In this episode, we’re talking about one of our favorite things to see in the shop: vintage postcards. While today they’re mostly used to show off vacation vistas, in the past postcards conveyed holiday greetings, commemorated historical events, and gave ordinary people an inexpensive way to keep in touch. Around the turn of the century, improvements in postal service, printing, and eventually photography set the stage for a golden age of postcards in the United States and Europe. Their popularity waned as telephones became more common, and dropped dramatically due the rise of social media. Affordable, easy to find, and dealing with a broad range of subjects, old postcards can be a fascinating and fun introduction to collecting. Listen to learn more, and don’t be afraid to drop us a line at info@brattlebookshop.com.
Brattlecast #43 - Alcatraz and Architecture
Ken goes over a variety of unusual items from his unique and lovely book shop, and reviews recent finds and adventures from his never ending book treasure hunt. We'll talk old-time turkey recipes, Victorian social media platforms, and a book that escaped from Alcatraz! Plus, The Brattle Book Shop has been featured in Architectural Digest; check it out here: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/most-beautiful-independent-stores-in-america
Brattlecast #33 - A Wild Inferno
On this day in 1942 tragedy came to Boston in the form of the deadliest nightclub fire in history. The Cocoanut Grove's intentional lack of exits and extremely flammable Polynesian decor doomed 492 people, injured hundreds more, and changed the way we think about doors forever. Ken kindles our interest with a fascinating and scary personal scrap book of the fire and its aftermath in this blazing hot episode of #brattlecast.