Category Archives: History

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 →

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A Ghost Story of Christmas

Posted on December 18, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

I HAVE endeavoured in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and … Continue reading →

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Psychedelic Santa

Posted on December 15, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

I have long held suspicions that all of this Santa stuff was somehow rooted in mindaltering substance use. This short animated video below explores how the Psychedelic Amanita Muscaria Mushroom may have inspired the Santa Legend of Lapland. NB: if … Continue reading →

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Map of Stories

Posted on December 12, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The Map of Stories is a wonderful interactive map that provides the opportunity to explore tales from throughout Scotland. The site allows visitors to discover the oral storytelling traditions of Scotland and listen to folktales from the ancient land. The … Continue reading →

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The Answer is Still 42

Posted on December 11, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Although the wildely popular comic sci-fi novel The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was published in the UK in 1979, it wasn’t released in the colonies until 1980. This year, legions of fans in North America are celebrating the 42nd anniversary … Continue reading →

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First Around The World Trip

Posted on December 7, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Ever since I was indoctrinated as a young child with filiopietistic reverence for Columbus and the entire panoply of European explorers, I’ve been fascinated by their extraordinary journeys. Recently, I discovered a wonderful website that traces the route of Ferdinand … Continue reading →

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Recognition At Last

Posted on December 1, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Each day, nearly 12 million French consumers visit a bakery and leave with an iconic loaf of bread. Each year, French bakeries produce more than 6 billion baguettes. It is an international symbol recognized as part of the daily life … Continue reading →

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The Direction of Travel

Posted on November 25, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

When I ran across Christian Nolle’s terrific periodical Directions of Travel I thought that some of you other travel and map geeks might need to know about the project. Nolle’s fascination with air travel and maps began when he was … Continue reading →

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The First Thanksgiving

Posted on November 24, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Warrington Wickham Colescott Jr. (March 7, 1921 – September 10, 2018) was an American artist, he is best known for his satirical etchings. He was a master printmaker and operated Mantegna Press in Hollandale, Wisconsin, with his wife and fellow … Continue reading →

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It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.

Posted on November 20, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

George Orwell’s seminal dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four became a powerful symbol of resistance to totalitarianism. Last month an impressive reproduction of the novel’s original manuscript was released by SP Books. The only surviving Orwell manuscript of any of his works … Continue reading →

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