Reviews

1194 results
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And the Ancestors Sing

And the Ancestors Sing, by Radha Lin Chaddah

A Philly physician-turned-author explores the HIV/AIDS epidemic in China

In her debut novel And the Ancestors Sing, Philly author Radha Lin Chaddah tackles a sweeping multigenerational tale set in China after the Cultural Revolution, including the plasma economy and its role in an HIV epidemic. Krista Mar reviews.
Krista Mar

Krista Mar

Reviews 4 minute read
Purity Culture Recovery Guide

The Purity Culture Recovery Guide: The Shame-Free Sex Education You Deserve, by Erica Smith

Reassuring support for a sex-positive pledge

Philly-based sex educator Erica Smith brings her passion for shame-free knowledge to her new book, The Purity Culture Recovery Guide, building on her popular platform for those recovering from high-control religion. Anndee Hochman reviews.
Anndee Hochman

Anndee Hochman

Reviews 6 minute read
MOTHER TONGUE

Mother Tongue: A Memoir, by Sara Nović

“Language is love code”

Philly author Sara Nović, whose 2024 novel True Biz was a One Book, One Philadelphia pick, is back with a singular memoir exploring the world of deafness, parenting, adoption, disability, and more. Anndee Hochman reviews.
Anndee Hochman

Anndee Hochman

Reviews 6 minute read
Werewolf Movie

Werewolf Movie, by Stephen St. Francis Decky

An engaging horror novella set in South Jersey and Philadelphia

Local author Stephen S. Francis Decky combines hallucinatory haunting with a fable about Philly-area musicians who meet a supernatural monster disguised as a smooth record-label exec. Kiran Pandey reviews.
Kiran Pandey

Kiran Pandey

Reviews 3 minute read

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Parent Trip BSR 5 17 26

Parent Trip: Unexpected Roads to Form a Family, by Anndee Hochman

The beloved Inquirer column about Philly families is now a book

For nine years, writer Anndee Hochman told unexpected stories about how families came to be in her popular Inquirer column, The Parent Trip. Now many of those pieces are collected in a new book. Jill Brooke reviews.
Jill Brooke

Jill Brooke

Reviews 4 minute read
Philadelphia Quakers BSR 4 16 26

Philadelphia Quakers and the American Revolution, by Jeffrey A. Denman

Exploring the courage of pacifists and their complex Philadelphia legacy

Revolutionary-era Quakers, spurned by both loyalists and patriots, had to find their own way in 18th-century Philadelphia. A new book dives into their legacy. Rob Laymon reviews.
Rob Laymon

Rob Laymon

Reviews 5 minute read
Three Times a Mourner

Three Times a Mourner: Personal Essays on Grief and Healing, by Fredricka R. Maister

The transformations of mourning

As she explores three losses at different times in her life, memoirist Fredricka R. Maister reflects on the messy yet transformative power of facing grief in Three Times a Mourner: Personal Essays on Grief and Healing. Olivia J. B. Baxter reviews.
Olivia J. B. Baxter

Olivia J. B. Baxter

Reviews 4 minute read
Closeup on X and Johnson facing each other as if they’re arguing, wearing opulent satin 18th-century costumes.

Lantern Theater Company presents Lloyd Suh’s Franklinland

A founding father’s flawed family

The Lantern celebrates 250 with the Philly premiere of Lloyd Suh’s Franklinland, about the fraught relationship between the famous founding father and his son William. Josh Herren reviews.
Josh Herren

Josh Herren

Reviews 3 minute read
In deeply emotional posture, Schoonover leans over Espinoza lying on the ground, touching his shoulder. He touches her face

Azuka Theatre and Simpatico Theatre present Chaz T. Martin’s Class C

A timely world premiere about the loss of civil rights

A culture of distrust, fear, and dehumanization reaches a boiling point this timely world premiere production of Chaz T. Martin’s Class C. nat čermák reviews.

nat čermák

Reviews 3 minute read
FAT SWIM

Fat Swim, by Emma Copley Eisenberg

Living in a human body is like living in Philadelphia

A highly anticipated short-story collection from bestselling Philly author Emma Copley Eisenberg makes a splash for anyone who knows the messy, exuberant challenges and joys of having a body. Jordan Cameron reviews.
Jordan Cameron

Jordan Cameron

Reviews 4 minute read