A Visit to the Library of Congress
In which we see some things in DC, talk about outlaws and murders, and make some book progress.
Thanks to Gill signing up to volunteer at our new local library we were invited this week to joining a trip to check out The Library of Congress.
It’s a place we’ve always wanted to visit, and it turned out to be a fascinating visit. The history of the building is reflected in its amazing architecture.
Unfortunately a couple of the public areas we had wanted to visit were closed as they were setting up some new exhibits for later in the year. Of the exhibits and artifacts we did see one stood out for me. Something I thought I’d never get the chance to see in person. It wasn’t the Gutenberg Bible, nor the contents of Lincoln’s pockets which everyone else crowded around.
Instead I got the chance to get up close and study the amazing clean lines and crisp renditions of Steve Ditko’s original artwork for the very first Spider-Man story.
But perhaps the most useful part of the visit was the conversations around the benefits of having a researcher's card for the library that gives you full access beyond the public areas, and the ability to pull any resources from the stacks. - We will definitely be making a return visit and following up on that.
Alan
Other Stuff
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Brabazon Bits
Just a reminder that we will celebrate the UK launch of the Brabazon book at the Aerospace Bristol Museum on Saturday, June 7th.
“Bristol Brabazon: The Ocean Liner of the Skies and its Ongoing Legacy” will be published on 30 MAY, 2025 in the UK and 30 JULY, 2025 in the US.
There is now an increasing list of online bookstores where the book is available for preorder
Bookshop.org (US) - helps independent stores
Pen & Sword (publishers) -
Waterstones (UK) - Free shipping in the UK -
Word Slinging
This week I finished the first draft on another Chapter for the Casino Royale book and realized I need to add two more chapters!
I’m giving that time to percolate over the next few days while I revisit the WIP short story.
Podcast Procrastinations
Over at the LongBox Crusade network I recently joined the Saturday Matinee crew for a return to Sherwood Forest to discuss Episode 11 of 1955’s Adventures of Robin Hood that tackles the question of “A Husband For Marian” (and it isn’t who you think).
You can find the discussion right HERE.
The latest episode of the Chronological Christie podcast on The Murder on the Links is now available so if you’d like to hear our thoughts on Hercule Poirot’s second outing you can check it out at https://creators.spotify.com/pod/chronologicalchristie
And for updates and reminders, you can also follow the podcast's Instagram account.
Pages and Screens
Books Read in 2025 - “The Radioactive Camel Affair” by Peter Leslie
A disappointing entry in the U.N.C.L.E. series of spinoff novels. 80% of the plot is just our two heroes traveling different routes through various parts of Africa to arrive at the same destination. Along the way both are outwitted by the bad guys. Solo especially is too easily tricked and caught.
All the action takes place in the last couple of chapters and our boys end up being rescued by an agent from another agency who hardly makes any impact on the plot.
But amazingly the strange title does actually make sense in the context of the story.
Over at our online bookstore at Bookshop.org I’ve now added a new section listing books read so far in 2025, so you can pick up copies of any that interest you, while also helping out local independent bookstores.
Weekly Web Round-Up
Batman On The Cover - We continue our chronological look at Batman’s publishing history in December 1969 with translated editions from Germany, Italy, Lebanon, Mexico, and the Netherlands. - All were translated versions of existing US covers.
Racing Comics - A fun find in the hunt for motorsport related comics this week, and one I title I never expected to find with racing content - the 1990s version of the British humor comic Beezer & Topper in which it appears that a few of the regular front page mischief makers have gone rallying!
Where on the Web is Alan?
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See you next time
Alan J. Porter
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