Category Archives: USA

NYC Coffee Culture

Posted on April 15, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

There have been coffee houses in New York City since the Dutch “bought” Manhattan from the local Algonquins. One of the first successfull coffeeshop chains actually predated Starbucks by half a century and surprisingly had an intimate connection to the … Continue reading →

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The Conjure-Man Dies

Posted on April 12, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

“The Conjure-Man Dies” is a product of the Harlem Renaissance and the most important work of long-overlooked writer Rudolph Fisher. First published in 1932, the book was the first full-length mystery novel to feature an all-Black cast of characters, including … Continue reading →

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Library of Short Stories

Posted on April 11, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

I recently discovered The Library of Short Stories  a website which compiles and shares out-of-copyright short fiction. The free site collects short stories across various genres. There’s classic Conan Doyle,Lovecraft, Dickens, Poe, and so much more. Here’s what the site … Continue reading →

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Plaque to the Future

Posted on April 10, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is rightly proud of its rich history. To mark historic sites and events more than 2,300 blue and gold plaques have been erected around the State. Fittingly, the City of Philadelphia has more than 300 of … Continue reading →

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Be angry at the sun for setting

Posted on April 9, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

BE ANGRY AT THE SUN Robinson Jeffers That public men publish falsehoods Is nothing new. That America must accept Like the historical republics corruption and empire Has been known for years. Be angry at the sun for setting If these … Continue reading →

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Life Lessons From A Bookstore Owner

Posted on April 8, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Ryan Holiday learned some serious life lessons when he decided to open a small town bookshop in rural Texas during a pandemic. A year later, he decided to share his experience in a blog post and a Youtube video (below). … Continue reading →

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In-flight Entertainment

Posted on April 6, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

On this date in 1925, the first in-flight film was shown on an airplane on an Imperial Airways flight. The film was The Lost World, one of the first science-fiction films. Based on a 1912 Arthur Conan Doyle novel, it … Continue reading →

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Fear and Loathing in America

Posted on April 4, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

I have long been a fan of the outrageous gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson. More recently I found myself binge watching the television show Succession which stars the great Scotish actor Brian Cox. So I was tickled to stumble on the … Continue reading →

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All in the Family

Posted on March 27, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

This week marked the 50th anniversary of the nationwide release of what in my humble opinion is the finest American film ever made. The Godfather is an epic American story directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based … Continue reading →

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TGIF (Thank God It’s Frida)

Posted on March 25, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

 

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