Category Archives: Books

Art of the Cover

Posted on November 10, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

As a book collector and a book seller, I have often purchased a book just because the dust jacket art caught my eye. In this terrific new book, The Illustrated Dust Jacket 1920-1970, author Martin Salisbury explores the transition from plain paper … Continue reading →

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At The Bookstore

Posted on November 9, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

“ I like to loiter around the city looking for interesting things,” the artist Jenny Kroik says. Her painting for this week’s New Yorker cover depicts a serious browser at the Strand Bookstore, the cherished bookshop in lower Manhattan. “I have … Continue reading →

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Have a literary coffee

Posted on November 7, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

I love this wonderful illustration by Italian artist and designer Gianluca Biscalchin.

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What The Font

Posted on November 6, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Monotype’s MyFonts font service has created a neat new app for both iOS and Android smartphones which use AI tech to allow users to identify random fonts. The app, which is called WhatTheFont, matches typefaces to an enormous database. There’s also a … Continue reading →

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It Takes A Train To Cry

Posted on November 5, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Deutsche Bahn (DB), the German rail operator, recently decided to name twenty-five new high-speed trains after historic figures. They crowdsourced suggestions and received more than 19,000 proposals. A jury then selected the final names, including one that has some folks scratching their heads: Anne … Continue reading →

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Wherein I Eat My Words

Posted on November 4, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

I recently posted a story about an amazing, futuristic-looking library that opened in Tianjin, China. In doing so, I also bemoaned the sorry state of library support in the United States and the lack of commitment to public libraries in … Continue reading →

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Did you remember to get your visa

Posted on November 1, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Some of us spend more time traveling through fictional lands than we may care to admit. What if those imaginary countries actually issued their own passports and travel documents? Well, thanks to NeoMam Studios and Budget Direct we can have … Continue reading →

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Dance Macabre

Posted on October 31, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

 La portentosa vida de la muerte (The Prodigious Life of Death) by Joaquín Bolaños, is a late 18th century Mexican novel that stars Death as a female protagonist ( la muerte in Spanish is a feminine noun).  The story begins in the Garden … Continue reading →

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Stephen King Inspired

Posted on October 25, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

I’m a huge fan of the always wacky art work by the brilliant Brazilian artist and illustrator who goes by the name Butcher Billy. These seasonally appropriate pulp fiction and horror inspired faux book covers are a treat. Here’s what … Continue reading →

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Spooky Stories & Inconceivable Tales

Posted on October 19, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Inspired by pulp periodicals and pop culture, Massachusetts-based illustrator Stephen Andrade creates brilliant retro-style magazine covers for imagined publications. Andrade cleverly incorporates contemporary television, cinema, and literary references in his 40s and 50s style cover art.

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