Brattlecast #247 - Declaring Independence

November 10, 2026 Brattleb

In today’s #brattlecast, we step away from the shop to check out 1776: Declaring Independence, on view now through December 19th at the Massachusetts Historical Society. Marking the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, this exhibition showcases rare printings of the Declaration of Independence—plus handwritten copies by John Adams and Thomas Jefferson—alongside contemporary letters, diaries, and newspaper accounts that help place the Declaration in its historical context.

Even in history-rich Boston, the Massachusetts Historical Society feels like something of a hidden gem, and Declaring Independence offers a fascinating introduction to their collections. Learn more and plan your visit at masshist.org.

Brattlecast #246 - The Poison Books Project

October 27, 2026 Brattleb

To modern eyes, the Victorians displayed a number of toxic traits—not least of which was a penchant for poisoning themselves. After a long day of applying lead-based cosmetics and eating adulterated bread, a person of the 1800s might kick back under the indoor gas lamp with a brilliant green book bound in arsenic-dyed cloth. A sickening number of these volumes are still in circulation today—posing a potential health hazard to librarians and researchers who handle them frequently. Today we’re talking about the Poison Books Project, an initiative of the Winterthur Library and the University of Delaware. The PBP identifies and catalogs books bound with toxic pigments and offers safety tips for those who work with them. Enjoy this to-dye-for new #brattlecast—and learn more about the Poison Books Project here.

Brattlecast #245 - Snowdomes!

October 13, 2026 Brattleb

In today’s episode, we pivot away from books and shake things up by talking about Ken’s own personal collection of over 250 snowdomes. He and his wife, Joyce, have been picking up the snowdomes as souvenirs for years—on family vacations and while they're traveling for Antiques Roadshow. We’ll discuss their criteria for what makes a good dome (glass vs. plastic, snow vs. glitter) and about new challenges that bedevil the snowdome connoisseur (TSA liquid restrictions). Settle in for a chilly and charming #brattlecast that perfectly encapsulates everything we love so much about the shop and its proprietors.

Brattlecast #244 - Time + Life Roll On

September 29, 2026 Brattleb

Today we’re looking at two classic American magazines: TIME and LIFE. Published weekly for most of the 20th century, these sister periodicals offer complementary perspectives on the biggest stories of the era, with LIFE’s vivid photojournalism bringing immediacy and emotional resonance to TIME’s in-depth reporting. They’ve always been popular items at the shop, but while past collectors sought out issues that commemorated special events or milestone dates from their own lives, a younger generation of readers are embracing these magazines for the design language they helped define—as archives of iconic mid-century modern fashion, architecture, typography, and consumer goods. Explore the way that objects slip from personal nostalgia into cultural history as time and life march irrevocably forward on this new-for-now #brattlecast.

Brattlecast #243 - The Condom Affair

September 15, 2026 Brattleb

This week, we’re unwrapping (not literally) a little piece of local journalistic history: one of 150,000 condoms distributed by The Boston Phoenix. In 1987, the alternative weekly published an issue that included a condom—donated by Trojan—and a guide to safer sex with every newspaper. They intended to raise awareness of the burgeoning AIDS crisis, and to court some controversy at a time when contraception itself was still up for debate in heavily Catholic Boston. As usual on this podcast, the story behind the story is just as fascinating, and Ken’s got insider info on the unique logistical challenges posed by getting all those condoms into all those papers. Join us for a tale of courageous publishing—and shortsighted stapling—on this slightly-racier-than-usual #brattlecast.

Brattlecast: A Firsthand Look at Secondhand Books