Shelf Life

So-called “limp parchment” bindings were essentially the paperbacks of their day. In the early modern era, binding books in parchment was a cheaper alternative to binding them in wooden boards covered by leather (it was also a practical way to manage the explosion of books occasioned by the printing press in the 15th century). Melissa Moreton, Assistant Professor with the University of Iowa’s Center for the Book, is in the midst of an ambitious survey of these types of bindings. After assembling an extensive data set, Melissa hopes to discover patterns regarding book production, commercial networks, and reading habits among 15th- and 16th-century Europeans. Your host for this episode is Keelin Burke, Fellowships Manager at the Newberry. --- Intro music: "Two Types of Awakenings" by Nheap

Two experts on the history of public housing discuss the challenges and opportunities involved in telling this long and complex story. Our guests are historian Brad Hunt (who is also the Newberry’s Vice President for Research and Academic Programs) and Lisa Lee, Executive Director of the National Public Housing Museum in Chicago. --- Intro music: "Two Types of Awakenings" by Nheap

“The fair is gorgeous, splendiferous...but garish.” That’s how 12-year-old Claire Lieber, writing in her diary, described the Century of Progress World’s Fair held in Chicago in 1933. When she was alive, Claire was the go-to source of family history for her grandson, Sam Crews. But she rarely told Sam stories about her own life. After finding Claire’s diary in the Newberry’s collection recently, Sam discovered a whole new side of his grandmother. He discusses the emotional impact the find has had on him, and how it’s reinvigorated his connection with the past and with the city he calls home. --- View images from Claire Lieber's scrapbook at https://www.newberry.org/shelf-life. --- Intro music: "Two Types of Awakenings" by Nheap

During the antebellum period, Americans went crazy for coral, using it in jewelry and medicine, referencing it in art and literature, and adopting it as a metaphor for understanding the complexity and interconnectedness of the natural world. We speak with scholar Michele Navakas about America's erstwhile fascination with coral and coral reefs. Along the way, Michelle shares a discovery she recently made in our collection: a song by "Mary Had a Little Lamb" author Sarah Josepha Hale that holds coral up as a lens through which to view both nature and human society. --- (Intro music: "Two Types of Awakenings" by Nheap; other music: "The Coral Branch" by Sarah Josepha Hale, performed by Ian Crockett and Gene Navakas) --- Learn more at http://www.michelenavakas.com/thecoralbranch/

In the 18th century, botany was a contested space: on the one hand, an acceptable discipline for women to engage with; on the other, a treacherous field of study beset by (gasp!) the perils of intellectual rigor and plants' sexual reproduction. We speak with Katie Sagal, a research fellow at the Newberry, about how women authors and scientists navigated the botanical terms of engagement to expand their roles in scientific and literary communities. --- (Intro music: "Two Types of Awakenings" by Nheap)

Do we have a treat for you: Scholar Sarah Kernan breaks down the history of chocolate, from its origins in the Americas and popularity among European monarchs (apparently Charles II of England was a bona fide chocoholic) to its mass production and eventual association with Valentine’s Day. --- (Intro music: "Two Types of Awakenings" by Nheap) --- Learn more about this episode: https://www.newberry.org/brief-history-chocolate

The recent announcement that Cleveland’s professional baseball team would remove the controversial Chief Wahoo logo from its uniforms has, for now, renewed the national debate over American Indian mascots in sports. In this episode, we speak with Julie Pelletier, Acting Director of the McNickle Center for American Indian Studies at the Newberry and a member of the Maliseet and Mi'kmaq tribes, about how American Indian mascots both reflect and promote deep-seated cultural ideas and why pro-Chief Wahoo tweets can be revealing. --- (Intro music: "Two Types of Awakenings" by Nheap)

Silent-film organists could "gig the film" or "Mickey Mouse" it (play in ironic contrast with the images on screen or in ham-handed correspondence with them, respectively). But the most successful found the harmonious middle between the two. We talk with musicologist Kendra Preston Leonard about these musicians and why women, in particular, were so central to the art, culture, and values surrounding silent film. --- (Intro music: "Two Types of Awakenings" by Nheap) --- Visit www.newberry.org/shelf-life for more information about this episode.

In this spoiler-free episode, Newberry seminars instructor Harrison Sherrod discusses how Star Wars helps us understand history, religion, and humanity's place in the world. --- (Intro music: "Two Types of Awakenings" by Nheap) --- Visit www.newberry.org/shelf-life for more information about this episode.

Performing early music today is a feat of historical reconstruction as much as musical adaptation. Adding to the musical-historical challenge is the fact that some songs (by Bach, for example) were tailored to the strengths of particular choirs and weren’t intended to outlive their creators. In this episode, we speak with Matt Dean, managing director of Schola Antiqua early music ensemble, and Ikumi Crocoll, Newberry reference librarian, about what goes into reviving early music, why it’s worth the effort, and how there are technical reasons for medieval and Renaissance music being as catchy as Top-40 pop songs. --- (Intro music: "Two Types of Awakenings" by Nheap) --- Visit www.newberry.org/shelf-life for more information about this episode.