In today’s episode we talk about Edward Rowe Snow, friend of the shop, local character, and author of more than 40 books on coastal New England. A natural storyteller, Snow wrote about shipwrecks, ghosts, and pirates in a lively, anecdotal tone that matched his gregarious personality. He signed his works with charming nautical sketches, joking that it was rarer to find an unsigned copy. In addition to his literary accomplishments, he served a long career as “The Flying Santa,” annually hiring a twin-engine plane from which he airdropped bundles of simple Christmas gifts—including Brattle Bookshop books—to isolated lighthouse keepers and their families. Join us for a seasonal #brattlecast on New England legends, and a legacy of giving that continues to this day.
Brattlecast #170 - Magazines & Early Cars
Today in the studio we’ve got some beautifully illustrated issues of Collier’s and Harper’s Magazine from the early 1900s. In magazines from this era we start to see the first automobile advertisements pop up, selling hand-crafted and extremely expensive Speedwells or Pope-Hartfords to affluent Gilded-Age readers. After the Model T made driving accessible to the middle class, the car and its infrastructure would reshape American life, but at this time there were few gas stations, no roadside assistance programs, and not so many paved roads. Hop in for a tour of vintage car-culture on this speedy new #brattlecast.
Brattlecast #169 - Ken's Favorite Books (audio fixed)
In today’s episode we’re answering a question from a listener: what are Ken’s favorite books? Some people enjoy novels, but Ken is partial to handwritten historical documents, or a nice illuminated manuscript woven from silk. Then there are the two-for-ones: Spalding’s Baseball Guide, inscribed by Spalding himself to fellow Red Stockings player George Wright, a photo inscribed by Billie Holiday to Louis Armstrong, and a copy of The Great Gatsby inscribed by F. Scott Fitzgerald to T.S. Eliot. Sometimes the best book is the one that elicits the best response—the one that thrills a customer, puts a student in tangible touch with the past, or becomes a cherished family tradition. If you’re in the Boston area, visit the shop to find your favorite—or to hear more about Ken’s.
Brattlecast #169 - Ken's Favorite Books
In today’s episode we’re answering a question from a listener: what are Ken’s favorite books? Some people enjoy novels, but Ken is partial to handwritten historical documents, or a nice illuminated manuscript woven from silk. Then there are the two-for-ones: Spalding’s Baseball Guide, inscribed by Spalding himself to fellow Red Stockings player George Wright, a photo inscribed by Billie Holiday to Louis Armstrong, and a copy of The Great Gatsby inscribed by F. Scott Fitzgerald to T.S. Eliot. Sometimes the best book is the one that elicits the best response—the one that thrills a customer, puts a student in tangible touch with the past, or becomes a cherished family tradition. If you’re in the Boston area, visit the shop to find your favorite—or to hear more about Ken’s.
Brattlecast #168 - The Great Boston Fire in 3D
In November of 1872 a massive fire destroyed most of Boston’s financial district, from Washington Street to the harbor. Starting in the basement of a commercial warehouse, it spread rapidly along narrow streets packed with wooden-roofed buildings. The fire department was hindered by inaccessible alarm boxes, low water pressure, and an equine flu that left them short of horsepower. Raging for about 12 hours, the Great Fire caused millions of dollars in damages and reshaped downtown Boston (plus fire codes everywhere) in ways that are still visible today.
In its aftermath, artists and photographers flocked to the so-called ‘Burnt District,’ capturing dramatic images of the ruins. Many photos were taken in newish-at-the-time stereoview: an early precursor to 3D movie technology—and the Viewfinder—in which two nearly identical images are viewed at the same time to create the illusion of dimension. We have some of these stereoview images in the studio with us, sparking a conversation about photography, flames, and urban renewal by way of disaster on this blazing new #brattlecast.