Brattlecast: A Firsthand Look at Secondhand Books

In the late 1890s a young man named Charles Leach—along with some friends and about 100,000 other prospectors—traveled to the Yukon, hoping to strike gold. The punishingly harsh conditions and chaotic boomtowns of the Klondike gold rush have been mythologized in fiction, poetry, and film, but Mr. Leach’s letters home deliver an exceptionally rare contemporary account of day-to-day life in the far north. He became the cook for his expedition, and wrote to his wife in rich, transportive detail about supplies and budgets, wild bear steaks, and exorbitant $15 doctor visits. Ultimately, he—like so many others—left disappointed, but arguably the real treasure turned out to be the fascinating first-hand account that he wrote along the way.

The Brattle often rents books out as props, and sometimes serves as a set for student films, but recently, for the first time, a major Hollywood movie filmed a scene at the shop. The Holdovers, directed by Alexander Payne (Sideways, The Descendants) and starring Paul Giamatti (American Splendor, Billions) is set at a New England prep school over the winter break of 1970. We’ll talk about what it took to transform our sale lot into a part of Boston’s gritty, bygone Combat Zone (not much), where film crews find snow, and more show business secrets on this behind the scenes #brattlecast.

In the second episode in our series on how the shop works, we’re talking about specificity. Before the Brattle can buy a group of books, we have to figure out what they are. Sounds simple, right? But often, the person calling us is not the person who collected the books, and they’re not sure what they have. We’ll ask, ‘What kind of books are they?’ and they’ll reply, ‘Fiction and non-fiction’ or ‘Hardcovers and paperbacks.’ Even if we can narrow it down to, say, books on food, that could mean thousands of different things, from fast food pamphlets to the first cookbook published in America (American Cookery). Learn how we narrow it down, and what makes a library desirable in general, on this laser-focused #brattlecast.

When people think about the secondhand book business, they rarely think about all the literal heavy lifting that goes on behind the scenes. In this episode Ken breaks down the nitty-gritty logistics of getting 15,000 books from a three-story Victorian house outside of New Haven to the shop in downtown Boston. It takes eleven trips, employee overtime for days that start at 6am, thousands of cardboard boxes, tote bags of packing tape, a second set of clothes for when you sweat through your clothes, dust inhalation, and stairs, stairs, and yet more stairs. Learn more about how it all gets done on this laborious #brattlecast.

Today in the studio we’ve got volume three of James Hervey’s Theron and Aspasio: Or, A series of dialogues and letters, upon the most important and interesting subjects. On the edge of your seat yet? With apologies to Mr. Hervey, this item would be what we call in the book business a ‘piece of junk’ if it weren't for a certain famous signature on its title page, and an intriguing backstory that points to something even rarer. We’ll use it as an example in a wide-ranging discussion of provenance, the verification process, and why it’s so important to trust, but also authenticate, in this 100% genuine #brattlecast.

Whether you prefer beer, wine, or cocktails, collecting books on beverages can be nearly as enjoyable as actually drinking them. On this week’s episode we’ll talk about a book on winemaking from the late 1700s, a drinks menu from the 1930s, and one of the first books on mixology – with a local twist. Pour yourself a glass of your favorite red and settle in for a spirited discussion on this refreshing #brattlecast.

In the pilot episode of Brattlecast, proprietor Kenneth Gloss discusses the history of one of America's oldest rare and antiquarian bookshops. Learn the story of George Gloss and his son Kenneth: the Brattle's journey from historic Brattle Street through urban renewal, a disastrous fire, and the business of secondhand bookselling today.

Brattlecast

Today in the studio we have an album of vacation photos from the 1890s, taken by an anonymous but well traveled amateur photographer. Interest in collecting these sorts of vernacular photos has been increasing, in part because the work of well known photographers has become prohibitively expensive, but also because of their unstaged quality and fascinating candor. With these pictures we travel around the world, but also back in time, catching glimpses of everyday life at the edges of scenic vistas and tourist attractions. Come with us, on today’s #brattlecast.

Good books are always a gift, especially when they’re.. well, given as one. A thoughtfully chosen vintage travel guide or piece of ephemera can jog memories of a vanished world, encouraging the recipient to reminisce and share stories about their own life. On this episode we’re discussing the specialized book-gifting preferences of some of our regular customers, one of whom Ken always keeps in mind when material on pre-revolutionary Cuba comes into the shop. Whether it's for the holidays, a birthday, or just because, sometimes the best presents are the ones that take us back into the past.