Category Archives: Books

In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love.

Posted on January 4, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

On this day in 1960, Albert Camus, French author, philospopher and journalist, died in an automobile accident at age 46. In his coat pocket lay an unused train ticket. Camus had intense Motorphobia (fear of automobiles), and thus avoided riding … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, Public Transport, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

A Library Is A Spaceship

Posted on January 3, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

I have been a fan of the wildly imaginative writing of Isaac Asimov since I was a child. Recently I ran across a charming story about the iconic sci-fi author and a letter that he wrote in 1971. He sent … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Libraries, USA, Writing | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Running Into A New Year

Posted on January 2, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Running Into A New Year I am running into a new year and the old years blow back like a wind that I catch in my hair like strong fingers like all my old promises and it will be hard … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, USA, Writing | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“The Best Things In Life Are Free”

Posted on January 1, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Today copyrighted works from 1927 will enter the US public domain. They will be free for all to copy, share, and build upon. These include Virginia Woolf’s To The Lighthouse and the final Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Film, History, Music, Photography, Theater, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Hymn to Time

Posted on December 31, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

HYMN TO TIME by Ursula K. Le Guin Time says “Let there be” every moment and instantly there is space and the radiance of each bright galaxy. And eyes beholding radiance. And the gnats’ flickering dance. And the seas’ expanse. … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, USA, Writing | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Mystery of the Big Book

Posted on December 30, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Over the years, the photograph above has appeared on numerous blogs and websites, usually captioned as “man with large book at Prague Castle, 1940s” or “c. 1940s: Man with books.” However, bibliophiles and antiquarians have long questioned the image’s description … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Books, Europe, History, Libraries, Museums, Photography, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Breaking the Dickens Code

Posted on December 29, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

An international campaign to decipher the complex code that Charles Dickens used to write his notes has won a Times Higher Education Award, one of the most prestigious prizes in UK Higher Education. The University of Leicester, in collaboration with … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, History, Libraries, Writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Very, very bad reviews

Posted on December 27, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

I am a staunch adherent to the notion that all art and literature is subjective. The works that I enjoy, you might hate and vice versa. So, I am generally hesitant to comment negatively or post bad reviews. However, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Keep Books Alive In Ukraine

Posted on December 26, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

A group of writers and booksellers (Carolyn Forche, Mitchell Kaplan, Christopher Merrill, Askold Melnyczuk, and Jane Unrue) have partnered with the Coral Gables Foundation to raise funds for direct support to booksellers, editors, printers, warehouse workers, libraries and librarians, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, Libraries, Museums, Writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Posted on December 25, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

   

Posted in Art, Books, Film, Music, USA | Tagged , | 2 Comments