Author Archives: Brian D. Butler

A rare literary find and more stuff you need to see

Posted on April 27, 2026 by Brian D. Butler

A papyrus of part of the Iliad has been discovered in a Roman-era tomb of mummies in Egypt. “The papyrus contains a passage from Book II of Homer’s Iliad, specifically the section known as the ‘Catalogue of Ships’…” from the … Continue reading →

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Eat Your Way Around the Globe

Posted on April 26, 2026 by Brian D. Butler

TasteBuds NYC is a wonderful online series about a guy and his bestie who have made it their mission to eat every type of food in the world without ever leaving New York City. They first choose a single cuisine … Continue reading →

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Caturday at the bodega

Posted on April 25, 2026 by Brian D. Butler

The Bodega Cats of New York project documents the working cats of NYC’s delis, bodegas, and corner stores. The cat at the local deli wasn’t a pet. She knew the regulars. She kept the mice out. She gave people a reason … Continue reading →

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Islands in your pocket

Posted on April 24, 2026 by Brian D. Butler

In the late 15th and mid-16th centuries, publishers in Venice produced a genre of small books called isolarii . The original publications can be thought of as an encyclopedia of islands containing maps along with text descriptions of significant history, … Continue reading →

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National Park Finder

Posted on April 23, 2026 by Brian D. Butler

The US National Park Finder filters all 63 U.S. national parks by their best months to visit, as well as listing their top activities and best spots for stargazing. After filtering, each park card gives you sample itineraries, fun facts, travel … Continue reading →

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Print vs Ebooks

Posted on April 22, 2026 by Brian D. Butler

A new paper released last week by the Pew Research Center found that print books continue to be American adults’ preferred reading format, though digital formats continue to make inroads. According to a survey of 8,046 U.S. adults conducted last year from … Continue reading →

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The Last Question

Posted on April 21, 2026 by Brian D. Butler

“The Last Question” was Isaac Asimov’s favorite short story out of the hundreds that were published. It was featured in the November 1956 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and a number of later anthologies. At 5,000 words, it’s a short read with … Continue reading →

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the world is exceedingly complex for the simplicity of men.

Posted on April 20, 2026 by Brian D. Butler

“Inferno I, 32” — Jorge Luis Borges In the following short story, originally published in 1955, Borges remarks on the use of a leopard in the first canto of The Divine Comedy. What follows is, characteristic of Borges’ short prose, … Continue reading →

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Discover Britain with Geograph

Posted on April 19, 2026 by Brian D. Butler

Geograph: You don’t have to be an Anglophile to get lost in this wonderful project. It’s a bit like like Google maps, but crowdsourced  – “The Geograph® Britain and Ireland project aims to collect geographically representative photographs and information for … Continue reading →

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The Best Things In Life Are Free

Posted on April 18, 2026 by Brian D. Butler
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