Rob Laymon

Rob Laymon

Contributor

BSR Contributor Since May 25, 2021

Rob Laymon (he/him) is a freelance writer living in South Jersey.

Rob Laymon has long extolled the virtues of the Free and Independent State of South Jersey to anyone willing to listen and many who weren’t. He started this in hopes of better understanding and continued patience but has mostly given up.

By this Author

5 results
Page 1
This summertime destination has all the trappings of modern civilization. (Photo by Tomwsulcer, via Wikimedia Commons.)

Heading to the Jersey shore this summer? Here’s what locals want Philadelphians to know

Coexisting down the shore
Jersey shore native Rob Laymon has some tips for migrating Pennsylvanians hitting the beach this summer.
Rob Laymon

Rob Laymon

Essays 4 minute read
The book cover. The main title is in red text, with a black and white photo of the city beneath.

True Crime Philadelphia: From America's First Bank Robbery to the Real-Life Killers Who Inspired Boardwalk Empire by Kathryn Canavan

Philly's not-so-proud pioneers
Kathryn Canavan’s latest book tackles the dark and grisly side of Philly’s true crime history, but it’s also a fascinating read about the ordinary folks who have been foiling criminals for centuries. Rob Laymon reviews.
Rob Laymon

Rob Laymon

Reviews 4 minute read
Book cover. The title and author appear in white, over a black & white photo of a young Dan Rottenberg on a city street.

The Education of a Journalist, by Dan Rottenberg

The power of public discussion
As his readers already know, BSR founding editor Dan Rottenberg loves a good debate, a quest he affirms in his journalistic memoir. Longtime colleague Rob Laymon reviews.
Rob Laymon

Rob Laymon

Reviews 5 minute read
Adam & Eve are two brown-haired white people standing together in a pond, blooming lilies around them in a colorful diorama

Why a trip to Kentucky’s Creation Museum makes me worry about Pennsylvania’s future

Because the Bible says so
Nowadays, Kentucky’s Creation Museum is starting to feel awfully familiar to the Christian battleground looming in Pennsylvania, thanks to far-right politicians like Doug Mastriano. Rob Laymon considers.
Rob Laymon

Rob Laymon

Essays 5 minute read
Book cover: title at top over an illustration of a vinyl record, and da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man playing a guitar below.

Rock Music, Authority and Western Culture, 1964-1980, by James A. Cosby

The arc of rock
Civilization has always had its discontents, but few things reflect the spirit of resistance like
rock music. In this intriguing survey, local author James A. Cosby tackles a socio-political
history of rock and roll. Rob Laymon reviews.
Rob Laymon

Rob Laymon

Reviews 4 minute read