Books

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Book cover. Duet For One in red caps by an illustrated grand piano that is open, in red in white.

Martha Anne Toll revisits her early violist days in Duet for One

A book retracing hometown memories

‘Duet For One’ by Martha Anne Toll tells a personal Philadelphia music story. Margaret Hutton profiles.
Margaret Hutton

Margaret Hutton

Profiles 3 minute read
Book cover: title at top over a modern view of the city dominated by a brightly colored collage mural with the word FREEDOM.

Black History in the Philadelphia Landscape: Deep Roots, Continuing Legacy, by Amy Jane Cohen

A must-read for Philadelphians, and Americans

With Black History in the Philadelphia Landscape, author Amy Jane Cohen places Black history at the heart of our city while honoring Black people not as victims, but as agents and victors. Lindsay Gary reviews.
Lindsay Gary

Lindsay Gary

Reviews 5 minute read
Close-up on four stacks of colorful books of all genres.

BSR Book Week staff recommendations: Reading as resistance

Reading is a form of protest. Join us!

In honor of our third annual BSR Book Week, the BSR team offers book recommendations on a theme: reading as an act of resistance. These books inspire us, help us focus and understand the world, and even help us stay fed and rested.
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Previews 7 minute read
Kalaya BSR 6 3 25

Kayala’s Southern Thai Kitchen: A Cookbook, by Nok Suntaranon with Natalie Jesionka

An authentic yet accessible guide for home cooks inspired by Kalaya

In Kayala’s Southern Thai Kitchen: A Cookbook, acclaimed chef Nok Suntaranon shares the flavors of her award-winning Kalaya restaurant with home cooks who want to try their hand at authentic Southern Thai cuisine. An Nichols reviews.
An Nichols

An Nichols

Reviews 4 minute read
Bookstore table stacked with dozens of thick, heavy, ornately designed hardback romantasy novels.

The romantasy genre subverts women’s agency when we need it the most

Is romantasy regressive?

The new romantasy genre—a mashup of romance and fantasy wildly popular with women—is actually full of regressive themes that deny women’s agency and political stakes. Chhaya Nayyar considers.
Chhaya Nayyar

Chhaya Nayyar

Essays 5 minute read
The book cover. Title in elaborate scroll of letters over a vintage illustration of Philly, with City Hall at the center.

Philadelphia: A Narrative History, by Paul Kahan

Understanding our city’s history is key to grappling with America’s present

From the Delaware Valley’s earliest inhabitants to the “reform” movements and anti-urbanism of today, Philadelphia: A Narrative History is a window on the American experiment—especially as centuries-old attitudes persist. Pamela J. Forsythe reviews.

Pamela J. Forsythe

Reviews 6 minute read
Book cover. Title at top in black handwritten script, with a simple but evocative illustration of a blue mailbox below.

Mendell Station, by J.B. Hwang

A touching story about grief, friendship, and working-class life in the pandemic

J.B. Hwang’s debut novel, out this July, follows a woman who upends her career as she grieves for her best friend, exploring female friendship and working-class lives in the early days of Covid-19. Krista Mar reviews.
Krista Mar

Krista Mar

Reviews 3 minute read
Book cover. Title in yellow script above a 19th-century illustration of ballerinas onstage in a packed theater with 4 tiers

Theatres of the Body: Dance and Discourse in Antebellum Philadelphia, by Lynn Matluck Brooks

A charged history through the lens of dance

In Theatres of the Body, professor, editor, author, and dance scholar Lynn Matluck Brooks dives into a history of Philadelphia, and the America it influenced, through the lens of dance in the 19th century. Kimberly Haas reviews.

Kimberly Haas

Reviews 3 minute read
The book cover. Title in white letters at center, over a photo of 3 calico koi fish swimming in a lush woodland pond.

minato sketches, by Sharon White

A tsunami of musings

Temple professor and multi-genre writer Sharon White’s latest work of fiction, minato sketches, takes the reader on a rich and poetic interior journey with a woman recovering from a stroke. Crystal Sparrow reviews.
Crystal Sparrow

Crystal Sparrow

Reviews 4 minute read
Book cover: Author & title in white letters above a purple illustration of the sisters back-to-back wrapped in music notes

The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits, by Jennifer Weiner

No one gets you like your sister

Jennifer Weiner's novel follows two sisters from Philly who achieve music stardom in the early 2000s, leading to an estrangement in the present day. It's a relatable story of sisters, mothers, lovers, and the search for self. Emily Savidge reviews.
Emily Savidge

Emily Savidge

Reviews 2 minute read