Brattlecast #55 - Casey at the Bat

09/17/19 • 16 min

Brattlecast: A Firsthand Look at Secondhand Books

From baseball tragedy to book shop treasure, we’re taking a look at the journey of Casey at the Bat. The poem was first printed in the San Francisco Examiner in 1888, popularized on vaudeville, and, in 1901, published in the very valuable first edition in the studio with us today. It has been reprinted hundreds of times since, and remains enduringly popular with collectors of both literature and baseball memorabilia. Plus a discussion of a variety of other home-run hits of baseball literature.

Previous Episode

Brattlecast #54 - How to Start a Book Shop

So you want to start a book shop? Good! Ken’s not afraid of the competition; he’ll encourage you. He wishes every building on his street could house a different independent book shop; he’s a proponent of idiosyncratic small businesses as an antidote to the bland, big-box sameness that plagues most American cities. So what advice would Kenneth Gloss, with his years of experience, impart to the neophyte bookseller? It’s simple: just be in great physical shape, and know everything.

Next Episode

Brattlecast # 56 - Let's Make a Deal!

On this episode Ken talks about haggling: are his shops prices flexible? Yes! Should you ask for a lower price on the book you're thinking of buying? Sometimes! What's the secret to talking your way into a great bargain? Be subtle, be nice, and, ideally, be a child whose early love of reading will later catapult you to the heights of success in a literary field. Plus, why Ken might pay you more for your books if you live on the first floor.