This week we’re talking about real photo postcards. In 1903, Kodak released a camera that allowed people to print postcards from photographs they took themselves. Portable, easy to use, and relatively inexpensive, the postcard camera democratized—and deformalized—visual communication in many of the same ways that social media would 100 years later. Unlike mass-produced postcards, which tend to show standardized views of major landmarks, these small-batch souvenirs offer a personal, idiosyncratic look at what ordinary people cared about: vernacular architecture, college sports teams, candid family portraits, and much more. Join us for a look at some fun and fascinating messages from the past on this picture-perfect new #brattlecast.

In this episode, we round out our day-in-the-life series by talking you through an average work week at the shop. This particular week’s treasure hunt took us on a tour of New England, from Concord and Cambridge to Maine and the Berkshires, and even into the chambers of a former federal judge. But it’s not really about the destination or the journey—it’s about the books we bought along the way: a haul including collections on art, history, architecture, woodworking, and much more, plus some decorative leatherbound volumes. Of course, the magic of the Brattle is that there’s no such thing as a typical week—whether you’re working or shopping, every day brings something new.

In this episode, we continue our day-in-the-life series with the story of another relatively normal but less-than-perfect book buy. It’s a stumbling block that we run into fairly often: folks trying to sell books that they’re not emotionally prepared to part with. In this case we looked at the collection, made an offer, and waited about five years until its owner was ready to let go. In a classic case of indecision being worse than wrong decision, the books waited in a storage unit for all those years, absorbing rent money and developing unfortunate condition issues. Listen to learn more about the pitfalls of sentimental storage—and tune in next time for a look at an average work week at the shop.

At the recent Boston Book Fair we were delighted to meet with some brattlecast listeners, who told us they’d like to hear more about day-to-day life at the shop. It’s a great idea, so today we’re kicking off a short series on our average workdays—not the spectacular finds or the times when the building catches fire, but the stories in between. 

We’ll start with an account of a pretty normal book buy that didn’t work out quite the way we would have hoped. It’s something that comes up more and more in the internet age: people with collections to sell will do their own research, see copies of their books languishing online at fantastical prices, and come away with an inflated sense of their value. In these awkward situations, it’s difficult to make a reasonable offer without seeming like you’re lowballing, and sometimes it’s simpler just to walk away (or, in this case, drive three hours back to Boston away). Stay tuned for the rest of our day-in-the-life series, and as always, if you have ideas for future episodes, reach out to [email protected].

Today we’re talking about Ken’s recent visit to the McMillan Memorial Library in Nairobi, Kenya. The McMillan’s ongoing restoration is the subject of a recent documentary, How to Build a Library, which explores the space’s troubled colonial past and its rebirth as a vibrant, inclusive cultural hub following years of neglect. This inspiring transformation is led by writer Wanjiru Koinange and publisher Angela Wachuka—two Nairobi women with a passion for literature and a mission to empower underserved communities through art, storytelling, and equitable access to information. You can learn more about their organization, Book Bunk, and its projects here.

To many people, owning a small book shop seems like a dream job—it’s right up there with the cute neighborhood restaurant and the cozy Vermont inn. Unfortunately, like these other idealized occupations, the reality is usually a lot of hard work and uncertain remuneration. We’re often asked for advice about opening a book store, which is somewhat ironic since Ken’s father started the Brattle with little business experience and no money, but, if you’re really interested, this is the episode for you. We’ll talk about the pros and cons of selling new versus used books, rare book schools where you can network and learn the tricks of the trade, and even some alternative career options for people who love books but who might not love working with the public. Get set for a new life of literary ambiance, eccentric customers, and twelve-hour days on this career-minded new #brattlecast.

With the holidays on the horizon, we thought it would be a good time to talk about gift giving. A rare or secondhand book can make a great gift—if it’s chosen thoughtfully (otherwise you run the risk of seeming like you’ve wrapped a random volume from your own shelves). Before you start shopping, it helps to get clear on what you’d like to give: think about your budget, the recipient’s interests, and what they might already have in their collection. It’s also good to start early; a little extra time can make all the difference when it comes to tracking down that perfect item—possibly with a little help from your neighborhood bookseller. Of course, every book is a gift, it’s just that some are gifts for a person you love, while others are better suited to give to an acquaintance (or an enemy). Learn how to brighten their spirits and shelves on this generous new #brattlecast.

It’s a common enough predicament that entire self-help books have been written about it: being emotionally terrorized by a piece of household clutter. The hardest items to part with aren’t usually the ones that we love the most, but those that elicit a sticky cocktail of guilt, sentimentality, and superstition: the photographs that feel painful to look at, the once-favorite garment that no longer fits your body or your lifestyle (but what if…!). 

In this episode, we’ll talk about the kinds of books that feel straight-up evil to sell, like gifts (especially from the author, with an incriminating personal inscription), things that were cherished by a departed friend or family member, and religious texts. We don’t have too many solutions for this. Even Ken, who gets rid of books for a living, has resorted to the classic strategy of “placing them in the basement and waiting for them to become someone else’s problem” when it comes to certain volumes. Join us for a look at persistent possessions and inadvertent collections on this week’s #brattlecast.

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.

Today we’re taking a look at the golden age of the American automobile, via a collection of car catalogs from the 1950s, ‘60s, and ‘70s. Full of slick illustrations and arty photographs (it was a great time for advertising, too), these catalogs recall a period of post-war prosperity, space race-inspired modernist design, and lax to nonexistent safety regulations. We’ll discuss which iconic mid-century models we long to drive the most—and delve into the pressing question of why new cars are so big and bland looking these days. Turn up the radio, buckle your seatbelt (if you have one), and join us on a nostalgic joyride through consumer history in this fast and curious #brattlecast.