Would Hemingway Use It

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

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Designed like an old-fashioned typewriter, the Hemingwrite is a single purpose writing device. Combining the simplicity of 80s era word processors with modern tech, such as wifi, Bluetooth and cloud backup to Google docs and Evernote, the retro-modern tool aims to provide a distraction free writing environment for the user. Not yet for sale, the Hemingwrite  will offer a one million plus page memory, a six-inch E ink screen, six plus week battery life, a mechanical keyboard and high contrast, backlit screen for indoor or outdoor use.

Is the possibility of distraction-free writing really worth the limitations of this kind of writing device ? Having written grad school papers and even books on old-fashioned word processors, I can’t imagine being very tempted to purchase this sort of regressive device. But it does look neat. So maybe if the price was right, who knows ?

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Literary Starbucks

Posted on October 26, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

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Jill, Nora and Wilson are three college students who spend a little too much time at their local Starbucks. But they’ve put that malingering to good use with their very amusing blog Literary Starbucks. The minimalist site imagines what might happen if some of our favorite authors or literary characters stopped by for a beverage.

For example:

“Harper Lee goes up to the counter and orders a grande cappuccino. She thinks it tastes great, and other people in the shop agree, so she never orders another drink again.”

or:

“Wordsworth goes up to the counter and orders a smoothie. It reminds him of a lake he visited as a child. Then again, so do most things.”

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

Welcome to Middle Earth

Posted on October 25, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

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Air New Zealand has once again partnered with filmmaker Peter Jackson to create an epic Hobbit-themed air safety video. Starring Elijah Wood and Jackson himself, the film showcases stunning views of the New Zealand countryside along with amusing cameos by Tolkien characters.

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Kids Love Books

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

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Ethiopia Reads builds schools, libraries, trains teachers and supports mentoring programs throughout Ethiopia, but one of their coolest projects is the Donkey Mobile Libraries. Since 2005, Ethiopia Reads’ five donkeymobiles have brought books to more than 120,000 children in rural communities around the country. If you’d like to learn more about the Minneapolis-based charity, or would like to donate to support their literacy projects, click right here.

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Tumblr this is not

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

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Love old books? Check-out the terrific new website Quill from book historian Erik Kwakkel.

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Girl With A Pierced Eardrum

Posted on October 22, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

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Banksy painted a new piece this week titled “Girl With a Pierced Eardrum”. The parody (or paean) is a take-off on Vermeer’s beloved “Girl With a Pearl Earring”. The work can be found at the Albion Dockyard in Banksy’s purported hometown of Bristol. UK.

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Paris Museums

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

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There’s good news for Paris museum visitors; starting in 2015 some of the most popular attractions are expanding opening times to seven days a week. Instead of closing one day each week on Mondays or Tuesdays, the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay and the Palace of Versailles will be open every day.

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And in other museum news, the long awaited Frank Gehry-designed Fondation Louis Vuitton art museum set in the Bois de Boulonge is finally set to official open one week from today. The largest private museum to open in Paris for three decades, the FLV will focus on 20th century and contemporary art, including large collections from Picasso, Warhol, Frank Serra, Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst and Basquiat, as well as temporary exhibitions.

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See it like a native

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

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I often get asked advice on how to see New York City. Of course I always suggest the purchase of a good, old fashioned print travel guide book, and the usual websites, too. Recently, I’ve been recommending NYCgo.com which is a reliable tourism and marketing organization for the city. Now they’ve launched a neat campaign to get New Yorkers to leave their own boroughs and see other neighborhoods like a tourist.

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The “See Your City” campaign is using the usual media for promotion. But for my money, the best part of the campaign is a wonderful set of artwork that evokes the halcyon days of travel posters.

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It seems to me that the campaign’s advice for New Yorkers work well for tourists in general.

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Nothing beats a good literary map

Posted on October 19, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

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Brooklyn Magazine recently published this wonderful literary map of NYC’s hippest borough highlighting books that represent the very diverse neighborhoods of my family’s ancestral homeland. Now they’ve followed-up with a neat map that pairs American states and representative book titles.

Most of the choices are spot on—In Cold Blood for Kansas, Look Homeward Angel for North Carolina, The Confession of Nat Turner for Virginia—but they went way too obscure(and missed the mark) with Daddy Was a Number Runner for New York City. Really, was that the best they could do?

Anyway, you can check out the entire list right here.

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Posted in Books, Maps | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Ah, the aroma of old books

Posted on October 18, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

As a life-long bibliophile, I have always found the scent of old books, antiquarian bookshops and libraries intoxicating. And who doesn’t love the smell of a brand new book? The infographic below explains just what causes those wonderful aromas. If you won’t to learn more about the chemistry behind book smells, check out the Compound Interest chemistry website here.

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Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism | Tagged | 1 Comment