Today in the studio we have a copy of John F. Kennedy’s Profiles in Courage, inscribed by the author to an interesting—but not especially well-known—figure from Boston’s history. We’ll use it as a jumping-off point into a discussion of signatures and inscriptions more generally: some are simply nice to have, others substantially increase the collectibility and value of a volume, and many turn out to be written by a secretary or printed with the book itself. A look at some of the most common and convincing faux signatures rounds out this 100% authentic #brattlecast.
Brattlecast #187 - Something from I. Newton
In this episode we’re looking at a foundational text of modern math and science, Sir Isaac Newton’s Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica. The volume with us today is a beautifully bound third edition, published in 1726 (a first edition, worth millions, would have probably stayed back at the shop, although Ken does describe an electric encounter with Newton’s own annotated copy). Concerned that these laws of motion might be too easy to understand? Don’t worry, the book is also written in Latin. We’ll round out the episode with a chat about more recent collectible math books—and take an interesting digression into the history of the dust jacket—on this dynamic new #brattlecast.
Brattlecast #84 - Facsimiles
Today we’re talking facsimiles: Why the real, original Declaration of Independence doesn’t look like it was printed on crinkly, pirate treasure map-style brown paper! The early work that Edgar Allan Poe hated so much that he tried to destroy, but only succeeded in making the surviving copies all the more monetarily (but not poetically) valuable! The publishing house creating such beautiful facsimile editions of modern literature that people started using them to do dust jacket fraud! The advances in printing technology that have recently made it possible to forge an entire book! And why, sometimes, the hardest thing about spotting a fake is letting its owner down easy.
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 #57 - Shelf Preservation
So you're passing away. Time to start asking yourself the really important questions such as, 'What is going to happen to my library?' In this episode Ken shares tips and tricks for ensuring that your books don't become a burden to your loved ones after your demise. Plus, how do you care for your books well enough so they outlive you in the first place? There's not much that we can do to prevent our bodies from crumbling into dust but, given the right conditions, your books can still be in great shape hundreds of years from now. As John Updike said (in a book), 'All around us we are outlasted.'
