Story Tags

The Barrow will send what it may

Odd Libraries

Libraries can be interesting places. I know, because I work in one. Thankfully, however, they usually aren't as odd as the ones listed below. I've always enjoyed the idea of libraries that have interesting little things tucked away, such as the archive at the end of the first Indiana Jones movie, where the Ark of the Covenant is sent to disappear. Here are some of the more interesting libraries I've read about in fiction.

Ocean at the End of the Lane book cover

Fairy Tales for Adults

New ones, not the ones you know

I love fairy tales. I love the traditional tales, and I like how old characters can be repurposed for new stories like the Fables graphic novels and the Fablehaven series.

The World is Waiting for You

Beyond "Oh, the Places You'll Go!"

Commencement speeches by popular authors for your graduate

It’s almost summer, and graduation is just around the corner for many. Oh, the Place You’ll Go! will be bought for many grads, and with good reason.

The Crying of Lot 49

Nothing To See Here

Books Where Nothing Happens

Seinfeld, famously, claimed to be a show about nothing. The same could be said about the play Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. While you are in it, you might be engaged and interested, but afterword you might ask yourself, “What happened?” 

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

True Comics Starring Women

In Celebration of Women's History Month

March is Women's History Month, and to celebrate, I thought I'd make a list of some of my favorite graphic novels featuring women. These all happen to be biographies.  Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Spending the holidays with people I want to punch in the throat: yuletide yahoos, ho-ho-humblebraggers, and other seasonal scourges

Absurd Christmas Reads

...because what's more absurd than the holidays?

I love Christmas. Last year I made a Christmas list (pun intended) called Scary Christmas to All which covered holiday ghosts, murder and, um, werewolves. I decided to do another reading list this year, but to focus on the funny and/or absurd side of the holidays instead. Family can be stressful. Escape, and come with me to the dark side.

The Halloween Tree

Halloween Tales!

Not-so-spooky chapter books for kids

Halloween is my favorite time of year. I spend the month of October reading spooky stories to get ready for the season. But spooky books aren't just for adults. There have been some excellent ones written for children. Here are some that are just the right level of scary for your young reader.

The Buntline Special: a weird west tale by Mike Resnick

The Weird Wild West

I wouldn't call myself a fan of westerns. I don't dislike them, I'm just not crazy about them. What I am a fan of is weird. Add some ghosts or aliens to anything and I'm on board.  Here are a few weird westerns that I can't get enough of. Outer Dark by Cormac McCarthy

Celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day

Children's Books with an Environmental Theme

Earth Day is April 22 and Arbor Day is April 28. In celebration of these two holidays, here is a list of chapter books for kids. These books are not too heavy handed, but are entertaining and thought-provoking. Hopefully, they will get the next generation thinking about our world, and how they can best take care of it. Hoot by Carl Hiaasen

The Weirdness

The Devil and His Pets

In many stories about the Devil, a pet helps him with his mischief, like a witch's familiar.  After all, being the ultimate evil in the world must be tiring, lonely work. Or perhaps the Devil is just a misunderstood character. Whichever the case may be, sometimes he needs the comfort and help that only a pet can bring. I originally wanted this list to be all about the Devil's cat, but I could only find a couple of examples, so I expanded the parameters to include other pets. 

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