Author Archives: Brian D. Butler

Some Tourist Advice Is Timeless

H/t to the Public Domain Review for this marvelous 19th century book of advice for visitors to London. Sadly, The London Guide to Stranger’s Safeguard against the Cheats, Swindlers and Pickpockets (1819) still offers some sage counsel for travelers today. … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, History, Tourism, Travel Writing | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Isn’t all art derivative ?

Three well-known international street artists are suing former Python Terry Gilliam, charging the director with ripping-off one of their collaborative murals painted in Buenos Aires, Argentina nearly four years ago. The artists—Jaz, Ever and Other—allege that a mural in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Film, movies, South America | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Tom Hanks Built You An App

Tom Hanks—yes that Tom Hanks—is well known for his enduring affection for the humble typewriter. Now he has gone and created an iPad app called Hanx Writer that resuscitates the old school manual typewriter experience. The free app provides the … Continue reading →

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Moving Pictures

As a collector and seller of antiquarian books, late at night I sometimes get the feeling that the illustrations are stirring. Now I have proof. The Smithsonian Libraries blog is teeming with gifs based on illustrations based on historical books and publications. … Continue reading →

Posted in Animation, Art, Books, History, Libraries, Museums | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Word on the Water

Word on the Water is London’s only floating bookshop. The quirky secondhand store has been popping up on London canals for almost three years and is currently moored outside of Paddington Station. The resident owner, Paddy Creech, not only sells … Continue reading →

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

Little Cable Cars Climb Halfway to the Stars

I’m a sucker for all of those great photo mashups that are popping up online every day. You know, the ones that blend historic images with shots of the same contemporary scene. But photographer Michael Raziano has his own take … Continue reading →

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Almost Convincing

Rob Whitworth and JT Singh were commissioned by a state-run tourism agency to produce this fascinating time-lapse video of Pyongyang. Of course they were closely chaperoned during shooting and much of the city was off-limits for their cameras. Still, it’s … Continue reading →

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The Definitive Guide to Banned Books

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Time Is Honey

The French art collective Parti Poetique has created a project dedicated to raising awareness throughout Europe on the alarming decline in bee populations. Known as the “Honey Bank”, and using the clever tag line “Time is Honey”, the project allows … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Europe | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Library Inside Out

This month, the New York Public Library is celebrating the joy of reading with its “I Read Everywhere” program. Readers, writers and librarians are being asked to share photos of their favorite summer reading spots with the hashtag #ireadeverywhere. The … Continue reading →

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