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Folger Shakespeare Library: Shakespeare Unlimited

The Booksellers

Folger Shakespeare Library: Shakespeare Unlimited

Folger Shakespeare Library

Arts

4.7837 Ratings

🗓️ 7 July 2020

⏱️ 26 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The Folger started with Henry and Emily Folger, two collectors who loved books and Shakespeare and had the means to pursue what they loved. They were supported by booksellers, who make their livelihoods poring through collections of books and ephemera and bringing those items to the people who want them. "The Booksellers," a new documentary directed by D.W. Young, explores the New York rare book world in all its depth, breadth, history, and quirkiness. In it, you’ll meet Syreeta Gates, who is preserving the artifacts of ‘80s and ‘90s hip-hop; Caroline Schimmel, a pioneering collecting of women’s writing; Jay Walker, the collector behind the Museum of the History of Human Imagination; Michael Zinman, who sought out “damaged” books at a time before other booksellers understood their real value; and many other passionate booklovers. We talked to D.W. Young to learn more about the present state of this community and to find out where it goes from here. Young is interviewed by Barbara Bogaev. D.W. Young’s films have screened at festivals around the world, including the New York Film Festival, South by Southwest, and the Vancouver International Film Festival. "The Booksellers," executive produced by Parker Posey, is streaming on iTunes, Amazon, and other Video-On-Demand platforms in the US. It is available on DVD and through virtual cinema screenings. From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast series. Published July 7, 2020. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. This podcast episode, “I Loved My Books,” was produced by Richard Paul. Garland Scott is the associate producer. It was edited by Gail Kern Paster. Ben Lauer is the web producer. We had technical help from Andrew Feliciano and Paul Luke at Voice Trax West in Studio City, California.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Where do libraries come from?

0:03.3

We have an answer, and it may surprise you.

0:12.5

From the Folger Shakespeare Library, this is Shakespeare Unlimited.

0:17.7

I'm Michael Whitmore, the Folger's director.

0:24.1

Of course, libraries come from a lot of places,

0:31.8

but some, like the one that produces this podcast, begin in a very specific place. In fact,

0:40.9

you might say in cases like ours, a library begins in the heart of one or maybe two people. For us, it was Henry and Emily Folger, who loved Shakespeare, loved old books, and had the means to pursue what they loved.

0:48.2

And Mr. and Mrs. Fulger are not alone. There are plenty of avid bookbu buyers out there, each with his or her own individual

0:57.9

passion. Catering to the passions of those book buyers is a legion of booksellers who make their

1:05.3

livelihoods pouring through collections of books and ephemera and bringing those items to people who want them.

1:12.6

A new documentary is out, executive produced by Parker Posey, that celebrates this world.

1:18.6

It's called The Booksellers, and it's directed by filmmaker D.W. Young.

1:24.6

The film takes a microscopic look at the New York book buying world in all its depth, breadth,

1:31.3

history, and quirkiness. We got DW Young in front of a microphone recently to tell us more

1:38.3

in a podcast that we call, I Loved My Books. D.W. Young is interviewed by Barbara Bogave.

1:46.2

Because of COVID, I've been digging deep into my Netflix backlist of TV shows.

1:51.3

And I've dipped into this TV series.

1:53.4

I don't know if you know it called You.

1:55.8

It's a thriller that stars Penn Badgley as the owner of a bookstore.

2:01.3

And he is, of course, he's Penn Badgley, so he's young and he's hot, but he's incredibly

2:06.0

well read, and he's a sociopath.

2:09.9

Have you seen it, by the way?

...

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