At one of America's oldest bookshops, there are just as many stories to be told outside the pages as in them. Join bookseller Kenneth Gloss and co-host Jordan Rich as they share entertaining conversations and histories surrounding Boston's favorite spot for bibliophiles.
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The story of our outdoor sale lot's evolution from a few small stands in front of the shop to one of the most photographed places in Boston! Learn all about the perks and pitfalls of selling books outside, all year round, in notoriously variable weather.
In this episode Ken shows off a bound volume of Harper's Weekly from 1863, and flipping through it with him is like peering into a fascinating time capsule from the Civil War era. Harper's employed some of the best journalists, artists, and photographers of the time, and in its pages eye-witness battlefield reportage and sentimental woodcut illustrations of homesick soldiers share space with advertisements for dubious health tonics and prosthetic limbs.
Today we've got an 1800's sailing log and a Civil War journal, both containing surprising passages which take them from standard to spectacular. Also, some tips on what to do with any handwritten material you'd like to get appraised. An episode to write home about!
Ken discusses a copy of The Big Book, inscribed by Alcoholics Anonymous founder Bill Wilson. It's one of the most influential books of the 20th Century, and the unfortunate social stigma associated with it makes certain editions particularly rare. Learn all about it, one Brattlecast at a time.
