Category Archives: Writing

Bibliotherapy, Journaling, and Some Bloodletting

Posted on October 21, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Early in the 17th century,Oxford University scholar Robert Burton published what is now considered to be the first English language self-help manual, The Anatomy of Melancholy. The book offers Burton’s ideas on the nature and symptoms of melancholy or depression, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, History, Libraries, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Graphic Lessons on the Twentieth Century

Posted on October 20, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

When Dr. Timothy Snyder’s powerful book  On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century was published in 2017, I was a vocal evangelist for the book and its message. Now, the Yale history professor has released an updated and illustrated … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Europe, Freedom of Speech, History, USA, Writing | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The Great American Novel ?

Posted on October 19, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

During this week in 1851, Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick was first published as The Whale in three volumes by Richard Bentley in London. Almost one month later in November, the first American edition was published in New York by Harper & Brothers. Although many think of … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, History, USA, Writing | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Unspoken Autumn

Posted on October 17, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Everything that Acts Is Actual BY DENISE LEVERTOV From the tawny light from the rainy nights from the imagination finding itself and more than itself alone and more than alone at the bottom of the well where the moon lives, can … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged | Leave a comment

A Little Treasure (Island)

Posted on October 15, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

One of the very first “grown-up” books that I read as a child was a fabulous edition of Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel Treasure Island. I can’t be certain, but I believe that it was a well-worn copy with wonderful illustrations by … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

I would prefer not to

Posted on October 14, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Writer Clive Thompson has created and shared a new online tool allows you to visualize any piece of writing by stripping away everything but its punctuation. His free web tool—”just the punctuation”—allows you can paste in any piece of text … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Tech, Writing | Tagged , | 1 Comment

“The mystery of life isn’t a problem to solve, but a reality to experience.”

Posted on October 8, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I must admit that I am more than a bit curious to see the latest film version of the sci-fi classic Dune. Although David Lynch’s Dune is regularly panned, I enjoyed it with some reservations when it was first in theaters. My first exposure … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Film, movies, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Song of the Open Road

Posted on October 7, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Feeling wistful and nostalgic these days for the open road. What better poet to capture the way of the road than Walt Whitman. Song of the Open Road, 4 The earth expanding right hand and left hand, The picture alive, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Tourism, Writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Why Fall Into Autumn

Posted on October 5, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Yesterday’s post got me thinking about why we English speaking folks in North America use both Fall and Autumn to describe the season between Summer and Winter. Why does it have two acceptable and apparantly interchangable names? And why do British speakers of English … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, History, USA, Writing | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

a wistful omen of the first sign of autumn

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

austice n. a wistful omen of the first sign of autumn—a subtle coolness in the shadows, a rustling of dead leaves abandoned on the sidewalk, or a long skein of geese sweeping over your head like the second hand of … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment