Originally published on February 14, 2022 (Episode 249)
Introduction
“Postcards,” writes Lydia Pyne, “have left an indelible imprint on the history of human communication, unmatched by any other material medium. They owe their success to the decentralization of their manufacture as well as the physical material connection they created between sender and recipient. Postcards and their digital descendants continue to be about personal connections…We recreate old social networks—old postcard social lines, if you will—with every post of a digital picture.”
In her book Postcards: The Rise and Fall of the World’s First Social Network, Pyne traces the history of postcards and the communities they created. They were never just flimsy cards with pretty pictures—they were a medium of connection, commerce, memory, and even power.
About the Guest
Lydia Pyne is a writer and historian. Her previous books include Genuine Fakes: How Phony Things Teach Us About Real Stuff.
For Further Investigation
Lydia Pyne, Postcards: The Rise and Fall of the World’s First Social Network (Reaktion Books, 2021)
💬 Listen & Discuss
Postcards connected people across distances in ways that feel surprisingly modern. How do you see the postcard in relation to Instagram, TikTok, or even email? Share your reflections in the comments below—and send this episode along to someone who treasures everyday history.
