Author Archives: Brian D. Butler

Shelves of Time

Posted on August 10, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

The acclaimed Pulitzer Prize-winning American author Michael Chabon recently shared a very personal project that he worked on during the Covid-19 pandemic. In a serious bout of nostagia, he recreated the science fiction and fantasy section of his childhood bookshop … Continue reading →

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Someone in Paris

Posted on August 9, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Someone in Paris, France Is Thinking of You This poem is happening in Paris, France where it’s raining and we’re all so drunk that it’s impossible to keep a secret. Every morning the waiters say bonjour and every morning I … Continue reading →

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Closing Time

Posted on August 8, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

 

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Time Travel

Posted on August 7, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

In 1842, a French artist and scholar named Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey set out on a tour of the eastern Mediterranean to document sights and architecture via the brand new medium of photography. He started off in what is now … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art, Asia, Europe, History, Middle East, Photography, Tourism, Travel Writing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

travel is what you make it

Posted on August 6, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

I’m a sucker for a good travel ad. This short one for Swiss airlines is so well done and on the mark. A good reminder that travel is what we make it.  

Posted in Air Travel, Europe, Film, Public Transport, Tourism | Tagged , | 1 Comment

To be read pile

Posted on August 5, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

 

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Expo 58

Posted on August 4, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

I don’t know the difference between an Expo and a World’s Fair and at this point I’m afraid to ask. However, I’ve been to Expo 67 in Montreal and the 1964 New York World’s Fair and thoroughly enjoyed them both. I have long been … Continue reading →

Posted in apps, Architecture, Art, Europe, History, Tech, Tourism | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Don’t Visit Faroe Islands

Posted on August 3, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

I’ve wanted to visit the Faroe Islands for years, but refuse to go there until they ban the slaughter of whales and dolphins. A campaign was launched in July to boycott the Faroe Islands over their highly controversial slaughter of … Continue reading →

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Cataloging all the books in existence

Posted on August 2, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Late last year, the U.S. government took down the free e-book download site Z-Library, and arrested those affiliated with the project. I recently learned about another website that has taken up the mantle and is working to catalog free e-books. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, ebooks, Libraries | Tagged , | 3 Comments

“A Society of Scoundrels”

Posted on August 1, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

“A Society of Scoundrels” by Franz Kafka Translated by Michael Hofmann There was once a society of scoundrels, or rather not scoundrels per se, just ordinary, average people. They always stuck together. When one of them had perpetrated some rascally … Continue reading →

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