Recently appearing in Alexander Payne’s acclaimed new film, The Holdovers, the Brattle is no stranger to celebrity encounters. In today’s episode we talk about an unexpected visit to the shop from actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard (in happier days, or at least less publicly unhappy ones). Depp shopped in the rare book room, learned about a Catholic convent of local superfans, and posed for photos with the staff. We’ll talk about some other famous faces that have popped up in the shop, as well as how difficult it can be to recognize these people out of context, on a star-studded new #brattlecast.
Brattlecast #67 - Tolkien Care of Business
J.R.R. Tolkien is the author of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and, less famously but most importantly for our purposes, a charming letter to his publisher in which he attempts to answer questions from the public about himself and his work. On this episode, Ken reads from that letter, and talks about the chain of fascinating friendships that helped it find its way into his shop. Plus he’ll discuss the effect that the popular Peter Jackson films had on the collectability and value of Tolkien’s first editions.
Brattlecast #55 - Casey at the Bat
From baseball tragedy to book shop treasure, we’re taking a look at the journey of Casey at the Bat. The poem, first printed in the San Francisco Examiner in 1888, was popularized in vaudeville, and, in 1901, published in the very valuable first edition here in the studio with us today. It has since been reprinted hundreds of times, and remains enduringly popular with collectors of both literature and baseball memorabilia. Ken talks about this and a variety of other home-run hits of baseball literature.
Brattlecast #16 - The Spy Behind Home Plate
Batter up! Red Sox catcher Moe Berg was tasked with intercepting much more than fastballs as a spy inflitrating Nazi Germany. Ken shares intimate stories about Moe's life, including numerous visits to the Brattle Book Shop in this privileged look at the enigmatic ballplayer.
Brattlecast #6 - A Day In The Life
The proprietor of the historic Brattle Book Shop takes Jordan Rich through a typical workday. It's not all stocking shelves as Ken Gloss rubs shoulders with titans of industry and meets interesting characters from all walks of life. Listen to some of Ken's favorite buys and some of the storied history of the shop, which sees everything from an original copy of the Declaration of Independence to a casual visit from actor Johnny Depp.