Author Archives: Brian D. Butler

How Kafkaesque

Posted on March 4, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

 

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The Expurgated Version

Posted on March 3, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

It may not be politically correct to profess admiration for the comedic genius of John Cleese these days, but I for one still find his work to be side-splitingly hilarious. I was surprised to recently learn that Cleese’s own favorite … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism, Europe, Theater | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Reach Out

Posted on March 2, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

This new mural by the award winning young Dutch artist JDL (aka Judith de Leeuw) in Amsterdam’s grand Central Station is appropriately titled Closer in Distance. The tryptic  mural reads like stills in an animation, with two hand gradually getting closer to … Continue reading →

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Vintage is better

Posted on March 1, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I recently ran across a treasure trove of vintage Japanese travel posters from the early 20th century. As you know, I’m a little bit obsessed with travel related advertising, but I think that early travel posters managed to do a … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Asia, History, Tourism | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Goin’ Mobile beep, beep

Posted on February 28, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

If you land on TBTP on a regular basis, you know how I feel about bookmobiles, traveling libraries, and itinerant bookstores. So, you won’t be surprised by these two stories about mobile booksellers from opposite sides of the globe. I … Continue reading →

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The feeling of communion in the libraries

Posted on February 27, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Most English speakers are familiar with the American author E.B. White from his contributions to the iconic writing guide The Elements of Style or through his classic children’s books such as Charlotte’s Web. During World War II, he received a request … Continue reading →

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stealing the sun

Posted on February 26, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

A few years ago I had the opportunity to do some traveling in British Columbia and Alaska. While I was there I became intrigued by the art, culture, and mythologies of the indigenous peoples of the region, including the Tlingt … Continue reading →

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Down the Glen

Posted on February 25, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Nearly a year ago, Irish musician Patrick Dexter began posting online videos of himself playing the cello. Since then, his open-air recitals, shot outside his picturesque cottage in Mayo on the rural west coast, have been viewed millions of times. The video … Continue reading →

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If you see a train this evening…

Posted on February 24, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

If you see a train this evening, Far away against the sky, Lie down in your wooden blanket, Sleep, and let the train go by. Trains have called us, every midnight, From a thousand miles away, Trains that pass through … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Public Transport, USA, Writing | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Collective Nouns

Posted on February 23, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

 

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