Andy Nettell: Antiquarian Bookseller - Epi. 163, Host Dr. Mark Sublette

Art Dealer Diaries Podcast

I had Andy Nettle on the podcast today. He is the owner of Back of Beyond Books in Moab, Utah; I met Andy when I was in Moab the summer hiking the Canyonlands and Arches National Monument.
Moab is amazing - both geographically and archeologically. There are so many unique early petroglyphs and pictographs from all time frames. Signs of human civilization ranging from 4000 years ago, Barrier Canyon people all the way up to Pueblo and Ute artwork only a century old. It's just a special area to spend time and get back to nature.
If you happen to find yourself in Moab, there’s a good chance you’re going to come across one of the best bookstores I've ever been into - Back of Beyond Books. Andy Nettell is focused on antiquarian books of all types, especially Western/Native American books with an emphasis on nature.
Andy was a ranger for the National Park Service for 15 years. So he really understands the naturalist sensibility that many people visit Moab for. It's a fun ride to listen to how someone can go from being a park ranger to owning a music store, then a successful bookstore. He clearly has a lot of the skill sets that are needed to do this, including business sense, but also love and a passion for education and preservation.
I think you'll enjoy this podcast if you are an enjoyer of nature or books. If nothing else, just learning about the antiquarian book business was extremely interesting to me. I do buy and sell old/rare books on occasion, but it's definitely not my specialty. Andy however is a specialist and hearing his story and about his love for antiquarian books was very enlightening.