Category Archives: Europe

Home For Christmas

Posted on December 12, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Last weekend, the UK-based artist(s) known as Banksy stenciled a moving holiday themed artwork on a wall in Birmingham, UK. The piece, and accompanying video, were designed to highlight the homelessness crisis in the city. Of course, the mural was … Continue reading →

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Paris: 66 Million BC

Posted on December 11, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

I know the big name dinosaurs—Tyrannosaurus, Allosaurus, Velociraptor, etc.—but that’s about the extent of my grasp of Dinosauria. However, my nephew Cameron is a budding paleontologist at the age of two (yes, 2) and he constantly schools me on the … Continue reading →

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Mark Twain Travel Writer

Posted on December 10, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

When we think about the great 19th century American writer Mark Twain, his lauded Mississippi River novels usually come to mind. However, it was the 1869 travel book The Innocents Abroad, or The New Pilgrim’s Progress  which first brought him prominence. … Continue reading →

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Not just the Gateway to the Fjords

Posted on December 8, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Bergen has to be one of my favorite small European cities. The beautifully situated and stunningly scenic city has long been promoted as “the gateway to the Fjords” with much success. But now the tourism professionals at Visit Bergen have … Continue reading →

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Bookstore Cat

Posted on December 7, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Old Books with Cat, Barcelona, Photo by Francesc Català-Roca, 1953 Homage to Catalonia    

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We Were Warned

Posted on December 6, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Last May, the street artist(s) known as Banksy unveiled a dramatic mural near Campo Santa Margherita  in Venice. It featured a child refugee clad in a lifevest and holding a neon pink flare. Over the course of Autumn flooding, during … Continue reading →

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London Calling

Posted on December 2, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

The British design studio Dorothy has created a map of the United Kingdom incorporating  the titles of more than 1,400 pop songs. The map places the names of tracks in the precise location that the music references, imagining a musical … Continue reading →

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Still Life (with books)

Posted on November 27, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Still Life with Books, a Globe and Musical Instruments, Jan Vermeulen, 1660, Mauritshuis Museum  

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The Lost Art of Paste Up

Posted on November 19, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

This month the London Review of Books celebrates its 40th anniversary. Over the years, the publication has been a cultural touchstone for literary thought and criticism. To recognize the milestone, the LRB released this wonderful video which demonstrates how the whole thing … Continue reading →

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All Roads Lead To Rome

Posted on November 9, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

 

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