Reviews

693 results
Page 16
Book cover: title in white at center, over a subtle beach and ocean scene, mostly sky, at either sunrise or sunset.

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.
Harrison Tsui

Harrison Tsui

Reviews 3 minute read
Book cover: title & author appear in bottom right corner over a close-up photo of a hand holding a lit cigarette.

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.
Stephen Silver

Stephen Silver

Reviews 2 minute read
Book cover: title written large in white over an illustration of a woman stepping gracefully away from a blue snake.

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.
Jordan Cameron

Jordan Cameron

Reviews 2 minute read
Book cover: title above in chunky blue cursive; abstract swathes of blue and green frame a silhouette of a woman in a bonnet.

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.
Michael Fisher

Michael Fisher

Reviews 4 minute read
Book cover. Title in black over mountain landscape and a blue-clad person holding a lute-like instrument in the foreground.

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.
Helen Walsh

Helen Walsh

Reviews 3 minute read
Book cover: title in green and white, appearing diagonally over an image of stairs in shadow.

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.
Crystal Sparrow

Crystal Sparrow

Reviews 5 minute read

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The book cover, with a black & white collage including Black body parts, typewriter, cassette, filing cabinet, deer & figs.

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.
Emily R. Zarevich

Emily R. Zarevich

Reviews 3 minute read
The book cover. Author and title appear at top in slender letters on a white field, below 8 vintage sociology graphics.

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.

Pamela J. Forsythe

Reviews 5 minute read
The three actors, with Mientus in the middle, sing smiling together with arms around each other on a black stage with a piano

Bucks County Playhouse presents Jonathan Larson’s Tick, Tick… Boom!

A first-rate local production

Bucks County Playhouse’s Tick, Tick… Boom! tops the recent film version, with two facts hanging over any version of the show: Jonathan Larson will create the megahit Rent, and he’ll die suddenly right before it opens. Stephen Silver reviews.
Stephen Silver

Stephen Silver

Reviews 3 minute read
2 floating life-size astronauts in suits with colorful graphic patterns on them and shiny round black helmets.

Fabric Workshop and Museum presents Sonic Presence (or Absence): Sound in Contemporary Art

Secondary sounds

Fabric Workshop and Museum combines visual and audio elements for its latest show, but this installation fails visitors who want to pay sustained attention to the work. Aaron Pond reviews.
Aaron Pond

Aaron Pond

Reviews 4 minute read