Category Archives: Books

Wise Thoughts For Everyday

Posted on June 5, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Like many folks who were introduced to the writings of Leo Tolstoy through his novel War and Peace, I was, and remain, ambivalent about the Russian author. I found War and Peace a bit of a slog. However, I found Anna Karenina and The Death of … Continue reading →

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Have a summer reading adventure

Posted on June 4, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

To celebrate 75 years of the National Book Awards, the National Book Foundation has launched the Summer Reading Adventure for adults 18 and older “to lean into the nostalgic, prize-filled fun of summer reading.” Reading activities include visiting a local bookstore … Continue reading →

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Collecting Memories

Posted on June 3, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

I’m hoping to get to see the manuscript treasures including Abraham Lincoln’s handwritten draft of the Gettysburg Address, a map from the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and lyrics from The Sound of Music are among more than 120 items in the new Library … Continue reading →

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Every day is like Sunday

Posted on June 2, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

I have been planning a road trip in Canada and was curious about First Nations food and restaurants. As things tend to go on the interwebs, what I did find was a great post about Native American restaurants around the … Continue reading →

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The infinite reading list

Posted on May 31, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

 

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Do vampires get sea sick ?

Posted on May 30, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

On a gloomy night in July, 1893, Bram Stoker’s mysterious Count Dracula embarked on a clandestine journey from his Transylvania home aboard the ill-fated ship Demeter. Unbeknownst to the unsuspecting crew of the Demeter, a malevolent force lay hidden in … Continue reading →

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Murakami in the Machine or Way back Wednesday

Posted on May 29, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

In the past we’ve covered lots of book vending machine stories, but this one is surreal. The Muzu publishing house in Poland created three vending machines to dispense Polish translations of Haruki Murakami’s newest novel, Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki and the Year of … Continue reading →

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War is not an adventure…

Posted on May 27, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

“War is not an adventure. It is a disease.” Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

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Doing it old school

Posted on May 26, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

I’ve shared stories about the beloved Arion Press, including a visit to their San Francisco home by Anthony Bourdain in 2015 for a online series called Raw Craft . I recently spotted  a video from Business Insider’s Still Standing series … Continue reading →

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Bookstore Tourism

Posted on May 24, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Bookstar in San Diego, California is no ordinary bookshop. The 1945 Point Loma Theater was rescued from the wrecking ball by the Barnes & Noble chain. The theaters adaptive reuse capitalized on the existing theaters circulation path including the recreation … Continue reading →

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