Keys to the City
Type: Book
As of November 2026, Keys to the City has been mentioned in one podcast episode on This American Life (Feb 2026). This American Life recommended it: Joel Kosman's stories of his life as a locksmith are in his book Keys to the City.
The Freedom of the City is connected to the medieval concept of "free status", when city and town charters drew a distinction between freemen and vassals of a feudal lord. As such, freemen actually pre-date modern boroughs. Early freedom of the boroughs ceremonies had great importance in affirming that the recipient enjoyed privileges such as the right to trade and own property, and protection within the town.
| Mentioned in | 1 episode on 1 podcast (as of November 2026) |
|---|---|
| First heard | Feb 2026 on This American Life |
| Author | Joel Kosman |
| Subjects | Memoir |
| Published | N/A |
| Genre | Memoir |
Who recommended Keys to the City?
Keys to the City came up; the most recent mention was Feb 2026 on This American Life.
What is Keys to the City mentioned alongside?
Recommended by: This American Life