Category Archives: USA

a wistful omen of the first sign of autumn

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

austice n. a wistful omen of the first sign of autumn—a subtle coolness in the shadows, a rustling of dead leaves abandoned on the sidewalk, or a long skein of geese sweeping over your head like the second hand of … Continue reading →

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Who doesn’t love the Wizard of Oz

Posted on October 2, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Here we are at the final day of the annual Banned Books Week and I just discovered that the beloved American children’s classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was a banned book. In fact, for decades it was one of the most … Continue reading →

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Bookstore Tourism: NYC

Posted on October 1, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I was recently asked by a TBTP reader who is planning a brief visit to New York City to suggest some independent bookstores that are located in Manhattan and are not the much touted Strand. My first pick is located … Continue reading →

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Foundation

Posted on September 27, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I first read Isaac Asimov’s seminal science fiction Foundation trilogy as an adolescent. It was challenging and sometimes confusing, but worth the effort. So, I was excited to discover the new television series based on the iconic books that premiered last Friday. … Continue reading →

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Alice, Aldous, and Walt

Posted on September 26, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I recently discovered that Walt Disney commissioned Aldous Huxley of all people to write a script for a Disney film of Alice in Wonderland. Although this may seem surprising, it turns out that Huxley wrote a number of screenplays for Hollywood films … Continue reading →

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Drink from the well of your self and begin again

Posted on September 22, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

“I have been alone but seldom lonely. I have satisfied my thirst at the well of my self and that wine was good, the best I ever had, and tonight sitting staring into the dark I now finally understand the … Continue reading →

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The best view in town

Posted on September 16, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I’m jaded when it comes to New York City tourist attractions, but I’m looking forward to the October 21st opening of the city’s newest site. Summit One Vanderbilt, which describes itself “the most immersive observatory” experience,” sits on top of … Continue reading →

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Heaven is not like flying or swimming

Posted on September 14, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

“Seascape” by Elizabeth Bishop This celestial seascape, with white herons got up as angels, flying high as they want and as far as they want sidewise in tiers and tiers of immaculate reflections; the whole region, from the highest heron … Continue reading →

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Six for Sunday

Posted on September 12, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

After reading Moby-Dick for the first time last year, Peter Gorman published a fascinating book called Kaleidoscope Brain that consists of 100 visualizations of Moby-Dick. The graphics, diagrams, and maps were his way of making sense of the iconic American … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Europe, Film, Hotels, Maps, Photography, Uncategorized, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Erasing Books for the Sake of Art

Posted on September 11, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I am always somewhat ambivilant when it comes to book art that actually damages or destroys books, however, I am a fan of Vermont-based poet and book artist Mary Ruefle’s decades-long project Erasures. Since 1998, she has amended more than 100 books … Continue reading →

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