Category Archives: Writing

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 →

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

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 →

Posted in Air Travel, Books, Europe, Film, History, movies, Public Transport, Tourism, USA, Writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Books, Film, Freedom of Speech, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Orwell, Animal Farm and Ukraine

Posted on March 30, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

In 1946, Ihor Szewczenko ,who was a linguist who had been editing pocket-sized Ukrainian-English dictionaries for refugees in displaced persons camps in Germany, wrote to George Orwell requesting permission to translate Animal Farm into Ukrainian. He explained that his Ukrainian … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, History, Writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Recommended Reading

Posted on March 22, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

 

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

World Poetry Day

Posted on March 21, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Home by Warsan Shire no one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark you only run for the border when you see the whole city running as well your neighbors running faster than you breath bloody in … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged | Leave a comment

Everybody Loves a Good Book Hoax

Posted on March 19, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

When I was a young child growing up outside of New York City one of the most popular late-night radio personalitues was the wonderful raconteur Jean Shepard. Although he became better known for writing the classic holiday film A Christmas … Continue reading →

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

Book the Vote

Posted on March 17, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The group Writers for Democratic Action along with dozens of independent booksellers, librarians, and the student group Democracy Matters has launched a new project called  Book the Vote, with the aim of registering more voters, particularly in battleground states, before … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism, Freedom of Speech, Libraries, USA, Writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

“Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road.”

Posted on March 15, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Like many old codgers from my generation, the Beat writer Jack Kerouac had a tremendous influence on my adolescent world view. His seminal novel On The Road encouraged wanderlust for millions of young people, including yours truly. This week marked the centennial … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Uncategorized, USA, Writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Man serves the interests of no creature except himself

Posted on March 13, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

I first read George Orwell’s seminal anti-totalitarianism satire  Animal Farm when I lacked the political sophistication to truly understand the significance of the story, but some how I managed to grasp the essential themes of idealism, power and corruption in … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment