Category Archives: Writing

Million Cat Caturday

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

“Millions of Cats” is a picture book written and illustrated by artist Wanda Gag in 1928. The book won a Newberry award in 1929 and is the oldest American picture book still in print.            

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Library of Exile

Posted on March 20, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

I first discovered the ceramic artist and writer Edmund de Waal through his best-selling book The Hare with the Amber Eyes. If you are not familiar with the memoir, it’s a compelling read that encompasses not only de Waal’s family history, … Continue reading →

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Conquest of Mars

Posted on March 17, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Here is copy number 55 of the first edition of Edison’s Conquest of Mars by Garrett P. Serviss. There were only 1,500 copies in the first edition, and only 1,450 of those were offered for general distribution. Serviss, an astronomer, wrote Conquest in 1898; … Continue reading →

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but oh the museums

Posted on March 14, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

At the End of the Endless Decade Mark Bibbins For years had anyone needed me to spell the word commiserateI’d have disappointed them. I envy people who are more excitedby etymology than I am, but not the ones who can … Continue reading →

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Free Books (really)

Posted on March 13, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

h/t to Stanislav and Milen for the extensive links FAMOUS AUTHORS Classic Bookshelf: This site has put classic novels online, from Charles Dickens to Charlotte Bronte. The Online Books Page: The University of Pennsylvania hosts this book search and database. … Continue reading →

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We Are The People

Posted on March 10, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Iggy Pop’s video “We Are the People” is based on a poem written in 1970 by the late, great Lou Reed. Of the poem, Pop told the BBC last year, “My God, this is the country today as I understand … Continue reading →

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Or will we all have to move to Canada ?

Posted on March 5, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

“Banal Story” by Ernest Hemingway So he ate an orange, slowly spitting out the seeds. Outside, the snow was turning to rain. Inside, the electric stove seemed to give no heat and rising from his writing-table, he sat down upon … Continue reading →

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Summarizing Literature

Posted on February 29, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

 

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At home the bookshelves connected heaven and earth

Posted on February 27, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Curriculum Vitae Lisel Mueller 1924-2020 1) I was born in a Free City, near the North Sea. 2) In the year of my birth, money was shredded into confetti. A loaf of bread cost a million marks. Of course I … Continue reading →

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Mail Them Packages of Rats

Posted on February 21, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

THE PEOPLE OF THE OTHER VILLAGE Thomas Lux hate the people of this village and would nail our hats to our heads for refusing in their presence to remove them or staple our hands to our foreheads for refusing to … Continue reading →

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