Today we’re talking about a particularly exciting appraisal: a volume of presidential autographs containing original documents signed by every American president from George Washington through Richard Nixon, with accompanying portraits. How do you even put a price on an item like this? Slowly and carefully. Complete collections of presidential signatures have been compiled before, so our evaluation largely comes down to the documents themselves: their condition, whether they were written while the president was in office, and how interesting or historically significant their content may be. Join us for an up-close look at 200 years of American history on this official new #brattlecast.
Brattlecast #192 - Profiles in Courage
Today in the studio we have a copy of John F. Kennedy’s Profiles in Courage, inscribed by the author to an interesting—but not especially well-known—figure from Boston’s history. We’ll use it as a jumping-off point into a discussion of signatures and inscriptions more generally: some are simply nice to have, others substantially increase the collectibility and value of a volume, and many turn out to be written by a secretary or printed with the book itself. A look at some of the most common and convincing faux signatures rounds out this 100% authentic #brattlecast.
Brattlecast #191 - Doris Kearns Goodwin
In today’s episode we’re talking about acclaimed author—and friend of the shop—Doris Kearns Goodwin. She’s known for insightful and engaging presidential biographies such as Team of Rivals, The Bully Pulpit, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning No Ordinary Time. Goodwin’s latest book, An Unfinished Love Story, weaves together memoir and historical analysis, exploring the 1960’s through the lens of her own life and through the extensive archives of her late husband Richard Goodwin, a presidential aide and speechwriter for Lyndon B. Johnson, John F. Kennedy, and Robert F. Kennedy.
Signed copies are available through our own friendly rival, Beacon Hill Books & Cafe.