Mr Brault’s hidden treasures

If you’ve spent much time at all on The Quote Garden, you’ll have noticed that one of my most frequently quoted authors is Robert Brault. I’m grateful that he allows me to freely post his extensive wit and wisdom in my collection. He publishes many of his writings to his blog, The New Robert Brault Reader, but did you know that he has also published books in which you can find some new material that isn’t posted online? Below is a summary of his six books. Follow the links for more information and to purchase online or to request inscribed, signed copies from Mr Brault directly.


Round Up The Usual Subjects
published 2014
a thousand original thoughts from his first blog which is no longer accessible on the internet

The Second Collection
published 2015
700 quotations, plus humor pieces, personal vignettes, and longer poems

Short Thoughts For The Long Haul
published 2017
the signature collection of Robert Brault quotes, an anthology of 1200+ favorites from his first two books and from the original quotes-only edition of the Reflections book

Thoughts On Art & Artists
published 2019
original insights into the world of art and artists, enhanced by his wife Joan Brault’s beautiful artwork, 75 pages

Reflections: Expanded Edition
published 2019
the most diverse collection of Mr Brault’s writings and his own personal favorite book, it includes not only quotations but also essays, reminiscences, and selected correspondence

A Few For The Road
published 2021
recent writings from 2020–2021, and about a third of this 131‑page book is new material, including some verse

Image information:  book cover detail from Reflections: Expanded Edition, a watercolor titled “Fall Pond” painted by the author’s wife, Joan Brault

What I do

“I read a book and pick out the quotes.”
altered prose by Terri Guillemets, 2019
from The Man Who Loved Jane Austen
by Sally Smith O'Rourke, 2001, page 53

Altering prose

I remember in the mid-1980s doing blackout poetry (as it is now called — also known as found poetry, poetry in prose, altered prose, etc.) with my friends after learning about it from an English teacher. I’ve been a lover of words for as long as I can remember but somehow forgot about that fun hobby over the years. Recently I rediscovered it thanks to this beautiful thing called the world wide web, and so I grabbed my old falling-apart 50¢ paperback of The Scarlet Letter and started playing around again with these wordly treasure hunts after nearly three decades. And what a good time I’m having.

Here’s a photo of one of my first adventures. It reads: “Hester unadulterated. The end.” 🤣 Click to enlarge.

The problem with blackout poetry is the destruction of books which of course makes me cringe, but I’m intending to leave my books intact and not literally blackout many words so that the books are slowly turned into readable art. Some people make a copy of the page instead of modifying the actual book, which seems like a good idea as well.

This pastime is such a fulfilling creative outlet. To all the authors whose works I end up modifying, I offer sincerest of advance apologies. I will try my darndest to create new written art without disrespecting your original words (too much).

Old Sage faux quotes collage

I saw this creative handmade advertisement in Prescott, Arizona on a bulletin board outside The Old Sage Bookshop. It’s a lovely shop with some awesome old books. Drop in if you ever visit the area, they’re at Whiskey Row. Click photo to enlarge. This adorable collage was made using The Unemployed Philosophers Guild Quotable Notables, which they sell in the shop. I bought the Edgar Allan Poe for bookshelf decor along with some vintage books.