Monthly Archives: May 2019

A Little Fjord Music

Posted on May 21, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Part of Iceland’s problem with overtourism is that too few tourists take the time to visit the beautiful East of the country. I always try to see the “real” Iceland by driving to some of the little waterfront towns like … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Film, Music, Tourism | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

It’s Always Winter Somewhere

Posted on May 20, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

 HBO’s Game of Thrones reached its dramatic conclusion yesterday, but the Folio Society is encouraging fans to go back to the original source by releasing collector editions of George R.R. Martin’s original Song of Ice and Fire novels, beginning with A Game of … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Maps, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Eat Across America

Posted on May 19, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

The curious folks at The Pudding did a deep dive into data on U.S. restaurant visits. They then created some fascinating maps and charts exploring the geographic patterns and regional preferences across the states. There aren’t many surprises. But what’s … Continue reading →

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Literary Ecosystem

Posted on May 18, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

 

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Hope For All Of Us

Posted on May 17, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

The Bookseller has reported that Silence Under a Stone, by the 81-year-old Irish writer Norma MacMaster, has been shortlisted for the Society of Authors’ Awards. What is noteworthy is that it is also Norma’s debut novel. The book, which the Independent … Continue reading →

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Don’t be that tourist

Posted on May 16, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

In many cities in Europe it’s become an asinine tourist tradition for couples to purchase overpriced padlocks, scratch their initials in them, and then attach them to bridges. Not only does this annoying habit visually blight historic architecture,but many of … Continue reading →

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Global Dickens

Posted on May 15, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

I’m hoping that I will be able to catch the just opened exhibition called Global Dickens: For Every Nation Upon Earth this Fall at London’s excellent Dickens Museum. The show runs from this week through November 3, 2019. Here’s what … Continue reading →

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Bookstore Tourism: Manhattan

Posted on May 14, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

It seems that every week I read about the closing of another independent bookstore in New York City, so it’s a relief to discover a shop that’s thriving. Chartwell Booksellers is celebrating its 36th anniversary this year in its unique … Continue reading →

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Poetry Generator

Posted on May 13, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Last week, Google launched its AI poem generator, PoemPortraits.  How  does it work? It’s really quite simple. The generator asks you to input, or “donate,” a word to be produced into an algorithmic couplet, as lifted from millions of words … Continue reading →

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Used Book Simulation

Posted on May 12, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

h/t Tom Gauld

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