THE LIBRARY OF UNWRITTEN BOOKS

Vol 79 - June 13, 2026

Jun 13, 2026

FROM THE WRITER’S DESK

Welcome to another issue of Webber's Whipping Post.

THE LIBRARY OF UNWRITTEN BOOKS

A short story by Alan N Webber

July 2, 1961

Ernest Hemingway opened his eyes. Then he closed them again. When he reopened them, nothing had changed.

He found himself sitting on a fine leather davenport, perhaps the richest leather he had ever felt, with no idea where he was or how he had got there. He doubted he was still in Idaho. If this place existed in Idaho, he surely would have found it by now.

And where was Mary? His fourth wife should have been at his side in this strange journey. He didn’t see her anywhere, and that thought frightened him.

The last thing he remembered was sticking a shotgun into his mouth.

Then pulling the trigger.

Was he alive? Was he dead?

He ran his hands over his head. Everything seemed intact. No wound. No blood. He looked down at his palms. Clean.

“What the hell?” he muttered.

Had it all been a dream? If so, it had been a terrible one.

Yet for the first time in years, he felt at peace.

The anxiety was gone. The depression that had stalked him for so long had vanished. More importantly, the wall that had blocked his writing had disappeared.

Sentences began forming effortlessly in his mind. Characters. Dialogue. Entire paragraphs.

It was as though someone had unlocked a door that had been bolted shut.

Where was his Royal typewriter? He needed to get these thoughts down before they escaped him.

After a few minutes he rose to his feet. He was unsteady at first, but soon stood tall, stretching his six-foot frame.

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Commentary by Alan N Webber

MORE POTSHOTS FROM A GRUMPY OLD MAN

Well, the Iranian mess continues with no end in sight. President Trump appears content to wait for the Iranian people to find their backbone and take their country back. Israel seems content to stand behind Trump and take potshots at Iran, knowing we will protect and fund them. Meanwhile, the liberal media continues to frame the whole affair as Trump’s fault, regardless of the ruthless Iranian regime that has killed thousands of its own people.

Mr. President, this is getting old. End this war one way or another.

Meanwhile, is there still a war in Ukraine? Whatever happened to the daily wall-to-wall coverage?

So, what is it with people who come to the United States seeking a better life, only to bring their flags and old-country grievances with them?

I’ve grown tired of seeing vehicles painted in the colors of another nation’s flag or homes displaying the banner of a country they chose to leave behind. If you want to celebrate your heritage, that’s one thing. But if you’re coming here to build a new life, your loyalty should be to the country that welcomed you?

Fly the Stars and Stripes or fly nothing at all. If the old country was the better deal, the return trip is always available.

The Obama Presidential Center and Basketball Gymnasium in Chicago’s Jackson Park is about to open, with festivities scheduled around Juneteenth, or as most of us still call it, June 19.

The sprawling complex…

More potshots - click here

Ship of Fools - The men from Saxon Brothers are back - this time chasing something far more dangerous than freight. Available December 2, 2026.

Like where these stories go? I’ve built a series of literary tales centered around Victorian authors. Available wherever eBooks are sold. Browse the full collection, read samples, and choose your preferred bookstore.

Explore the Ink & Shadows Collection

Guest Opinion by Chris Sorensen

Have We Forgotten What Women Fought For?

For decades, Americans watched women fight for rights that most of us now take for granted. Women fought for equal opportunities in education, in the workplace, in athletics, and throughout society. They fought to be recognized based on merit, not gender. They fought for privacy, safety, and fairness.

And they won.

Today, however, many Americans are asking a simple question: Why does it seem like those hard-earned victories are suddenly up for debate?

The modern feminist movement was built on the idea that women deserved equal opportunities and protections. Yet in recent years, many of the same activists who once championed women’s rights have remained silent, or have actively supported policies that many women believe undermine those very protections.

Nowhere is this more obvious than in women’s sports.

For generations, women fought to have their own athletic competitions because everyone understood an undeniable reality: men and women are biologically different. Separate leagues and divisions weren’t created to discriminate against women; they were created to ensure women had a fair opportunity to compete and succeed.

Today, we’re told that acknowledging biological reality is somehow controversial.

Young women…

Click to Finish Chris's commentary

CUB’S CORNER

Adrian “Cap” Anson is widely regarded as the greatest baseball player of the nineteenth century. He spent most of his 27-year career with the Chicago White Stockings and Colts, the franchise that would become the Chicago Cubs.

A first baseman, Anson led Chicago to six National League pennants between 1876 and 1886, becoming the first player in baseball history to record 3,000 hits. More than a century later, he still ranks among the Cubs’ all-time franchise leaders in several offensive categories.

After his playing days, Anson became a manager. In recognition of his career and impact on the game, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1939.

Sweet Home Chicago by Foghat

Foghat has always been one of my favorite bands. In this video from September of 1999, an emaciated Dave Pevertt’s vocals are strong despite his battle with kidney cancer. He would be dead five months after this concert.