Welcome back to another episode of Rare Book Chat, where we dive into the delightful world of historical curiosities and the sometimes grim realities behind them. This week, we have a rollicking discussion that swings from the California Gold Rush to 17th-century plague remedies, and more —because, why not?

Gold Rush Diary: We kick things off with a riveting look at a collection of autographed letters from Warren H. Porter, a gold rush miner whose tale takes a dark turn. Spoiler alert: he doesn't quite strike gold! Join us as we marvel at the narrative flair of the auction cataloger while pondering the senselessness of his tragic fate (and the cataloger's choice of words).

Quackery Chronicles: As we transition, brace yourselves for a discussion on quackery inspired by a 17th-century book on plague remedies. We challenge our own skepticism as we explore bizarre treatments, including the potential of wine and self-confidence to ward off the plague. Who knew that a tobacco enema was part of the prescription?

Civil War Diaries: As we dig deeper, we uncover Civil War diaries that paint a vivid picture of life during that tumultuous time. One diary even includes an encounter with none other than President Lincoln! We can’t help but wonder if Lincoln’s undignified moments were more than just charming anecdotes.

Moby Dick Musings: We then shift gears to discuss a rare copy of Moby Dick, debating the merits of acquiring a rebound version versus a pristine original. Join the internal struggle as we play the “what would you do?” game with book collecting.

Kafka's Secret Manuscript: Finally, we tease an exciting upcoming episode featuring a Kafka manuscript that has just hit the auction block. Intrigued? You should be!

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on today’s topics—especially your favorite quack remedies! Drop us a line at hello@rarebookchat.com and follow us on Instagram for more literary fun.

Check out our website for links: rarebookchat.com

In this episode, Jeremy and Michael discuss William Morris, wallpaper, and the birth of fantasy literature, with an analysis of Morris's influence on J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis in particular. We then play a game of what would you rather have - a spectacular copy of Orwell's 1984, or a mini-collection of dystopian novels? We also take a stab at a big question: why do we collect?

Please email us with any questions or ideas for further episodes at hello@rarebookchat.com.

The books discussed can be found in the catalog for the upcoming Hindman/Freemans book sale at:

https://hindmanauctions.com/auctions/2065-fine-printed-books-manuscripts-including-americana

And, as always, our website is at:

https://www.rarebookchat.com/

Enjoy the show!

In this episode, we explore a delightful tea party invitation that connects Charles Babbage, Ada Lovelace, and Michael Faraday. The conversation then transitions to a rare first edition from 1832, which addresses a fundamental challenge in computational theory, one so perplexing that researchers have enlisted artificial ants to help sniff out a solution. For links to the items discussed in this episode, visit rarebookchat.com.