Reviews

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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 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
Emily Savidge

Emily Savidge

Reviews 2 minute read
Book cover: Title at top in white, over self-portrait of Sully holding a paintbrush, and three smaller framed portraits inset

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.
Gail Obenreder

Gail Obenreder

Reviews 5 minute read
The book cover. Title at center in pink, on a grid of comics showing diverse trans people in many historical eras.

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.
Rachel Bellwoar

Rachel Bellwoar

Reviews 4 minute read
The book cover. Title above in white script, with a smiling portrait of a young Wells on a floral purple background

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.
Constance Garcia-Barrio

Constance Garcia-Barrio

Reviews 4 minute read
Book cover: title in gold over a close-up photo of a woman in a navy blazer with a gold pineapple pin on the lapel.

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.

A. Lewis

Reviews 4 minute read
Book cover. Title in pink at right over an oil painting of a curious young white woman’s face under a wide-brimmed hat.

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.
Emma Riverso

Emma Riverso

Reviews 3 minute read
Title above & author below in chalky white & blue letters over a blurry image of a young man and nighttime boardwalk carnival

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.
Rob Laymon

Rob Laymon

Reviews 4 minute read
Book cover: Title & author center right on an illustration of old parchment, over an engraving of a 19th-century sailing ship

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.
Constance Garcia-Barrio

Constance Garcia-Barrio

Reviews 4 minute read
Book cover: title in large diagonally descending letters on an orange field, with illustrated eyes all around

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.
Stephen Silver

Stephen Silver

Reviews 3 minute read
Title & author over a joyful mid-century photo of a woman and 4 small children around a white-clothed table.

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.
Anndee Hochman

Anndee Hochman

Reviews 5 minute read