Reviews
974 results
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The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits, by Jennifer Weiner
No-one gets you like your sister
Jennifer Weiner’s latest
novel follows two sisters from Philly who achieve pop-music stardom in the
early 2000s that leads to an estrangement in the present day. It’s a relatable
story of sisters, mothers, lovers, and the search for self. Emily Savidge
reviews

Reviews
2 minute read

Thomas Sully’s Philadelphians: Painting the Athens of America, by Peter Conn
The painter who captured Philly at the center of American culture
Notable historian, professor, and author Peter Conn reflects on Philly as the Athens of America in his illuminating and rewarding new book exploring the work of 19th-century portraitist Thomas Sully, and the city he lived in. Gail Obenreder reviews.

Reviews
5 minute read

Trans History: From Ancient Times to the Present Day, By Alex L. Combs and Andrew Eakett
An illustrated history of trans lives, from pharaohs and emperors to the present day
A new graphic novel from Alex L. Combs and Andrew Eakett tackles the vast, varied, and longstanding history of trans folks around the world, combatting the ongoing erasure of trans lives. Rachel Bellwoar reviews.

Reviews
4 minute read

Ida B. Wells: Journalist, Advocate, and Crusader for Justice, by Erica Armstrong Dunbar and Candace Buford
Courage that inspires us today
Erica Armstrong Dunbar’s latest book (coauthored with Candace Buford) explores the life of another trailblazing Black woman of American history, Ida B. Wells, making her story accessible to young readers. Constance Garcia-Barrio reviews.

Reviews
4 minute read

True Hospitality: Lessons Learned from Behind the Concierge Desk, by Jamie Cooperstein
A real-life Rittenhouse Hotel concierge shares her unexpected career journey
Debut
Philly author Jamie Cooperstein started her career as a journalist before
grasping an opportunity in the hospitality field, and she never looked back.
Now she shares the journey to finding her own niche. A. Lewis reviews.

Tomorrow Will Bring Sunday’s News: A Philadelphia Story, by Beth Kephart
A real-life Philly family inspires this novel set in the Workshop of the World
Prolific local author Beth Kephart writes her first novel for adults with this heartfelt piece of historical fiction based on Kephart’s own family in WWI-era Philly. Emma Riverso reviews.

Reviews
3 minute read

Downbeach, by Matt Overs
An anthropology of Atlantic City
In this dark picaresque of pranks and capers set in 1980s Atlantic City, Matt Overs explores a gritty and earnest coming-of-age in a unique culture one short railway from Philadelphia. Rob Laymon reviews.

Reviews
4 minute read

Kidnapped at Sea: The Civil War Voyage of David Henry White, by Andrew Sillen
Rescuing the story of a Black Civil War-era sailor
In Kidnapped at Sea: The Civil War Voyage of David Henry White, author Andrew Sillen draws a vivid picture of maritime life the 1860s, through the lens of a real-life Black teenager captured by a Confederate pirate ship during the Civil War.

Reviews
4 minute read
You Didn’t Hear This From Me: (Mostly) True Notes on Gossip, by Kelsey McKinney
Toward a unified theory of gossip
Philly journalist and media entrepreneur Kelsey McKinney, founding host of the popular podcast Normal Gossip, has expanded her gossip empire with her first book. Stephen Silver reviews.

Reviews
3 minute read

Milkweed and Honey Cake: A Memoir in Ritual Moments, by Wendy A. Horwitz
A skeptic chasing transcendence
Northwest Philly essayist Wendy A. Horwitz explores empiricism and transcendence, skepticism and ritual, moments and generations in her new collection, Milkweed and Honey Cake. Anndee Hochman reviews.
Reviews
5 minute read