Author Archives: Brian D. Butler

Song of the Open Road

Posted on October 7, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Feeling wistful and nostalgic these days for the open road. What better poet to capture the way of the road than Walt Whitman. Song of the Open Road, 4 The earth expanding right hand and left hand, The picture alive, … Continue reading →

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Gothic Essentials

Posted on October 6, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

 

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Why Fall Into Autumn

Posted on October 5, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Yesterday’s post got me thinking about why we English speaking folks in North America use both Fall and Autumn to describe the season between Summer and Winter. Why does it have two acceptable and apparantly interchangable names? And why do British speakers of English … Continue reading →

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a wistful omen of the first sign of autumn

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

austice n. a wistful omen of the first sign of autumn—a subtle coolness in the shadows, a rustling of dead leaves abandoned on the sidewalk, or a long skein of geese sweeping over your head like the second hand of … Continue reading →

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Nothing is more important than an unread library

Posted on October 3, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

“Collect books, even if you don’t plan on reading them right away. Nothing is more important than an unread library.” ― John Waters, director, author & national treasure  

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Who doesn’t love the Wizard of Oz

Posted on October 2, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Here we are at the final day of the annual Banned Books Week and I just discovered that the beloved American children’s classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was a banned book. In fact, for decades it was one of the most … Continue reading →

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Bookstore Tourism: NYC

Posted on October 1, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I was recently asked by a TBTP reader who is planning a brief visit to New York City to suggest some independent bookstores that are located in Manhattan and are not the much touted Strand. My first pick is located … Continue reading →

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Encyclopedia of a world that does not exist

Posted on September 30, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Over the years, I have run across a number of versions of the weird and wonderful Codex Seraphinianus. Along with English and French edtions, I have also seen an original Italian version from 1981. It’s difficult to catagorize this fascinating surreal fictionalized … Continue reading →

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House of Dreams

Posted on September 29, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Over the years, I have visited dozens of museums in and around London, but I haven’t found my way to the wonderful House of Dreams yet. The next time that I’m in London I will certainly make time to see … Continue reading →

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There is no telling where time is

Posted on September 28, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

This piece is from former British Poet Laureate Ted Hughes’s collection of poems Earth Dances, with original linocuts by British artist R. J. Lloyd and printed in 1994 in an edition of 250 copies signed by the poet and artist in 18 point Bembo and Bodoni on … Continue reading →

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