Rare Book Chat cover art

Rare Book Chat

Rare Book Chat

By: Jeremy O'Connor and Michael DiRuggiero
Listen for free

About this listen

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 From historical documents to literary first editions, we'll discuss the stories behind these one-of-a-kind treasures.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.2024 Art Literary History & Criticism Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Shakespeare!
    Oct 28 2025

    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

    Show More Show Less
    22 mins
  • The Almost Not Great Gatsby
    Sep 19 2025

    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.com

    Enjoy the episode!

    Show More Show Less
    35 mins
  • Curious George Orwell and the Tony Soprano Collection
    Sep 9 2025

    When is a George Orwell signature not a George Orwell signature? Is it safe to be around a person who collects true crime artifacts? Also - there was a world record set last week and it involved the Book of Mormon... Join Jeremy and Michael as they debate the big questions in the rare book world. As always, we welcome your questions or comments at: "hello@rarebookchat.com".

    Enjoy the show!

    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.