Category Archives: History

Sarajevo: Rescue and Revival

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

On January 15th in Sarajevo, a new library opened to the public :  the reborn Gazi Husrev Bey Library which is home to a priceless collection of rare books and manuscripts dating from 1106. The original library was established in 1537 … Continue reading →

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Wellcome Images

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

On Monday, London’s famed Wellcome Library released a dizzying collection of digitized images from its vast archive. The free, downloadable high resolution images are available to copy, distribute, manipulate or edit. The rich and unique collection is wide-ranging, from social … Continue reading →

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The Burroughs Century

Posted on January 19, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

William S. Burroughs was an American author, painter, actor, Beat icon, and one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. To celebrate the anniversary of his 100th birthday ( February 5, 2014 ), his birthplace, Bloomington Indiana is … Continue reading →

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Adventures Underground

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

“Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or … Continue reading →

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London Underground

Posted on January 3, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

Way back in 2013, the London Underground marked its 150th anniversary, and to celebrate the historic event the UK’s Institute of Civil Engineers released this impressive short film, “Engineering the London Underground”. The compelling little documentary highlights just how revolutionary … Continue reading →

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Yule Got Your Goat

Posted on December 22, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

If you’re a gambler, the bookies in Gävle, Sweden are still taking bets on the fate of this year’s Gävlebocken ( Gävle Goat ). Each winter since 1966 the city in central Sweden has been erecting a 40-foot tall straw … Continue reading →

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We Always Remember

Posted on December 21, 2013 by Brian D. Butler
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The Great War

Posted on December 18, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

I recently had a number of conversations with young friends and family members about their difficulties with their history classes in high schools and at university. As a former history teacher, I found the lack of connection with the subject … Continue reading →

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The Little Prince : A New York Story

Posted on December 15, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

 For seven decades booklovers around the world have been drawn to Antoine de Sainte-Exupéry’s parable of an interstellar traveler, The Little Prince, who comes to Earth in search of friendship, compassion, and understanding. Few readers, however, realize that the iconic … Continue reading →

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Don’t Drink the Water

Posted on December 14, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

Amsterdam is commemorating the 400th anniversary of its iconic canals by selling souvenir sets of Amsterdam Canal Aqua. The four bottle set, which retails for €50, is filled from the Singel, Prinsengracht, Herengracht and Keizersgracht. Each bottle is labeled with … Continue reading →

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