The Object at Hand: Intriguing and Inspiring Stories from the Smithsonian Collections
From $18.57 / copy at 25+ copies; lower per-copy prices at higher quantities (see Volume pricing) As low as $14.98 at 1,000+
Total $464.25
Format
The more copies, the less each one costs
Applied automatically in your cart. No code needed.
Turn this order into a program
Groups that order together often pair the copies with something more. We handle the extras so you don't have to.
Bookplates, tipped-in pages, belly bands or author signatures. Subject to publisher approval.
Customization options Ship to every readerOne address, many sites or individual recipients' homes, in the US and abroad.
Fulfillment options Pair it with a branded journalJournals with your logo or each reader's name, for the same group.
Branded journals
Bring in a speaker
BookPal is partnering with Talezo to help you find and book authors, speakers and performers for your event.
BookPal × TalezoThe Object at Hand
For American history, pop culture, and museum enthusiasts
With charm and exuberance, The Object at Hand presents a behind-the-scenes vantage point of the Smithsonian collections. Veteran Smithsonian magazine editor Beth Py-Lieberman weaves together adaptations of the magazine's extensive and compelling coverage and interviews with scholars, curators, and historians to take readers on an unforgettable journey through the Smithsonian museums.
Objects are grouped into the themes audacity, utopia, fierce, haunting, deception, lost, desire, triumph, scale, optimism, playful, rhythm, and revealing to engage with the emotional dimensions of each object, how they relate to each other, and how they fit into the larger American story. A sampling includes:
- The Star-Spangled Banner
- Frida Kahlo's love letter to Diego Rivera
- Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega 5B
- Nat Turner's Bible
- An AIDS quilt panel honoring Roger Gail Lyon
- A signpost from the Standing Rock protest
- A glass-plate portrait of Abraham Lincoln
- Life-sized model of a Megalodon
- The Hope Diamond
- Chuck Berry's Cadillac
- Portrait of Henrietta Lacks
Py-Lieberman reflects on the profound connections between even outwardly dissimilar objects, and offers insight and stories from Smithsonian experts. The book explores artworks, scientific specimens, historical artifacts, airplanes, spacecraft, plants, and so much more, contemplating how each item represents different facets of humanity and resonates with cultural meaning in surprising ways. Whimsical, affecting, and insightful, The Object at Hand offers an intimate and exclusive tour of the Smithsonian collections.
Details
- Publisher
- Smithsonian
- Author
- Beth Py-Lieberman
- Format
- Hardcover
- Published
- Sep 26, 2023
- ISBN-13
- 9781588347497
- ISBN-10
- 1588347494
- Pages
- 304
- Carton quantity
- 24 copies
The Object at Hand for groups: pricing
Volume pricing applies automatically in your cart. No codes, no account needed.
| Copies | Price per copy | You save |
|---|---|---|
| 25 – 99 | $18.57 | 38% off list |
| 100 – 249 | $17.37 | 42% off list |
| 250 – 499 | $16.17 | 46% off list |
| 500 – 999 | $15.57 | 48% off list |
| 1,000+ | $14.98 | 50% off list |
Popular for
A copy for every member, on one order.
A book for every attendee, delivered to your venue.
For clients, staff, members or volunteers.
Where can I buy 100 copies of The Object at Hand?
BookPal sells The Object at Hand in quantity. At 100 copies the price is $17.37 a copy, against a list price of $29.95, and the cart applies the volume tier automatically. Free shipping on most orders over $95 in the contiguous US. A specialist can quote a larger or mixed order.
- New books only, straight from the publisher
- Volume prices apply automatically in the cart, with no code needed
- Order at least 10 business days before you need the books (11 from mid-November through December)
What does The Object at Hand cost when I buy for a group?
Volume pricing applies automatically in your cart, with no code needed. Price per copy: 25 to 99 copies, $18.57 (38% off list); 100 to 249 copies, $17.37 (42% off list); 250 to 499 copies, $16.17 (46% off list); 500 to 999 copies, $15.57 (48% off list); 1,000+ copies, $14.98 (50% off list). Need a different quantity, or a quote to forward for approval? Ask a specialist and we will confirm pricing before you pay.
How fast can I get copies of The Object at Hand?
Need them by a specific date? Request a quote and we'll confirm timing before you pay.
Can you ship to several locations or people's homes?
Yes. We ship group orders to one address, to multiple sites, or to individual recipients, in the US and internationally. See fulfillment options.
Can I get a formal quote for approval before ordering?
Yes. Request a quote and we'll send a PDF you can forward for approval.
Do you accept purchase orders and tax-exempt orders?
Yes. We accept purchase orders upon approval, as well as cards, PayPal, ACH, wire transfers and checks. BookPal is a tax-exempt supplier in all 50 states. See purchase orders and sales tax exemption.
What if I find a lower price?
Send us the link. We match prices from other booksellers and distributors on a new copy in the same edition, available to ship in the quantity you need. Clearance sales and pricing errors are the exception, and we'll tell you quickly if that's the case. Start a price match.
Write a Review
The Object at Hand: Intriguing and Inspiring Stories from the Smithsonian Collections
Groups also order
A colleague asked you to approve this order
Your quote list
Add books as you browse, then request one quote for all of them.