Author Archives: Brian D. Butler

Cheesy Literature

Posted on October 16, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

I’ve discovered some awfully cheesy literature over the years, but Ben Denzer’s 20 Slices is the most original work. Composed of twenty slices of individually wrapped actual American cheese* pieces and bound in bright yellow covers, the “book” was published in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, USA | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Don’t let the bastards cheer you up

Posted on October 15, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

I never tire of London-based artist Harland Miller’s brilliant send-ups of iconic Penguin book covers. His faux vintage covers are always on point.

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The Only Map You Need

Posted on October 14, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

h/t Jools Stone  

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Book Purge Pain

Posted on October 13, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

Every four or five years I attempt a thinning out of my personal library through a merciless book purge. Last year I managed to ruthlessly select about 300 titles and donate the lot to my local library for the annual … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, Libraries, Writing | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Literary Revisionism

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

 

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Release the kraken

Posted on October 11, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

British street artists Luke Egan and Pete Hamilton—aka Filthy Luker and Pedro Estrellos—visited the historic Philadelphia Navy Yard this week and installed a gigantic inflatable sculpture in an abandoned warehouse on the Delaware River waterfront. The twenty purple, blue , … Continue reading →

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Shakespeare & Co. branches out

Posted on October 10, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

We had some very exciting bookstore news here in Philadelphia with the soft opening of the new Shakespeare & Co. bookshop in the heart of the city. Located in the ritzy Rittenhouse Square neighborhood on Walnut Street, the store occupies the former … Continue reading →

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Cherish Your Book Scorpions

Posted on October 9, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

  As a collector and seller of antiquarian and secondhand books, I often discover the remains of dead book scorpions. The tiny arachnids are actually pseudoscorpions and are the book lover’s friend and mostly unseen companions. Although they are harmless … Continue reading →

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Philadelphia Pulse

Posted on October 8, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

Over the past few years, the once drab plaza around Philadelphia’s magnificent Second Empire-style 19th century City Hall has been transformed into a welcoming gathering place. Last month, the newest component of the Dilworth Park project was launched with the … Continue reading →

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Piles of French Novels

Posted on October 7, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

Vincent Van Gogh Piles of French Novels 1887  

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