We try not to get too political on this podcast, but, with proposed PBS funding cuts in the news, we thought it would be a good time to talk about all the positive impacts public television has had on the shop itself and on the wider community. The Brattle has a long history with our local PBS member station, WGBH. Ken’s father was contributing items from the shop to their annual fundraising auction back in the ‘60s—and bending the rules slightly to auction them off himself on-air. Ken and his wife, Joyce, both appraise books and manuscripts for Antiques Roadshow; in addition to being great publicity for the shop, the show has raised interest in rare books and collecting more generally. 

We’ve benefitted so much from PBS over the years, but so has anyone who’s ever learned how to cook a new dish from Julia Child, let their toddler enjoy an enriching episode of Sesame Street, or gained a deeper appreciation of popular music from The Great American Songbook. You can find ways to support public broadcasting at protectmypublicmedia.org.

In today’s episode we’re talking about some out-of-this-world new arrivals at the shop: about three truckloads of sci-fi. This collection includes classic novels by Ray Bradbury and Phillip K. Dick, pulp magazines, and signed Stephen Kings, but we’re really enjoying the vintage paperbacks, most of which feature very fun and far-out illustrated covers. We’ll also discuss the origins of the genre, its connections with ancient mythology, and the ways in which reality has—or hasn’t—caught up with science fiction on this stellar new #brattlecast.

In today’s episode, we’re discussing The Paris Bookseller, Kerri Maher’s captivating historical novel about Sylvia Beach, Shakespeare and Company, and literary life in 1920s Paris. Beach’s English-language bookshop became a gathering place for expat writers like Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Ezra Pound—and published one of the most important (and most banned) books of the 20th century: James Joyce’s Ulysses. We’ll talk about what the novel gets right, where literary fiction meets bookshop reality, and how day-to-day shop life—then and now—is often less glamorously wine-soaked and more physically exhausting than one might wish.

These days, the Brattle is more than a book shop—it’s also a backdrop. In this episode, Ken talks about what happens when someone wants to film here, whether it’s for a hotel promo, a student film, or a Hollywood movie with an actual budget. We’ll cover the questions we ask before saying yes to a project, why it’s usually worth participating, and how the shop has shown up in everything from Instagram stories to Oscar winners. It’s always an honor to be included—and we’re not above appreciating the free advertising.

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.

Books aren’t just smart—they’re also good looking. In today’s episode, we’re talking about books as decor, and about some of our favorite decorating projects from over the years. Whether you’re designing a film set, high-end hotel bar, or model home, a curated collection of literature is an easy way to add personality and character to any setting. We’ll discuss the details of working with decorators—and the insulating properties of a big wall of volumes—on this stylish new #brattlecast.

Would you travel to the Midwest to buy twenty thousand books that you’ve never laid eyes on? It’s a question that doesn’t come up too often—unless you’re the Brattle. In today’s episode we’re talking about the unique logistical challenges presented by long-distance book buys. Collections that we’d happily pop over and assess in New Hampshire or Rhode Island become a tantalizing gamble when a cross-country trip is involved. Even if the books are great, are they worth the cost and effort of getting them back to the shop? We’ll dive into the details of library relocation, from phone calls and photos to rental trucks and storage units, on this moving new #brattlecast.

In today’s episode, we’re talking about the impact that new technologies—like e-readers, audiobooks, and the internet in general—have had on the book business. With free information readily available online, certain categories of books just aren’t as useful as they used to be. Dictionary and encyclopedia sales are way down, how-to books have been supplanted by YouTube videos, and even art books are less popular now that most famous paintings are a quick Google search away. On the other hand, readers in search of screenless time are embracing both paper books and brick-and-mortar browsing. Independent bookshops are seeing a resurgence, offering a sense of place and community in our increasingly digital world.

In this episode, we’re responding to a question from a listener: What exactly is a bookplate? Basically, they’re little labels that indicate ownership, usually pasted onto a front endpaper. A holdover from a time when books were expensive luxury items, today bookplates are most commonly found in library books, although they can be a fun way to personalize a private collection as well. We’ll talk about instances when bookplates can add to the value of a book, and about collectors who focus on the bookplates themselves. Remember, no question is too big—or small—for the #brattlecast; if there’s something you’re wondering about, reach out to us at [email protected].

In this episode we’re talking about a signed copy of Robert Frost’s New Hampshire. This collection contains some of Frost’s best-known poems, including “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” and won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1924. Our volume is part of a special limited edition run of 350 copies, each of which was signed by the author. We’ll use it as a jumping off point into a discussion of what makes a signed book more—or less—valuable: rarity, condition, and the length and complexity of the inscription, among other factors. Plus, we’ll reveal Ken’s unexpected personal connection with Robert Frost in this lyrical new #brattlecast.