Mark your calendars for local Philly author Joseph Earl Thomas, who will read from his memoir, Sink, hailed by Carmen Maria Machado as “a brilliant and fucking fearless debut.” Stranded within a family’s desperate, but volatile attempts to love and demeaned daily for his perceived weakness, Joseph Earl Thomas felt like he was under constant
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The Bucks County Book Festival announces their annual Writers Workshop on September 24th, from 9am-12pm. This year’s event is led by two published authors who are also literary agents. The topics are perfecting your pitch and query skills, and, understanding the pros and cons of the many publishing options available today. It includes an hour-long,
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Why do we still not see black Americans as having a connection to the environment? illustration by Abayomi Louard-Moore Interview by Heather Shayne Blakeslee Carolyn Finney’s book “Black Faces, White Spaces” is a must-read for anyone who wants to better understand all of the ways in which African-Americans have been prevented from owning, accessing and
MorePhoto by Jason Varney, courtesy of Running Press Spirited Away by Emily Kovach Tenaya Darlington is known for her work in cheese: She is the author of Di Bruno Brothers’ “House of Cheese” and writes the blog Madame Fromage, an online curd chronicle. Darlington, a Fishtown resident, has just released a drinks book, “The New
MorePhoto by Marika Mirren Books on Bikes Children’s librarian Link Ross won’t shush you at her next event—she’ll be asking for your library card amid the hustle and bustle of a public park, riding her mobile library. “It sort of looks like an old-fashioned ice cream vehicle,” said Ross, who rode Philly’s first Book Bike
MorePhoto by Margo Reed Open House by Emily Kovach When you step into House of Our Own, you first notice the sheer quantity of books, and the echo of history in the space. It is indeed a house, squeezed between University of Pennsylvania fraternities on Spruce Street, resplendent with Victorian architecture details: high ceilings, arched
MorePhoto by Julien Roubinet Bound by Matt Bevilacqua Behind a set of red double-doors on South Philly’s quiet Alter Street, Bridget Morris is hard at work. Her bookbinding company, Bella Forte, typically handles between three and 10 orders at a time, all of them handmade by Morris, her husband, Paul King, and two other employees.
MorePhoto by Margo Reed Anarchist Book Nook by Emily Kovach You might not expect to find a radical bookstore among the pawn shops and window displays of sneakers and jewelry on South Street. But at 704 South, there it is: the storefront for Wooden Shoe Books and Records, an all-volunteer collective that’s been a mainstay
MorePhoto by Margo Reed Kooky and Calm by Emily Kovach Ann Tetreault has always been a book lover. Her parents—both teachers—would frequently stop to peruse bookshops with their children, and Tetreault became a book collector at a young age. She studied literature in college and got her master’s degree in folk studies, going on to
Moreby Emily Kovach Entering a comic book shop can feel intimidating. Will you encounter a peevish clerk, à la the Comic Book Guy on “The Simpsons,” already and always disappointed by your plebeian lack of knowledge on the finer points of the X-Men universe? Or will it be a male-dominated space, dismissive or unwelcoming to
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