Category Archives: Books

A warning, A rant, A little magic

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Sometimes it seems as though the onslaught of hacking attempts and malware never lets up. Recently I became aware of the latest bit of travel related hacking. The accommodation booking site Booking.com has been drawing serious criticism from consumers over … Continue reading →

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Regret Nothing

Posted on February 26, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

ANTILAMENTATION by Dorianne Laux Regret nothing. Not the cruel novels you read to the end just to find out who killed the cook. Not the insipid movies that made you cry in the dark, in spite of your intelligence, your … Continue reading →

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Mainly Miscellany

Posted on February 23, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Who knew that Edward Gorey designed the sets for the U.S. revival of the 1924 stage play Dracula ? I certainly did not, but this fascinating article on the terrific CrimeReads blog does a deep dive into the story. Andy Weir’s The Martian was … Continue reading →

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Breakfast At Tiffany’s

Posted on February 22, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

If you were so inclined, you could pick up a signed first edition of Truman Capote’s novel Breakfast at Tiffany’s for $5000 or less. But why not spring for the artfully rebound version for $1.5 million. The new version sports more … Continue reading →

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Pangur Bán

Posted on February 21, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Over the years, I have seen a few different translations of this ninth century poem written by an unknown monk in Old Irish at or near Reichenau Abbey in what is now Germany. This version was translated by the Nobel … Continue reading →

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Protect Your Local Library

Posted on February 20, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

 

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Strip Atlas

Posted on February 19, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

British cartographer John Ogilby created an amazing project in 1675: a road atlas of 17th-century Britain, featuring strip maps of most of the major routes in England and Wales. He wrote to Charles II: I have Attempted to Improve Our … Continue reading →

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A House upon the Height

Posted on February 15, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Closed since 2019, the Emily Dickinson Museum has now completed a multi-year preservation effort at The Evergreens, aimed at improving environmental conditions for objects in its recently documented collection, and reducing energy consumption. Reopening on March 1, The Evergreens is an integral … Continue reading →

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Petit Livre d’Amour

Posted on February 14, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Your Valentine’s Day gift will have to be extraordinary to top  the Petit Livre d’Amour (Little Book of Love). This very elaborate handmade book was given by the 16th-century French poet Pierre Salas to his then lover and future wife … Continue reading →

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I prefer Grimms’ fairy tales to the newspapers’ front pages

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

POSSIBILITIES Wisława Szymborska I prefer movies. I prefer cats. I prefer the oaks along the Warta. I prefer Dickens to Dostoyevsky. I prefer myself liking people to myself loving mankind. I prefer keeping a needle and thread on hand, just … Continue reading →

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