Boston Athenæum

“If the left half of the brain controls the right half of the body then only left-handed people are in the right mind.” — W.C. Fields

Happy International Left-Handers Day! From time immemorial lefties had been persecuted, denigrated, and forced into right-handedness, until the latter half of the 20th century, when society began to tolerate (albeit reluctantly) the south paw. The science around handedness remains unclear, and a lot of ink has been split attempting to define the characteristics of the left-handed. Historically, lefties comprised individuals from a broad spectrum of human endeavor, including Alexander the Great, Michelangelo, Joan of Arc, Thomas Jefferson, Queen Victoria, Marie Curie, Helen Keller, Lewis Carroll, Gandhi, Charlie Chaplin, Winston Churchill, Jimi Hendrix, Martina Navratilova, and Bart Simpson.
It's estimated that 10% to 12% of the world population are left-handed. That statistic tracks with the Athenaeum's staff, although the preponderance work in departments dedicated to library operations.

Image credit: W.C. Fields at Micawber, copyright Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, from: Taylor, Robert Lewis, W. C. Fields: His Follies and Fortunes (New York: Doubleday, 1949).

Happy National Book Lover's Day! Of course, we celebrate this day all year long. Here is some of what our staff members are reading right now. Keep an eye out for more recommendations, posted throughout the month!

Kai is reading Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov and Until August by Gabriel García Márquez.

Nick is reading Raymond Chandler: Stories & Early Novels by Raymond Chandler, (Edited by Frank MacShane). Nick shared, "I checked this out from the BA on impulse after a member returned it. I have read two of these novels before, The Big Sleep and Farewell, My Lovely. I never read the short stories, however. What an insight into Chandler's process. Even if you are not a big mystery reader, you can still marvel at Chandler’s prose."

Not all our book talks are scheduled. They happen every day at the front desk! Audra White loves "reading in chunks" and raves about the restorative effect of page-turning all of . We recommend and and

Only at the Athenaeum: Ralph Waldo Emerson was a fixture at the Athenaeum, even in 1875. He and his daughter Ellen often snagged seats overlooking the Granary Burying Ground, (as members still do!). Ellen would try to coax him into social calls, but Emerson would frequently decline, saying that he had important things to look up at the Athenaeum. Feel free to use his excuse!

August is National Sandwich Month. Celebrate by stopping by to eat something delicious – sandwich or otherwise!

The Athenaeum will close early at 1 pm on Friday, August 2 for a staff party. Regular hours resume on Saturday.

Image: close up of "For work, for play, 3 "squares" a day: eat the basic 7 way" artist Ted Jung.
Gift of Richard W. Cheek.

The "Names of Strangers Introduced" is a unique and historically significant part of the Athenaeum's records. "Strangers" they may be, but some of these names look familiar-- on one page Ralph Waldo Emerson "introduces" Walt Whitman to the Athenaeum!

Essentially a guest book, it includes other notable visitors such as senators, artists, writers, commanders, and one king: Samuel Morse (in 1837), Washington Irving (1832, 1851), Harriet Beecher Stowe (1856), Henry James (1849), William Makepeace Thackeray (1852), Horace Greeley (1869), and King Kamehameha III of the Hawaiian Islands (1850). The Names of Strangers register started in 1816, became less consistent after the Civil War, and stopped altogether in 1883. Strange days, indeed.

A must-watch list: The Athenaeum has graced the silver screen as locations in The Bostonians with Vanessa Redgrave and Christopher Reeve (1984), With Honors with Brendan Fraser (1994), A Civil Action with John Travolta (1998), What’s Your Number? with Anna Faris (2011), and The Sleepover with an ensemble cast (2020). Starring are floors 2, 4 and 5, the Trustees' Room with the George Washington Library, bookcases, front door, staircase, and the old card catalog cabinets. Mr. DeMille, we’re ready for our close-up!

Join the Youth Writers' Circle! We meet the first Saturday of each month from 11 am to 1 pm. Ages 14-22 are welcome, snacks provided! Free for Athenaeum members or as part of an Arts & Exhibitions ticket. Email Shay at [email protected] to sign up! 📚✨"

Introducing our amazing interns on National Intern Day. Thank you for all your contributions to the Athenaeum!

Not pictured
Abby Arsenault, Children's Library Intern
Claire Gordy, Reader Services Intern
Rachel Jacobe, ILL Intern
Rachel Antonopoulos, Technical Services Intern

In honor of National Cousins Day, we celebrate Apple and Leyah - the cousins of our latest installation, Cousins! For over a decade, photographer Kristen Joy Emack chronicled her daughter and nieces, exploring the innocence and intimacy of a shared girlhood. On view through Aug 26.

New arrivals alert! 📚 These books have been added to the new books shelf, including a two-volume set on the Olympics. I'll race you to the new bookshelves! 🥇🏃‍♀️

Join us Tuesdays 5:30 - 7 pm for the rest of the summer and share in the pleasures of silent reading in community with others. Bring your own book or choose one from a selection on hand. This club is open to members and anyone with first-floor admission.

NBC 10 Boston featured our "Cousins" exhibition on the evening news. It's definitely worth a visit to see the work of .j.emack. See what Channel 10 says. https://loom.ly/vkeWqkY

‘Cousins' on exhibit at Boston Athenaeum A new exhibit in Boston tells the raw story of girls of color.

Could Boston Common's 19th century 'Telescope Man' have predicted the giant leap for mankind that was to come? Happy 55th anniversary of the first moon landing!

[Boston Athenaeum. Telescope man on Boston Common. 18--.]

Our vintage card catalog cabinet has swapped Cutter Classification for book curation. Stop by for a book or admire the charming [not quite a] relic.

Only at the Athenaeum: One ringy dingy... Alexander Graham Bell gave his first public demonstration of the telephone at the Boston Athenaeum on May 10, 1876 for members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Bell wowed the audience by transmitting music tones over the telephone with a wire running from his office down the street to what is now our Gordon Room. This demonstration was a ringing success indeed!

Many have admired the Public Garden's stately bronze George Washington on horseback, but did you know you can get even closer to George (and his trusty steed) at the Boston Athenaeum? Sculptor Thomas Ball completed his plaster study for the equestrian statue in 1858, a year before the larger statue was commissioned. Get a day pass and see them both!

Forecasters say there is a 100% chance of beating the heat wave by coming to an air conditioned library. You may even need a cardigan. Come on in and stay cool this summer.

Dive in for a beach read! Find ’s latest on our new shelves or the earlier titles among our ebooks and audiobooks!

It’s Henry David Thoreau’s birthday! 🎂 Thoreau first visited the Athenaeum's halls in 1841 as a guest of member Ralph Waldo Emerson, and later joined too. He wrote, “A library is a wilderness of books.” We couldn’t have said it better.

Only at the Athenaeum: Have you ever noticed this distinctive handwriting on bookplates or book pockets? That's the work of Gerald Frowd, a reading room assistant from 1946 to 1962. A private butler in his earlier years, Frowd had a meticulous hand. So, next time you see it, remember: the butler did it!

Join us for a special literary evening with Boston's newest up and coming young authors. On July 15 at the Boston Athenaeum, students from 's YLAB and tutoring programs will share their writing and read excerpts from their newly published book, "What If The World Needs You?" Don't miss this free event!

The Athenaeum had the pleasure of partnering with 826 Boston's Youth Literary Advisory Board (YLAB) this year. represents high school students who are writers, artist-leaders, and peer editors from across Boston. YLAB students spent the year as members at the Athenaeum, holding their meetings here, viewing items from special collections, as well as hearing from published author Desmond Hall.

Framing Freedom: The Harriet Hayden Exhibitions closed last week. We were so grateful for the over 21,000 visitors who explored the history of 19th century Black abolitionists’ public identities, private lives, visual culture, and social activism. The exhibition was made possible by our generous sponsors. Thank you , the Cabot Family Charitable Trust, , , the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, , and for their recognition of the importance of this exhibition and telling these stories.

Now that these ladies have your attention🎺🎺🎺. Have a wonderful 4th of July! The Athenaeum will be closed on the 4th of July, we resume normal hours on the 5th.

Image: "Vermont Life Magazine", The Official Publication of the State of Vermont, Summer 1948

Add a tour of the Boston Athenaeum to your summer to-do list. Get a docent-led tour of our iconic building, hear fascinating stories, and see art and architectural marvels. Bonus - see George Washington's library! To register: https://loom.ly/L162qcw

Good news bears repeating – Folio Bistro opens today (6/25)! Come on in!

Binged the latest season of already? You'll find Romancing Mr. Bridgerton among our audiobooks or you can find the whole series on our new book shelves

Commence with the festivities of midsummer! (Not to be confused with Midsomer!)

Lengthy days and (too!) toasty temperatures herald the arrival of the Summer Solstice today, calculated by the National Weather Service to occur at 4:41 pm Eastern time.

Thomas Buford Meteyard (1865-1928), Moonrise, Boscombe, [1921]. Boston Athenaeum, gift Nicholas Kilmer, 2017.