Episode 3: Marx, Darwin, Smith, and Mutton

In this episode of Rare Book Chat, hosts Jeremy O'Connor and Michael DiRuggiero explore the fascinating world of rare books, spotlighting three legendary first editions: Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations, Karl Marx’s Das Kapital, and Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species. They discuss what makes these books so valuable, why Jeremy thinks Das Kapital is cheap compared to the other two, Michael's regrets about not being a shepherd, and how these three authors shaped history. Along the way, they touch on the emotional side of book collecting and the lasting influence of these groundbreaking thinkers.