Category Archives: Books

BookLamp…what is it?

Posted on September 3, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Have you ever wished that  you could find new books the same way Pandora helps you find new music? Using a series of algorithms, BookLamp analyzes your favorite books for five style elements and then delivers you customized recommendations with … Continue reading →

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I Am Not A Witch

Posted on August 20, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Who doesn’t enjoy Washington Post fiction critic Ron Charles’ hilarious video reviews? Well, he out did himself with this parody of erstwhile Delaware Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell’s new memoir, Troublemaker: Let’s Do What It Takes to Make America Great Again.

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I Hate the “I Hate Reading” Facebook Page

Posted on August 19, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Last week some mindless troll took the time to create a Facebook page titled “I Hate Reading” and more than 437,000 other morons “Liked” the page. If that’s not sad enough, the “I Hate Books” page has over 271,000 “Likes”, … Continue reading →

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Franz Kafka’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” ?

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Mash-up Franz Kafka’s groundbreaking novella The Metamorphosis with Frank Capra’s syrupy classic film It’s a Wonderful Life and you get this marvelously absurd short film. Directed by Peter Capaldi and starring Richard E. Grant, the film won tons of awards … Continue reading →

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Support Indie Bookstores

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Most indie bookstores in the US are struggling to keep their doors open. Subterranean Books in St. Louis, MO is no exception. To support this terrific bookshop, Noir@theBar , an exceptional venue for author readings and book events, has put together the … Continue reading →

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The Hobbit: Behind the Scenes

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Restless Tolkien fans are anxiously awaiting the completion of Peter Jackson’s Hobbit, but until Christmas 2012 they’ll have to be content with sneak peaks at the production. This week, Jackson released a series of great group photos from the film … Continue reading →

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On The Beach

Posted on August 6, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

In this sad era of library closures and drastic funding cuts, one nation has found novel ways to reach out to library users. In the Netherlands, they’ve launched the world’s first airport library (at Amsterdam Schiphol) and now they’ve opened … Continue reading →

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Our Kind of Cover Art

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

I know, some of you are shaking your heads and saying “enough with the cover art”, but too bad, cause here’s some more. This year John Le Carré’s U.S. publisher Penguin has reissued most of his novels with stunning new … Continue reading →

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The Hobbit (in under 2 minutes)

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

If you never read the Hobbit and you’re just too busy (or too lazy) to read it before Peter Jackson’s film version is released, why not check out The Brothers Grim and Grimy’s Hobbit Under 2 Minutes . Writer Declan … Continue reading →

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France Supports Its Bookshops

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

In an unprecedented effort to support booksellers in France, an ambitious advertising campaign has been launched this week. A consortium of labor groups that represent booksellers, publishers and bookstores is financing the effort to encourage French readers to visit bricks and … Continue reading →

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