Category Archives: Books

It’s Not Even Close

Posted on November 21, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

 

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Europe on 5 Dollars a Day

Posted on November 20, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

US travel writer Arthur Frommer, known for the guidebook Europe on 5 Dollars a Day and other titles on budget travel, has died aged 95. Frommer began his journalism career while stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army during the … Continue reading →

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Autumn

Posted on November 19, 2024 by Brian D. Butler
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Bookstore Tourism: Portlandia

Posted on November 18, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

It’s always good news to discover that a new indie bookshop has opened in the U.S.. But it’s great news when it turns out to be a travel bookstore. Even if you can’t get to Portland, Oregon IRL, you can … Continue reading →

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Bookstore Tourism

Posted on November 17, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

The Abecadlo Antiquarian Bookshop is located in a former 19th pharmacy, at 18 Kościuszki Street in Krakow, Poland. Its beautiful interior is made up of antique pharmacy furniture dating back to the 1890s, which the owners managed to save and … Continue reading →

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Once upon a time, suddenly

Posted on November 16, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

“A Sudden Story” by Robert Coover Once upon a time, suddenly, while it still could, the story began. For the hero, setting forth, there was of course nothing sudden about it, neither about the setting forth, which he’d spent his … Continue reading →

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Bookstore Lover on the Road

Posted on November 14, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Bob Manson is a retired teacher from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He’s also a superfan of independent bookstores. So much so that he has now visited over 600 of them across the country. At each one, he talks with the owners … Continue reading →

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Encounters with French culture

Posted on November 13, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Last week, the American Library in Paris announced the winner of their 2024 Book Award, which recognizes titles originally published in English “that best realizes new and intellectually significant ideas about France, the French people, or encounters with French culture.” … Continue reading →

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Twenty Lessons

Posted on November 10, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

In 2016, Yale history professor Timothy Snyder took to Facebook to share some lessons from 20th century about how to protect our liberal democracy from fascism and authoritarianism. In response to this week’s catastrophic election, I’ve reproduced it in its entirety here. … Continue reading →

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The fight against Fascism is never ending

Posted on November 9, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

His Millennium trilogy was a worldwide hit. But to the Swedish author, it was only ever a sideshow to his true life’s work: fighting fascism, racism and rightwing extremism. Today marks the 20th anniversary of the untimely death of Stieg … Continue reading →

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