until last Sunday. However, while I was taking a deep dive into the show, an unusual print in … Continue reading →

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Bookstore Tourism: Best bookshop name ever

Posted on July 17, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

I recently discovered the best named bookstore in America. Mother foucault’s bookshop in Portland, Oregon offers a well curated collection of rare, antiquarian and secondhand books selected by the owner Craig Florence. Located in a somewhat dingy, light industrial neighborhood, the shop’s … Continue reading →

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Almost worth the trip to Vegas

Posted on July 13, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

I have only been to Las Vegas once for a conference. Although I don’t gamble or drink, I actually had a great time. It’s worth a visit just to see the glitzy hotel and casino design and decor. Now it … Continue reading →

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Discarded Books

Posted on July 8, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

André Kertész, Discarded Books, New York City, 1974  

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More Bookstore Mapping

Posted on July 7, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Indie bookstores in Montana have collaborated to develop the first-ever Montana Bookstore Trail. The mapping project was coordinated by Rachel Elliott-Burg, owner of Reading Leaves in Townsend, and designed with Elk River Books in Livingston, the map features 21 independent bookstores across the … Continue reading →

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A Writer’s Tale

Posted on July 6, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Way back in 1961 a 14 year-old writer had the audacity to submit an unsolicited short story to Spaceman Magazine. That bold young author was undeterred by the rejection of his work and kept at it. Stephen King has gone … Continue reading →

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Summer Sunday Sundries

Posted on July 2, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

“In its June 26, 1948, issue, The New Yorker published Shirley Jackson’s unsettling story “The Lottery,” and it’s not an overstatement to say that readers freaked out. They wrote letters in droves, angry or unsure about what this slowly unfolding … Continue reading →

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Down a research rabbit hole

Posted on June 29, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

The free new research tool from Yale University called Lux is a fascinating opportunity to be led down a rabbit hole of infinite connections for any subject of interest.  The digital tool works by building relationships between objects users look … Continue reading →

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Rules for Writers

Posted on June 27, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Raymond Chandler’s 10 rules for writing a detective novel: It must be credibly motivated, both as to the original situation and the dénouement. It must be technically sound as to the methods of murder and detection. It must be realistic … Continue reading →

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