Brattlecast #238 - Ken's Lecture Circuit

July 7, 2026 Brattleb

Astute Brattlecast listeners may have already noticed this, but Ken really loves to tell a good story. Did you know you can see him speak in person as well? Today’s episode is about Ken’s lectures: informative, entertaining presentations drawn from his decades in the book business and delivered at venues throughout New England. These talks are always followed by a Q&A with the audience and a look at any books attendees have brought in for appraisal.

Visit brattlebookshop.com to see when Ken might appear at a library, museum, or historical society near you—or to book him for your own event.

Brattlecast #220 - Books About Computers

November 4, 2025 Brattleb

Want to feel old? People are collecting vintage books about computers. These futuristic-feeling technologies have become such an ubiquitous part of our daily lives that it can feel counterintuitive to step back and take a look at their history, but there’s a growing interest in computer science classics that date back to the 1940s and ‘50s. In this episode, we’ll talk about books like Faster Than Thought: A Symposium on Digital Computing Machines; Giant Brains, or Machines That Think; and The Age of Intelligent Machines, as well as some science fiction novels that turned out to be uncannily prescient about the internet age. Log on and join us in cyberspace for this organically intelligent new #brattlecast.

Brattlecast #210 - Appraisal Stories

June 17, 2025 Brattleb

What makes a good book appraiser? Experience, a willingness to admit what you don’t know, and a way to get in touch with someone who does. Today we’re talking about the wide range of appraisals the Brattle gets involved in—from casual evaluations at the shop to written reports for tax or insurance purposes. It’s usually easy to tell when a book has only literary or sentimental value (and people are often surprisingly happy to hear it), but things get trickier when the books turn out to be valuable and rare. We’ll also talk about appraisals that miss the mark, including one for a signed (by someone) copy of a first (Canadian) edition of a classic American novel.

Brattlecast #203 - The Massachusetts Historical Society

March 11, 2025 Brattleb

In this episode we’re talking about a recent appraisal at the Massachusetts Historical Society. Founded in 1791, this institution is the oldest historical society in the United States, a treasure trove of documents, artifacts, and rare books that bring the past to life. Ken got to experience a few of these items: letters from Jane Austin and John Winthrop, plus a speech by Thomas Jefferson. We’ll discuss the difficulties of appraising such rare materials—and encourage you to visit the Historical Society and see their extraordinary collections for yourself—on this invaluable new #brattlecast.

Brattlecast #184 - A Collection of New Books

June 18, 2024 Brattleb

Today we’re talking about trying something new at the Brattle: brand-new books. We’ve recently purchased a large collection from a relocating publishing house that didn’t want to move its stock. It’s an unusual turn for the shop, which is known for its rare and secondhand volumes, but this group—nicely bound reissues of overlooked classics, collected quotes, and American historical documents—was a good fit for us, so we figured, why not? Placed up front by the registers, they’ve been a big hit with our growing contingent of tourist visitors, teaching us that sometimes change (but not too much change) can be a good thing.

Brattlecast: A Firsthand Look at Secondhand Books