Author Archives: Brian D. Butler

Making Hay

“Haymaking” by William Carlos Williams The living quality of the man’s mind stands out and its covert assertions for art, art, art! painting that the Renaissance tried to absorb but it remained a wheat field over which the wind played … Continue reading →

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Lowdown in Sweden

Perspicacious followers of TBTP may recall a short story from a while back about the World’s Smallest Bookstore. Now the folks from the aptly named AnonyMouse street art collective have returned with the World’s Smallest Record Shop. Located in the … Continue reading →

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Lovecraft Country

So we missed H.P.’s birthday yesterday, but to make up for that here’s a way cool graphic novelized version of one of his creepy stories. Lovecraft was a horrible racist bigoted son of a bitch, but he sure could spin … Continue reading →

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Book feathers

London-based artist Kate MccGwire is famous for her elaborate feather sculptures that seem to have a life of their own. Her current exhibition titled Discharge pours down like a huge tunnel of water from a 18th century bookcase. Created from approximately … Continue reading →

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Yes, Your Books Are Taking Longer To Be Delivered

If you are reading this blog post, there is a better than likely chance that you are a book buyer and that you are getting many, if not most, of your print reading materials through the mail these days due … Continue reading →

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August Heat (can drive you mad)

William F. Harvey (1885–1937) wrote the timely tale August Heat  which concerns a fateful encounter at the end of a sweltering Summer day. August 20th, 190–. I have had what I believe to be the most remarkable day in my … Continue reading →

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Bookstore Movements, or the Mariko Aoki Phenomenon

The first time that I stumbled upon the so-called Mariko Aoki Phenomenon (青木まりこ現象, Aoki Mariko genshō)I laughed it off as a poor attempt at bathroom humor. But the second time that I read about this Japanese bookstore issue I thought that it … Continue reading →

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New York Is Book Country

New York is Book Country (1985). Keith Haring (American, 1958-1990). Poster. Printer: Panorama Press, NY. Keith Haring created this exuberant book-lover’s poster for the New York Book Fair, which was held September 22, 1985, on the streets along 5th Avenue in … Continue reading →

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All Guns Are Loaded

I was tickled by this list of book titles that the great noir writer Raymond Chandler created but never used. The Islands in the Sky was eventually a title by Arthur C. Clarke and The Black-Eyed Blonde was used by both Erle Stanley Gardner … Continue reading →

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Another Train

For those of us addicted to travel this long period of staying in-place has sometimes resulted in waxing nostalgic about our former trips. But how often when we reminisce do we recall those missed connections, crappy hostels, and inedible meals … Continue reading →

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