Author Archives: Brian D. Butler

Booklovers to SLAM Paris

Posted on April 26, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

  In June 1984, the Syndicat national de la Librairie Ancienne et Moderne (SLAM) organised the first International Antiquarian Book Fair in Paris at the Conciergerie. In this historic location (once prison to Marie-Antoinette), the success was considerable. Paris became … Continue reading →

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London Is Getting Messy (pt 2)

Posted on April 25, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

For the last three days, Bompas & Parr candy mongers have presented an astonishing five ton chocolate waterfall in the middle of London’s Whiteleys Centre. The enormous falls,in all its chocolatey glory, cascaded at a rate of 12,000 liters per … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Tourism | Tagged | 1 Comment

Books on Screens

Posted on April 24, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

HBO is reportedly in talks with Tom Hanks’ production company Playtime Partners to acquire Neil Gaiman’s fabulous novel American Gods to develop it for a fantasy cable series. Gaiman will be penning the scripts. It’s also being reported that The … Continue reading →

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London Is Getting Messy (pt 1)

Posted on April 23, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Wednesday artists from art activist group Liberate Tate staged a performance in the Tate Britain on the anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon explosion that killed 11 workers and spilled 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico over … Continue reading →

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

Baudelaire : In His Own Words

Posted on April 22, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Author and artist John Sokol has created a series of engaging and original portraits of literary greats crafted from the lines of their own novels and poems.

Posted in Art, Books, Uncategorized, Writing | Leave a comment

Rick Santorum, Gay Poet ?

Posted on April 21, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Rick Santorum is backpedalling as fast as he can from his campaign slogan featured on the new website for his Presidential exploratory committee, “Fighting to Make America America again,” after it was pointed out to him that it was from … Continue reading →

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Taking Liberties with Maps

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Artist/designer Lena Corwin  began illustrating maps for Elle Decor magazine in 2004. Her new book, MAPS: Illustrating Cities (Other Books, April 2011), is a charming collection of forty of her favorite maps. Corwin’s whimsical maps are a clever mix of … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, Maps, Tourism, Travel Writing | 1 Comment

Art In The Streets

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Art in the Streets is the first significant US museum survey of graffiti and street art. The show traces the historical development of graffiti and street art from the 70s to today’s vibrant, global movement. It focuses mainly on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Museums, USA | 2 Comments

Gaddafi Murders Art

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Kais al-Hilali, 34 year-old Libyan cartoonist and street artist, was shot and killed by Gaddafi thugs while painting one of his biting cartoons of the dictator for which he was locally celebrated. According to eye witnesses, Hilali had just painted … Continue reading →

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

PEN World Voices Festival Pt.7

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

A veritable United Nations of world literature will convene next week in New York City for the 7th annual PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature. Hundreds of writers from more than three dozen nations will meet in NYC to … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism, Freedom of Speech, Libraries, USA, Writing | Tagged , | 1 Comment