Category Archives: USA

Small is beautiful (bookshop version)

Posted on October 12, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I’ve visited bookstores all over the world, including some really, really small shops. Probably the tiniest of all was Twizel Bookshop in the little New Zealand mountain town of the same name. Here in North America, the cozy Poet’s Corner … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism, USA | Tagged , | 2 Comments

“The mystery of life isn’t a problem to solve, but a reality to experience.”

Posted on October 8, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I must admit that I am more than a bit curious to see the latest film version of the sci-fi classic Dune. Although David Lynch’s Dune is regularly panned, I enjoyed it with some reservations when it was first in theaters. My first exposure … Continue reading →

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Why Fall Into Autumn

Posted on October 5, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Yesterday’s post got me thinking about why we English speaking folks in North America use both Fall and Autumn to describe the season between Summer and Winter. Why does it have two acceptable and apparantly interchangable names? And why do British speakers of English … Continue reading →

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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 →

Posted in Architecture, Tourism, USA | Tagged , , | 1 Comment