Author Archives: Brian D. Butler

It’s Lost Novel Season

Posted on December 2, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Last week, Jack Kerouac‘s first novel, The Sea is My Brother, was finally published (Penguin, UK) 40 years after his death and 70 years after it was written. Long thought to be lost forever, the freshman novel was supposedly discovered … Continue reading →

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A Mapping Mania

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Paula Scher has been creating remarkable, idiosyncratic, enormous, hand-painted typographic maps of the world for nearly two decades. She explores individual nations, cities, transit systems, continents and diverse cultural phenomena through her quirky, whimsical and even visionary one-of-a-kind giant maps. … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Art, Asia, Books, Canada, Europe, Maps, Middle East, South America, USA | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Write For Rights

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Your words can shine a light on human rights abuses and help save lives. Join hundreds of thousands of caring individuals around the world by participating in Amnesty International’s Write For Rights Global Write-a-thon December 3rd through 11th. This year … Continue reading →

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What’s a Zipaaltje ?

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Combining two ubiquitous symbols of Amsterdam—bikes and bollards—Zipaaltjes are new iconic features of the Amsterdam cityscape. The Zip project is designed to encourage rediscovery of public space by offering a comfortable place to enjoy the city. It invites Amsterdamers and … Continue reading →

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

The Garden of the Novelists

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Discovering Fontana Rosa by Nicky Gardner It is more than forty years since the Ibáñez family gave Fontana Rosa to the town of Menton. Vincente Blasco-Ibáñez was a creature of the Mediterranean – though he spent a good part of … Continue reading →

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Let Them Eat Pie

Posted on November 27, 2011 by Brian D. Butler
Posted in Art, Europe, Freedom of Speech | Leave a comment

Small Business Saturday: Bookshop Edition

Posted on November 26, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Today marks the second annual Small Business Saturday. On one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year in North America, shoppers are encouraged to patronize their local stores to help suppport area businesses. You can do your part to … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism, USA | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Occupy Libraries

Posted on November 25, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Related articles With Zuccotti Park Cleared, Occupy Los Angeles Is Estimated to Be the Largest Camp Left Standing (laist.com) The Last Big City with an Occupy Camp: What’s Los Angeles to Do? (time.com)

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Why Here, Why Today ?

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Okay, here’s a little challenge for today. Take a peek at the following images and identify where we are and why we’re visiting today. Here’s an obscure poetic hint: ” But now we are all, in all places, strangers, travelers and … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, History, Tourism, USA | Leave a comment

Hotels and Books, Perfect Together

Posted on November 23, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Highlighting its literary connection in London’s storied Bloomsbury neighborhood, the Radisson Edwardian Hotel  has created its very own inhouse book club for guests. The hotel provides complimentary copies of the Radisson Edwardian book of the month pick to all interested … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, Hotels, Tourism, Writing | Tagged , , | 2 Comments