Brattlecast #194 - Boston Book Fair 2024

We’re so excited for the 46th annual Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair, a great opportunity to rub elbows with book dealers—and enthusiasts—from all over the world. This year’s fair takes place at the Hynes Convention Center on the weekend of November 8–10. Admission is free on Saturday and Sunday—but we know a guy who can get you free passes for Friday night, too (it’s Ken; reach out to the shop if you’re interested).

The book fair truly has something for everyone, from medieval manuscripts to modern first editions—and it’s fun to hold these rare items in your hands and discuss them with their knowledgeable and enthusiastic dealers. Plus, there’ll be a full lineup of speakers, a city-wide week of auxiliary events, and the Brattle’s famous jars of plain and peanut M&Ms.

For more information visit abaa.org/bostonbookfair; we hope to see you there!

Brattlecast #152 - The American Cemetery

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 “bury cemetery upkeep costs” 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.

Brattlecast #37 - Journal Journey

Ken talks handwritten journals and letters: what makes them valuable and how his team at the shop goes about researching them. We'll delve into a Caribbean voyage with a magical conclusion and a utopian community in bucolic West Roxbury, with a side trip to a certain famously far out festival of the late 1960's. Learn whether your journal might also have the 'write' stuff on this week's #brattlecast, an episode to write home about!


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Brattlecast #30 - Treasures within Treasures

Today we've got an 1800's sailing log and a Civil War journal, both containing surprising passages which take them from standard to spectacular. Also, some tips on what to do with any handwritten material you'd like to get appraised. An episode to write home about!


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