Category Archives: Writing

Books on Maps

Posted on June 28, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

If you stop by TBTP regularly, you probably know how I feel about maps and literary websites that manage to combine books AND maps. Books On Maps: is a new project that is mashing up cartography and novels. You don’t … 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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The water was black and warm

Posted on June 21, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Much has been written about the great American novelist Cormac McCarthy since his recent death. I have long admired his writing, but often found his books to be grim. Ironically, my favorite work is The Road, which is about a dark a … Continue reading →

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To My Enemies

Posted on June 20, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Watching the nonstop maddening show of U.S. politics and culture these days, I have been reminded of the poem “To My Enemies” by the under-appreciated American poet Bert Meyers. Meyers was born in Los Angeles on March 20, 1928. The son of … Continue reading →

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Microfiction

Posted on June 11, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

“A Continuity of Parks” by Julio Cortázar translated by Paul Blackburn He had begun to read the novel a few days before. He had put it down because of some urgent business conferences, opened it again on his way back … Continue reading →

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Not only Caturday, but Caturday nonetheless

Posted on June 10, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

“I used to think I was the strangest person in the world, but then I thought there are so many people in the world, there must be someone just like me who feels bizarre and flawed in the same ways … Continue reading →

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Writing is the greatest of human inventions

Posted on June 9, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

I recently stumble upon is wonderful short video below of the late Carl Sagan talking about books. It’s worth a minute of your time. Please note, if the video fails to play in your browser click here.

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from the pitcher to the bowl

Posted on June 8, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

 Wisława Szymborska’s epigrammatic poem “Vermeer” (translated by Clare Cavanagh and Stanisław Barańczak from the Polish): So long as that woman from the Rijksmuseum in painted quiet and concentration keeps pouring milk day after day from the pitcher to the bowl … Continue reading →

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Freedom of the Press

Posted on June 5, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Every day I seem to be reading another story about the erosion of press freedoms here in the United States and around the world. The insidious takeover of print and online news outlets by rightwing corporate capitalist enterprises is just … Continue reading →

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Wet

Posted on June 3, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

“Wet” by Joy Williams from 99 Stories of God The Lord was drinking some water out of a glass. There was nothing wrong with the glass, but the water tasted terrible. This was in a white building on a vast wasteland. … Continue reading →

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