Afleveringen
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In todayâs episode weâre answering a question from a listener: what are Kenâs favorite books? Some people enjoy novels, but Ken is partial to handwritten historical documents, or a nice illuminated manuscript woven from silk. Then there are the two-for-ones: Spaldingâs Baseball Guide, inscribed by Spalding himself to fellow Red Stockings player George Wright, a book on jazz inscribed by Billie Holiday to Louis Armstrong, and a copy of The Great Gatsby inscribed by F. Scott Fitzgerald to T.S. Eliot. Sometimes the best book is the one that elicits the best responseâthe one that thrills a regular customer, puts a student in tangible touch with the past, or becomes a cherished family tradition. If youâre in the Boston area, visit the shop to find your favoriteâor to hear more about Kenâs.
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In todayâs episode weâre answering a question from a listener: what are Kenâs favorite books? Some people enjoy novels, but Ken is partial to handwritten historical documents, or a nice illuminated manuscript woven from silk. Then there are the two-for-ones: Spaldingâs Baseball Guide, inscribed by Spalding himself to fellow Red Stockings player George Wright, a book on jazz inscribed by Billie Holiday to Louis Armstrong, and a copy of The Great Gatsby inscribed by F. Scott Fitzgerald to T.S. Eliot. Sometimes the best book is the one that elicits the best responseâthe one that thrills a regular customer, puts a student in tangible touch with the past, or becomes a cherished family tradition. If youâre in the Boston area, visit the shop to find your favoriteâor to hear more about Kenâs.
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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In November of 1872 a massive fire destroyed most of Bostonâs financial district, from Washington Street to the harbor. Starting in the basement of a commercial warehouse, it spread rapidly along narrow streets packed with wooden-roofed buildings. The fire department was hindered by inaccessible alarm boxes, low water pressure, and an equine flu that left them short of horsepower. Raging for about 12 hours, the Great Fire caused millions of dollars in damages and reshaped downtown Boston (plus fire codes everywhere) in ways that are still visible today.
In its aftermath, artists and photographers flocked to the so-called âBurnt District,â capturing dramatic images of the ruins. Many photos were taken in newish-at-the-time stereoview: an early precursor to 3D movie technologyâand the Viewfinderâin which two nearly identical images are viewed at the same time to create the illusion of dimension. We have some of these stereoview images in the studio with us, sparking a conversation about photography, flames, and urban renewal by way of disaster on this blazing new #brattlecast.
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Today weâre talking about another surprising Brattle find: a fairly nondescript album that turned out to contain photos of prominent 1800s abolitionists. The collection includes small, sepia-toned portraits of Charles Sumner, Phillips Brooks, and even Sojourner Truth. Weâll also discuss other historical photos that have arrived at the shop, and the way that studio photography democratized image-making during the Civil War era, offering life-like portraits for a fraction of the cost of a commissioned painting. It all comes into focus on a flashy new #brattlecast.
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Today in the studio we have a copy of New England Highways and Byways From a Motorcar by Thos. D. Murphy. This beautifully illustrated volume guides tourists on a then-novel automobile journey through early 20th century New England, with visits to charming towns, historic churches, and the rugged Maine coast. Weâll also discuss even earlier tourismâpromoted heavily by railroad companiesâto the new national parks of the American West, as well as a 1916 cross-country travel memoir by an unexpected author. Pack some snacks, roll down the windows, and hit the road with us on this adventurous new #brattlecast.
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In this episode weâll be talking about Kenâs exciting upcoming lecture at the Grolier Club in New York City. Founded in 1884, the Grolier Club is Americaâs oldest and largest bibliophile society, with the objective to promote the study, collecting, and appreciation of books and works on paper. As a speaker, Ken strives to keep these events lively and fun, with an emphasis not so much on the books themselves but on the fascinating stories behind them. This lecture will take place on Thursday, October 5th, from 6 - 7.30pm. More information, as well as a full schedule of in-person and virtual events, can be found on our website.
While weâre on the subject, if youâd like Ken to give a talk at your library, club, museum, or bookish childâs birthday party, donât hesitate to reach out to [email protected].
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Itâs the episode youâve been waiting for: Napkin Folding! Inspired by a British how-to book on the topic from the late 1800s, weâll talk about the surprising ways that this fine-dining flourish relates to origami, mathematics, and even NASAâs telescope technologies. Hear how it all unfoldsâfrom tablescapes to outer spaceâon this deliciously elaborate new #brattlecast.
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Set to open this summer, View Boston is a new three-story observation deck at the top of the Prudential Tower. The venue will feature dining options, an open-air roof deck, and an immersive theater showcasing some of Bostonâs most iconic locationsâincluding your favorite secondhand book shop. Weâre honored to be included, and to play our small part in the unique and character-rich life of this historic city, especially in a time of increasing cultural homogenization across the US. Listen to learn about our other favorite local spots on an elevated new #brattlecast.
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Today weâre taking a look at some vintage issues of LIFE Magazine, half a truckload of which recently arrived at the shop. Full of iconic photojournalism and snappy graphic design, LIFEâs oversized pages are endlessly fun to flip throughâand convey so much information about mid-century American culture. Listen to hear our favorite LIFE stories, from Woodstock to working moms, on this eye-opening new #brattlecast.
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In this episode, weâre talking about one of our favorite things to see in the shop: vintage postcards. While today theyâre mostly used to show off vacation vistas, in the past postcards conveyed holiday greetings, commemorated historical events, and gave ordinary people an inexpensive way to keep in touch. Around the turn of the century, improvements in postal service, printing, and eventually photography set the stage for a golden age of postcards in the United States and Europe. Their popularity waned as telephones became more common, and dropped dramatically due the rise of social media. Affordable, easy to find, and dealing with a broad range of subjects, old postcards can be a fascinating and fun introduction to collecting. Listen to learn more, and donât be afraid to drop us a line at [email protected].
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Today weâre talking about Armed Service Editions: paperback books designed to be sent overseas to American troops during World War II. Edited and printed by the non-profit Council on Books in Wartime, they were small, portable volumes with oblong silhouettes that could easily fit into a uniform pocket. Complete and surprisingly uncensored novels by authors like Jack London, Ernest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald were a hit with the armed servicesâso much so that itâs hard for collectors to find copies in good condition today. In addition to improving morale, Armed Service Editions helped lay the groundwork for the paperback publishing boom of the 1950s, which brought inexpensive, conveniently-sized literature to a broad audience, transforming reading habits around the world.
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Usually if you walk into the Brattle with an introductory math textbook youâll receive a polite âno thank you.â However, itâs a slightly different story when that textbook was published in 1695. In todayâs episode, weâre looking at a still-pretty-accurate antique trigonometry book, written in Italian and complete with engraved illustrations and folding diagrams. Weâll talk about what makes technical volumes valuableâaside from sheer ageâand why Brattle is less math-phobic than most secondhand book shops (an academia-rich location, strong employees, and Kenâs background in chemistry play a part). Learn how it all adds up on todayâs tangential #brattlecast.
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A university without books? Today weâre talking about the recent announcement by Vermont State University that theyâll be building an âall-digital libraryâ and getting rid of print books as a cost-cutting measure. The decision has drawn a strong backlash from students and faculty, but, as enrollments drop, funds are slashed, and courses move online, it makes a gloomy kind of sense. Uncomfortable questions are being raised about the future of higher education in the United States. For the children of the rich, academia will continue to deliver a particular aesthetic experienceâleafy quads, serendipitous browsing, and screen-free studying in a book-lined spaceâwhile for the rest it may shrivel into a bare-bones jobs training program. Join us for the discussion on this all-digital #brattlecast.
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Today in the studio we have a collection of letters and speeches from one of the most colorful political figures in Massachusetts history. James Michael Curley served four terms as Mayor of Boston, a single term as Governor, and five months, for mail fraud, in Danbury federal prison. An Irish Catholic from a working class background, Curley frequently clashed with the cityâs WASP establishment, becoming known for his wit, generosity, and corruption. He got jobs for constituents, built beaches and parks during the Great Depression, and even took the civil service exam on behalf of a friend (technically thatâs cheating). Listen to learn more about Mayor Curleyâs fascinating career, and to decide if his story has any relevance to our current political moment.
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In this episode weâre talking aboutâor âriffing onââa group of classic rock-related books, magazines, and memorabilia that recently arrived at the shop. While not the most monetarily valuable, itâs a fun collection to have around, mostly because it takes Ken back to his days as a young rocker in 1970s Boston. He saw The Stones at the Boston Garden, Van Morrison at Harvard Stadium, andâhe thinksâJimi Hendrix at the South Shore Music Circus (if you can confirm that this show happened please email the shop). Somewhat surprisingly, Ken also reveals that he attended Woodstock in 1969, but volunteers only that it was âinterestingâ and that âthe traffic was bad.â Listen to learn more about electric guitars, Tulsa tourism, and the power of nostalgia on this very freewheelinâ new #brattlecast.
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Today in the studio we have a first American edition of the catchily titled Directions on the Treatment for Persons who have Taken Poison, and those in a State of Apparent Death, Together with the Means of Detecting Poisons and Adulterations in Wine, also, of Distinguishing Real from Apparent Death by Mathieu Joseph B. Orfila. While we wouldnât necessarily recommend following its medical advice, the book provides a fascinating look at early toxicology. It describes the effects and (alleged) treatments of various potions, poisons, and scorpion stingsâa helpful resource to anyone working on a historical murder mystery. Join us for anecdotes about antidotes on a killer episode of the #brattlecast.
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Today in the studio we have an 1852 copy of The Oasis: or, Golden Leaves of Friendship, edited by N.L. Ferguson. The Oasis is part of a whole genre of 19th century gift books: illustrated anthologies of poetry, essays, and short fiction with titles like The Keepsake, Forget-Me-Not, and The Book of Beauty. Published annually before the holiday season, they were intended to be given as presents, often with a handwritten inscription from gifter to giftee. Gift books were frequently criticized and parodiedâeven during the Victorian eraâfor their hackneyed sentimentality and shallow moralism, and were arguably valued more for their ornamental bindings than their literary content. However, for collectors today, the inscriptions themselvesâwritten by long-dead ordinary people, husband to wife or parent to childâconvey a timeless tenderness.
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One of the great things about working at the Brattle is that you never know whatâs going to walk through that door. Recently, a customer surprised us by bringing in a copy of the Nuremberg Chronicle, one of the earliest printed books to feature illustrations. As if that wasnât interesting enough, he also had a copy of the Kelmscott Chaucer, as well as a handful of volumes inscribed by their publisher (William Morris) to their illustrator (Edward Burne-Jones) for good measure. In this episode, weâll talk about how we put a value on such a rare collection and the importance of avoiding ethical conflicts of interest when buying and appraising books.
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Today in the studio we have The American Cemetery, a monthly trade journal for graveyard proprietors and caretakers; all of the issues from 1929 have been bound into a large hardcover volume. While it may not seem like the most lively subject, The American Cemetery presents a darkly humorous juxtaposition of the mundane with the macabre. Ads extolling readers to âbury cemetery upkeep costsâ share page space with landscaping tips, industry gossip, and photo illustrations of new and notable graves, giving us a fascinating window into early 20th century funerary culture.
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In this episode we talk about the impact of the internet on the shop, and on bookselling in general. Dictionary and encyclopedia sales have declined precipitously as search engines supplant reference books, but itâs easier than ever to do our own research online. E-readers may be convenient, but even young people still enjoy the tactility and craft of a good old fashioned paper-style book. Overall, more information is accessible to more people â and thatâs a good thing. Learn how weâre adapting on this high-tech new #brattlecast.
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