Pity the Nation

Posted on April 13, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

April is National Poetry Month in the United States. I can think of no one better than America’s greatest living poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti to mark the occasion. “Pity the Nation”, which was written in 2007, is especially appropriate in the era of Tangerine Mussolini and his criminal enterprise.

Pity The Nation

Pity the nation whose people are sheep,
and whose shepherds mislead them.
Pity the nation whose leaders are liars, whose sages are silenced,
and whose bigots haunt the airwaves.
Pity the nation that raises not its voice,
except to praise conquerors and acclaim the bully as hero
and aims to rule the world with force and by torture.
Pity the nation that knows no other language but its own
and no other culture but its own.
Pity the nation whose breath is money
and sleeps the sleep of the too well fed.
Pity the nation — oh, pity the people who allow their rights to erode
and their freedoms to be washed away.
My country, tears of thee, sweet land of liberty.

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Maps Telling Stories

Posted on April 12, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

I have always believed that every map tells a story. When it come to exploring a geographic narrative, there are no better vehicles than 20th century illustrated maps. In the second of our series of guest posts from Dutch author Arjan den Boer, here are the introduction and link to his fascinating article on pictorial rail maps. Be sure to click on the link for access to the entire story and other equally absorbing and erudite articles on European rail travel and cartography.

Pictorial railway maps: Mid-century maps telling stories

by Arjan den Boer

In the mid-20th century pictorial maps in cartoonish styles were a popular way of promoting travel and tourism. In contrast to objective, realistic maps they appeal to emotions such as romance, fantasy and humor. They are used to tell anecdotes about a region’s history, culture and landscape in a way attractive to old and young. These illustrated maps are meant to inspire, not to provide travel information.Pictorial maps or Bildkarten seem to be the opposite of the schematic metro-like maps of railway networks from the same period, composed of straight lines and without any details. Schematic and pictorial maps share one thing though: they are only loosely bound to geographic reality. Their common goal is to convey a message — either the straightforwardness of a journey or the attractiveness of a region.

Whole story: http://retours.eu/en/46-pictorial-railway-maps/

Image 1: Map of Southern England, BR 1966 (coll. Arjan den Boer) above

Image 2: Correspondences internationales, SBB 1956 (Otto M. Müller, coll. Arjan den Boer) below

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National Bookmobile Day

Posted on April 11, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

Almost missed it.

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Along Straight Lines

Posted on April 11, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

Those of you who are regular visitors to Travel Between The Pages are well aware of my fascination with railway travel and with maps. While I am a mere dilettante, I recently had the good fortune to connect with someone who has extensive expertise in these subjects and who was willing to offer links to TBTP on some of his engaging web posts. Arjan den Boer is a Utrecht-based Dutch author, travel guide, app developer, and railway historian. Today, we have an brief introduction to his story on schematic railway maps and a link to an in-depth article on his website.

Along straight lines: Schematic railway maps in advertising

by Arjan den Boer

Every map is an abstraction, but some maps willingly distort reality. The best-known example is the London Underground Map: distances are unrealistic, geographical features absent, lines are straight and angles either right or diagonal. Such imaginary maps help travelers to find their way easier, in contrast to the spaghetti-like mash that is hidden behind.Using simplification to provide insight into the network was just as important for (inter)national rail connections as it was in metropolitan areas. Schematic railway maps, as designed during the course of the twentieth century, sometimes resembled metro maps, but could take other shapes as well. They always had the same goal though: making complicated journeys look easy.

Whole story: http://retours.eu/en/45-schematic-railway-maps/

Image 1: Inter-city Night poster, BR, 1976 (coll. Arjan den Boer) above

Image 2: ‘Through carriages with Czechoslovakia’, 1932 (Jos. Bělohlav, coll. Arjan den Boer) below

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San Francisco Stories

Posted on April 10, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

I recently shared a post about Short Edition free story vending machines coming to Philadelphia. Now, it seems the concept has already reached San Francisco and the Café Zoetrope, which is owned by the director Francis Ford Coppola. Take a look:

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Hammer & Pickle

Posted on April 9, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

The legendary New York street artist Robbie Conal recently visited Philadelphia and left us some crazy anti-trump wheatpaste artwork. Hammer & Pickle is a clever update on his 2015 series called Bullu Culprit/Can’t Even.

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A prophet is not without honor

Posted on April 8, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

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Libraries Lead

Posted on April 7, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

April 8-14 is National Library Week in the United States, an annual celebration of the life-changing work of libraries, librarians and library workers. Libraries aren’t just places to borrow books, study ,or get out of the rain—they’re also creative and engaging community centers where people can collaborate using new technologies and develop their skills and passions.

Libraries of all types have long been evolving to meet the needs of the communities they serve. Diverse groups including senior citizens, the unemployed, the homeless, small business owners and students depend upon libraries and the resources they offer. Resources like e-books and technology classes, materials for English-language learners and programs for job seekers are just a few ways libraries and librarians are transforming to lead their communities. Community members can also develop their own leadership skills at the library, with endless opportunity to build skills and confidence through resources and programs.

The library helps lead our communities by advocating for widespread access to crucial services and lifelong learning. Libraries level the playing field for people of any age who seek information and access to technologies to improve their quality of life.

National Library Week 2018 celebrations will mark the 60th anniversary of the annual event. If you can, make the time to visit your local library and thank your library workers for their dedication to learning, reading, education, and free speech.

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Automat Art

Posted on April 6, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

Instead of cigarettes, these old mechanical vending machines in the Netherlands now dispense one of a kind, handmade artworks. Each Pakje Kunst. or pack of art, costs just €4 and supports local artists and art programs. The two year old project, which was inspired by the similar Kunstautomat project in Germany, has two dozen vending machines dispensing art surprises in towns and cities around the country. The packets contain mini-paintings, jewelry, sculptures, drawings, ceramics, and more.

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Discovering Books

Posted on April 5, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

 

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