Category Archives: History

Homage to George Whitman

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Way back in 2005, the Sundance Channel aired Portrait of a Bookstore as an Old Man, a documentary that pays homage to George Whitman, the American founder of the most famous independent bookstore in Paris, Shakespeare and Company. Whitman died … Continue reading →

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Pssst…French Books

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

  The Grolier Club of New York City has fostered interest in, and support for, book arts for more than 125 years. It also offers regular exhibitions, displays, lectures and publications on publishing, printing, libraries, book art and the book … Continue reading →

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eBook Treasures

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Bibliophiles will be dead chuffed to discover eBook Treasures a new way to view (and own) rare books. The UK-based organization has partnered with the British Library, the Royal Society, the John Rylands Library and the British Natural History Museum … Continue reading →

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Sinking Buddha

Posted on December 3, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

While attention has been focused on the recent flooding in and around Bangkok, an endangered UNESCO World Heritage site has been overlooked: the ancient Thai temples of Ayutthaya Historical Park, which have survived centuries of severe tropical weather, have been … Continue reading →

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It’s Lost Novel Season

Posted on December 2, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Last week, Jack Kerouac‘s first novel, The Sea is My Brother, was finally published (Penguin, UK) 40 years after his death and 70 years after it was written. Long thought to be lost forever, the freshman novel was supposedly discovered … Continue reading →

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Why Here, Why Today ?

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Okay, here’s a little challenge for today. Take a peek at the following images and identify where we are and why we’re visiting today. Here’s an obscure poetic hint: ” But now we are all, in all places, strangers, travelers and … Continue reading →

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Islands of Britain

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

I recently stumbled across this fascinating documentary hosted and narrated by actor Martin Clunes of Doc Martin and Men Behaving Badly fame. The show travels throughout Britain visiting various islands and exploring how the progress of technology is impacting the … Continue reading →

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Is Your Sunday Random ?

Posted on November 13, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Did you every wonder why Haydn’s tomb contains two heads ? Well listen to this story. Yelping with Cormac : Cormac McCarthy on Whole Foods and Taco Bell (sort of) Best Books 2011 Guide : Publisher’s Weekly free web-based app … Continue reading →

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Lest We Forget

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Brian D. Butler
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“To Travel Is To Possess The World”

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Brian D. Butler

Long before Rick Steves and Peter Greenberg showed us how to travel, Burton Holmes was delighting audiences with original travelogues and short films. The fascinating Burton Holmes Archive has a treasure trove of information about early travel writing and the … Continue reading →

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