Category Archives: Europe

Books for Cooks

Posted on November 10, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

We have dozens of cookbooks collected over the years, but rarely open them these days. Instead we just Google recipes like Philistines. Still, I’d love to stop in at Books for Cooks the next time that I’m in London. In … Continue reading →

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Everybody loves a booktree

Posted on November 9, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

London’s St. Pancras Station has inaugurated the 2023 holiday season with a wonderful Christmas booktree. Created in collaboration with Hatchards  the 12 meter tall installation is not just a festive centrepiece; it’s a literary wonderland inspired by British authors. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism, Europe, Public Transport, Tourism | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Signs, Signs, Everywhere A Sign

Posted on November 5, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Before my recent trip to the Portuguese island of São Miguel, I checked out what typres of road signs I could expect to encounter. Still, I was surprised and confused by some of the traffic signs along the islands windy, … Continue reading →

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Sweden not Switzerland

Posted on November 1, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

​ Sweden Launches Campaign to Stop Tourists Confusing It With Switzerland – A funny video from Sweden’s tourist board to help people distinguish between the two countries. Yes, it’s hard to believe that people confuse the two European countries, but it’s … Continue reading →

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It’s all Greek to me

Posted on October 30, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

I have to admit that I geeked-out on this fascinating website devoted entirely to global writing systems. During my life I’ve actually learned four writing systems, but in my old age I’m only fluent in one of them. World Writing … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Asia, Europe, History, South America | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

History of Printing

Posted on October 27, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

 

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What do you call a book nerd ?

Posted on October 23, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Book lovers the world over have their own special nicknames. In English speaking countries, folks who are especially fond of reading are of often called “bookworms”.  The term bookworm comes from the holes in printed materials caused by larvae of … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, Maps, Writing | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Funnier than a dangling participle

Posted on October 19, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Regular readers of TBTP know that I am a hopeless Londonphile. I love the city and its wonderfully quirky traditions. So I was tickled to see a story about workers on London’s Millennium Bridge hanging a bale of straw under … Continue reading →

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I don’t need anything from here.

Posted on October 11, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

“I Don’t Need Anything from Here” by László Krasznahorkai translated by Ottilie Mulzet I would leave everything here: the valleys, the hills, the paths, and the jaybirds from the gardens, I would leave here the petcocks and the padres, heaven … Continue reading →

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Global Poster Art

Posted on October 9, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

I was today years old when I learned that London Transport has been commissioning poster art since 1908. Now, the London Transport Museum’s new Global Poster Gallery will offer visitors a deep dive into the relationship between art and the … Continue reading →

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