Author Archives: Brian D. Butler

Vienna is like…

Posted on May 25, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

I don’t know anything about the short film below titled  Vienna is like… except that it was directed by the award winning Argentine filmmaker Fernando Livschitz. But if love Wien half as much as I do, you will adore this very clever, … Continue reading →

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Excursions into humor + despair

Posted on May 24, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

The Detroit-based publisher Rotland Press advertises itself as “a fine publisher of excursions into humor + despair.” It is also the perfect vehicle for a literary and arts journal to help us cope with the overwhelming nature of the Covid-19 … Continue reading →

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How to find that book without the title

Posted on May 23, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

If you are like me there are times that you are searching for a specific book but don’t remember or don’t know the title. The video below and this  article from the website Make Use Of has some great ideas … Continue reading →

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Discovering the Lost Generation in Paris

Posted on May 22, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Decades ago, I made my first biblio-pilgrimage to the iconic Shakespeare and Company bookstore in Paris. These days it’s not quite the same place now that it has an adjoining café that serves American bagels and brownies. And then there are the … Continue reading →

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Rearranging My Book Shelves

Posted on May 21, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

 

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What Do Lou Reed and Agatha Christie Have in Common

Posted on May 20, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

What Lou Reed and Agatha Christie have in common is the American-born, but British-raised illustrator Tom Adams. When Reed was searching for an artist to design his self-titled album for the UK market in 1972, he chose Adams. Ironically, although … Continue reading →

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The Great American Book Giveaway

Posted on May 19, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Gold Beach Books is the second largest bookstore in Oregon and like most folks in the bookselling biz these days they have been closed due to the pandemic. But the four sisters who own the store came up with a … Continue reading →

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monday, monday can’t trust that day

Posted on May 18, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Clarice Lispector Franz Kafka From the Bodleian Library souvenir shop…  

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The most agreeable way of ignoring life in quarantine

Posted on May 17, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

 

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La Guerre des Mondes

Posted on May 16, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

During the past week, I stumbled on three different references to H. G. Wells’ iconic science fiction novel  The War of the Worlds, including a new French-British television  series (which was mediocre at best). The early sci-fi classic was originally … Continue reading →

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