Category Archives: Books

Tales About Nothing

Posted on February 1, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

I couldn’t resist sharing these brilliant faux pulp magazine covers by the illustrator and comic book artist Stephen Andrade.   all images ©Stephen Andrade

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Dystopian Literature Sells Bigly

Posted on January 31, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Since the election of the bloated, orange pustule, dystopian fiction has become so popular that George Orwell’s iconic novel 1984 has jumped to the top of bestseller lists around the world. Penguin publishing has announced that it is rushing another … Continue reading →

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Alternative Reality

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Since the depressing events of January 20th, I have been thinking of Philip Roth’s alternative history novel The Plot Against America. Our would be dictator’s references to “America First” reminded me of the anti-Semitic, anti-immigrant, fascist movement championed by Nazi-loving Charles Lindbergh. … Continue reading →

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Kafka : On The Cheap

Posted on January 29, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

During the summer of 1911, Franz Kafka and his friend Max Brod took a railway journey through Switzerland and France. While they were hanging out in Lugano, Switzerland, Kafka hit on a novel notion for “reforming” the traditional staid travel … Continue reading →

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Europe on $5 a Day

Posted on January 19, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

The notion of traveling around Europe on $5 a day seems preposterous in 2017, but back in 1957 it was a reality for frugal savvy travelers. This year the guidebook, which came before Let’s Go Europe, Lonely Planet, or Rick Steves Guides, is celebrating … Continue reading →

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Drawn Together

Posted on January 12, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Aline Kominsky-Crumb and Robert Crumb have been creating brilliant and transgressive comic books together and independently for more than four decades. The pioneers of the underground comic genre have been smashing taboos and busting boundaries with insightful, funny and decidedly … Continue reading →

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A 3D Time Machine

Posted on January 10, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

British illustrator Steven Wilson has created some mindblowing cover art for Knopf Doubleday’s Vintage Books imprint’s new H.G. Wells series. The Time Machine reissue even comes with a set of 3D glasses.

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In a galaxy far, far away…

Posted on January 8, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Last year, I shared a post on Penguin’s reissue of a series of hardcover science fiction titles with stunning cover designs by Spanish artist Alex Trochut. Now the publisher has released a limited edition box set called “Galaxy”. The book … Continue reading →

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It’s Old Book Week

Posted on January 5, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

image © Bonnie M. Butler Although for years now pundits have been predicting that digital books would eliminate printed books any day now, the real thing still has an enduring allure. Some of us are fortunate enough to surround ourselves with … Continue reading →

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Not A Lost Art (yet)

Posted on January 3, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Those of us who buy, sell and collect antiquarian books obviously value them for their literary content, but most of us are also enamored by the physical books. I’m especially thrilled to discover intact old bindings and volumes which incorporate … Continue reading →

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