Category Archives: Books

The one where I compare myself with Leo Tolstoy

Posted on September 13, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

You may be dubious that a humble blogger, bookseller, and failed author could possibly have anything in common with the great Russian writer Leo Tolstoy, but hear me out. Both Tolstoy and I have roots in Czarist Russia. The legenday … Continue reading →

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Six for Sunday

Posted on September 12, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

After reading Moby-Dick for the first time last year, Peter Gorman published a fascinating book called Kaleidoscope Brain that consists of 100 visualizations of Moby-Dick. The graphics, diagrams, and maps were his way of making sense of the iconic American … Continue reading →

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Erasing Books for the Sake of Art

Posted on September 11, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I am always somewhat ambivilant when it comes to book art that actually damages or destroys books, however, I am a fan of Vermont-based poet and book artist Mary Ruefle’s decades-long project Erasures. Since 1998, she has amended more than 100 books … Continue reading →

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Five For Friday

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I just discovered this never before published novel by Simone de Beauvoir. It seems that it was deemed “too intimate” to be published during her lifetime. Inseparable has been described as a story of the power of female friendship and … Continue reading →

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taste the blood of revenge

Posted on September 9, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Another hilarious re-issue from the brilliant folks at Paperback Paradise.

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Open a Book, Open the World

Posted on September 8, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

The Library of Congress National Book Festival  2021 will run Sept. 17-26 this year in Washington D.C.. It will feature more than 100 authors, poets, and writers in a range of formats, including Tana French, Kazuo Ishiguro, and Claudia Rankine.The … Continue reading →

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A man like a city…

Posted on September 7, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

from Book I, Paterson William Carlos Williams Paterson lies in the valley under the Passaic Falls its spent waters forming the outline of his back. He lies on his right side, head near the thunder of the waters filling his … Continue reading →

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The Great Bibliohoax

Posted on September 6, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I love a good prank, especially if it is at the expense of the pretentious. While bibliophiles and antiquarian booksellers are not known for their hijinks, back in 1840 an infamous bibliohoax was perpetrated on wealthy collectors, librarians and booksellers … Continue reading →

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Book of Hours

Posted on September 5, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

In my ongoing deep-dive into obscure books, today we have the amazing 15th century Codex Rotundus.This medieval book of hour takes its contemporary name from its odd circular format. It was created in Flanders and is written in Latin as … Continue reading →

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“read some books, pay attention”

Posted on September 3, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

“The line in the song ‘feed your head’ is both about reading and psychedelics. I was talking about feeding your head by paying attention: read some books, pay attention.” Grace Slick explains what she meant. Still good advice after all these … Continue reading →

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