Category Archives: History

All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days

Posted on February 26, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

I have been an avid student of World War II history all of my life. Over the years, I have read dozens of books on the period, but I only recently learned of the amazing story of the American citizen … Continue reading →

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The Enemies of Books

Posted on February 15, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The Enemies of Books is a book on biblioclasts and book preservation by the 19th-century bibliophile and book collector William Blades. The book was first published in 1880 and has been republished in different editions many times since. In the book, Blades, a well-known collector, … Continue reading →

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Another Valentine’s Day

Posted on February 14, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

On February 14, Americans celebrate love and friendship by exchanging cards, flowers, and candy. Although the origins of Valentine’s Day are murky, ancient Romans celebrated the feast of Lupercalia, a spring festival, on the fifteenth of February. Like so many holidays, … Continue reading →

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Library Lovers’ Month

Posted on February 10, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Innerpeffray Library, Innerpeffray, Perthshire, Scotland is the oldest lending library in the nation, founded in 1680 by David Drummond, 3rd Lord Madertie. The original library collection was only 400 books, but eventually grew to over 5,000, including rarities, first editions, … Continue reading →

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A National Icon

Posted on February 4, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Regular visitors to TBTP know that I am very serious about coffee. I am so commited to drinking good coffee that I actually roast my own green coffee beans. When I travel, the first thing that I research after  accommodations … Continue reading →

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Down and Out in Paris

Posted on February 3, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

In 1928, a former Colonial police officer and aspiring author named Eric Arthur Blair moved from his London home to Paris in order to buckle down and launch his writing career. The move didn’t work out so well, but it … Continue reading →

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When In Rome

Posted on January 7, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Over the years I’ve visited dozens of ancient Roman ruin sites around Europe, but I don’t recall ever seeing any preserved or restored latrines. I recently stumbled upon this fascinating video on personal hygiene and public sanitation in ancient Rome … Continue reading →

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Ring In The New Year

Posted on January 1, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells that Rang an Old Year Out and a New Year In, commonly referred to as The Chimes, is a novella written by Charles Dickens and first published in 1844, one year after A Christmas Carol. It … Continue reading →

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What Alice Found There

Posted on December 28, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

This week marks the 150th anniversary of the first publication of  Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There (also known as Alice Through the Looking-Glass or simply Through the Looking-Glass). Although First edition copies may indicate 1872 as the publication date, the book … Continue reading →

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A Merry Underground Christmas

Posted on December 22, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

For more than a century, London Transport has used posters to promote travel around the winter holidays. At Christmas, festive posters would appear on the network to encourage travelling via Underground for Christmas shopping or to get to winter sales, … Continue reading →

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