Category Archives: History

Bookstore Tourism: World’s Oldest Bookshop

Posted on December 5, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Although I have only visited Lisbon once, I had the serendipitous experience of staying in the Chiado district which is home to some of the city’s best cultural attractions, cafés, and the world’s oldest continuously operated bookstore. Livraria Bertrand, which … Continue reading →

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An Epic Story for a Hard Year

Posted on December 4, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

To be perfectly honest when I first was introduced to the 1,000-year old epic tale Beowulf in high school I was not a fan, but as they say it grew on me over the years. This year, the writer Maria … Continue reading →

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The Freedom to be Free

Posted on November 23, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Penguin Great Ideas is a series of mainly non-fiction books published by Penguin Books. Titles contained within this series are considered to be world-changing, influential and inspirational. Topics covered include history, philosophy, politics, science and culture. The project has resulted in six series of twenty … Continue reading →

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The Five-Minute Museum

Posted on November 16, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

British filmmaker and animator Paul Bush‘s  short film The Five-Minute Museum is a mindboggling tour through the history of Western Civilization at breakneck speed. The stop motion trip carries the viewer through the cultural history of civilization by way of … Continue reading →

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When book-lovers dream of luxury…

Posted on November 4, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Drifting into dreamland after the ultimate reading experience… When book-lovers dream of luxury, they dream of Detroit’s Book-Cadillac Hotel–at least according to this fabulous ad copy from 1928. The curtains flutter, the readers snuggle, and service is swift and silent. … Continue reading →

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Writers Against Authoritarians

Posted on November 3, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Writers Against Trump is an association of American authors and writers working together to oppose Mango Mussolini’s regime and re-election, and to encourage voter turnout. They are planning a series of post-election events on November 5, in partnership with several independent … Continue reading →

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Help Save a Paris Landmark

Posted on November 2, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

I have had the pleasure of visiting Paris many times over the last 40 years. And ever time that I’m in Paris the iconic bookstore Shakespeare and Company is one of my first stops. Even if you have never been … Continue reading →

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Welcome to Planet Word

Posted on October 26, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Last week a long-awaited new museum opened in Washington, D.C. that will be a must-see destination for readers and language lovers. Planet Word is promoted as “a revolutionary museum dedicated to the power, beauty, and fun of language and to … Continue reading →

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Writers Not Writing

Posted on October 23, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

 

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It is a river, this language

Posted on October 16, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

I can recall my amazement in reading Chaucer in high school English and marveling at the extent that the English language had changed over time. The short video below by A.Z. Foreman is an enlightening marvelous journey through thirteen centuries … Continue reading →

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