In today’s episode we’re talking about a first edition copy of Nathanial Hawthorne’s Famous Old People, a book for young readers about American historical figures. The book was published in 1841 on Boston’s West Street—just a few doors down from where the Brattle stands today—by Elizabeth Palmer Peabody, a fascinating historical figure in her own right. The first woman publisher in the United States and an early champion of Hawthorne’s work, Peabody ran a book shop and lending library at 13 West Street, where her salons became an important meeting place for the transcendentalist and early feminist movements. Although it tells the stories of New England puritans and political leaders, Famous Old People is also a reminder of Boston’s rich literary history, in which the Brattle is honored to play a small ongoing role.
Brattlecast #136 - So Many Subsets
In the second episode in our series on how the shop works, we’re talking about specificity. Before the Brattle can buy a group of books, we have to figure out what they are. Sounds simple, right? But often, the person calling us is not the person who collected the books, and they’re not sure what they have. We’ll ask, ‘What kind of books are they?’ and they’ll reply, ‘Fiction and non-fiction’ or ‘Hardcovers and paperbacks.’ Even if we can narrow it down to, say, books on food, that could mean thousands of different things, from fast food pamphlets to the first cookbook published in America (American Cookery). Learn how we narrow it down, and what makes a library desirable in general, on this laser-focused #brattlecast.
Brattlecast #111 - What About Dr. Seuss?
This past March, the estate of Dr. Seuss announced that they would no longer be publishing new copies of six of his lesser known children’s books: And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street, If I Ran the Zoo, McElligot’s Pool, On Beyond Zebra!, Scrambled Eggs Super!, and The Cat’s Quizzer, explaining in a statement on their website that, “These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong.”
A sort of tantrum ensued, not from the books’ intended audience of readers aged 4-6 years old, but from a variety of politicians and cultural commentators who rushed to the defense of racially insensitive imagery in children’s literature. Was this cancel culture? Was it 1984? How could a private company have made this decision about its own intellectual property while at the very same time, unrelated raps songs with R-rated lyrics existed, and were popular?
In today’s episode we’ll talk about this latest battle in our interminable culture wars as well as the ethically tricky business of dealing with disturbing or offensive materials that, in the right hands, can be powerful teaching tools. Books should never be flat-out banned, but every bookseller has to draw their own line about what they are and aren’t comfortable selling.
Brattlecats #79 - Make Way for Ducklings
Today we take a look at a first edition copy of Make Way for Ducklings. The Boston-set, Caldecott Medal-winning children’s classic, written and illustrated by Robert McClosky, follows a family of ducks on their journey through the city in search of a safe and comfortable home. Since its first publication in 1941, Make Way for Ducklings has delighted generations of young readers, been commemorated by statues and museum exhibitions, and continues to fly off the shelves at the Brattle today.
Brattlecast #65 - The Golden Hour
Little Golden Books are a series of inexpensive, durable, nicely illustrated children’s classics, which first premiered in 1942. Their remarkably consistent design inspires nostalgia in adults and a sense of ownership and accomplishment in younger readers. Join us for a closer look at this beloved series, and its many cultural tie-ins and cross promotions. You’ll hear all about favorites The Pokey Little Puppy, Roy Rogers, Bambi, and even the Campbell Soup Kids, on this solid gold #brattlecast.
