Why You Should Never Laugh at a Berserker

Ever wonder why the Lewis Chessmen – specifically the rooks – look the way they do? The Comann Eachdraidh Uig tells the story:

In This Distracted Globe...

Seeing some of Thomas Doyle’s globes reminded us Bellairs’s characters were often fond of the little worlds within globes (and I think we've touched on this before.) Still, be careful you not walk in on the group from 'The Reprisal' (shown here).

To Dim His Hand of Glory

We once read that someone became interested in the works of John L. Stoddard after reading The House with a Clock in its Walls. That made us wonder how much of John’s work has inspired younger readers to explore the works of the different authors that John (and later Brad) mentions throughout his fiction.

Review: Treasure "Wouldn’t Recommend If You’ve Never Read Bellairs Before – At Least Not At First"

Book review: The Treasure of Alpheus Winterborn

Tea Exhibits My Tongue - Most Beautiful

It’s always interesting seeing where John’s name pops up. This time it was at the end of a discussion of tea, specifically mentioning lapsang souchong:

A Dream and Fruitless Vision

Here’s something we though somewhat appropriate for today, the supposed end of analog television here in the United States. On February 17, 1958, Pope Pius XII declared Saint Clare of Assisi (1193-1253) the patron saint of television.

M. R. James and That Which Creep Like Shadows...

An interesting study of the works of M.R. James from the Guardian:

The "ominous thing" in James's stories, written between the 1890s and 1930s, might be a sheeted ghost (Oh, Whistle, And I'll Come to You, My Lad), a corpse crawling from its grave (The Mezzotint), or something grotesque and tentacular (The Treasure of Abbot Thomas). Whichever form it takes it will be malevolent and capable of killing. There are no Caspers to be found here.

The August Derleth Centenary

The Sauk Prairie (Wisconsin) Eagle reports that on February 2, Governor Jim Doyle signed a proclamation declaring February 24 August Derleth Day in honor of what would've been the prolific author's 100th birthday."We approached the Governor and asked if we could have this declared and he said absolutely," said Kay Price, Executive Secretary of the August Derleth Society. "It's quite an honor."

Photographic Memories: Marshall Library

Deltiology, anyone? Here’s an interesting site showcasing library postcards from decades past. Recently the site highlighted the former Marshall Public Library.

Extreme Purple Pride

A picture of this house in Marshall passed through our inbox and we knew we had to share. We're not sure of its location - we don't think it's next door to the Cronin House - but we doubt Mrs. Zimmermann lives there. But it would be fun to think so.

Review: Beast "Borrows More Directly From Lovecraft"

Book review: The Beast under the Wizard's Bridge