Today in the studio we have a copy of New England Highways and Byways From a Motorcar by Thos. D. Murphy. This beautifully illustrated volume guides tourists on a then-novel automobile journey through early 20th century New England, with visits to charming towns, historic churches, and the rugged Maine coast. We’ll also discuss even earlier tourism—promoted heavily by railroad companies—to the new national parks of the American West, as well as a 1916 cross-country travel memoir by an unexpected author. Pack some snacks, roll down the windows, and hit the road with us on this adventurous new #brattlecast.
Brattlecast #156 - Rock & Roll Collections
In this episode we’re talking about—or “riffing on”—a group of classic rock-related books, magazines, and memorabilia that recently arrived at the shop. While not the most monetarily valuable, it’s a fun collection to have around, mostly because it takes Ken back to his days as a young rocker in 1970s Boston. He saw The Stones at the Boston Garden, Van Morrison at Harvard Stadium, and—he thinks—Jimi Hendrix at the South Shore Music Circus (if you can confirm that this show happened please email the shop). Somewhat surprisingly, Ken also reveals that he attended Woodstock in 1969, but volunteers only that it was “interesting” and that “the traffic was bad.” Listen to learn more about electric guitars, Tulsa tourism, and the power of nostalgia on this very freewheelin’ new #brattlecast.
Brattlecast #88 - Electoral Collectibles
As the 2020 presidential election looms on the horizon, we’re taking a look at some collectible ephemera from past elections, like campaign literature written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and an unused ballot from the 1994 South African election in which Nelson Mandela was elected president. We’ll also explore some of the most negative campaigns in American history, including one so vicious that it may have been responsible for the death of Andrew Jackson’s wife. Finally, we’ll speculate on which uniquely cursed items from this year, such as the “Settle for Biden” face mask, may be of interest to future collectors and historians.