PA Books: “Out in Central Pennsylvania” with William Burton with Barry Loveland

Outside of major metropolitan areas, the fight for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights has had its own unique and rich history—one that is quite different from the national narrative set in New York and California. “Out in Central Pennsylvania” highlights one facet of this lesser-known but equally important story, immersing readers in the LGBTQ […]

PA Books: Dick Thornburgh – “Where the Evidence Leads”

        Dick Thornburgh, former Pennsylvania Governor and US Attorney General, died on December 31 at the age of 88. Gov. Thornburgh served as Pennsylvania’s 41st Governor from 1979- 1987, and was known for his handling of the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in 1979. In 1988, he was appointed US Attorney General by […]

PA Books: “The Delaware River Story” with Lee Hartman

The Delaware River flows some 330 miles from its headwaters near Hancock, New York, to the mouth of the Delaware Bay. It is the longest free-flowing river east of the Mississippi and one of America’s most important rivers. Not only is it the primary water supply for New York City, but it provides clean drinking […]

PA Books: “Preserving the White Man’s Republic” with Joshua Lynn

In “Preserving the White Man’s Republic: Jacksonian Democracy, Race, and the Transformation of American Conservatism,” historian Joshua Lynn reveals how in the years before the Civil War the national Democratic Party rebranded majoritarian democracy and liberal individualism as conservative means for white men in the South and North to preserve their mastery. Responding to fears […]

PA Books: “Oscar Charleston” with Jeremy Beer

Among experts, Oscar Charleston is regarded as the best player in Negro Leagues history. During his prime he became a legend in Cuba and one of black America’s most popular figures. Yet even among serious sports fans, Oscar Charleston is virtually unknown today. In a long career spanning from 1915 to 1954, Charleston played against, […]

PA Books: “Chasing Cosby” with Nicole Weisensee Egan

Bill Cosby’s decades-long career as a sweater-wearing, wholesome TV dad came to a swift and stunning end on April 26, 2018, when he was convicted of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand. The mounting allegations against Bill Cosby–more than 60 women have come forward to accuse him of similar crimes–and his ultimate conviction were a […]

PA Books: “Philadelphia Battlefields” with John Kromer

John Kromer’s “Philadelphia Battlefields” considers key local campaigns undertaken from 1951 to 2019 that were extraordinarily successful despite the opposition of the city’s political establishment. Kromer draws on election data and data-mapping tools that explain these upset elections as well as the social, economic, and demographic trends that influenced them to tell the story of […]

PA Books: “Dead Letters” with Jessica Weible

On assignment for a small-town newspaper in rural Pennsylvania, rookie reporter, Jessica Weible, meets Joan Swigart, a creative fireball and “pioneer in print.” As the two women forge a relationship based on their passion for storytelling, Joan reveals a mystery that she had discovered years ago, but had never solved—a pile of dead letters found […]

PA Books: “Iconic Pittsburgh” with Paul King

The Steel City has boasted some of the most famous figures, landmarks and innovations in the country’s history. Pittsburgh’s past is littered with dozens of fascinating stories behind the icons that define it. Mary Schenley was the city’s biggest benefactress of the nineteenth century, gifting the site of the 425-acre park in her name, but […]

PA Books: “Tanking to the Top” with Yaron Weitzman

When a group of private equity bigwigs purchased the Philadelphia 76ers in 2011, the team was both bad and boring. Attendance was down. So were ratings. The Sixers had an aging coach, an antiquated front office, and a group of players that could best be described as mediocre. Enter Sam Hinkie — a man with […]