Category Archives: USA

Banned But Unburnable

Posted on May 27, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

To protest widespread book bans in the U.S., Canadian author Margaret Atwood has collaborated with her publishers on a fireproof edition of her most famous—and often banned—novel, The Handmaid’s Tale.  The unique issue was produced by Rethink, an independent creative agency, and made in … Continue reading →

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Life Is An Open Book

Posted on May 26, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The art of brick sculpture goes back to ancient Babylonia. It has fallen out of favor in modern days, but the work “Life Is An Open Book” by the American sculptor Brad Spenser is a wonderful example of the form. Situated … Continue reading →

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A Memorial Centennial

Posted on May 21, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Way back in the antedeluvian days of the last century, I spent quite a bit of time in Washington D.C.. So much so that I eventually wrote a travel guidebook for budget travelers to the U.S. capital. During my book … Continue reading →

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Bookstore Tourism: Log Cabin Edition

Posted on May 17, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

I have not had the pleasure of book browsing at the Cottage Book Shop, but thanks to TBTP reader Gwen S. I’m happy to share it with you. The bookstore is located in the heart of Sleeping Bear Dunes National … Continue reading →

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Take A Virtual Vacation

Posted on May 13, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Virtual Vacation is a web directory that pulls together the dozens of walking, driving, hiking and other point-of-view videos scattered across the web where people explore unique places with a camera in hand. Beware, it’s easy to fall down this … Continue reading →

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Never open a book with the weather

Posted on May 12, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

I’ve been a fan of the late novelist Elmore Leonard for as long as I can remember. While his humor always showed through, I think it was his efforless prose that grabbed my attention. It’s a fool’s errand to try … Continue reading →

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“Where they burn books, they will also ultimately burn people.”

Posted on May 7, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Sadly, book banning and even book burning continues to be in the news here in the USA. Just this week, I saw a video of members of a State legislature demanding the books that they found objectionable be removed from … Continue reading →

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To be hopeful in bad times

Posted on April 28, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

To Be Hopeful in Bad Times “To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. … Continue reading →

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Another Reason To Love Brooklyn

Posted on April 27, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

When I was a little kid my Grandmother used to grudgingly take me to the Brooklyn Library on Flatbush Avenue. She wasn’t much of a reader and never understood how I could spend so much time looking at books. But … Continue reading →

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Belief and Technique for Modern Prose

Posted on April 23, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Like many adolescents of my generation who had aspirations to engage in a literary life, I was infatuated with the Beat Generation writers. And while I sussed early on that the Jack Kerouac on the page might not be all … Continue reading →

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