Category Archives: History

Virtually Macabre in Philly

Posted on May 14, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Like many folks self-isolating these days, I have been spending way too much time on virtual video tours. I have taken train rides through the Swiss Alps, long car journeys around New Zealand, hikes in Icelands, and much more. Some … Continue reading →

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Plague Tales

Posted on April 7, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio follows ten young people–seven women and three men–who take shelter from the Black Plague outside of medieval Florence. Each day, over the course of ten days, members of the group must entertain the others with … Continue reading →

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TGI Frida

Posted on April 3, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Faces of Frida is one of the most extensive curations on the iconic Mexican artist ever assembled and it’s available through the Google Arts and Culture app. Comprised of 800 Frida Kahlo paintings, artifacts, high-resolution images and features, it offers … Continue reading →

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Library of Exile

Posted on March 20, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

I first discovered the ceramic artist and writer Edmund de Waal through his best-selling book The Hare with the Amber Eyes. If you are not familiar with the memoir, it’s a compelling read that encompasses not only de Waal’s family history, … Continue reading →

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Bookmobile with an Italian accent

Posted on March 19, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

UNA NUOVA INIZIATIVA PER LA DIFFUSIONE DEL LIBRO proclaims the title at the top of the photo, or, in English, A New Initiative for Distributing Books. The early 1920s bookmobile was actually publisher’s method of selling books to the public, not … Continue reading →

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Conquest of Mars

Posted on March 17, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Here is copy number 55 of the first edition of Edison’s Conquest of Mars by Garrett P. Serviss. There were only 1,500 copies in the first edition, and only 1,450 of those were offered for general distribution. Serviss, an astronomer, wrote Conquest in 1898; … Continue reading →

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Free Books (really)

Posted on March 13, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

h/t to Stanislav and Milen for the extensive links FAMOUS AUTHORS Classic Bookshelf: This site has put classic novels online, from Charles Dickens to Charlotte Bronte. The Online Books Page: The University of Pennsylvania hosts this book search and database. … Continue reading →

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World Book Day Through History

Posted on March 3, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

 

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Happy Birthday George

Posted on February 22, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Happy birthday, George Washington! To celebrate  the actual anniversary, check out this Atlas created in 1932 by the United States George Washington Bicentennial Commission. It is a collection of 85 maps that are associated with Washington including many maps he … Continue reading →

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Regrets, I’ve had a few

Posted on February 19, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Here at TBTP World Headquarters we spend way too much time reminiscing about books bought, sold, and collected over the years. This inevitably leads to uncomfortable regrets about the items passed over at book sales, sold below the actual value, … Continue reading →

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