Author Archives: Brian D. Butler

There and back again

Posted on July 30, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

I’m in the midst of planning a road trip around New Zealand for later this year and was exploring Lord of the Rings and Hobbit related film sites. In the process, I stumbled upon these wonderful cross section drawings of Bag End—the ancestral home … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art, Books, Film, movies, Tourism | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The City Within

Posted on July 29, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

The City Within by Toronto-based artist Natalie Draz is a brilliant artists’ book and city map simultaneously. This kinetic piece is housed in a plain pine box with what first appears to be an irregularly shaped booklet , but expands … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Canada, Maps | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Surrealist Sunday

Posted on July 28, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

From French Surrealist writer and artist Gisèsle Prassinos’s early collection La Sauterelle arthritique (The Arthritic Grasshopper).  

Posted in Art, Books, Europe, Writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Reclaiming the Middle Seat

Posted on July 27, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Anyone who has ever been stuck in middle seat hell will applaud the S1 (AKA the “Slip-Slide Seat”) clever redesign of airline middle seats from Colorado’s Molon Labe Designs. It sits a little back from the seats to either side, … Continue reading →

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

Arrivederci e grazie per le buone letture

Posted on July 26, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Sicilian author Andrea Camilleri, who died last week at age 93, is probably best known as the author of 27 novels and multiple short story collections starring police officer Inspector Salvo Montalbano, many of which take place in the fictional … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, Writing | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Rules for Writing

Posted on July 25, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Thirteen simple rules for writing from the tragic genius Walter Benjamin. I. Anyone intending to embark on a major work should be lenient with themselves and, having completed a stint, deny themselves nothing that will not prejudice the next. II. Talk about … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, Writing | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Philadelphia: Word on the Street

Posted on July 24, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

 Philly-based street artist Marisa Velázquez-Rivas  has launched a series of wheatpaste street art work around town titled Smash the Fash , which depicts Nazi and white supremacist symbols being crushed by a hand with some impressive nails. In a Facebook … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, USA | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Picture yourself on a boat on a river…

Posted on July 23, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

You all know that I’m a big sucker for clever mash-ups that include book cover art. Well, it will be no surprise that I love writer and graphic artist Todd Alcott’s crazy re-imaginings of classic Beatles tunes and paperback books. … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Music | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Reader Speaks

Posted on July 22, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

I recently was asked by multiple followers of TBTP : “What are you reading these days ?” Actually, it was just two followers, but I thought “why not?” So, here’s a photo of most of the summer reading pile. There … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Writing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Bookstore Tourism : Chicago

Posted on July 21, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Chicago’s newest bookstore has recently opened in West Town. And while the launch of an independent bookstore is always cause for celebration, Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery is giving us even more reasons to cheer; it’s the only bookstore owned by … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Bookstore Tourism, USA | Tagged , , | Leave a comment