Category Archives: Writing

Requium for a Dream (bookstore)

Posted on November 30, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

I love Barcelona—really who doesn’t love Barcelona—but not just for the obvious reasons. Everyone is enamored with the city’s spectacular architecture, fabulous art, great music, and who wouldn’t kill for the tapas. Me too, but I’m also fascinated by Barcelona’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism, Europe, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The Hunger Games Are Real

Posted on November 28, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

A non-profit organization called The Harry Potter Alliance has launched a clever Hunger Games-themed social justice campaign called “Odds In Our Favor”. The group has released a rabble-rousing video called “The Hunger Games Are Real”, which uses events from Suzanne … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Film, movies, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Mild Case of Bibliomania

Posted on November 27, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

As a seller of antiquarian and collectible books, I’m frequently asked to explain the attraction of “old books’ to non-bibliophiles. The questions usually come from customers seeking to purchase a book as a gift for a book lover in their … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism, Europe, Writing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

F. Scott Redesigned

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

The release of Baz Luhrman’s bastardized film version of F. Scott Fitzgerald‘s masterpiece The Great Gatsby this year stirred renewed interest in the iconic Jazz Age author’s novels. And, of course, we saw a number of new print editions of Fitzgerald’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Writing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Halloween II

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

All houses wherein men have lived and died Are haunted houses. Through the open doors The harmless phantoms on their errands glide, With feet that make no sound upon the floors. We meet them at the door-way, on the stair, … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Happy Halloween

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

Happy Halloween : via the ever witty webcomic The Gentleman’s Armchair.

Posted in Art, USA, Writing | Tagged | Leave a comment

Free Haruki Murakami

Posted on October 28, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

In a dramatic reversal of Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis , Haruki Murakami has turned the fabulous tale on its head with his new short story titled “Samsa in Love”. You can read it for free over at the New Yorker. And, … Continue reading →

Posted in Asia, Books, ebooks, Europe, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Jilted Books

Posted on October 22, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

I rarely give up on a book once I’ve started reading.; it seems so unfair to the author. In fact, I will usually finish a book even if I dislike it just to try and discover something redeemable about it, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Tech, USA, Writing | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Reading Halloween

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

Way back in 2011, Nebraska-based Fantasy author Sabrina Zbasnik created a wonderful series of Halloween/horror-themed posters designed to encourage children to read. The original set of posters were based on iconic horror flicks drawn from classic novels like Mary Shelley’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Film, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Terror of the Soul

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

This month marks the 164th anniversary of the mysterious death of Edgar Allan Poe and the opening of the exciting new exhibition called Edgar Allan Poe: Terror of the Soul at New York City’s amazing Morgan Library and Museum. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, History, Libraries, Museums, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment