Brattlecast #177 - Being Nice

Today we’re talking about one of the simplest, but most crucial, lessons: the importance of being nice. While many imagine the rare book dealer as an unhelpful curmudgeon, Ken believes that, not only is it nice to be nice, it’s also good for business. We’ll talk about times when the shop’s friendliness paid off, inadvertently building relationships with mayors, newspaper editors, and the New England mafia—as well as doormen, secretaries, and restaurant staff. Settle in and get comfortable with this convivial new #brattlecast.

Brattlecast #162 - LIFE at the Brattle

Today we’re taking a look at some vintage issues of LIFE Magazine, half a truckload of which recently arrived at the shop. Full of iconic photojournalism and snappy graphic design, LIFE’s oversized pages are endlessly fun to flip through—and convey so much information about mid-century American culture. Listen to hear our favorite LIFE stories, from Woodstock to working moms, on this eye-opening new #brattlecast.

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 #148 - A World of Jell-O

There’s always room for Jell-O… cookbooks! As colorful and light as the iconic dessert itself, these recipe booklets were given out as free promotional items starting in 1904, and played a large part in Jell-O’s meteoric and jiggly rise to fame. Some feature illustrations by artists like Maxfield Parrish and Norman Rockwell; all contain congealed concoctions like Jell-O Chicken Mousse or Shrimp & Orange Jell-O Molds – possibly chic at the time, but disturbing to most modern palettes.  Through these culinary collectables we can trace the history of advertising and even social life  in the United States, as the pamphlets gradually pivot from addressing nervous young housewives to exhausted working mothers. Photogenic and squeam-inducing, retro Jell-O recipes are enjoying a semi-ironic online renaissance, popping up on twitter accounts like @70s_party, the cheekily named facebook group Show Me Your Aspics, and even in contemporary art. Listen to learn more (but don’t ever learn what it’s made from!) on a #brattlecast that truly breaks the mold.

Brattlecast #142 - Post-Covid Changes

As the Covid-19 pandemic slowly draws to a close, we’re taking stock of some of the changes it’s caused—to downtown Boston, the secondhand book business, and, especially, the Brattle. Differences at the shop run deeper than masked employees and plexiglass barriers: after a disastrous first year, we’re busier than ever before, and our new customers tend to be younger and more diverse. A revised book-buying policy has cut down on conflict, and we’ve renewed our focus on in-person shopping, keeping many of the better books offline. Some of the most important changes at the shop have to do with not being there: prioritizing family, travel, and work/life balance. We talk about it all on today’s “new normal” episode of the #brattlecast.