Books
395 results
Page 5
Working 9 to 5: A Women’s Movement, a Labor Union, and the Iconic Movie, by Ellen Cassedy
Women workers have come a long way—but the fight continues
This book by longtime Daily News columnist Ellen Cassedy explores the roots of a modern movement for women workers’ rights—a fight that continues today. Anndee Hochman reviews.
Reviews
5 minute read
Philadelphia, Corrupt and Consenting: A City’s Struggle Against an Epithet, by Brett H. Mandel
Still crooked after all these years
In a new book that promises to infuriate and illuminate in equal measure, Brett H. Mandel traces the roots of Philly’s notorious corruption, from the days of William Penn to Bobby Henon’s 2023 sentencing. Pamela J. Forsythe reviews.
Reviews
5 minute read
The Time Left Between Us, by Alicia DeFonzo
War stories, then and now
South Philly author Alicia DeFonzo explores gripping parallel histories in her first book: her grandfather’s WWII service and the unexpected legacies pulling on her own life. Harrison Tsui reviews.
Reviews
3 minute read
Dwell Here and Prosper, by Chris Eagle
A Delco delight
The real-life diary of a stroke survivor and Philly sports lover who entered an assisted-living facility in Delaware County in the 1990s inspires debut novelist Chris Eagle’s Dwell Here and Prosper. Stephen Silver reviews.
Reviews
2 minute read
to rule the desert, by Monica Robinson
Orpheus and Eurydice in the American Southwest
This debut novella from Philly writer Monica Robinson is inspired by a story ripe for re-imagining: the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice—with a queer, Southern Gothic twist. Jordan Cameron reviews.
Reviews
2 minute read
Sign up for our newsletter
All of the week's new articles, all in one place. Sign up for the free weekly BSR newsletters, and don't miss a conversation.
blue: season, by Chris Lombardi
The gendered lines of genius
Philly novelist Chris Lombardi tackles the legacy of James Joyce—and perhaps all creative, eccentric people who have the benefit of being men—in this intricate novel, casting new eyes on Joyce’s daughter Lucia. Michael R. Fisher reviews.
Reviews
4 minute read
Songs for the Gusle, by Prosper Mérimée; translated by Laura Nagle
Folklore and fakelore
A recent translation by Laura Nagle brings the early work of Prosper Mérimée to English. Songs for the Gusle brims with 19th-century Romantic spirit while keeping a game afoot in the footnotes. Helen Walsh reviews.
Reviews
3 minute read
Street Smart x 7: A Street Smart Series Omnibus, edited by Alison M. Lewis
Stories of cities
Seven stories that were originally published individually come together in this new collection from Philly indie publisher Frayed Edge Press. The diverse collection is unified by vivid characters and urban settings. Crystal Sparrow reviews.
Reviews
5 minute read
Side Notes from the Archivist, by Anastacia-Reneé
Archives and alchemy
Poet Anastacia-Reneé might as well be a chemist: her mix of genres in this new collection is a crackling reactive substance that ranges widely without ever losing the author’s singular voice. Emily R. Zarevich reviews.
Reviews
3 minute read
A new edition of The Philadelphia Negro: A Social Study, by W.E.B. Du Bois
“One of the most beautifully written social-science books ever”
UPenn professor of sociology and Africana studies Tukufu Zuberi says W.E.B. Du Bois’s 1899 book The Philadelphia Negro is a beautifully written, essential text. It’s out in a new edition from Penn Press. Pamela J. Forsythe reviews.
Reviews
5 minute read