Category Archives: Music

Hear the World

Posted on March 9, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

When I was 11 years old, I was given a hand-held Telefunken shortwave radio as a gift. I spent many days and nights searching the dial for music and news from around the world. While this clever little radio won’t … Continue reading →

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Centuries of Sound

Posted on March 7, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Centuries of Sound:  is a fascinating website and podcast project that creates audio mixes for every year since the development of sound recording. Beginning with 1860, a mix is posted each month until they reach the present day. The scope … Continue reading →

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Amor librorum nos unit

Posted on February 7, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

I was non plussed to stumble upon this fantastic poster this week. The title, “Amor librorum nos unit,” which translates as “the love of books unites us,” is the longtime motto of the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers. The color … Continue reading →

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Books and Music

Posted on February 4, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

I continue to be amazed by the creativity of book artists. Two wizards of the genre, Peter and Donna Thomas, recently completed a pair of wonderful accordion books with fascinating musical connections. The first is an accordion-style artist’s book, commissioned … Continue reading →

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In The Stacks (Maisie’s Tune)

Posted on January 13, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

In the Stacks (Maisie’s Tune) by Robin Sloan is both a synthesizer with knobs you can fiddle with and a short story you can read. Here’s a sample, but you can read the entire story by the author of the … Continue reading →

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“The Best Things In Life Are Free”

Posted on January 1, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Today copyrighted works from 1927 will enter the US public domain. They will be free for all to copy, share, and build upon. These include Virginia Woolf’s To The Lighthouse and the final Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Film, History, Music, Photography, Theater, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Posted on December 25, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

   

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Why Did The Beatles Cross The Road

Posted on September 26, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The Beatles released the Abbey Road album in London, on this date in 1969. I’ve been thinking about the album after hearing Her Majesty referenced about a dozen times during the last two weeks. If you can’t find your copy, it’s all on YouTube now. … Continue reading →

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The Ballad of Holland Island

Posted on September 2, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

I recently had the opportunity to road trip along the Mid-Atlantic coast of the U.S. in the states of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. The highlight was a visit to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, on Assateague Island, which has stunning beaches, … Continue reading →

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Illustration Chronicles

Posted on August 8, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

I recently discovered the amazing website Illustration Chronicles: which explores a history of illustration through the images, illustrators and events of the past 175 years. Periodically the editors select a topic to explore. These concepts, such as music, satire, war, … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Asia, Books, Maps, Music, Writing | Tagged , , | 3 Comments