Free Daily Podcast Summary
Rare Book Chat: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Jeremy O'Connor and Michael DiRuggiero
Get key takeaways, quotes, and insights from Rare Book Chat in a 5-minute read. Delivered straight to your inbox.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 4 days ago24 min
Vera, What Has Become of You?
Jeremy discovers great letters at auction by David Hockney, Jasper Johns, Francis Bacon, and Henry Moore, but ends up learning more about the recipient of all the letters, Vera Russell, than about the writers of the letters. So many great artists wrote to her with profound admiration and respect. What does that say about her? Who was this Vera Russell, who seemed to be at the nexus of the 20th-century art world? And now that the collection has been dispersed, what have we lost? Can we put Humpty Dumpty back together again?As usual, please feel free to reach out to us at: hello@rarebookchat.comEnjoy the show!
- Apr 15, 202627 min
Gregory Corso's Funny Forgeries
Ah, the hi-jinks of Gregory Corso! This New York Tale has everything: stealing from friends, mob bosses, broken record collections, Allen Ginsberg and William Burroughs (sort of), and what must have been the great charm of the Beat poet Gregory Corso. All of this leads to some (semi-) profound questions on authenticity in the book world.If you have a Corso tale, we'd love to hear it! Drop us a note at: hello@rarebookchat.comEnjoy the show!
- Mar 31, 202623 min
The Condition Episode!
Condition is one of the most confusing topics in the rare book world and we're here to help you solve.... nothing, actually. But we do explore the thorny issues involved in evaluating condition and hopefully offer a framework that may be a useful guide as you contemplate the next addition to your library. We'd love to know your thoughts! How do you evaluate condition? Please reach out to us on Instagram or email us at hello@rarebookchat.com Enjoy the show!
- Feb 12, 202628 min
The Quest for Truth, A Cure for Poison, and 5 Very Well-Wrapped Eggs
All hail the questers! In this episode we celebrate those humble individuals who had the curiosity and courage to write to famous people with intriguing questions... often leading to intriguing answers. We also explore a curious photobook on innovative packaging, and admire a man who bought his freedom with a cure for poison. Questions or comments? As usual, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at: hello@rarebookchat.comEnjoy the show!
- Jan 21, 202630 min
Justice, the Public Good, and the Love Song of Winston S. Churchill
George Washington sticking to his morals and Winston Churchill in love! Jeremy and Michael discuss two important letters currently on the market and use them as a springboard to explore some urgent issues in the world of rare books. As always, please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or comments. You can email us at: hello@rarebookchat.comAnd, most importantly, enjoy the show!
- Nov 20, 202529 min
Dear Diary
"My Diary - Please respect it": So wrote the photographer Margaret Bourke-White at the beginning of her hand-written diary. And respect it we do! We cover a lot of ground in this episode exploring diaries, notes, and documents written without an eye to a future audience. Through the diary of a Revolutionary War soldier to the journals of an Apple Executive, we explore the strange accidental nature of these witnesses to history. And of course we have to discuss the diaries of Samuel Pepys - but more for their strong influence on Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, and modernism. Special guest: Rick Stattler, of Swann Galleries. As always, feel free to reach out to us with any questions or comments at: hello@rarebookchat.comEnjoy the show!
- Oct 28, 202521 min
Shakespeare!
Join us as we talk with special guest Adam Douglas of Peter Harrington Rare Books about collecting Shakespeare and specifically about that Holy Grail of collecting, the 1623 Shakespeare First Folio. It is a rare event when one becomes available and Peter Harrington is currently offering a copy. We pick Adam's brain about the specifics of their copy, the history of the creation of the Folio, why Shakespeare and his fellow actors didn't want to publish their texts, why copies are so rare, why each copy is different, and so much more... Enjoy the episode! And, as always, please don't hesitate to send questions or comments our way at: hello@rarebookchat.com
- Sep 19, 202534 min
The Almost Not Great Gatsby
In 1940, the year of Fitzgerald’s death, there were only 7 copies of The Great Gatsby sold. Fitzgerald complained to both Zelda and Max Perkins that he was a forgotten man and that clearly there was no demand for his book. He was crushed, and died thinking Gatsby was a failure. Then, a year later 155,000 copies were printed…. What happened? We dive in into the strange afterlife of The Great Gatsby, trace Fitzgerald’s feelings about his masterpiece through inscribed copies, and compare it to the fates of other books – Their Eyes Were Watching God and The Fortnight in September – published around the same time. Is a classic destined to be a classic or does it need a healthy dose of luck? As always, email us and let us know what you think at hello@rarebookchat.comEnjoy the episode!
Get Rare Book Chat summaries in your inbox
Free AI-powered daily recaps. Key takeaways, quotes, and mentions — in a 5-minute read.
Get Free Summaries →Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
You Might Also Like
Listeners also like.
Turek Books Podcast
Ninth Planet Audio
Open Book
Richard Winham
The Magic Book Podcast
The Magic Book Podcast
Off the Menu
Vincent Frankini
Book Cheat
Do Go On Media
Scholarly Communication
New Books Network
Book Club with Michael Smerconish
SiriusXM
Project Archivist
Roejen
Monsters, Madness and Magic
Justin Young
The Queen's Reading Room Podcast
The Queen's Reading Room
The Brian D. O'Leary Show
Brian O'Leary
Unusual Histories
Danny Hurst
About Rare Book Chat
Dive deep into the fascinating world of rare books with Rare Book Chat. Hosted by Michael DiRuggiero and Jeremy O'Connor, the co-founders of The Manhattan Rare Book Company, this podcast explores the unique and often valuable items that fill the world of rare books, manuscripts, letters, photographs, archives, and more.From historical documents to literary first editions, we'll discuss the stories behind these one-of-a-kind treasures. Join us as we explore the intricacies of the rare book trade and discover the hidden gems that await.
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from Rare Book Chat in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's Rare Book Chat daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Rare Book Chat as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the Rare Book Chat podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official Rare Book Chat product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by Jeremy O'Connor and Michael DiRuggiero.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts. Upgrade to Pro for 15, or Premium for 50. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
What topics does Rare Book Chat cover?
Rare Book Chat covers topics including Arts, Books, Culture, Society & Culture. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting Rare Book Chat summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.