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Who was the man behind the powerhouse pitcher? (Image courtesy of Triumph Books.)

‘Doc: The Life of Roy Halladay,’ by Todd Zolecki

What fans didn’t see

In his new biography of late Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay, longtime local baseball writer Todd Zolecki shows how even the best athletes are facing more struggles than you know. Stephen Silver reviews.

Stephen Silver

Jun 08, 2020 Articles 4 minute read

Refusing to choose a side. (Image courtesy of Temple University Press.)

‘Clowns to the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right’ by Michael Smerconish

Stuck in the middle with us

Doylestown native and national pundit and author Michael Smerconish staked his career on a middle ground in an increasingly polarized world. ‘Clowns to the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right’ collects his columns between 2002 and 2016. Pamela Forsythe reviews.

Pamela J. Forsythe

May 22, 2020 Articles 4 minute read

Noticing is more than looking. (Image courtesy of Alfred A. Knopf.)

‘The Art of Noticing’ by Rob Walker

Readers on notice

Turning off or turning on the TV is one way to get through. Rob Walker suggests something else. Gail Obenreder reviews ‘The Art of Noticing.’

Gail Obenreder

May 19, 2020 Articles 4 minute read

M. Téllez’s collection features a distinctly Philly feel. (Image courtesy of DHD Heavy Industries.)

‘Transitional Times Transitional Body’ by M. Téllez

The bond of uncertain futures

'Transitional Times Transitional Body,' a Philly-based collection of speculative fiction, lifts traditional boundaries on bodies, relationships, and the choices we make to survive. Corey Qureshi reviews.

Corey Qureshi

May 18, 2020 Articles 3 minute read

Could a better world really lie in a pill? (Image courtesy of Soft Skull Press.)

‘Oval’ by Elvia Wilk

A better pill

How should we make the world a better place? Elvia Wilk’s novel ‘Oval’ explores the pitfalls of philanthropy in present-day Berlin. Elisa Shoenberger reviews.

Elisa Shoenberger

May 18, 2020 Articles 3 minute read

A book for Black women? (Image via Viking.)

‘Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women that a Movement Forgot’ by Mikki Kendall

Is feminism the answer?

Mikki Kendall’s ‘Hood Feminism’ argues that feminism is a movement that forgot Black women. Reviewer Lindsay Gary wonders whom the book is truly addressing, and why it ignores long-established scholarship in fields like African womanism.

Lindsay Gary

May 12, 2020 Articles 5 minute read

An intimate history you never knew. (Image courtesy of Liveright Publishing Corporation.)

‘The Golden Thread: How Fabric Changed History’ by Kassia St. Clair

Looking through the loom

It touches us from birth to death, but how much do we really think about fabric? Kassia St. Clair’s ‘The Golden Thread: How Fabric Changed History’ unspools an exciting world, from mummies to spacewalks. Gail Obenreder reviews.

Gail Obenreder

May 05, 2020 Articles 3 minute read

Author Christina Rosso-Schneider and her dog Atticus Finch celebrate her debut story collection, ‘She is a Beast,’ at A Novel Idea on Passyunk. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

A Novel Idea’s Christina Rosso launches her debut book ‘She is a Beast’

Women take all

Local author Christina Rosso-Schneider’s debut is a collection of feminist fairy tales in which women fight against the “beasts” of the patriarchy—even by becoming beasts themselves. The co-owner of A Novel Idea on Passyunk talks to Kirsten Bowen about launching a book in the pandemic.

Kirsten Bowen

May 05, 2020 Articles 5 minute read

Two hundred breathtaking pages: Jacqueline Woodson’s ‘Red at the Bone.’ (Image courtesy of Riverhead Books.)

‘Red at the Bone’ by Jacqueline Woodson

Destiny beyond family

How do the past and present influence the lives of three generations of a Black family? Jacqueline Woodson’s novel, ‘Red at the Bone,’ looks at a mother-daughter relationship from a unique perspective. Andrea Smith reviews.