Monthly Archives: June 2025

Not to be confused with The Great Gatsby

Posted on June 10, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

I was today years old when I learned about Ernest Vincent Wright’s 1939 novel written without a single letter e. The 50,000-word self-published book Gadsby tells the tale of a determined 50-year-old who rallies young people to revitalize his dying town … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The Japanese Aesthetic

Posted on June 9, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

Traveling around Japan can be a challenging exercise in deciding what to attend to and where to look. The commitment to design and  to aesthetic solutions to  otherwise banal infrastructural objects is well beyond what we have come to expect … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

A Visit To Narnia (with guest star)

Posted on June 8, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

 

Posted in Books, Europe, Maps, Writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Incomprehensible

Posted on June 7, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

Over the years I have had the opportunity to visit the UK many times and on every trip I find myself baffled by the overwhelming variety of accents and dialects. Patrick Foote of Name Explain investigated why the UK, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, History, Maps, Tourism | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Apologies in advance

Posted on June 6, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

Apologies in advance for what may be a flurry of random posts about my recent experiences while traveling in Japan. I had so many wonderful experiences and also moments of recognition involving random things that I stumbled upon. In that … Continue reading →

Posted in Asia, Books, History, Tech, Tourism, Writing | 1 Comment

My First Bookstore

Posted on June 5, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

My First Bookstore by Edward Hirsch 1. Another Family My grandfather liked to hang around Moishe Cheshinsky’s bookstore on Lawrence Avenue. We were usually the only ones in the stacks. The back room was dusty. Most of the books were written … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism, USA, Writing | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Bibliophiles can be so cold

Posted on June 4, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

 

Posted in Animation, Art, Books | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

A Tale of Two Cities

Posted on June 3, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

I have always been intrigued by the many cities within cities in Europe that hide traces of their early Roman incarnations. Over the years when I’ve visited London I have sought out those barely hidden remnants of ancient Londinium . … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Europe, History, Maps, Tourism | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Dickensian Celebration

Posted on June 2, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

To celebrate the exact 155th anniversary of Charles Dickens‘s death and the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Charles Dickens Museum in London, the museum will be free of charge to all visitors on June 9 when it will … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, History, Museums, Tourism, Writing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Minding Your Manners

Posted on June 1, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

I’ve just returned from an amazing three-week trip to Japan and was delighted and overwhelmed by so much that I encountered, including the fabulous graphic design work everywhere. Passing through Kyoto Station I spotted a clever ad campaign while heading … Continue reading →

Posted in Animation, Art, Asia, Public Transport, Tourism | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment