Category Archives: Writing

To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic

Posted on July 28, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in … Continue reading →

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When is a travel book not a travel guide

Posted on July 26, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

As a collector of, and dealer in, the niche market of travel books, I’m always on the lookout for rare and unusual travel books. Many years ago, I read about a special travel book that was not in any way … Continue reading →

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Pushing back against AI

Posted on July 23, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

The Authors Guild has submitted an open letter to the CEOs of prominent AI companies, including OpenAI, Alphabet, Meta, Stability AI, IBM, and Microsoft, calling their attention “to the inherent injustice in exploiting our works as part of your AI systems without … Continue reading →

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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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Life-Changing Books

Posted on July 18, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Among the many vocations over the course of my life was a two decade stretch as a psychotherapist. While the most rewarding work, it was often filled with self-doubt and angst. During my graduate school education, I was fortunate to … Continue reading →

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Compelling Firsts

Posted on July 15, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

 

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Speaking of Sunsets

Posted on July 14, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Never Again The Same Speaking of sunsets, last night’s was shocking. I mean, sunsets aren’t supposed to frighten you, are they? Well, this one was terrifying. Sure, it was beautiful, but far too beautiful. It wasn’t natural. One climax followed … Continue reading →

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Nothing stops bibliophiles

Posted on July 9, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

I just learned from a friend’s social media posts that in the middle of a horrific war the book community in Ukraine actual held the nation’s largest annual book festival. The poster above is for the 2023 International Book Arsenal Festival which … 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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The Work of Happiness

Posted on July 4, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

THE WORK OF HAPPINESS by May Sarton I thought of happiness, how it is woven Out of the silence in the empty house each day And how it is not sudden and it is not given But is creation itself … Continue reading →

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