In this episode we’re talking about the great American poet Walt Whitman. A few exciting Whitman items have come into the shop recently, and we have them here in the studio with us today. There’s a signed photograph, a first edition copy of Leaves of Grass, and a slightly later edition that was owned by the artist and illustrator Elihu Vedder and comes with handwritten notes between Vedder and Whitman. We’ll also discuss the poignant—and very rare—Civil War letters written by Whitman on behalf of wounded Union soldiers, one of which Ken was lucky enough to appraise on an episode of Antiques Roadshow.
Brattlecast #113 - The Grass is Always Greener
In this episode, Ken shares his advice for book collectors who want to become book dealers, and for book dealers who want to start collecting. If you’re someone who loves books, starting a bookshop may sound like fun, but it can be a real challenge to make a living at it. And, if you’re someone who sells books, keeping too many for yourself can become a kind of occupational hazard. Even though it’s best not to get too “high on your own supply,” Ken does confess to having a few quirky collections of his own. We’ll talk about them, and a lot more, on this listener question-inspired #brattlecast.