Something About A Pope, A Pope, and a Pope

omne trium perfectum?

Something About Hans Sloane

No chocolate teapot in his collection?

Something About Moss Men

The fens way.

Something About Jon Klassen

Mist-y eyed.

Something About Aelfrics Wuldor

Olde Tyme Waves.

Something About English Monarchs

Was rightful heir unto the English crown.

Book Alert: The Stone, the Cipher, and the Shadows

Open Road Media will publish the 2022 Johnny Dixon title The Stone, the Cipher, and the Shadows in paperback on Aug. 8, 2023.

It began life as an e-book, was published as an audiobook earlier this year, and now will become a paperback. My how the times have changed.

Why not buy an extra copy and make your own hardcover?  Ha.

Researching Mary Zimmerman Yet Again

It wouldn't be a year ending in 3 (like 2003 or 2013) without a note about Mary Zimerman. Zimerman was a poet, playwright, and a one-time resident of Wisconsin, where John Bellairs met her when he came to town for a friend's wedding. She reportedly was a big fan of all things purple. Bellairs was intrigued and inspired to create a similarly-named character, Mrs. Florence Zimermann.

Piotr: The Music of John Bellairs in the Wild: Five Field Recordings

We've interviewed musician and historian Derek Piotr, but we're turning over this week's post to him this time.

Something About Gog and Magog

For whom the bell tolls.

570th Anniversary of the Fall of Constantinople

This year - and indeed today - is the 570th anniversary of the fall of Constantinople. May 29, 1453, also marks one of the rare times when we can pinpoint an exact date of the events of one of John Bellairs's novels - namely, The Trolley to Yesterday (1989).

Interview Again: Derek Piotr

We met musician Derek Piotr in 2018, and now we hear he's researching and recording traditional folk music. We had to know more; he was nice enough to share his answers again. He's sharing his archive online, too, and the best thing is you can contribute to it. But first - a few words on how he got started.

Anthony Monday Available as E-books

Open Road Media will publish the three remaining books in the Anthony Monday series as e-books on May 16. The Dark Secret of Weatherend (1984), The Lamp from the Warlock’s Tomb (1988), and The Manion in the Mist (1992) join The Treasure of Alpheus Winterborn (1978), published initially as an e-book back in 2014.

He was like, 'Hast thou led me to, like, Egypt, or whatever?'

The following quote from the autobiography of filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille resurfaced recently:

If 1,000 years from now, archaeologists happen to dig beneath the sands of Guadalupe, I hope they will not rush into print with the amazing news that Egyptian civilization, far from being confined to the valley of the Nile, extended all the way to the Pacific coast of North America.

Something About Various Voynich Owners

Divine provenance?