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2023 UPCOMING EVENTS
Offsite: March 29th, at 6:00: An Evening at The Athenaeum of Philadelphia with Photographer Will Brown: South of South Street
A dazzling love story in poems about one woman’s coming-out, coming-of-age, and coming undone. A woman lives an ordinary life in Brooklyn. She has a boyfriend. They share a cat. She writes poems in the prevailing style. She also has dreams: of being seduced by a throng of older women, of kissing a friend in a dorm-room closet. But the dreams are private, not real.One night, she meets another woman at a bar, and an escape hatch swings open in the floor of her life. She falls into a consuming affair—into queerness, polyamory, kink, power and loss, humiliation and freedom, and an enormous surge of desire that lets her leave herself behind.
Maggie Millner:
Maggie Millner is the author of Couplets, forthcoming from FSG (USA) and Faber & Faber (UK) in early 2023. Her poems have appeared in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, POETRY, Kenyon Review, BOMB, The Nation, and elsewhere. She is a Lecturer at Yale and a Senior Editor at The Yale Review.
Maggie was the 2020–'21 Olive B. O'Connor Fellow in Poetry at Colgate University, the 2019–'20 Stadler Fellow at Bucknell University, and the 2016–'18 Jan Gabrial Fellow at NYU, where she received her MFA. She is also the recipient of fellowships from Poets & Writers, the Community of Writers, the Sewanee Writers' Conference, the Disquiet Literary Program, and the Fine Arts Work Center, as well as the Robert & Adele Schiff Award, the 10th Annual Narrative Poetry Prize, and the Third Coast Poetry Prize.
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Thursday, April 20th, at 6:30
RSVP for An Evening with Joan Barasovska and her new collection of poetry, Orange Tulips
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Saturday, April 22nd, 3:00-4:30
Marni Fogelson
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April 23rd, at 4:00
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April 26th, In Partnership with The Athenaeum of Philadelphia
6:00 PM Guthrie P. Ramsey, Who Hears Here? On Black Music, Pasts and Present
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May 4th, at 6:30
Alexandra Auder
RSVP: An evening with Alexandra Auder,, author of Don't Call Me Home
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May 18th in partnership The Kimmel Center, 8:00 PM
Sasha Velour, The Big Reveal: An Illustrated Manifesto of Drag
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Thursday, June 8th 6:30-8:00 PM
RSVP to attend an evening with Emily Hund and Sara Petersen, in conversation with Jo Piazza-
Preorder your copy of Emily Hun's The Influencer Industry
Preorder your copy of Sara Petersen's Momfluenced
Preorder your copy of Jo Piazza's You Were Always Mine
Past Events:
Thursday, January 12th, at 6:30PM
RSVP for an evening with Jennifer Herrera, as we launch The Hunter, in conversation with Jo Piazza,
A riveting atmospheric suspense debut that explores the dark side of a small town and asks: How can we uncover the truth when we keep lying to ourselves?
"Herrera has a gift for drawing vivid characters and rich settings. A voicey and compelling debut that is not to be missed."--Karin Slaughter
After reckless behavior costs NYPD detective Leigh O'Donnell her job and her marriage, she returns with her four-year-old daughter to her beautiful hometown of Copper Falls, Ohio. Leigh had stayed away for more than a decade--even though her brother and a trio of loving uncles still call it home--because, while the town may seem idyllic, something rotten lies at its core. Three men in town have drowned in what Leigh suspects to be a triple homicide. She hopes that by finding out who killed them, she just might get her life back on course.Headstrong and intuitive, Leigh isn't afraid to face a killer, but she has to do more than that to discover the truth about what happened to those men. She must unravel a web of secrets going back generations, and, in doing so, plumb the darkness within herself.
Perfect for fans of Mare of Easttown, this taut debut is a haunting look at how the search for truth often leads back to the most unlikely of places.
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Please RSVP and join us for an evening of poetry led by Lauren Hilger on February 2 at 6:30.
Lauren received a BA from New York University and an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College. She is the author of Lady Be Good (CCM, 2016) and Morality Play (Poetry NW Editions, Summer 2022). Named a Nadya Aisenberg Fellow in poetry from MacDowell, she has also received fellowships from the Hambidge Center and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. Her work has appeared in BOMB, Harvard Review, Kenyon Review, Pleiades, The Threepenny Review, West Branch, and elsewhere. She serves as a poetry editor for No Tokens.
Event date: Thursday, February 2, 2023 - 6:30pm to Thursday, March 2, 2023 - 6:30pm
Event address:
Head House Books
619 South 2nd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
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Thursday,February 9th, 6:60PM
An Evening with Tess Wilkerson -Ryan, author of Foolproof
Tess Wilkinson-Ryan is a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, with a doctorate in psychology, and a Queen Village resident. Her new book, Foolproof, examines the fear of playing the fool, a universal psychological phenomenon and an underappreciated driver of human behavior; in the spirit of Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink, Dan Ariely’s Predictably Irrational, and Susan Cain’s Quiet, Fool Proof tracks the implications of the sucker construct from personal choices to cultural conflict, ultimately charting an unexpected and empowering path forward.
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Monday, February 13, 7:30, at The Perelman Theater, inside The Kimmel Center (tickets required )
Spend an evening with Antoni Porowski, Let's Do Dinner
Buy Tickets
Celebrate the season of love with Queer Eye star and New York Times bestselling author Antoni Porowski.
Grab your crush or besties and join us for an evening of sugar, spice, and everything nice with Antoni Porowski. Antoni’s trademark inclusive and accessible approach to food will inspire you to spend this Valentine’s Day season in the kitchen. He will demo recipes from his latest cookbook Antoni: Let’s Do Dinner, answer your kitchen questions about everything from simple but special post-work suppers to casual entertaining tips, and let you in on the secret weapons that get great food on the table fast.
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Wednesday, November 2, 2022 - 6:30pm to 8:00pm
An Evening with Cordelia Biddle, followed by a book signing for the just released They Believed They Were Safe
Autumn 1962 in a picture-perfect small New England college town. Mabel Gorne arrives with a single suitcase and an unsettling secret. Unlike the pampered daughters of the affluent who compose the student body, the penniless, Midwestern Mabel is an anomaly who must make her own way while outrunning a past she fervently hopes to bury.
But she's not the only person in North Chesterfield harboring secrets. As she starts graduate classes and a liaison with a local cop, she boards with a seemingly sedate couple. Little can she imagine, all possess unexpressed desires.
Will Mabel reckon with her history in time to find the loving and compassionate future she yearns for, or will the emotions her presence unwittingly sparks engulf her and those she assumed she could trust?
They Believed They Were Safe shines a light on the dark places of the human heart where sexual obsession, revenge and murder lurk.
Cordelia Biddle:
Cordelia Frances Biddle finds inspiration in the connections and correlations within history. Her prior career as a stage and television actress helps her inhabit other lives from earlier eras. Cordelia teaches at Drexel University's Pennoni Honors College. She received the 2021 Adjunct Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence. Visit: cordeliafrancesbiddle.net
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November 4, at 6:30
Nicole Angemi:
A conversation and book signing: Nicole Angemi's Anatomy Book: A Catalog of Familiar, Rare, and Unusual Pathologies.
RSVP
From “A is for Anus” to “Z is for Zygomatic Bone,” Nicole Angemi’s My Anatomy Book offers a unique anatomical manual, accessible to all, that mixes a humorous tone with academic rigor. This guide, written by “the internet’s most famous human dissector” (Vice), features well-documented medical descriptions of all the pathologies, rare and common, that can worry, fascinate, or damage the bodies of people around the world, even in the age of modern medicine. Each case is accompanied by vintage anatomical drawings and stomach-churning descriptions that will be sure to both educate and delight!
Born and raised near Philadelphia, Nicole Angemi rose to fame as a “death assistant,” working as a PA (Pathologists' Assistant). She embraced the Latin phrase mortui vivos docent, meaning the dead teach the living, and began to post about her daily life surrounded by dissected bodies. Followed on Instagram by more than two million fans, including many celebrities, she now dedicates herself full-time to her anatomy lessons on the platform
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November 15, at 6:30
Brian O'Hare: a discussion and book signing for Surrender
RSVP
In the tradition of Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried, Brian O'Hare's Surrender is a rich collection of coming-of-age stories, a journey into the heart of the American hero myth, from the Friday night football fields of Western Pennsylvania to a battalion of Marines in the Persian Gulf and beyond. But what happens when the crowds stop cheering and the welcome home parades are over? Guilt, fear, and brutality collide with love and acceptance as a diverse cast of characters struggle to reconcile mythology with reality, and to find meaning in a uniquely American chaos.
In bittersweet stories with surprising humor, the characters grapple with the choices they've made and a country they no longer understand. Written in spare and unsentimental prose, yet with a startling emotional punch, these stories, and the unforgettable characters who tell them, will live long in the reader's imagination
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ November 17, at 6:30: Taije Silverman
Join us for a night of poetry and conversation, foloowed by a book signing for Taije's new collection of poetry: Now You Can Join the Others
Taije Silverman (she/her) is the author of two books of poetry: Now You Can Join the Others, which will be published in November 2022, and Houses Are Fields, which was published in 2009. She also translated The Selected Poems of Giovanni Pascoli from the Italian with Marina Della Putta Johnston; this book was shortlisted for the John Florio Prize. Silverman's poems have been in journals including Poetry, Ploughshares, The Kenyon Review, and twice selected for Best American Poetry. She has been awarded the Puschcart Prize, the Anne Halley Prize for best poem in The Massachusetts Review, and residencies from Yaddo and MacDowell. Silverman is the recipient of a 2011 Fulbright, the Emory University Creative Writing Fellowship, and the Vassar College W.K. Rose Fellowship
Past Events
September 13th, 6:30pm at Head House Books: Elisa Gabbert Discussing Normal Distance. Please join us here at Head House Books to listen to Elisa Gabbert discuss her new book Normal Distance
Normal Distance is a book about thinking and feeling, meaning and experience, trees and the weather, and the boredom and pain of living through time.
Elisa Gabbert is the author of The Unreality of Memory: And Other Essays and The Word Pretty. She regularly writes a poetry column in The New York Times.
September 21st, 6:30 at Head House Books: April White Discussing The Divorce Colony. Please join us here at Head House Books to listen to April White discuss her new book The Divorce Colony.
The Divorce Colony reads like a novel while being the true story of four women and the struggle to proceed and obtain a divorce in the late nineteenth century.
April White is a writer who specializes in food and history. She is a senior writer and editor at Atlas Obscura, and has previously served as senior editor for the Smithsonian Magazine.
September 23rd, 7:30 at Verizon Hall: Neil deGrasse Tyson Discussing Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization. Please join us at Verizon Hall to listen to Neil deGrasse Tyson Discuss his upcoming book Starry Messenger.
"Think of Starry Messenger as a trove of insights, informed by the universe and brought to you by the methods and tools of science."
Neil deGrasse Tyson is an astrophysicist and the author of the #1 bestselling Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, among other books. He is the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, where he has served since 1996.
This event requires a ticket. For more information please click here
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October 2nd, 5:30. Dr. Ken Duckworth in conversation with NYT Bestselling Author and UPenn Professor Angela Duckworth You Are Not Alone: The Nami Guide to Navigating Mental Health,
Ken is the Chief Medical Officer of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and a professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, certified in both psychiatry and neurology. Ken grew up with a father diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was inspired to enter the field to help others with mental illness. His engaging, compassionate, and authoritative way of speaking about his work has resulted in appearances on CNN, CBS This Morning, MSNBC and more, and with this book, Dr. Duckworth will provide the public with even more information, research, insight, and advice to help people all over the country address their mental health. You Are Not Alone is the first and only book fully supported by NAMI, and is an authoritative, essential guide offering information and guidance on dealing with mental health conditions and navigating care; evidence about what works based on up-to-date scientific research; insight and advice from renowned clinical experts and practitioners; and relatable, first-person stories that articulate what the facts do not.
Angela Duckworth is co-founder, chief scientist, and a board member of Character Lab, a nonprofit whose mission is to advance scientific insights that help children thrive. She is also the Rosa Lee and Egbert Chang Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, faculty co-director of the Penn-Wharton Behavior Change for Good Initiative, and faculty co-director of Wharton People Analytics. A 2013 MacArthur Fellow, Angela has advised the World Bank, NBA and NFL teams, and Fortune 500 CEOs. Prior to her career in research, Angela founded a summer school for underserved children that was profiled as a Harvard Kennedy School case study and, in 2018, celebrated its 25th anniversary. She has also been a McKinsey management consultant and a math and science teacher at public schools in New York City, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. Angela completed her undergraduate degree in Advanced Studies Neurobiology at Harvard, graduating magna cum laude. With the support of a Marshall Scholarship, she completed an MSc with Distinction in Neuroscience from Oxford University. She completed her PhD in Psychology as a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania. Angela’s TED talk is among the most-viewed of all time. Her book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance is a #1 New York Times best seller. Angela is also co-host, with Stephen Dubner, of the podcast No Stupid Questions.
In addition to their immense mental health expertise, Ken and Angela are well-versed in taking complex topics (like psychiatry) and making it accessible, engaging, and applicable to wide audiences. Given the current mental health crisis in our country, with two out of five adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression, You Are Not Alone will be a necessary resource, and an event with Ken and Angela would offer a timely deep-dive into the fight to address this public health emergency.
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October 11th, 12:30, Russ Feingold, discusses The Constitution in Jeopardy: An Unprecedented Effort to Rewrite Our Fundamental Law and What We Can Do About It.
A former U.S. senator joins a legal scholar to examine a hushed effort to radically change our Constitution, offering a warning and a way forward. Over the last two decades, a fringe plan to call a convention under the Constitution's amendment mechanism—the nation's first ever—has inched through statehouses. Delegates, like those in Philadelphia two centuries ago, would exercise nearly unlimited authority to draft changes to our fundamental law, potentially altering anything from voting and free speech rights to regulatory and foreign policy powers. Such a watershed moment would present great danger, and for some, great power. In this important book, Feingold and Prindiville distill extensive legal and historical research and examine the grave risks inherent in this effort. But they also consider the role of constitutional amendment in modern life. Though many focus solely on judicial and electoral avenues for change, such an approach is at odds with a cornerstone ideal of the Founding: that the People make constitutional law, directly. In an era defined by faction and rejection of long-held norms, The Constitution in Jeopardy examines the nature of constitutional change and asks urgent questions about what American democracy is, and should be.
October 11th, 6:30 at Head House Books: Moriel Rothman-Zecher, in conversation Simone Zeltich, presenting Before All The World. Please join us "as thery discuss "...a mesmerizing, inventive story of three souls in 1930s Philadelphia seizing new life while haunted by the old."
Moriel Rothman-Zecher is a writer of poetry, essays and fiction. He has published two books. Before All The World and Sadness Is A White Bird. In addition to writing he is a practiced teacher, lecturer and editor. Simone Zeltich is a writer and teacher, and has established a Creative Writing Certificate Program at Community College of Philadelphia.
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PAST EVENTS
August 2nd, 6:30pm at Head House Books: Zoe Sivak Discussing Mademoiselle Revolution. Please join us at Head House Books to listen to Zoe Sivak discuss her debut novel Mademoiselle Revolution.
Mademoiselle Revolution is a story of a biracial heiress who escapes to Paris when the Haitian Revolution burns across her island home. But as she works her way into the inner circle of Robespierre and his mistress, she learns that not even oceans can stop the flames of revolution.
Zoe Sivak is historical researcher and writer whose work strives to explore famous male figures through the lens of the women beside them.
The Philadelphia Citizen Presents: Battling The Big Lie with Dan Pfeiffer from Pod Save America
Please join us at the Fitler Club Ballroom as Dan Pfeffier discusses his new book Battling The Big Lie.
Find yourself caring lately about Truth and Democracy? Are you enraged by the Big Lie, a year and a half after the January 6th insurrection?
Join us for an evening with a frontline combatant in the ongoing war to save representative democracy. Dan Pfeiffer, former President Obama aide, co-host of Pod Save America, and CNN contributor, will be on hand to discuss his new book, Battling the Big Lie: How FOX, Facebook, and the MAGA Media are Destroying America. Pfeiffer will walk us through the genesis of the right-wing media machine, and provide a roadmap for fighting back against disinformation, in conversation with Citizen co-founder Larry Platt.
Books will be on hand for sale courtesy of Head House Books.
The Fitler Club is located at 24 S 24th Street, Philadelphia, 19103
RSVP at thephiladelphiacitizen.org/events
Andre J. Buchanan Discussing "Five Part Invention" at Head House Books
Please join us here at Head House Books as Andre J. Buchanan's discusses her debut novel "Five Part Invention" with Andrea--Ona Gritz.
"Original, startling and gorgeous. Five generations of extraordinary women grapple with the mystery of inherited trauma in Andrea J. Buchanan's stunningly original new novel. As gorgeously written as a master's symphony, the story is also so immersive that I became fiercely invested in each indelible character's changing lives and their struggles with secrets, loves, losses, until love begins to trump calamity. This isn't just a novel you read: it's a miracle you live. I loved it. "
-Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of With or Without You
Conner Habib discussing "Hawk Mountain"
Please join us here at Head House books as Connor Habib discusses his debut novel "Hawk Mountain"
"Conner Habib writes with [a] hallucinatory precision, and a kind of merciless humanity, about the poisonous work of repression. His forebears--Poe, Highsmith, even classical tragedy--are clear, but his originality is clearer still. Hawk Mountain is a work of strange, glittering darkness."
-Mark O'Connell, author of Notes from an Apocalypse
April 6th, 6:30pm : Kerry Dolan, Safe Places: Stories (Juniper Prize for Fiction)
Exploring the vagaries of life, human connection, and desire, the twelve stories of Safe Places navigate the fault lines of existence. Shifting from New York and Chicago to the American West and the Australian outback, Kerry Dolan’s characters move through an uncertain and unpredictable world, confronting situations that are alternately menacing, tragic, and funny.
“Safe Places gathers up stories of menace—the dangers of other people, the toxins of modern life—and a hedging affection for place. It’s a rumination on love, on loyalty and chance, a story collection brimming with surprises and quiet insight into why we fail, why we want, what sustains us. Infidelity and
heartache, wanderlust, lust, superstition—all are here. I love the clean candor of these sentences, the buoyant generosity of this heart.”
—Noy Holland, Juniper Prize for Fiction judge and author of I Was Trying to Describe What It Feels Like
April 7th, 6:30 : Jennifer Weiner, launch of the paperback release of That Summer at Head House Books
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Big Summer and “undisputed boss of the beach read” (The New York Times) comes another timely and deliciously twisty novel of intrigue, secrets, and the transformative power of female friendship.
April 23-34 : Lisa Roberts discussing What is Good Design at the James Oliver Gallery
What do a folding bicycle, umbrella, toilet brush, and water bottle all have in common? They are examples of good design. Creatives of all ages will enjoy learning about a wide range of smartly designed, everyday objects that work well, look beautiful, open our minds to new ideas, and stand the test of time.
April 28th : Randy Rainbow, Offsite: Tickets purchased from The Fillmore Theater Playing with Myself
An intimate and light-hearted memoir by viral sensation and three-time Emmy-nominated musical comedian Randy Rainbow that takes readers through his life—the highs, the lows, the lipstick, the pink glasses, and the show tunes.
Randy Rainbow, the man who conquered the Internet with a stylish pair of pink glasses, an inexhaustible knowledge of Broadway musicals, and the most gimlet-eyed view of American politics this side of Mark Twain finally tells all in Playing with Myself, a memoir sure to cause more than a few readers to begin singing one of his greatest hits like “A Spoonful of Clorox” or “Cover Your Freakin’ Face.”
May 3rd : Alyssa Songsiridej , 6:30pm, Little Rabbit
"A darkly sensuous tale of awakening that will quietly engulf you in flames." --Ling Ma, author of Severance
When the unnamed narrator of Little Rabbit first meets the choreographer at an artists' residency in Maine, it's not a match. She finds him loud, conceited, domineering. He thinks her serious, guarded, always running away to write. But when he reappears in her life in Boston and invites her to his dance company's performance, she's compelled to attend. Their interaction at the show sets off a summer of expanding her own body's boundaries: She follows the choreographer to his home in the Berkshires, to his apartment in New York, and into submission during sex. Her body learns to obediently follow his, and his desires quickly become inextricable from her pleasure. This must be happiness, right?
Back in Boston, her roommate Annie's skepticism amplifies her own doubts about these heady weekend retreats. What does it mean for a queer young woman to partner with an older man, for a fledgling artist to partner with an established one? Is she following her own agency, or is she merely following him? Does falling in love mean eviscerating yourself?
Combining the sticky sexual politics of Luster with the dizzying, perceptive intimacy of Cleanness, Little Rabbit is a wholly new kind of coming-of-age story about lust, punishment, artistic drive, and desires that defy the hard-won boundaries of the self.
Alyssa Songsiridej is an editor at Electric Literature. Her fiction has appeared in StoryQuarterly, The Indiana Review, The Offing, and Columbia: A Journal of Literature and Art, and has been supported by Yaddo, the Ucross Foundation, the Ragdale Foundation, the Vermont Studio Center, the VCCA and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Little Rabbit is her first novel. She lives in Philadelphia.
May 12th: Jeff Nussbaum discussing "UNDELIVERED", 6:30 at the Fitler Club
A fascinating insight into notable speeches that were never delivered, showing what could of been if history had gone down a diffferent path.
Rebecca Soffer Discussing "The Modern Loss Handbook" at Head House Books
Please join us at Head House Books as Rebecca Soffer discusses her new book "The Modern Loss Handbook" with Jo Piazza
Modern Loss is all about eradicating the stigma and awkwardness around grief while also focusing on our capacity for resilience and finding meaning. In this interactive guide, Modern Loss cofounder Rebecca Soffer offers candid, practical, and witty advice for confronting a future without your person, honoring their memory, dealing with trigger days, managing your professional life, and navigating new and existing relationships. You’ll find no worn-out platitudes or empty assurances here. With prompts, creative projects, innovative rituals, therapeutic-based exercises, and more, this is the place to explore the messy, long arc of loss on your own timeline—and without judgment.
"Grief is the uninvited party guest that barges in and then never leaves. In this handbook, Rebecca doesnt just give you the tools to deal with it after everyone else has gone home; She makes you comfortable, makes you laugh, hands you the martini when you need it and provides the shoulder when you need that"
-Glynnis MacNicol, author of "No One Tells You This"
Lydia Conklin Discussing "RAINBOW RAINBOW" at Head House Books
Please join us at Headhouse Books as Lydia Conklin discusses their debut book "RAINBOW RAINBOW" with Emma Copley Eisenburg
“Lydia Conklin writes with humor and tenderness about the way we love now. Rainbow Rainbow is an impressive and beautiful collection.”
-Lorrie Moore, author of Bark
March 22nd : 6:30pm: Robert Kerbeck discusses "RUSE: Lying the American Dream from Hollywood to Wall Street" with author, Jo Piazza at Head House Books
March 23rd, Memoir Monday Reading Series at Head House
Come joing us at Head House books for the "Memoir Monday Reading Series" featuring: Cost of Living by Emily Maloney, A Fish Growing Lungs by Alysia Sawchyn, High Risk Homosexual by Edgar Gomez, Negative Space by Lilly Dancyger, and An Encylopedia of Bending Time by Kristin Keane.
Reserve your ticket here
March 24th 6pm : Association of Writers &Writing Program Conference Reading Series at Head House
Someone Had to Die by Jack Luelle, Lucky Ride by Terry Tierney, Mother/Land by Ananda Lima, 49 So Fine: A Story of Beyond Passion Pierre G. Porter, Sophia's Return by Sophia Kouidou-Giles, Becoming Doctors 25 Years Later by Paraminder Bolina, Trump Sonnets by Ken Waldman, The Clay Urn by Paul Rabinowitz, Beg No Pardon by Lynn Thompson, Birds of San Pancho by Lucille Lang Day, The Burning Where Breath Used to Be by Jen Karetncik, Count Four: Poems by Keith Kopka, and Agreg Azatyan
March 24th 5pm : David Masello presents the architecture book, Collaborations: Architecture, Interiors, Landscapes: Ferguson & Shamamian Architects at the Union League Philadelphia
March 25th, 6:30 pm :The National Poetry Series Winners Event at Head House Books
Head House books is honored to host theThe National Poetry Series Winners Event, presenting: Philomath by Devon Walker-Figueroa, Borderline Fortune by Teresa K. Miller, Requeening by Amanda Moore, Thrown in the Throat by Benjamin Garcia, Field Music by Alexandria Hall.
March 26th, 6 pm : East Coast Book Launch of Lucky Ride by Terry Tierney at Head House Books
Set in the Vietnam War era, Lucky Ride tells the story of a recent veteran, an unraveling marriage, and a hitchhiking trip steeped in hippie optimism, post-war skepticism, and drug-induced fantasy. Terry will read brief passages from his new novel and a few poems from his collection The Poet’s Garage. Share the camaraderie of the open road!
March 19, 8-9pm : Fran Lebowitz presents The Fran Lebowitz Reader at Merriam Theater on the Kimmel Cultural Campus
February 7th, at 6:00 : Dana Stevenss, Camera Man: Buster Keaton and the Dawn of Cinema at The Athenaeum of Philadelphia
February 10th, at 6:45 : Sara Manning Peskin, in conversation with Jo Piazza A Molecule Away from Madness at Head House Books
February 17th, 6pm : Future of Work Book Talk, Ready, Launch, Brand: The Lean Marketing Guide for Startups, by Orly Zeewy at Head House Books
February 22nd, 6pm : Our American Friend: A Novel, by Anna Pitoniak at The Athenaeum of Philadelphia
February 24th, 6pm: Read Until You Understand: The Profound Wisdom of Black Life and Literature, by Farah Jasmine Griffin at The Athenaeum of Philadelphia
March 1st, 6:30: Queen Village Resident George Hoffman launches his new book: Practicing Mental Illness: Meditation, Movement and Meaningful Work to Manage Challenging Moods at Head House Books
March 3rd, 6pm : The Marvels of the World: An Anthology of Nature Writing Before 1700, By Rebecca Bushnell at The Athenaeum of Philadelphia
March 10th, 6pm : The Roots of Educational Inequality: Philadelphia's Germantown High School, by Erika M Kitzmiller at The Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Wednesday, May 27th, HHB's Female Authors Bookclub discusses Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo, 7:15pm
Use the code BOOKCLUB15 at check-out to receive 15% off the purchase price of announced HHB book club books.
Thursday, May 28th, Liz Moore, Author of Long Bright River, hosted by Fitler Club via Zoom, 7:30pm
Fitler Club of Philadelphia hosts local author Liz Moore via Zoom to discuss her latest book: the instant New York Times Bestseller Long Bright River. Local (Center City area) orders of Long Bright River placed online before May 8th from Head House Books will have the opportunity to receive free delivery of a copy signed by Liz herself! To receive a signed copy, please make note that you are a guest of the Fitler Club's Zoom event with Liz Moore in the special instructions before check out here on our website.
RECURRING EVENTS AT HEAD HOUSE BOOKS
Parlez Vous Francais? Join us for a weekly French conversation! 7pm every Monday, $12 per person. Please call or email for further details.
Rhythm Babies Music Class every Tuesday at noon planned for children 4 months to 3 years old! $12 Drop-in fee OR $99 for a 10 class pass
Story Time for Little Ones every Friday at 11:15am
Book Clubs Join one of HHB's Booksellers for a book club meeting. Titles and meeting times will be posted above, as well as on the store Facebook page, Instagram handle, and in the weekly newsletter email! Get 15% off if you purchase your book club book at Head House Books.
Thursday, March 12th, Catherine Kerrison, Author of Jefferson's Daughters, 3pm at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Thomas Jefferson is among the most famous of America's Founding Fathers, but it is easy to forget that he was an actual father to three daughters: Martha and Maria, by his wife Martha Wayles Jefferson, and Harriet by his slave Sally Hemings. Head House Books will be selling books at this event at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia. For more information and to reserve a seat, please click HERE.
Thursday, March 19th, Dave Hollis, Author of Get Out of Your Own Way: A Skeptic's Guide to Growth and Fulfillment, 6pm at City Winery
Who is Dave Hollis? CEO. Husband. Father. Bronco enthusiast. And for the very first time this Spring, published author! Dave Hollis is one half of the dynamic, powerhouse duo that is Rachel and Dave Hollis. Head House Books will be selling books at this event. For more information and to purchase tickets, please click HERE.
Wednesday, April 1st, HHB Female Authors Bookclub Meeting, 7:15pm at Head House Books
The HHB Female Authors Bookclub will discuss Convenience Store Woman. Copies are available for purchase at the bookstore. All are welcome, no RSVP necessary.
Thursday, April 2nd, Leo Damrosch, Author of The Club: Johnson, Boswell, and the Friends Who Shaped An Age, 6pm at
the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Leo Damrosch will recreate a celebrated eighteenth-century London club whose members met at the Turks Head Tavern to eat, drink, and enthusiastically argue. At its center was Samuel Johnson, and thanks to his friend and future biographer James Boswell, we have unusually rich accounts of their discussions. Damrosch’s talk will also range beyond those weekly meetings to illuminate the larger careers of many of the members. Head House Books will be selling books at this event at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia. For more information and to reserve a seat, please click HERE.
Thursday, April 2nd, Bram Büscher, Author of The Conservation Revolution: Radical Ideas for Saving Nature Beyond the Anthropocene,
7:15pm at Head House Books
HHB welcomes Bram Büscher to the store to discuss his new book, The Conservation Revolution. This event is free, no reservation required, but you can let us know you're coming HERE. Conservation needs a revolution. This is the only way it can contribute to the drastic transformations needed to come to a truly sustainable model of development. The good news is that conservation is ready for revolution. Theoretically astute and practically relevant, The Conservation Revolution offers a manifesto for conservation in the twenty-first century—a clarion call that cannot be ignored.
Wednesday, April 8th, Ronan Farrow, Author of Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and the Conspiracy to Protect Predators, 8pm at the Merriam Theater
New Yorker writer Ronan Farrow has won the Pulitzer Prize for public service, a National Magazine Award, and a George Polk Award for his “indefatigable and imaginative” (Globe and Mail) reportage of some of the most important issues of our time. In late 2017, Ronan Farrow's articles in The New Yorker helped uncover the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse allegations. For this reporting, The New Yorker won the 2018 Pulitzer Price for Public Service, sharing the award with The New York Times. Head House Books will be selling books at this Kimmel Center event. For more information and to purchase tickets, click HERE.
Friday, April 10th, Dr. Jane Goodall, Primatologist and Author of Seeds of Hope, 7pm, Verizon Theater
Equipped with little more than a notebook, binoculars, and her fascination with wildlife, Jane Goodall braved a realm of unknowns to give the world a remarkable window into humankind's closest living relatives. Through nearly 60 years of groundbreaking work, Dr. Jane Goodall has not only shown us the urgent need to protect chimpanzees from extinction; she has also redefined species conservation to include the needs of local people and the environment. Head House Books is proud to be the bookseller at this Kimmel Center event. For more information and to purchase tickets, please click HERE.
Tuesday, April 21st, Lulu Miller, Author of Why Fish Don't Exist, in conversation with Maiken Scott, 6:30pm at Yards Brewing Co.
NPR's Lulu Miller, of Invisibilia and Radiolab, joins WHYY's Maiken Scott, host of science podcast The Pulse for this conversation about love, chaos, scientific obsession, and--possibly--even murder. Spend the evening with Lulu and Maiken as they talk about Lulu's debut novel, Why Fish Don't Exist. Head House Books is proud to be the bookseller for this event in cooperation with NPR aspart of the Franklin Institute's Philadelphia Science Festival. For more information and to purchase tickets, please click HERE.
Thursday, April 23rd, Chana Porter, Author of The Seep, 7:15pm at Head House Books
HHB welcomes Chana Porter to the store to discuss her debut novel, The Seep. This event is free, no reservation required, but you can let us know you're coming HERE. Reading, discussion and Q&A followed by book sales and signing by the author. A blend of searing social commentary and speculative fiction, Chana Porter’s fresh, pointed debut is perfect for fans of Jeff VanderMeer and Carmen Maria Machado. Chana Porter is a playwright, teacher, MacDowell Colony fellow, and co-founder of the Octavia Project, a STEM and fiction-writing program for girls and gender non-conforming youth from underserved communities. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, and is currently at work on her next novel.
Wednesday, April 29th, Kevin Whitehead, Author of Play the Way You Feel: The Essential Guide to Jazz Stories on Film, 7pm at WHYY
WHYY welcomes Fresh Air Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead to celebrate the release of his new book, Play the Way You Feel: The Essential Guide to Jazz Stories on Film, which features in-depth looks at films across the last century. Head House Books will be selling books at this event. For more information and to purchase tickets, please click HERE.
Wednesday, March 4th, Female Authors Bookclub Meeting, 7:15pm at Head House Books
The HHB Female Authors Bookclub will discuss I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter. Copies are available for purchase at the bookstore. All are welcome, no RSVP necessary.
Friday, March 6th, Special Storytime Guest Erin McGill, Author and Illustrator, 11am at Head House Books
HHB welcomes author and illustrator Erin McGill to the store as our special guest for our weekly story time! This event is free, no reservation required, but you can let us know you're coming HERE. We are excited to see you and your young reader there! Erin will share stories from her books, Matchy Matchy and I Do Not Like That Name, as well as offer a craft activity for all ages. Erin McGill is from New York. She spent much of her childhood taking zoo classes at the Bronx Zoo. After realizing that becoming a zoologist required too much science, she decided she would rather draw the animals. She received a BFA in illustration at Pratt Institute, where she discovered her love of patterns, textiles, and collage. Erin McGill creates greeting cards, toys and wearable art based on her drawings. Erin loves balloons, swimming, reading, cacti, gardening, watching dogs, feeding pigeons, cooking, and doodling in her sketchbook. Learn more about Erin at www.erinmcgill.com
Wednesday, March 11th, Jen Manion, Author of Liberty's Prisoners: Carceral Culture in Early America, 5:30pm at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
What is the purpose of punishment? This question is as urgent now as it was over two hundred years ago when Pennsylvania elites debated the principles that would define and justify their carceral regime when they transformed Walnut Street Jail into Walnut Street Prison in 1790. Head House Books will be selling books at this event at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia. For more information and to reserve a seat, please click HERE.
January 28, Kate Murphy, author of You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters, 7:15pm at Head House Books
HHB welcomes New York Times contributor Kate Murphy to the store for the Philadelphia launch of her new book. In this always illuminating and often humorous deep dive, Murphy explains why we’re not listening, what it’s doing to us, and how we can reverse the trend. She makes accessible the psychology, neuroscience, and sociology of listening while also introducing us to some of the best listeners out there. This event is free, no RSVP required.
January 30, Christy Harrison (Anti-Diet) in conversation with Caroline Dooner (The F*ck It Diet), 7:15pm at Head House Books
Christy Harrison launches her new book, Anti-Diet: Reclaim Your Time, Money, Well-Being, and Happiness Through Inuitive Eating. She will be in conversation with Caroline Dooner, local author of The F*ck It Diet. The event is free, no RSVP necessary.
February 5, Female Authors Book Club Meeting, 7:15pm at Head House Books
HHB's Female Authors Book Club will discuss Anissa Gray's The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls. Copies are available for purchase at the bookstore. All are welcome, no RSVP necessary.
February 10, Darlene Cavalier, author of The Field Guide to Citizen Science: How You Can Contribute to Scientific Research and Make A Difference, 7:15pm at Head House Books
HHB welcomes local science advocate Darlene Cavalier to the store to discuss her new book. Citizen science is the public involvement in the discovery of new scientific knowledge. A citizen science project can involve one person or millions of people collaborating towards a common goal. It is an approachable and inclusive movement, making it an excellent option for anyone looking for ways to get involved and make a difference. The Field Guide to Citizen Science provides everything you need to get started.
February 12, Sarah Kozloff, author of A Queen in Hiding, 7:15pm at Head House Books
HHB welcomes debut author Sarah Kozloff offers a breathtaking and cinematic epic fantasy of a ruler coming of age in A Queen in Hiding first in the quartet of The Nine Realms series. Orphaned, exiled and hunted, Cerulia, Princess of Weirandale, must master the magic that is her birthright, become a ruthless guerilla fighter, and transform into the queen she is destined to be. Sarah Kozloff holds an Endowed Chair as a professor of film history at Vassar College. She worked in the film industry in both television and film before becoming a professor.
January 13, Eric Nuzum, author of Make Noise: A Creator's Guide to Podcasting and Great Audio Storytelling, at South Philadelphia Library, 6:30pm
HHB will be selling books at this event. A talk and Q&A with Eric Nuzum will be followed by a 7:45 p.m. book sales and signing at South Philadelphia Tap Room.
December 10, The Philadelphia Citizen's 2nd Annual Ideas We Should Steal Festival
Head House Books will be the seller for this annual day-long event hosted by the Philadelphia Citizen. Stay tuned for details!
January 8th, the Female Authors Book Club will discuss Eowyn Ivey's The Snow Child, 7:15pm at Head House Books
In this magical debut -- a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize -- a couple's lives are changed forever by the arrival of a little girl, wild and secretive, on their snowy doorstep.
November 6, Andy Greenberg, author of Sandworm: A New Era of Cyberwar and the Hunt for the Kremlin's Most Dangerous Hackers, at Head House Books, 7:00 pm
From Wired senior writer Andy Greenberg comes the true story of the desperate hunt to identify and track an elite team of Russian agents bent on digital sabotage. Join us at Head House Books for a discussion with the author.
November 6, Samin Nosrat, author of the cookbook Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, at the Academy of Music, 7:30pm, Tickets Here
Head House Books will be the seller of Nosrat's acclaimed cookbook and Netflix series of the same title. See here for event details!
November 10, Henry Hitz, author of Squirrels in the Wall in conversation with Suzanne McConnell, author of Pity the Reader: On Writing at Head House Books, 2pm
Squirrels in the Wall--a novel told in stories by a collection of interspecies voices--presents a unique and darkly hilarious blend of human and animal perspectives in a single setting on a Wisconsin lake. The stories provide a kaleidoscope of heartbreak among both human and animal characters as they confront abuse and death. Pity the Reader details the art and craft of writing by one of the few grandmasters of American literature, a bonanza for writers and readers written by Kurt Vonnegut's former student, Suzanne McConnell. Join us for a discussion on the art of dark humor in writing between these two fabulous authors!
October 21, Womxn Authors Book Club will discuss A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki, at Head House Books, 7:30pm
Nao, a suicidal Japanese girl, postpones her death as she grows closer to her 104-year-old great-grandmother, a Buddhist nun. Ruth, an American author with writer's block, discovers a diary washed ashore on her remote island in the Pacific Northwest. Ruth becomes obsessed with Nao and her diary, and readers will be drawn in as their stories intertwine. A brilliant, unforgettable novel from bestselling author Ruth Ozeki—shortlisted for the Booker Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award.
October 23, Pauline Knaeble Williams, author of Night Shade, at Head House Books, 7:15pm
Meet local author Pauline Knaeble Williams as she reads from her new novel, Night Shade, which takes place in Society Hill in 1850's Philadelphia. Night Shade takes place in Society Hill, Philadelphia in the 1850's. Early one summer morning, as Penny McGinty leans over a cookstove in a sweltering Philadelphia kitchen on Pine Street, a knock from a slender fist upon the back door interrupts the hum of insects hovering in the yard's overgrown garden. At first, nobody will recognize the sound of the knock for anything more than it is. Penny McGinty opens the door and invites the traveler inside. Thus begins Night Shade, a story of awakening, sacrifice, and struggle as the conflict for the nation's soul looms.
October 29, Rachel Wharton and Kimberly Ellen Hall, author and illustrator of American Food: A Not-So-Serious History, at Head House Books, 7:15pm
Local illustrator Kimberly Ellen Hall and New York author Rachel Wharton have teamed to create a beautiful and quirky history of American food, including some Philly favorites. Join us for their Philadelphia book launch.
November 2, Lydia Nichols, illustrator of My Shape is Sam, at Head House Books, 11:00 am
Join us for a Story Time and activities with Lydia Nichols, illustrator of My Shape is Sam. With playful imagery, this story considers identity and nonconformity through the eyes of Sam, a square struggling to find his true place in a world of circles!
September 28, Mighty Writers MightyFest, at Aviator Park, 10am--4pm
We are excited to be selling books for the 2nd Annual Might Writers Writer Fest. Find more details here!
September 26, John James, author of The Milk Hours: Poems, in conversation with Grady Chambers, at Head House Books, 7:30pm
John James is the author of The Milk Hours, selected by Henri Cole as the winner of the second annual Max Ritvo Poetry Prize, published by Milkweed Editions in June 2019. His poems appear in Boston Review, Kenyon Review, Gulf Coast, Poetry Northwest, Best American Poetry 2017, and elsewhere. James will be in conversation with Grady Chambers, author of North American Stadiums the winner of the inaugural Max Ritvo Poetry Prize. This event is co-hosted by Blue Stoop.
September 5-22, Head House Books Pop-Up at Cherry Street Pier
Head House Books is hosting a pop-up story in collaboration with FringeArts to celebrate the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Catch us in our pop-up location at Cherry Street Pier Thursday-Sundays during the duration of the Fringe Festival to view titles relating to the performances.
September 17, Nathaniel Popkin, author of The Year of the Return, Book Launch Party at Brandywine Workshop, 5pm
Set against the backdrop of 1976 Philadelphia, The Year of the Return follows the path of two families, the Jewish Silks and African American Johnsons, as they are first united by marriage and then by grief, turmoil, and the difficult task of trying to live in an America failing to live up to its ideals.Nathaniel Popkin unveils a vivid tapestry woven from the conjoined histories of two American families.
September 17, Jen Pastiloff, author of On Being Human: A Memoir of Waking Up, Living Real, and Listening Hard, at Head House Books, 7:15pm
In her memoir, Pastiloff explores how thirteen years of waitressing in West Hollywood taught her to seek out unexpected beauty, how hearing loss taught her to listen fiercely, and how being vulnerable allowed her to find love and happiness. She shares the transformative experiences and challenges that have shaped her into the resilient woman she is today, including losing her father at an early age, living with an eating disorder, anxiety, and depression, accepting her hearing loss, discovering how yoga, writing, and human connection can facilitate healing, and learning to believe in herself and her ability to help others.
June 6, Live taping of Freakonomics with Angela Duckworth and Stephen Dubner, at the Kimmel Center, 7:30 pm, Tickets here
Freakonomics is a groundbreaking collaboration between Steven Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, an award-winning author and journalist. They set out to explore the inner workings of a crack gang, the truth about real estate agents, the secrets of the Ku Klux Klan, and much more. Through forceful storytelling and wry insight, they show that economics is, at root, the study of incentives--how people get what they want or need, especially when other people want or need the same thing.
In her instant, multi-month New York Times bestseller, Angela Duckworth shows anyone striving to succeed that the secret to outstanding achievement is not talent, but a special blend of passion and persistence she calls “grit.” She takes us into the field to visit cadets struggling through their first days at West Point, teachers working in some of the toughest schools, and young finalists in the National Spelling Bee. She also mines fascinating insights from history and shows what can be gleaned from modern experiments in peak performance. Finally, she shares what she’s learned from interviewing dozens of high achievers—from JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon to New Yorker cartoon editor Bob Mankoff to Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll.
June 6, Diane Dewey, author of Fixing the Fates, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
The secrets, lies, and layers of deception about Diane Dewey's origins were meant for her protection--but eventually, they imploded. Living with her family in suburban Philadelphia, Diane had grown up knowing she was born in Stuttgart and adopted at age one from an orphanage. She'd been told her biological parents were dead. Then, in 2002, when she was forty-seven years old, Diane got a letter from Switzerland: her biological father, Otto, wanted to bring her into his life. With that, her world shifted on its axis.
June 7, Anna Pitoniak, author of Necessary People, at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Set against the fast-paced backdrop of TV news, Necessary People is a propulsive work of psychological suspense about ambition and privilege, about the thin line between friendship and rivalry, about the people we need in our lives--and the people we don't.
June 12, Jennifer Weiner, author of Mrs. Everything, at Head House Books, 1:00 pm
From our neighbor Jennifer Weiner, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Who Do You Love and In Her Shoes comes a smart, thoughtful, and timely exploration of two sisters’ lives from the 1950s to the present as they struggle to find their places—and be true to themselves—in a rapidly evolving world. Mrs. Everything is an ambitious, richly textured journey through history—and herstory—as these two sisters navigate a changing America over the course of their lives.
June 14, Jay Wexler, author of Our Non-Christian Nation, at Head House Books, 7:15 pm
In Our Non-Christian Nation, Jay Wexler travels the country to engage the non-Christians who have called on us to maintain our ideals of inclusivity and diversity. With his characteristic sympathy and humor, he introduces us to the Summum and their Seven Aphorisms, a Wiccan priestess who would deck her City Hall with a pagan holiday wreath, and other determined champions of free religious expression.
June 26, Laura Sibson, author of The Art of Breaking Things, and Alexandra Villasante, author of The Grief Keeper, in conversation about young adult fiction, 7:00 pm
The Art of Breaking Things: Weekends are for partying with friends while trying to survive the mindnumbingness that is high school. The countdown to graduation is on, and Skye has her sights set on escaping to art school and not looking back. But her party-first-ask-questions-later lifestyle starts to crumble when her mom rekindles her romance with the man who betrayed Skye's boundaries when he was supposed to be protecting her. With the help of her best friend and the only boy she's ever trusted, Skye might just find the courage she needs to let her art speak for her when she's out of words. After years of hiding her past, she must become her own best ally.
The Grief Keeper: Seventeen-year-old Marisol has always dreamed of being American, learning what Americans and the US are like from television and Mrs. Rosen, an elderly expat who had employed Marisol's mother as a maid. But she never pictured fleeing her home in El Salvador under threat of death and stealing across the US border as "an illegal." With truly no options remaining, Marisol jumps at an unusual opportunity to stay in the United States. She's asked to become a grief keeper, taking the grief of another into her own body to save a life. It's a risky, experimental study, but if it means Marisol can keep her sister safe, she will risk anything. The Grief Keeper is a tender tale that explores the heartbreak and consequences of when both love and human beings are branded illegal.
July 3, Female Authors Book Club will discuss Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson, 7:00 pm
Winner of the Whitbread Prize for best first fiction, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is a coming-out novel from Winterson, the acclaimed author of The Passion and Sexing the Cherry. The narrator, Jeanette, cuts her teeth on the knowledge that she is one of God's elect, but as this budding evangelical comes of age, and comes to terms with her preference for her own sex, the peculiar balance of her God-fearing household crumbles. All are welcome; 15% off the book in the store for those buying for the book club.
July 11, Catherine Chung, author of Forgotten Country and The Tenth Muse, in conversation with Jessmine Chan, Head House Books, 7:30 pm
In The Tenth Muse, Catherine Chung offers a gorgeous, sweeping tale about legacy, identity, and the beautiful ways the mind can make us free.
July 31, Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb, authors of Meet Me in Monaco, at the Philadelphia City Institute Library, 6:30 pm
Set in the 1950s against the backdrop of Grace Kelly’s whirlwind romance and unforgettable wedding to Prince Rainier of Monaco, New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb take the reader on an evocative sun-drenched journey along the Côte d’Azur in this page-turning novel of passion, fate and second chances...
June 2, Elizabeth Bergeland, illustrator of Being Edie is Hard Today, for a Story Time at Head House Books, 10:00 am
Join us for a story time for kids ages 4-8 to celebrate the publication of Being Edie is Hard Today, illustrated by Elizabeth Bergeland. This warm and tender story about being yourself--even when you're sad, anxious, or feeling lonely--reminds readers that human connection is essential, tears can heal, and a new day is always coming.
May 29, Female Authors Book Club will discuss Homesick for Another World by Ottessa Moshfegh, 7:00 pm
Moshfegh quickly established herself as an important new voice in the literary world, and her concerns for those isolated not only in the margins of society but within the physical confines of the body itself mirrored the work of brilliant predecessors like Mary Gaitskill, Christine Schutt and, in some ways, Eileen Myles. Homesick for Another World continues that exploration but with a wider range, over a larger landscape. All are welcome; 15% off the book in the store for those buying for the book club.
May 23, Madeline Miller, author of Circe, at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia, 5:30 pm, More information here
"A bold and subversive retelling of the goddess's story," this #1 New York Times bestseller is "both epic and intimate in its scope, recasting the most infamous female figure from the Odyssey as a hero in her own right" (Alexandra Alter, The New York Times).
May 21, Shalini Shankar, author of Beeline: What Spelling Bees Reveal about Generation Z's New Path to Success, in conversation with Malcolm Harris
An anthropologist uses spelling bees as a lens to examine the unique and diverse traits of Generation Z--and why they are destined for success
May 16, Cristina Mittermeier, author of Sublime Nature, at the Merriam Theatre, 8:00 pm, Tickets here
This inspiring book of landscape photography from National Geographic captures the beauty of nature in all its breathtaking variations.
May 9, Lorene Cary, author of Ladysitting, at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia, 3:00 pm
In Ladysitting, Cary captures the ruptures, love, and, perhaps, forgiveness that can occur in a family as she bears witness to her grandmother's 101 vibrant years of life
May 9, Carrie Callaghan, author of A Light of Her Own, and Jane Rosenberg LaForge, author of The Hawkman, in conversation about historical fiction, 7:30 pm
A Light of Her Own: Judith is a painter, dodging the law and whispers of murder to try to become the first woman admitted to the Haarlem painters guild. Maria is a Catholic in a country where the faith is banned, hoping to absolve her sins by recovering a lost saint's relic. Both women's destinies will be shaped by their ambitions, running counter to the city's most powerful men, whose own plans spell disaster. A vivid portrait of a remarkable artist, A Light of Her Own is a richly-woven story of grit against the backdrop of Rembrandt and an uncompromising religion.
The Hawkman: Set against the shattering events of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, at the tale's heart are an American schoolteacher--dynamic and imaginative--and an Irish musician, homeless and hated--who have survived bloodshed, poverty, and sickness to be thrown together in an English village. Together they quietly hide from the world in a small cottage.
May 8, Jill Biden, author of Where The Light Enters, at Suzanne Roberts Theater, 7:00 pm
An intimate look at the traditions, resilience, and love that built the Biden family, and the delicate balancing act of the woman at its center.
April 23, Female Authors Book Club will discuss Eloquent Rage by Brittany Cooper, 7:00 pm
A dissertation on black women's pain and possibility; an autobiography of a black woman's complicated dance with feminism, overcoming otherness as a big black girl in a skinny-white-girl world, her mother's triumph over violence, and her own journey from disappointment to black joy. Eloquent rage keeps us all honest and accountable. It reminds women that they don’t have to settle for less. All are welcome; 15% off the book in store for those buying for the book club.
April 25, Caitlin Bruce, author of Painting Publics, in conversation with Wit Lopez at Head House Books, 7:00 pm
Public art is a form of communication that enables spaces for encounters across difference. These encounters may be routine, repeated, or rare, but all take place in urban spaces infused with emotion, creativity, and experimentation. In Painting Publics, Caitlin Bruce explores how various legal graffiti scenes across the United States, Mexico, and Europe provide diverse ways for artists to navigate their changing relationships with publics, institutions, and commercial entities.
April 18, Aaron Shulman, author of The Age of Disenchantments, at Roxy Theater, 7:00 pm
A gripping narrative history of Spain’s most brilliant and troubled literary family—a tale about the making of art, myth, and legacy—set against the upheaval of the Spanish Civil War and beyond.
April 8, Duncan Ryuken Williams, author of American Sutra, at Presbyterian Historical Society, More information here
This groundbreaking history tells the little-known story of how, in one of our country's darkest hours, Japanese Americans fought to defend their faith and preserve religious freedom.
April 7, David Sanders, author of Busara Road, at Head House Books, 5:30 pm
A tale of adventure and discovery in newly independent Kenya as an American Quaker boy comes of age in a troubled nation coming of age itself.
April 3, Timothy Lombardo, author of Blue-Collar Conservatism, at Northeast Regional Library, 6:00 pm
Based on extensive archival research, and with an emphasis on interrelated changes to urban space and blue-collar culture, Blue-Collar Conservatism challenges the familiar backlash narrative, instead contextualizing blue-collar politics within postwar urban and economic crises.
April 3, Austin Kleon, author of Keep Going, at Philadelphia Brewing Company, 6:00 pm
In his previous books—Steal Like an Artist and Show Your Work!, New York Times bestsellers with over a million copies in print combined—Austin Kleon gave readers the key to unlock their creativity and then showed them how to share it. Now he completes his trilogy with his most inspiring work yet. Keep Going gives the reader life-changing, illustrated advice and encouragement on how to stay creative, focused, and true to yourself in the face of personal burnout or external distractions.
April 3, Nancy Maclean, United Association for Labor Education Conference, More information here
An explosive exposé of the right’s relentless campaign to eliminate unions, suppress voting, privatize public education, stop action on climate change, and alter the Constitution.
March 30, Caroline Dooner, author of The F*ck It Diet, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
From comedian and ex-diet junkie Caroline Dooner, an inspirational guide that will help you stop dieting, reboot your relationship with food, and regain your personal power. Irreverent and empowering, The F*ck It Diet is call to arms for anyone who feels guilt or pain over food, weight, or their body. It’s time to give up the shame and start thriving. Welcome to the F*ck It Diet. Let’s Eat.
March 28, Female Authors Book Club will discuss Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday, 7:00 pm
Told in three distinct and uniquely compelling sections, Asymmetry explores the imbalances that spark and sustain many of our most dramatic human relations: inequities in age, power, talent, wealth, fame, geography, and justice. All are welcome; 15% off the book in store for those buying for the book club.
March 28, Resistance Reading Book Club will discuss Heavy by Kiese Laymon, 7:00 pm
In this powerful, provocative, and universally lauded memoir—winner of the Andrew Carnegie Medal and finalist for the Kirkus Prize—genre-bending essayist and novelist Kiese Laymon “provocatively meditates on his trauma growing up as a black man, and in turn crafts an essential polemic against American moral rot” (Entertainment Weekly).
March 26, New Fiction Book Club discusses A State of Freedom by Neel Mukherjee, 7:00 pm
A State of Freedom wrests open the central, defining events of our century: displacement and migration. Five characters, in very different circumstances--from a domestic cook in Mumbai to a vagrant and his dancing bear--find out the meanings of dislocation and the desire to get more out of life.
March 21, Megan Griswold, author of The Book of Help, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
The Book of Help traces one woman’s life-long quest for love, connection, and peace of mind. A heartbreakingly vulnerable and tragically funny memoir-in-remedies, Megan Griswold’s narrative spans four decades and six continents –– from the glaciers of Patagonia and the psycho-tropics of Brazil, to academia, the Ivy League, and the study of Eastern medicine.
March 17, Joe Biel, author of A People's Guide to Publishing, at Head House Books, 5:00 pm
This book is equally useful to publishing beginners looking for a realistic overview of the process and for already practicing publishers seeking a deeper understanding of accounting principles, ways to bring their books to new audiences, and how to advance their mission in a changing industry.
March 13, Joan Mellon, author of Blood in the Water, at the City Institute Library, 6:30 pm
Presents evidence suggesting collusion between US and Israeli intelligence in the attack on a US naval surveillance vessel during the Six-Day War and the more than fifty-year long cover-up.
March 9 & 10, Various Titles, The Philadelphia Travel & Adventure Show, at the Pennsylvania Covnention Center
We will be selling a variety of travel-related titles at this year's Philadelphia Travel & Adventure Show. Find out more about the event here and come visit us and check out our selection!
March 4, Ijeoma Oluo, author of So You Want to Talk About Race, Women's Way Book Prize, 5:30 pm
In this New York Times bestseller, Ijeoma Oluo explores the complex reality of today's racial landscape--from white privilege and police brutality to systemic discrimination and the Black Lives Matter movement--offering straightforward clarity that readers need to contribute to the dismantling of the racial divide.
February 27, Laura Little, author of Guilty Pleasures: Comedy and Law in America, at City Institute Library, 6:30 pm
In Guilty Pleasures, legal scholar Laura Little provides a multi-faceted account of American law and humor, looking at constraints on humor (and humor's effect on law), humor about law, and humor in law. In addition to interspersing amusing episodes from the legal world throughout the book, the book contains 75 New Yorker cartoons about lawyers and a preface by Bob Mankoff, the cartoon editor for the New Yorker.
February 26, New Fiction Book Club will discuss New People by Danzy Senna, 7:00 pm
Heartbreaking and darkly comic, New People is a bold and unfettered page-turner that challenges our every assumption about how we define one another, and ourselves.
February 24, Jonathan Santlofer, author of The Widower's Notebook, at St. Peter's Church, 10:00 am
Written with unexpected humor and great warmth, The Widower's Notebook is a portrait of a marriage, an account of the complexities of finding oneself single again after losing your spouse, and a story of the enduring power of familial love.
February 22, Steven Ujifusa, author of Barons of the Sea, at the Philadelphia Club
Elegantly written and meticulously researched, Barons of the Sea is a riveting tale of innovation and ingenuity that “takes the reader on a rare and intoxicating journey back in time” (Candice Millard, bestselling author of Hero of the Empire), drawing back the curtain on the making of some of the nation’s greatest fortunes, and the rise and fall of an all-American industry as sordid as it was genteel.
February 19, Jessica Chiccehitto Hindman, author of Sounds Like Titanic, in conversation with Paul Lisicky
When aspiring violinist Jessica Chiccehitto Hindman lands a job with a professional ensemble in New York City, she imagines she has achieved her lifelong dream. But the ensemble proves to be a sham. When the group "performs," the microphones are never on. Instead, the music blares from a CD. The mastermind behind this scheme is a peculiar and mysterious figure known as The Composer, who is gaslighting his audiences with music that sounds suspiciously like the Titanic movie soundtrack. On tour with his chaotic ensemble, Hindman spirals into crises of identity and disillusionment as she "plays" for audiences genuinely moved by the performance, unable to differentiate real from fake. Sounds Like Titanic is a surreal, often hilarious coming-of-age story. Hindman writes with precise, candid prose and sharp insight into ambition and gender, especially when it comes to the difficulties young women face in a world that views them as silly, shallow, and stupid. Paul Lisicky is the author of The Narrow Door (a New York Times Editors' Choice), Unbuilt Projects, The Burning House, Famous Builder, and Lawnboy. His work has appeared in The Atlantic, BuzzFeed, Conjunctions, Fence, The New York Times, Ploughshares, Tin House, and in many other magazines and anthologies.
February 12, The Geography Lady will be back at Head House Books at 3:45 for a visit to FRANCE!
School-age kids are invited to join us and The Geography Lady after school on the 12th for an exciting exploration of everything France. Music, books, snacks, and more! $15 drop-in, no need to RSVP or pre-register.
February 7, David Traub, author of Discovering Philadelphia, Places Little Known, at The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, 5:30 pm
Discovering Philadelphia: Places Little Known is a collection of unfamiliar photographs taken and assembled with descriptive captions by local architect David S. Traub. The book covers seven geographic areas: Philadelphia's historical district in the central city; South Philadelphia; North Philadelphia; West and Southwest Philadelphia; Northwest Philadelphia; the River Wards of Fishtown, Port Richmond and Bridesburg; and the largely suburban-like district of Northeast Philadelphia.
January 24, Dr. Alicia Cark, author of Hack Your Anxiety, at Head House Books, 7:00 pm
In this revolutionary new book, Dr. Alicia H. Clark recognizes anxiety as an unsung hero in the path to success and well-being. Anxiety is a powerful motivating force that can be harnessed to create a better you, if you've got the right tools. Hack Your Anxietyprovides a road map to approach anxiety in a new --and empowering -- light.
January 22, Book Club Discussion of Milkman, Head House Books, 7:00 pm
January 17, Terry Virts, author of View From Above, at Merriam Theater, 8:00 pm. More information here.
A NASA astronaut and distinguished space photographer who spent more than seven months off the planet presents the infinite wonder of his astonishing aerial images of Earth, along with captivating tales of life at the edge of the atmosphere.
January 10, Bob Woodward, author of Fear, at the Merriam Theater, 7:30 pm. More information here.
With authoritative reporting honed through eight presidencies from Nixon to Obama, author Bob Woodward reveals in unprecedented detail the harrowing life inside President Donald Trump’s White House and precisely how he makes decisions on major foreign and domestic policies. Woodward draws from hundreds of hours of interviews with firsthand sources, meeting notes, personal diaries, files and documents. The focus is on the explosive debates and the decision-making in the Oval Office, the Situation Room, Air Force One and the White House residence.
January 10, Mike Solomonov and Steve Cook, authors of Israeli Soul, at Hungry Pigeon, 6:00 pm. More information here.
For their first major book since the trailblazing Zahav, Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook go straight to the food of the people—the great dishes that are the soul of Israeli cuisine. Usually served from tiny eateries, hole-in-the-wall restaurants, or market stalls, these specialties have passed from father to son or mother to daughter for generations. To find the best versions, the authors scoured bustling cities like Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa, and sleepy towns on mountaintops. They visited bakeries, juice carts, beaches, even weddings. Each chapter weaves history with contemporary portrayals of the food. Striking photographs capture all its flavor and vitality, while step-by-step how-tos and closeups of finished dishes make everything simple and accessible.
December 18, Thomas Childers, author of The Third Reich, at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia, 5:30 pm
In “the new definitive volume on the subject," Thomas Childers shows how the young Hitler became passionately political and anti-Semitic as he lived on the margins of society. Fueled by outrage at the punitive terms imposed on Germany by the Versailles Treaty, he found his voice and drew a loyal following.
December 1st & 2nd, Philly Book & Author Fest at Cherry Street Pier, 11 am - 8 pm
Philly's Indie Booksellers invite you to a pre-holiday Book & Author Festival at the stunning new Cherry Street Pier. We'll be doing what we do best - selling excellent, diverse books, offering great advice on great reads for yourself and for gifts, while you meet and greet some of Philadelphia's best authors.
Full author appearance schedule:
Saturday 12/1
2:30 pm Emily Wilson, The Odyssey
3:00 pm Madeline Miller, Circe
3:00 pm Greg Pizzoli, The Watermelon Seed, 12 Days of Christmas
3:00 pm Judy Schachner, Skippyjon Jones Snow What
3:30 pm Imani Perry, Looking for Lorraine, Vexy Thing
3:30 pm Nathaniel Popkin & Peter Woodall Philadelphia: Finding the Hidden City
4:30 pm Christine Kendall, Riding Chance
5:00 pm Ken Finkel, Insight Philadelphia: Historical Essays Illustrated
6:00 pm Jon McGoran, Spliced
Sunday 12/2
12pm Matt Phelan, Knights Vs Dinosaurs
12:00 pm Brian Biggs, Tinyville Town series
1:30 pm Charles Santore, The Night Before Christmas
1:30 pm Raquel Salas Rivera, (Philadelphia Poet Laureate) Lo terciario/The Tertiary
1:30 pm Frank Sherlock, Space Between These Lines Not Dedicated/The City Real and Imagined
2:00 pm Dave & Ilyssa Kyu, Campfire Stories: Tales from America's National Parks
2:30 pm Catriona Briger & Ned Barnard, Philadelphia Trees
4:00 pm Mary Dixon Lebeau, Secret Philadelphia: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure
4:30 pm Ben Leech, 36 Views of Philadelphia
5:00 pm Irene Levy Baker, 100 Things to Do in Philadelphia Before You Die, Unique Eats and Eateries of Philadelphia
6:00 pm Carmen Maria Machado, Her Body and Other Parties
November 27, Elly Lonon, author of Amongst the Liberal Elite, in conversation with Keysha Whitaker, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
Based on the successful McSweeney's column, Amongst the Liberal Elite takes readers on a cross-country road trip with Alex and Michael, romantic partners whose voices will resonate with fans of shows such as Portlandia, Parks and Recreation, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. The couple decides to use their tax refund to reconnect with their fellow Americans via a cross-country road trip and, more specifically, better understand how Trump won the election. Amongst the Liberal Elite is the political satire we’ve all been waiting for–one that offers comic relief from ourselves.
November 14, Valerie Jones, author of Nonprofit Hero, in partnership with Leadership Philadelphia
Valerie M. Jones, CFRE, brings her intelligence, determination, and spirit to the world of fundraising. Through her boutique firm, VMJA, she advises clients on board development, major gifts, strategic planning, and grantsmanship. She delights in coaching and has taught thousands of board and staff fundraisers.
November 16, James Geary, author of Wit's End: What Wit Is, How it Works, and Why We Need It, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
Join us for this evening of wit! We'll be celebrating the publication of Wit's End with word games, creativity tests, and more fun activites led by author James Geary. In this whimsical book, Geary explores every facet of wittiness, from its role in innovation to why puns demonstrate the essence of creativity. Geary reasons that wit is both visual and verbal, physical and intellectual: there's the serendipitous wit of scientists, the crafty wit of inventors, the optical wit of artists, and the metaphysical wit of philosophers.
November 11, Joan Barasovska, author of Birthing Age, at Head House Books, 5:00 pm
The poems in Joan Barasovska’s Birthing Age tell the story of a woman from childhood to late age simply and beautifully—from the summer innocence and trust she knew as a child through a bleak emotional winter, and finally to the warmer seasons of her own “reawakened life” (“Summer’s Start”).
November 9, Michael Chertoff, author of Exploding Data, at the Philadelphia Club, 11:30 am
The most dangerous threat we--individually and as a society and country--face today is no longer military, but rather the increasingly pervasive exposure of our personal information; nothing undermines our freedom more than losing control of information about ourselves. And yet, as daily events underscore, we are ever more vulnerable to cyber-attack. Chertoff explains the complex legalities surrounding issues of data collection and dissemination today, and charts a path that balances the needs of government, business, and individuals alike.
November 8, Stephen Fried, author of Rush: Revolution, Madness, and Benjamin Rush, the Visionary Doctor Who Became a Founding Father at the College of Physicians
The remarkable story of Benjamin Rush, medical pioneer and one of our nation's most provocative and unsung Founding Fathers.
November 1, Steve Winter, author of Tigers Forever: Saving the World's Most Endangered Big Cat, at the Merriam Theater, 8:00 pm
Tigers are in trouble, and National Geographic photographer Steve Winter is on a one-man mission to address the plight of this magnificent cat – while there’s still time. Together with Panthera, the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to saving big cats, and its Tigers Initiative, Winter reveals a decade worth of stunning images and stories of tigers in their world.
October 29, New Fiction Book Club Discusses Improvement by Joan Silber, 7:00 pm
One of our most gifted writers of fiction returns with a bold and piercing novel about a young single mother living in New York, her eccentric aunt, and the decisions they make that have unexpected implications for the world around them.
October 24, Ben Bradlee, author of The Forgotten, in partnership with WHYY, Tickets and Information Here
In The Forgotten, Ben Bradlee Jr. reports on how voters in Luzerne County, a pivotal county in a crucial swing state, came to feel like strangers in their own land - marginalized by flat or falling wages, rapid demographic change, and a liberal culture that mocks their faith and patriotism.
October 17, Christine Flanagan, author of The Letters of Flannery O'Connor and Caroline Gordon, at City Institute Library, 6:30 pm
This collection of letters and other documents offers the most complete portrait of the relationship between two of the American South's most acclaimed twentieth-century writers: Flannery O'Connor and Caroline Gordon.
October 21, C. Morgan Babst, author of The Floating World, at Head House Books, 5:00 pm
In this dazzling debut about family, home, and grief, C. Morgan Babst takes readers into the heart of Hurricane Katrina and the life of a great city. As the storm is fast approaching the Louisiana coast, Cora Boisdor refuses to leave the city. Her parents are forced to evacuate without her, setting off a chain of events that leaves their marriage in shambles and Cora catatonic--the victim or perpetrator of some violence mysterious even to herself. This mystery is at the center of Babst's haunting and profound novel. Cora's sister, Del, returns to New Orleans from the successful life she built in New York City to find her hometown in ruins and her family deeply alienated from one another. Separately and together, each member of the Boisdor clan must find the strength to remake home in a city forever changed.
October 11, Jeffrey Stockbridge, author of Kensington Blues, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
Kensington Blues is a fine-art photography book documenting the trials and tribulations of those affected by drug addiction and prostitution along Kensington Avenue in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ninety-one large-format color photographs paired with audio transcripts and handwritten journal entries, created over a period of 5 years, tell the personal stories of those fighting to survive the neighborhood and themselves.
October 12, Carla Gambescia, author of La Dolce Vita University at the American-Italy Society
Event attendees can test their knowledge AND win prizes too. What is it about Italy? Cultural Superpower yet merely a mountainous Mediterranean peninsula, Italy has exerted an outsized force on the world, Western civilization and the popular imagination over the course of centuries. A special entertaining presentation for anyone curious about (or already in amore with) Italy and its remarkably rich cultural gifts. Explore with Carla Gambescia, author of La Dolce Vita University: An Unconventional Guide to Italian Culture from A-Z -- a unique lifestyle compendium of all things Italian: food, wine, history, architecture, art, style, anecdotes, attitude -- the special alchemy of Italy and the cultural DNA that has made it not only so influential, but also so beloved.
October 9, James Mustich, author of 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die in conversation with Head House Books owner, Richard De Wyngaert, Head House Books, 7:30 pm
Join us for an enlightening conversation about books between the author of 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die and the owner of Head House Books, Richard De Wyngaert. An insightfully curated personal compendium that will inspire hours of browsing and a lifetime of reading, 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die celebrates the gorgeous mosaic that is our literary heritage.
October 10, Howard Marks, author of Mastering the Market Cycle, at the Philadelphia Club, 11:30 am
The legendary investor shows how to identify and master the cycles that govern the markets.
October 3, Christine Flanagan, author of The Letters of Flannery O'Connor and Caroline Gordon, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
This collection of letters and other documents offers the most complete portrait of the relationship between two of the American South's most acclaimed twentieth-century writers: Flannery O'Connor and Caroline Gordon.
October 4, Join us for a panel discussion—Running While Female: What Does it Take for a Woman to Run for Office in 2018?— with bestselling author Jo Piazza to celebrate the release of her new novel, Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
Panelists include: Lauren Vidas – Lauren is a Democratic Candidate for the 2nd District seat for Philadelphia City Council. A licensed attorney Lauren has years of experience working in and around City government. She began her career with the city as a City Council legislative aide who successfully sued Mayor Michael Nutter to prevent the closure of multiple city library branches during the Great Recession. Years later she was hired by Mayor Nutter to serve as an Assistant Finance Director. In this role she worked on a diverse array of policy issues related to taxation¨pensions¨ and Philadelphia’s overall financial health.
Eryn Santamoor – Eryn is a democratic candidate for Philadelphia City Council At-Large. As Deputy Managing Director for Philadelphia, Eryn worked to develop Philly311 and PhillyStat. Additionally, she developed programs to maximize efficiency in Philadelphia services, ultimately saving the City over $21 million. As a city management expert with PFM, Eryn helped other cities to re-imagine their role in meeting community needs and expectations.
Kay Kyungsun Yu – Kay is an award-winning legal scholar. In 2018, the Philadelphia Bar Association recognized Kay as a recipient of its acclaimed Justice Sonia Sotomayor Diversity Award and was named Attorney of the Year by the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania. As a Member of the law firm, Ahmad Zaffarese LLC, Kay leads the its Labor & Employment and Litigation Practice Groups. Prior to joining Ahmad Zaffarese, Mayor Michael Nutter appointed Kay to serve as the Chairperson of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations. During the same period of time, Kay worked to overhaul and update the City’s civil rights law, producing the first full restatement of the Fair Practices Ordinance since it was enacted in 1963.
October 5, Patrick Spero, author of Frontier Rebels, at the Philadelphia Club, 11:30 am
The untold story of the "Black Boys," a rebellion on the American frontier in 1765 that sparked the American Revolution.
September 25, New Fiction Book Club discusses Stephen Florida, at Head House Books, 7:00 pm
Foxcatcher meets The Art of Fielding, Stephen Florida follows a wrestler in North Dakota during his senior season, when every practice, every match, is a step closer to greatness and a step further from sanity. Profane, manic, and tipping into the uncanny, it's a story of loneliness, obsession, and the drive to leave a mark.
September 26, Erica Armstrong, author of Never Caught, at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
When George Washington was elected president, he reluctantly left behind his beloved Mount Vernon to serve in Philadelphia. In setting up his household he brought along nine slaves, including Ona Judge. As the President grew accustomed to Northern ways, there was one change he couldn't abide: Pennsylvania law required enslaved people be set free after six months of residency in the state. Rather than comply, Washington decided to circumvent the law. Every six months he sent the slaves back down south just as the clock was about to expire. Though Ona Judge lived a life of relative comfort, she was denied freedom. So, when the opportunity presented itself one clear and pleasant spring day in Philadelphia, Judge left everything she knew to escape to New England. At just twenty-two-years-old, Ona became the subject of an intense manhunt led by George Washington, who used his political and personal contacts to recapture his property.
September 24, Resistance Reading Book Club discusses Invisible Man, at Head House Books, 7:00 pm
A first novel by an unknown writer, it remained on the bestseller list for sixteen weeks, won the National Book Award for fiction, and established Ralph Ellison as one of the key writers of the century.
September 18, Dave & Ilyssa Kyu, co-editors of Campfire Stories, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
Please join us in welcoming co-editors Dave & Ilyssa Kyu, who will share several stories from the book and insights from their travels collecting stories for this anthology of tales, songs, ballads, legends, short stories and myths from six of America’s favorite national parks.
September 11, The Chapo Guide to Revolution, at Union Transfer, 8:30 pm
The creators of the cult-hit podcast Chapo Trap House deliver a manifesto for everyone who feels orphaned and alienated—politically, culturally, and economically—by the bloodless Wall Street centrism of the Democrats and the lizard-brained atavism of the right: there is a better way, the Chapo Way. More information about the event here.
September 12, Rachel Slade, author of Into the Raging Sea, at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
On October 1, 2015, Hurricane Joaquin barreled into the Bermuda Triangle and swallowed the container ship El Faro whole, resulting in the worst American shipping disaster in thirty-five years. No one could fathom how a vessel equipped with satellite communications, a sophisticated navigation system, and cutting-edge weather forecasting could suddenly vanish—until now. A richly reported account of a singular tragedy, Into the Raging Sea takes us into the heart of an age-old American industry, casting new light on the hardworking men and women who paid the ultimate price in the name of profit.
September 15, Lorna Byrne, author of Love From Heaven, A Message of Hope from the Angels, and Angels in My Hair, at Philadelphia Renaissance Hotel, 10:00 am
We will be on-site to sell Lorna Byrne's full catalog of books for this ticketed event.
September 6, Nova Ren Suma, author of A Room Away From the Wolves, at Head House Books, 7:00 pm
Bina has never forgotten the time she and her mother ran away from home. Her mother promised they would hitchhike to the city to escape Bina's cruel father and start over. But before they could even leave town, Bina had a new stepfather and two new stepsisters, and a humming sense of betrayal pulling apart the bond with her mother--a bond Bina thought was unbreakable. Eight years later, after too many lies and with trouble on her heels, Bina finds herself on the side of the road again, the city of her dreams calling for her. She has an old suitcase, a fresh black eye, and a room waiting for her at Catherine House, a young women's residence in Greenwich Village with a tragic history, a vow of confidentiality, and dark, magical secrets. There, Bina is drawn to her enigmatic downstairs neighbor Monet, a girl who is equal parts intriguing and dangerous. As Bina's lease begins to run out, and nightmare and memory get tangled, she will be forced to face the terrible truth of why she's come to Catherine House and what it will take for her to leave...
September 6, Anand Giridharadas, author of Winners Take All, in partnership with The Philadelphia Citizen, 6:00 pm, Tickets available here
Former New York Times columnist Anand Giridharadas takes us into the inner sanctums of a new gilded age, where the rich and powerful fight for equality and justice any way they can--except ways that threaten the social order and their position atop it. We see how they rebrand themselves as saviors of the poor; how they lavishly reward "thought leaders" who redefine "change" in winner-friendly ways; and how they constantly seek to do more good, but never less harm. We hear the limousine confessions of a celebrated foundation boss; witness an American president hem and haw about his plutocratic benefactors; and attend a cruise-ship conference where entrepreneurs celebrate their own self-interested magnanimity.
August 26, Christian Blauvelt, author of Star Wars Made Easy, at Please Touch Museum, 1:30 pm
Don't know your Wookiees from your Wampas? If the Star Wars(TM) saga has you stumped, we've got your back. Star Wars Made Easy gives you everything you need to get you around the galaxy. Star Wars is a global phenomenon and the Force has truly reawakened. So where to start if you have never actually gotten around to watching the movies? Or if you find yourself dating an avid Star Wars fan? Or your kids keep asking you tricky questions about the dark side? Don't worry We have you covered. Star Wars Made Easy is aimed at Star Wars novices who want to get up to speed and make sense of the Star Wars references that permeate modern culture. This book will answer questions about the movies, the Star Wars universe, and much more.
August 21, New Fiction Book Club discusses Time's a Thief, 7:00 pm
Join the New Fiction Book Club as we discuss BG Firmani's Time's a Thief! It's the mid-1980s in gritty, vibrant New York City when Francesca "Chess" Varani strikes up a volatile friendship with drama-queen classmate Kendra Marr-L wenstein. Drawn into the orbit of Kendra's Salingeresque family, Chess moves into their Greenwich Village home when she graduates from Barnard and takes a job assisting the infamous literary intellectual Clarice Marr. There she receives the sentimental education and emotional roughing up New York bestows on all its young hopefuls--including a doomed love affair with Clarice's troubled son.
August 21, Resistance Reading discusses What We Lose, at Head House Books, 7:00 pm
From an author of rare, haunting power, What We Lose is a stunning novel about a young African-American woman coming of age—a deeply felt meditation on race, sex, family, and country. Stop by the store and receive 15% off the book when buying for the book club meeting.
August 14, Martha Freedman, author of If You're Going to a March, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
"If you're going to a march, you're going to want a sign"--and this cheerful, introductory handbook. Inspired by author Martha Freeman's own experiences, it addresses many of the questions kids might have: What should I wear? How will I get there? Where can I go to the bathroom? Is it okay to dance? (It is!). All the while the text focuses on our Constitutional right as Americans to assemble . . . whatever our political point of view.
July 10, Book Club with Elisabeth Cohen, author of The Glitch, at Head House Books 7:00 pm
A fast, funny, deeply hilarious debut--The Glitch is the story of a high-profile, TED-talking, power-posing Silicon Valley CEO and mother of two who has it all under control, until a woman claiming to be a younger version of herself appears, causing a major glitch in her over-scheduled, over-staffed, over-worked life.
July 14, Poetry Reading with Lauren Moseley, author of Big Windows and Heather Bowlan, at Head House Books, 7:00 pm
In Big Windows, Lauren Moseley's poems move through real and imagined landscapes, navigating the borders between doubt, fear, wonder, and empowerment. Through the lens of the natural world, Moseley explores love, family, marriage, and self-knowledge, and never stops searching for the sacred, even when "the thread connecting all things" snaps. At once electric and contemplative, in a lyrical but spare style, the poems in Big Windows ultimately break down the boundaries between the self and the environment, between the physical and dream worlds, revealing the transcendent in the everyday.
June 26, Nathaniel Popkin, author of Who Will Speak For America?, L'Etage
The editors and contributors to Who Will Speak for America? are passionate and justifiably angry voices providing a literary response to today's political crisis. Inspired by and drawing from the work of writers who participated in nationwide Writers Resist events in January 2017, this volume provides a collection of poems, stories, essays, and cartoons that wrestle with the meaning of America and American identity. The contributions--from established figures including Eileen Myles, Melissa Febos, Jericho Brown, and Madeleine Thien, as well as rising new voices, such as Carmen Maria Machado, Ganzeer, and Liana Finck--confront a country beset by racial injustice, poverty, misogyny, and violence.
June 27, Jennifer Egan, author of Manhattan Beach, at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
The daring and magnificent novel from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Visit from the Goon Squad.
June 28, James Kelley, author of The Crucible's Gift, at Head House Books, 7:00 pm
Think of a time when you experienced a crucible, adversity, or a moment that caused you personal or professional pain? How did this crucible moment fundamentally transformed your identity? Did you become more compassionate, live with more integrity or develop a deeper sense of self? This is the journey the The Crucible’s Gift, will guide you on.
June 15, Middle Grade Panel with Laurie Morrison, Cordelia Jensen, Mary Winn Heider, and J.H. Diehl, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
Come join as four middle grade authors discuss their books and the genre overall. Laurie Morrison and Cordelia Jensen are co-authors of Every Shiny Thing; Mary Winn Heider is the author of The Mortification of Fovea Munson; J.H. Diehl is the author of Tiny Infinities.
June 5, Grady Chambers, author of North American Stadiums, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
Winner of the inaugural Max Ritvo Poetry Prize, North American Stadiums is an assured debut collection about grace--the places we search for it, and the disjunction between what we seek and where we arrive.
June 6, Bassem Youssef, author of Revolution for Dummies, in partnership with the Kimmel Center, 7:30 pm
Interweaving the dramatic and inspiring stories of the development of his popular television show and his rise as the most contentious funny-man in Egypt, Bassem Youssef's humorous, fast-paced takes on dictatorship, revolution, and the unforeseeable destiny of democracy in the Modern Middle East offers much needed hope and more than a few healing laughs. A documentary about his life, Tickling Giants, debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2016, and is now scheduled for major release. Tickets available through the Kimmel Center here.
May 23, Italian-Style Trivia with Carla Gambescia, author of La Dolce Vita University, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
Event attendees can test their knowledge AND win prizes too. What is it about Italy? Cultural Superpower yet merely a mountainous Mediterranean peninsula, Italy has exerted an outsized force on the world, Western civilization and the popular imagination over the course of centuries. A special entertaining presentation for anyone curious about (or already in amore with) Italy and its remarkably rich cultural gifts. Explore with Carla Gambescia, author of La Dolce Vita University: An Unconventional Guide to Italian Culture from A-Z -- a unique lifestyle compendium of all things Italian: food, wine, history, architecture, art, style, anecdotes, attitude -- the special alchemy of Italy and the cultural DNA that has made it not only so influential, but also so beloved.
May 17, Seamus McGraw, author of A Thirsty Land, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
The most comprehensive--and comprehensible--book on contemporary water issues, A Thirsty Land delves deep into the challenges faced not just by Texas but by the nation as a whole, as we struggle to find a way to balance the changing forces of nature with our own ever-expanding needs. Part history, part science, part adventure story, and part travelogue, this book puts a human face on the struggle to master that most precious and capricious of resources, water.
May 15, Rebecca Soffer, author of Modern Loss, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
Rebecca Soffer and Gabrielle Birkner both lost parents as young adults and together they co-founded Modern Loss, responding to a need to change the dialogue around the messy experience of grief. Now, in this wise and often funny book, they offer the insights of the Modern Loss community to help us cry, laugh, grieve, identify, and--above all--empathize. Soffer and Birkner, along with forty guest contributors including Lucy Kalanithi, singer Amanda Palmer, and CNN's Brian Stelter, reveal their own stories on a wide range of topics including triggers, sex, secrets, and inheritance. Accompanied by beautiful hand-drawn illustrations and witty "how to" cartoons, Modern Loss invites us to talk intimately and humorously about grief, helping us confront the humanity (and mortality) we all share.
May 7, Peter Stark, author of Young Washington, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
By weaving together Washington's harrowing wilderness adventures and a broader historical context, Young Washington offers new insights into the dramatic years that shaped the man who shaped a nation. Here is a new, brash, and unexpected view of the president we thought we knew, from the bestselling author of Astoria.
May 9, Elizabeth LaBan, author of Not Perfect, at the Philadelphia City Institute Library, 6:30 pm
From Elizabeth LaBan, the acclaimed author of The Restaurant Critic's Wife, comes a captivating and very funny novel about a wife and mother's fall from grace, and why keeping up appearances is not her biggest secret.
May 12 & 13, StoryBook Weekend at Sister Cities Park, 11 am-3 pm
Marie Lamba and Donna Jo Napoli will both be on site at this fun-filled StoryBook Weekend! We are so excited to partner with Center City District for this exciting event!
April 24, Literary Awards at the Athenaeum, honoring Erica Armstrong, author of Never Caught, and Carol Eaton Soltis, The Art of the Peales in the Philadelphia Museum of Art
April 28, Sandy Joy Weston, author of Train Your Head & Your Body Will Follow, at FitExpo
Sandy Joy Weston, M.Ed., has been a fixture in the Philadelphia-area fitness circles for thirty years--as an instructor, a trainer, a health club owner, and a media personality. Sandy's goal was to create a book and guide that allows you to redirect your thoughts in a positive, focused manner. This book is the culmination--lighthearted and fun, it presents easy ways to learn a few simple changes you can make in your life, and why these will help you enjoy life more.After many years of hands-on research and collaboration with top professors, Sandy has put together a 90-day guide book and journal, written for the everyday person to help get their head in the game and see results instantly. Train your head, and your body will follow.
April 18, Andre Darlington and Tenaya Darlington, authors of Booze & Vinyl, WHYY, 7:00 pm, Tickets Here
The ultimate listening party guide, Booze and Vinyl shows you how to set the mood for 70 great records from the 1950s through the 2000s.
April 19, Poetry Reading with Saturnalia Books at Head House Books, 7:00 pm
Three of Saturnalia Books' poetry authors will read from their work and sign copies of their books.
April 13, American Whiskey Convention at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum, 6:30 pm
We will be back at the American Whiskey Convention this year to sell a selection of whiskey and bourbon-related books. To learn more about the convention and purchase tickets, visit their website here.
April 9, Lidia Bastianich, author of My American Dream, in partnership with WHYY
From the best-selling cookbook author, beloved and award-winning television personality, and hugely successful restaurateur--a heartwarming, emotional, revelatory memoir told with all her hallmark warmth and gusto.
April 7, Sarah Jacoby, author of Forever Or A Day, and Greg Pizzoli, author of This Story Is For You, at Head House Books, 10:00 am
Sarah Jacoby and Greg Pizzoli, two local children's book authors, will be in the store on this Saturday morning for a special children's story time--maybe even some crafts and treats! Sarah and Greg will be reading from their respective books. Forever Or A Day, Sarah Jacoby's debut picture book as an author and illustrator is as elegant as a poem and as perfectly paced as a mystery--this beautiful picture books follows an unassuming narrator through a meditation on time through the course of a single day. This Story Is for You celebrates moments of kindness throughout, from the small to the grand in a heartwarming tale of human connection.
April 3, Martha Freeman, author of Zap!, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
Eleven-year-old Luis is left looking for answers after a city-wide blackout leads him to an electrifying mystery in this edge-of-your-seat thriller from Martha Freeman. Luis likes to know how things work, and the blackout gets him wondering: Where does the city's electricity come from? What would cause it to shut down? No one seems to have answers, and rumors are flying. Then a slip of the tongue gives Luis and his ex best friend Maura a clue. Brushed off by the busy police, the two sixth graders determine they are on their own. In this electrifying mystery, two can-do sleuths embark on a high-tech urban adventure to answer an age-old question: Who turned out the lights?
March 25, Jeffrey Wasserstrom and Maura Cunningham, authors of China in the 21st Century, at Head House Books, 5:00 pm
In this fully revised and updated third edition of China in the 21st Century: What Everyone Needs to Know(R), Jeffrey N. Wasserstrom and Maura Elizabeth Cunningham provide cogent answers to urgent questions regarding the world's newest superpower and offer a framework for understanding China's meteoric rise from developing country to superpower.
March 22, Susan Halloway Scott, author of I, Eliza Hamilton, at The Powel House, 7:00 pm
In this beautifully written novel of historical fiction, bestselling author Susan Holloway Scott tells the story of Alexander Hamilton's wife, Eliza--a fascinating, strong-willed heroine in her own right and a key figure in one of the most gripping periods in American history.
March 14, Jennifer Lin, author of Shanghai Faithful, at the Independence Branch of the Free Library, 6:00 pm
Within the next decade, China could be home to more Christians than any country in the world. Through the 150-year saga of a single family, this book vividly dramatizes the remarkable religious evolution of the world's most populous nation.
March 15, Deepak Chopra, author of The Healing Self, at the Merriam Theater, 7:30 pm, tickets here
We'll be at the Merriam Theater on March 15 to sell a selection of Deepak Chopra's books after his presentation of his latest book, The Healing Self.
March 15, Lauren Olin, author of Be Seated, at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Laurie Olin's interest in public outdoor seating in parks and civic spaces revolves around two poles: the first is a concern for aspects of the ordinary in our settings and actions, the apparatus and effects of the quotidian in our individual lives and experience; the other is the utility of public seating in the conduct and potential of our role as citizens and the establishment of place and community. The book consists of a series of essays that begin with the author's personal discovery of public seating. This is followed by an account of some of his experiments as a landscape architect, and the theory, craft, and role of seating in a number of prominent civic places his firm and others have designed in the past four decades.
March 10, Diana Rodriguez Wallach, author of Lies That Bind, at Head House Books, 7:00 pm
Reeling from the truths uncovered while searching for her sister in Italy, Anastasia Phoenix is ready to call it quits with spies. The only way to stop being a pawn in their game is to remove herself from the board. But before she can leave her parents' crimes behind her, tragedy strikes. No one is safe, not while Department D still exists.
February 27, New Fiction Book Club discusses A Horse Walks Into A Bar, 7:00 pm
In a dive bar in a small Israeli city, Dov Greenstein, a comedian a bit past his prime, takes the stage for his final show. Over the course of a single evening, Dov's patter becomes a kind of memoir, taking us back into the terrors of his childhood. And in the dance between comic and audience, a deeper story begins to take shape as Dov confronts the decision that has shaped the course of his life--a story that will alter the lives of several of those in attendance. A poignant exploration of how people confront life's capricious battering, A Horse Walks into a Bar is a searing story of loss and survival.
February 28, David Nelson Wren, Ardrossan: The Last Great Estate on the Philadelphia Main Line, at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
A richly detailed history of the baronial splendor of the Philadelphia Main Line estate Ardrossan and of the Montgomery family who built it. Real-life American counterparts of the Granthams of Downton Abbey, the Montgomerys are best known as the family on which Philip Barry based his 1939 play, The Philadelphia Story, featuring Katharine Hepburn, who also starred in the later Hollywood film of the same name.
March 1, Linda Cliatt-Wayman, author of Lead Fearlessly, Love Hard, at the Leadership Philadelphia Annual Breakfast, 8:00 am
Author Linda Cliatt-Wayman, principal of Strawberry Mansion High School in Philadelphia, grew up in the same North Philadelphia neighborhood where she now leads and fought every single day for the chance to become a part of the solution. Today, she is a turnaround principal and popular TED Talk speaker who helps children living in poverty achieve more than they ever thought possible. In Lead Fearlessly, Love Hard, she provides hope, optimism, and a call to action to help all students reach their true potential. Steadfast leadership and clear principles can overcome almost anything, and this book shows you how to focus your passion, apply your skills, and lead your students down the path to a better future. Tickets here.
February 25, Bruce Klauber, author of Reminiscing in Tempo, at Head House Books, 5:00 pm
By way of incisive interviews, tributes, remembrances and eye-opening anecdotes about his personal association with everyone from Frank Sinatra and Lou Rawls to Mel Torme and Norman Mailer, this book chronicles Bruce Klauber's incredible, five-plus decades as an author, acclaimed filmmaker, jazz journalist and columnist, talent scout, editor, public relations consultant, jazz drummer, singer, multi-instrumentalist and recording artist.
February 22, Sandy Joy Weston, author of Train Your Head & Your Body Will Follow, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
Sandy Joy Weston, M.Ed., has been a fixture in the Philadelphia-area fitness circles for thirty years--as an instructor, a trainer, a health club owner, and a media personality. Sandy's goal was to create a book and guide that allows you to redirect your thoughts in a positive, focused manner. This book is the culmination--lighthearted and fun, it presents easy ways to learn a few simple changes you can make in your life, and why these will help you enjoy life more.After many years of hands-on research and collaboration with top professors, Sandy has put together a 90-day guide book and journal, written for the everyday person to help get their head in the game and see results instantly. Train your head, and your body will follow.
February 12, Lindy West, author of Shrill, at the Women's Way Book Prize, 5:30 pm
With inimitable good humor, vulnerability, and boundless charm, Lindy West boldly shares how to survive in a world where not all stories are created equal and not all bodies are treated with equal respect, and how to weather hatred, loneliness, harassment, and loss, and walk away laughing. Shrill provocatively dissects what it means to become self-aware the hard way, to go from wanting to be silent and invisible to earning a living defending the silenced in all caps. Register here.
February 15, Suzann Pileggi Pawelski, James O. Pawelski, authors of Happy Together, Independence Place
Happy Together, written by positive psychology experts and husband-and-wife team Suzann Pileggi Pawelski and James O. Pawelski, is the first book on using the principles of positive psychology to create thriving romantic relationships. Combining extensive scientific research and real-life examples, this book will help you find and feed the good in yourself and your partner. You will learn to develop key habits for building and sustaining long-term love.
February 8, Pete Souza, author of Obama: An Intimate Portrait, at WHYY, 6:30 pm
Former Chief Official White House Photographer Pete Souza has compiled more than 300 iconic photographs in his latest bestseller, Obama: An Intimate Portrait. Souza himself will take us on a journey through these unforgettable moments, from President Obama and his advisors in the Situation Room to the President spending time with his family in the White House. Regardless of which side of the aisle you sit on, this book is a historic yet intimate look at the presidency. Tickets here.
February 7, Susan Meissner, Bright as Heaven, at the Philadelphia City Institute Library, 6:30 pm
From the acclaimed author of Secrets of a Charmed Life and A Bridge Across the Ocean comes a new novel set in Philadelphia during the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918, which tells the story of a family reborn through loss and love.
February 7, Nathaniel Popkin, Philadelphia: Finding the Hidden City, at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Philadelphia possesses an exceptionally large number of places that have almost disappeared--from workshops and factories to sporting clubs and societies, synagogues, churches, theaters, and railroad lines. In Philadelphia: Finding the Hidden City, urban observers Nathaniel Popkin and Peter Woodall uncover the contemporary essence of one of America's oldest cities.
January 27, Katie Walker, author of Women's Health Healthy Meals for One (or Two) Cookbook: A Simple Guide to Shopping, Prepping, and Cooking for Yourself with 175 Nutritious Recipes, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
Take care of your taste buds, your wallet, and your health by prepping and cooking your way to healthy eating every day of the week with a cookbook designed with just one (or two) diners in mind
January 25, Kelly Simmons, author of The Fifth of July, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
Having spent the past three decades' worth of summers on Nantucket, the Warners are as much a part of the island as the crust of salt on the ferry. But this year is different: Tripp is no longer the father he was, and it becomes clear that nothing--not the beams that hold the house together, and not the values the family clings to--can survive the ravages of time. When tradition turns to tragedy, the creaky old house swirls with suspicion. There are just so many reasons to want someone gone. With no easy answers as to how, why, or who, the Warners must face another frightening question: do they really want to know the truth?
January 16, Suzann Pileggi Pawelski, James O. Pawelski, authors of Happy Together, at Head House Books, 7:00 pm
Happy Together, written by positive psychology experts and husband-and-wife team Suzann Pileggi Pawelski and James O. Pawelski, is the first book on using the principles of positive psychology to create thriving romantic relationships. Combining extensive scientific research and real-life examples, this book will help you find and feed the good in yourself and your partner. You will learn to develop key habits for building and sustaining long-term love.
December 7, Natalie and Tricia Pompilio, authors of Walking Philadelphia: 30 Walking Tours Exploring Art, Architecture, History, and Little-Known Gems at Head House Books, 7:30
Grab your walking shoes and become an urban adventurer. Award-winning journalist Natalie Pompilio guides you through 30 unique walking tours in this comprehensive guidebook. Go beyond the obvious with self-guided tours that showcase famed fare (such as cheesesteaks, pretzels, and beer that make Philadelphia a foodies' paradise), as well as vintage boutiques, high-end shopping destinations, and one-of-a-kind local goods. Discover Philadelphia's many "Firsts: " the first zoo, first library system, and first hospital, plus dozens of historic sites you learned about in school. Explore a Museum District that's second to none, an all-encompassing park system, America's Most Historic Square Mile, and much more.
November 30, An Evening of Readings with Christianna Hannum, local writer and filmmaker at Head House Books, 7:00 pm
Christianna Potter Hannum was born in Unionville, PA. She studied Art History and Italian at the University of Pennsylvania. Christy won a national Coro Fellowship in Leadership which brought her to New York City where she founded Swim Pictures. She produced and directed films Keeping Sound and Goodnight Ladies. Goodnight Ladies will be shown at the Equus Film Festival in NYC in November. She lives in Kennett Square with her two children.
Christy has four compilations of short stories and poems and a memoir-in-progress. Dark, dark, dark, Light; swishpan; Askling and everybody is always drinking. The memoir is entitled happy, happier, Happiest. Her stories, all memoir look at many things, boys, girls, theology, New York City, marriage, drinking and her adoption of two children from Latvia.
November 14, Philadelphia Stories, Multiple Readers, at Head House Books, 7:00 pm
Join us for a night with Philadelphia Stories! Hear fiction, essays, and poetry from five different writers and get a chance to meet the fiction editors.
November 16, David Nelson Wren, author of Ardrossan: The Last Great Estate on the Philadelphia Main Line at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
A richly detailed history of the baronial splendor of the Philadelphia Main Line estate Ardrossan and of the Montgomery family who built it. Real-life American counterparts of the Granthams of Downton Abbey, the Montgomerys are best known as the family on which Philip Barry based his 1939 play, The Philadelphia Story, featuring Katharine Hepburn, who also starred in the later Hollywood film of the same name.
November 17, Wendy Pearlman, author of We Crossed a Bridge and it Trembled: Voices From Syria at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
Wendy Pearlman, a Middle East expert and award-winning professor, is the author of a stirring and topical new book WE CROSSED A BRIDGE AND IT TREMBLED: Voices from Syria. The book is an astonishing collection of intimate testimonies from a cross-section of Syrian men and women whose lives have been transformed by revolution, war, and flight. Pearlman spent four years interviewing over 300 Syrians across the Middle East and Europe. The New York Times Book Review raved “These voices render themselves unforgettable… essential reading in the emerging body of literary reportage from Syria in English… Such stories couldn’t be more urgent.”
November 18, Doogie Horner, author of A Die Hard Christmas: The Illustrated Holiday Classic, at The Good Good Comedy Theatre, 8:30 pm
Find more information about the show here.
November 9, Dr. Rav Ivker, author of Cannabis for Chronic Pain, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
The first authoritative and comprehensive guide for treating chronic pain with medical marijuana—holistic family physician DR. RAV IVKER provides essential information and instruction on how to use marijuana to treat a variety of physical and emotional pain conditions.
October 25, Tom Keels, author of Sesqui, The Athanaeum of Philadelphia
Head House will be selling copies of Tom Keels' book after his talk.
October 26, David Howard, author of Chasing Phil, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
Chasing Phil is a thrilling true crime caper, bursting with colorful characters and awash in '70s glamour, that spotlights the FBI's first white-collar undercover sting
October 30, Greg Ames, author of Funeral Platter, at Head House Books, 7:00 pm
From the author of the award-winning novel Buffalo Lockjaw comes a powerful collection of darkly humorous short stories. A young girl uses a burnt log for her ventriloquist act; Franz Kafka and an unnamed narrator cruise a dive bar for women; a grieving couple stage and execute their own funeral; a son brings hot chowder to his caged parents.
October 18, Head House Books Writer's Meet-Up October, 7pm
Join us for writing exercises and the opportunity to meet fellow writers. BYO laptop or notebook!
October 12, LB Gschwandtner, author of The Other New Girl, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
A fresh take on the prep school literary genre, The Other New Girl follows sassy sophomore Susannah Greenwood as she begins Quaker prep school. She soon finds herself in hot water when “the other new girl,” an outcast whom she has befriended, mysteriously disappears, forcing Susannah to make the impossible choice between loyalty and authority.
October 10, Sara Wachter-Boettcher, author of Technically Wrong: Sexist Apps, Biased Algorithms, and Other Threats of Toxic Tech at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
Many of the services we rely on are full of oversights, biases, and downright ethical nightmares: Chatbots that harass women. Signup forms that fail anyone who's not straight. Social media sites that send peppy messages about dead relatives. Algorithms that put more black people behind bars. Technically Wrong takes an unflinching look at the values, processes, and assumptions that lead to these and other problems, demystifying the tech industry, leaving those of us on the other side of the screen better prepared to make informed choices about the services we use.
September 30, Kevin Ferris, author of Vets and Pets: Wounded Warriors and the Animals That Help Them Heal, book launch at Smokin' Betty's, 2:30 pm
More information about the event can be found here.
October 3, Eric Smith, author of Welcome Home, in conversation with Julie Eshbaugh at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
This YA anthology features short stories about adoption from a number of authors, including New York Times bestsellers like C.J. Redwine, William Ritter, and Mindy McGinnis.
October 4, Wendy Lesser, author of You Say to Brick, The Athanaeum of Philadelphia, 5:30 pm
Head House will be selling copies of Wendy Lesser's book after her talk at 5:30 pm.
September 27, Jennifer Lin, author of Shanghai Faithful at Free Library of Philadelphia, Rittenhouse Square Branch, 6:00 pm
Head House will be selling book's for Jennifer Lin's event with the Free Library
September 19, Resistance Reading Book Club discusses My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me by Jennifer Teege, 7:00 pm
September 25, New Fiction Book Club discusses So Much Blue by Percival Everett, 7:15 pm
September 12, Alex Gilvarry, author of Eastman Was Here, in conversation with Liz Moore, author of The Unseen World and Heft at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
Eastman Was Here depicts one irredeemable man’s search for meaning in the age of the Vietnam War and the political and artistic culture of 1970s New York City.
September 11, Head House Writer's Meet-Up, 7:00 pm
Join us for writing exercises and the opportunity to meet fellow writers. BYO laptop or notebook!
August 28, New Fiction Book Club discussion of The Throwback Special, 7:30 pm
August 17, Michael Deibert, author of Haiti Will Not Perish, at Head House Books, 7:00 pm
In this moving and detailed history, Michael Deibert, who has spent two decades reporting on Haiti, chronicles the heroic struggles of Haitians to build their longed-for country in the face of overwhelming odds. Based on years of interviews with Haitian political leaders, international diplomats, peasant advocates, gang leaders, and hundreds of ordinary Haitians, Deibert’s book provides a vivid, complex, and challenging analysis of Haiti’s recent history.
August 3, Edward Carlson, author of All the Beautiful People We Once Knew, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
A literary legal thriller that's also a timely indictment of the military-industrial complex and the other systems that underpin our modern world.
July 25, New Fiction Book Club discussion of Today Will Be Different, 7:00 pm
July 21, David MacNeal, author of, Bugged: The Insects Who Rule the World and People Obsessed with Them, at the Insectarium and Butterfly Pavilion, 7:00 pm
Author David MacNeal will speak on his book Bugged. Just like bugs, this book is global in its scope, diversity, and intrigue. Hands-on with pet beetles in Japan, releasing lab-raised mosquitoes in Brazil, beekeeping on a Greek island, or using urine and antlers as means of ancient pest control, MacNeal’s quest appeals to the squeamish and brave alike.
July 11, Head House Writer's Meet-Up, 7:00 pm
Join us on July 11 at 7:00 pm for the second Head House Writer's Meet-Up! We'll laugh, we'll cry, maybe we'll do some writing (we will). BYO notebook or laptop!
July 10, Brooke Gladstone, author of The Trouble With Reality, at WHYY auditorium, 10:00 am
Tickets and additional information can be found here.
July 6, Broken River Revue at Johnny Brenda's, 8:00 pm
In honor of Broken River, the eighth novel just published by author, podcaster and sometimes musician J. Robert Lennon’s, Johnny Brenda's is hosting a full evening of author readings, music and sometimes both at once! On the bill: J. Robert Lennon, author of Broken River; Andrew Ervin, author of Bit by Bit: How Video Games Transformed Our World; Elizabeth Scanlon, author of Lonesome Gnosis; and Andrew Chalfen, author of Look Up Coloring Book. Tickets and additional information here.
June 29, B.G. Firmani, author of Time's a Thief, at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
B.G. Firmani will be at Head House Books to read from and sign copies of her debut novel, Time's a Thief. She will be joined in conversation by Philadelphia Stories' editorial director and Rosemont College MFA program director, Carla Spataro after her reading. Narrated twenty years on from the winter of the 2008 financial crisis and marked with the poignancy of time passing and of choices made and not made, Time’s a Thief is a love letter to New York, and a beautiful, sad, funny first novel.
June 20, Jennifer Kitses, Small Hours at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
June 22, Paul Vidich, author of The Good Assassin in conversation with Dennis Tafoya at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
Paul Vidich, author The Good Assassin, will be in conversation with Dennis Tafoya about his new book and spy and crime fiction in general. The Good Assassin is a suspenseful tale of Cold War espionage set in 1950s Cuba, as foreign powers compete to influence the outcome of a revolution.
June 15, Chris Ludovici, author of The Minors at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
June 9, Jennifer Romolini, author or Weird In a World That's Not at Head House Books, 7:30pm
Jennifer Romolini’s wise, witty, and straight-talking how-to, asserts that being outside-the-norm and achieving real, high-level success are not mutually exclusive, even if the perception of the business world often seems otherwise, even if it seems like only office-politicking extroverts are set up for reward. Join Jennifer at Head House books for a reading and book signing!
May 25, Lynn Hoffman, author of The Butterfly Farmer at Head House Books, 7:30 pm
May 17, Jennifer Lin, author of Shanghai Faithful at St. Peter's Church, 12:30 pm
Head House will be selling book's for Jennifer Lin's event with St. Peter's Church Sages Group
May 17, Phil Langdon, author of Within Walking Distance at The Continental Midtown, 5-7:30
In Within Walking Distance, journalist and urban critic Philip Langdon looks at why and how Americans are shifting toward a more human-scale way of building and living. He shows how people are creating, improving, and caring for walkable communities.
May 22, Richard Schwartz, The Man Who Lit Lady Liberty, William Penn House, 7:00 pm
May 11, Anne Byrn, American Cake, 5pm at Williams Sonoma Philadelphia
Join us and author of American Cake, Anne Byrn, for a delicious night at Williams Sonoma in Philadelphia. With American Cake, Anne Byrn, creator of the New York Times bestselling series The Cake Mix Doctor, takes you on a journey through America's past to present with more than 125 authentic recipes for our best-loved and beautiful cakes and frostings.
May 11, Cathryn Jakobson Ramin, author of Crooked: Outwitting the Back Pain Industry and Getting on the Road to Recovery at Zarett Rehab at 6 pm
May 10, Athanaeum Literary Awards, The Pope of Physics, by Gino Segre and Bettina Hoerlin, and The Eye of the Sixties, by Judith Stein, 5:30 pm
Head House Books will be selling this year's winners of the Athanaeum Literary Awards at the ceremony on May 10th.
April 26, Patti LaBelle, Desserts LaBelle, WHYY
Head House Books will be selling copies of Patti LaBelle's Desserts LaBelle for her event with WHYY.
Friday, April 21st at 7:30 PM
In-store book reading: Jo Piazza, How to Be Married
Everyone tells you marriage is hard, but no one tells you what to do about it. As journalist Jo Piazza began planning her own wedding she realized that American marriage traditions focus more on the perfect dress, the Instagram-worthy decorations, and the menu than on how to make a real, lasting, joy-filled commitment.
Come Learn the Secrets of Success and Celebrate THE BIG LIFE with author Ann Shoket On April 18
As the trailblazing editor-in-chief of Seventeen for the better part of a decade, Ann Shoket lead provocative conversations that helped young women navigate the tricky terrain of adolescence and become smart, confident, self-assured young women. Now that they are adding muscle to the framework of their lives, she's continuing the conversation with The Big Life. The book is packed with actionable guidance combined with personal advice from high-profile millennial women who have already achieved tremendous success, plus intimate conversations with a cast of compelling characters and Shoket's own stories on her quest for The Big Life.
April 21, 11:30 am, Meg Braff, author of The Decorated Home at The Philadelphia Antiques Show
Head House Books will be selling copies of Meg Braff's The Decorated Home after her discussion at The Philadelphia Antiques Show at the Navy Yard
April 14, 7pm, Annie Hartnett, author of Rabbit Cake at Head House Books
Annie Hartnett will be reading from her new book, Rabbit Cake, which is an Indies Introduce and Indie Next pick with starred reviews from PW and Kirkus: "A brilliant book . . . How a whip-smart young girl handles the loss of her mother and re-orientation of her family; charming and beautifully written"
April 9: In-store reading and signing, Joy the Baker, Over Easy, 4pm
Joy the Baker will be at Head House Books on April 9 at 4pm. Her newest book, Over Easy, includes 125 recipes to tackle any brunch craving—from juices and coffees, to breads, eggs, pancakes, sandwiches, salads, and definitely bacon. Joy's previous books and her blog of the same name have received accolades around the world from The Times in London to Saveur. Don't miss this exciting event!
April 6, 7, 8, Todd Barry, Thank You For Coming To Hattiesburg at Punch Line Philly
Head House will be on-site at Punch Line Philly to sell copies of Todd Barry's Thank You For Coming to Hattiesburg at his shows on April 6-8.
Friday, April 7th at 7:30 PM
In-store book reading: David Ebenbach, The Guy We Invited to the Orgy and other stories.
Join Philadelphia born writer David Ebenbach for a reading of his new book, The Guy We Invited to the Orgy and other stories, winner of UMass Press’ Juniper Prize.
“David Ebenbach takes us on a tour of our own world, a place to which none of us have been invited, in which we fear and desire, enjoy our humble victories, and sometimes go secretly—or dramatically—insane....A brilliant, original, and illuminating book!” (author Stephen O’Connor); “In this striking collection, David Ebenbach inhabits a series of minds that most of us would classify as unknowable; he does so with empathy and wisdom, and often with humor as well” - Roy Kesey
March 23rd and 24th
Head House Books table at the Citizen's Bank Park American Whiskey and Spirits Tasting Event
Check out the Head House Books table with book signings by the following authors:
Lew Bryson (Tasting Whiskey)
Fred Minnick (Whiskey Women, Bourbon Curious, Bourbon-The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of an American Whiskey)
Noah Rothbaum (The Art of American Whiskey, The Business of Spirits)
Riannon Walsh (Whisky Dreams: Having Your Dram & Eating It Too.)
March 11th: Diana Rodriguez Wallach, Proof of Lies, 6pm at Naval Square Rotunda
Diana will be hosting a Book Launch Party in Philadelphia for friends, family, colleagues and STREET TEAM members. This event is by invitation only.
February 23rd: Jason Rekulak, The Impossible Fortress: February 23rd, at 7:30pm----at WEWork, 1010 N. Hancock Street, Philadelphia
Wednesday, Febrary 15th
A Word For Love discussion with Author Emily Robbins and Philadelphia local Elisabeth Jaquette
Emily Robbins debut novel "A Word for Love" has been praised by Khaled Hosseini as "melodic...attests to the timeless and life-giving power of love." The story follows a young American, Bea, as she travels around the world studying "The Astonishing Text" an ancient manuscript of a heartbreaking love story. "In her search, Bea finds herself transformed by language, risk, war, and a startling new understanding of love."
Emily Robbins has lived and worked across the Middle East and North Africa. From 2007-2008, she was a Fulbright Fellow in Syria, where she studied religion and language with a women's mosque movement, and lived with the family of a leading intellectual. Robbins holds a B.A. from Swarthmore College and an MFA from Washington University in St. Louis. She lives in Chicago and Brownsville, Texas, and has just returned from a second Fulbright Fellowship in Jordan.
Elisabeth Jaquette is a translator from the Arabic. Her translation of The Queue by Basma Abdel Aziz (Melville House, 2016) received a 2014 English PEN Translates Award, and her translation of The Apartment in Bab el-Louk by Donia Maher, Ganzeer, and Ahmed Nady is forthcoming with Darf Publishers in 2017. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, the Guardian, Words Without Borders, and Asymptote, among other publications. She was also a judge for the 2016 PEN America Translation Prize. Elisabeth holds a MA in Anthropology from Columbia University, a BA in Sociology and Anthropology from Swarthmore College, and was a CASA Fellow at the American University in Cairo.
Friday, December 9th, at 9:30
Michael Lewis, The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Minds Event will be at WHYY, 150 N. 6th Street, Philadelphia, PA
This event is sold out Forty years ago, Israeli psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky wrote a series of breathtakingly original studies undoing our assumptions about the decision-making process. Their papers showed the ways in which the human mind erred, systematically, when forced to make judgments in uncertain situations. Their work created the field of behavioral economics, revolutionized Big Data studies, advanced evidence-based medicine, led to a new approach to government regulation, and made much of Michael Lewis s own work possible. Kahneman and Tversky are more responsible than anybody for the powerful trend to mistrust human intuition and defer to algorithms.
The Undoing Project is about a compelling collaboration between two men who have the dimensions of great literary figures. They became heroes in the university and on the battlefield both had important careers in the Israeli military and their research was deeply linked to their extraordinary life experiences. Amos Tversky was a brilliant, self-confident warrior and extrovert, the center of rapt attention in any room; Kahneman, a fugitive from the Nazis in his childhood, was an introvert whose questing self-doubt was the seedbed of his ideas. They became one of the greatest partnerships in the history of science, working together so closely that they couldn t remember whose brain originated which ideas, or who should claim credit. They flipped a coin to decide the lead authorship on the first paper they wrote, and simply alternated thereafter.
This story about the workings of the human mind is explored through the personalities of two fascinating individuals so fundamentally different from each other that they seem unlikely friends or colleagues. In the process they may well have changed, for good, mankind s view of its own mind.
Sunday, December 4th at 7pm at Settlement Music School- 416 Queen St. Philadelphia
In partnership with Settlement Music School, authors Tricia Tunstall and Eric Booth will discuss Playing for Their Lives: "The Global El Sistema Movement for Social Change Through Music. A presentation will be followed by a book signing and reception. RSVPS requested.
Friday, November 11th at 8pm at Christ Church Neighborhood House Theater
In partnership with First Person Arts:Dave Hill, author of Dave Hill Doesn't Live Here Anymore
Doors open at 8:00, show begins at 8:30
Thursday, November 10th at 7pm at The National Museum of American Jewish History
In partnership with First Person Arts, author Jennifer Teege will discuss her bestselling memoir My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me. At 38 years old, Teege (a black German woman) uncovered a chilling family secret; her grandfather was Amon Goeth, a sadistic Nazi concentration camp commandant famously portrayed in the movie Schindler’s List. Join the provocative conversation in a post-show talk led by Stephanie Renee of WURD examining how heritage and legacy impacts our lives today. Panelists Jacob Winterstein, Shawn Theodore, and Katrina Browne discuss true family stories related to the holocaust and slave trade. A book signing concludes the event.Visit the First Person Arts website to purchase tickets and for more information.
Doors open at 7:00, show begins at 7:30
Friday, October 14th at 7pm at Head House Books
Join Christopher DeWan for a discussion on his new collection of stories Hoopty Time Machines: Fairy Tales for Grown-ups. Christopher DeWan is an award-winning creator of screenplays, stageplays, short fiction, and new media. He has published more than forty stories in journals including Hobart, Juked, Necessary Fiction, Passages North, and wigleaf, and he has been nominated twice for the Pushcart Prize. A recent review of Hoopty Time Machines states- "The literary equivalent of a perfect mix tape... There are doorstop novels out there that fail to achieve the emotional impact DeWan can generate with a single honest, well-crafted sentence." – Laura Garrison, Jersey Devil Press
Friday, September 30th at 7pm at Head House Books
Philly local Liz Moore discussed her new book The Unseen World. Liz Moore is the author of the acclaimed novels Heft and The Words of Every Song. She is a recipient of the University of Pennsylvania's ArtsEdge residency award, Philadelphia's Athenaeum Literary Award and the 2014 Rome Prize in Literature. The Unseen World has been described in Publisher's Weekly as- "A striking examination of family, memory, and technology . . . remarkable and heartbreaking . . . Mysteries build, and Moore's gift for storytelling excels. This is a smart, emotionally powerful literary page-turner."
Monday, September 12th at 7pm at Head House Books
We were so thrilled to host local bestselling author Jennifer Weiner for the release of her first young adult fiction book The Littlest Bigfoot. There was a lively discussion and signing from the acclaimed author, who is already getting rave reviews for the book. School Library Journal recently wrote- "A heartwarming tale about friendship and belonging that will resonate with those young readers who have ever struggled to fit in or find their place in the world." The Litttlest Bigfoot is available for order now.
Wednesday, September 21, 5:30 PM at The Athenaeum of Philadelphia
It has been said that “Carl Rollyson knows more about biographies than anyone else in the world.” His subjects have included Lillian Hellman, Norman Mailer, Sylvia Plath and Susan Sontag. In Confessions of a Serial Biographer, Rollyson talks about his methods and strategies, and describes the mechanics of the biographer’s trade. “I aim,” Rollyson assures us, “to be resolutely indiscreet.” Reception and book signing to follow.
To RSVP or buy tickets visit the Athenaeum website or call 215-925-2688
Free for Athenaeum members and $10 for general public
Wednesday, September 21, 11:30- 6:30pm
Reinventing our Communities: Transforming our Economies
A Conference Presented by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia at the Hilton at Penn's Landing
The seventh biennial Reinvesting Our Communities conference will address strategies to transform communities that connect people to the global economy; create places of opportunity that are equitable and benefit all residents; and leverage the collective skills, knowledge, and assets of residents. Author Kathryn Edin will discuss her book $2.00 A Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America with a panel of distinguished community leaders; to be followed by a booksigning and reception. For more information on the entire conference see https://philadelphiafed.org/ROC2016.
Friday, July 29th at 7pm at Head House Books
Amy Rose Spiegel is an editor and freelance writer whose work has appeared in Rolling Stone, The Guardian, NME, BuzzFeed, Dazed & Confused, The FADER, and many other publications. Join us for a discussion for her debut nonfiction book ACTION: A Book About Sex. In addition to being a “how-to” book about sex, Amy Rose also tackles topics like consent, slut shaming, and the need for access to factual sex education. ACTION is also a celebration of sex by means of celebrating yourself, in all your unique desires, proclivities, passions and preferences. A recent review states, “I’ve never actually laughed out loud so frequently in any reading experience, nor received such a thorough education in sexing healthily. Even the most literal, practical, graphic advice in this book is imbued with love, and with Amy Rose Spiegel’s singular voice.” –Tavi Gevinson, Editor-In-Chief, Rookie
Saturday, July 30th at 11pm at Head House Books
When Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came out 9 years ago, Head House Books was still in it's infancy. We are happy to report that with the release of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One & Two (Special Rehearsal Edition Script): The Official Script Book of the Original West End Production we will have a midnight release party. All ages are welcome, dressing up is encouraged but not required! We only want to bask in the glow of this exciting book.
Tuesday, July 12th at 7pm at Head House Books
Renowned travel writer Thomas Swick lived in Queen Village, Philadelphia before becoming the travel editor of the South Florida Sun Sentinel for almost two decades. He has been to more than sixty countries and his reflections on them have appeared from National Geographic Traveler to The New York Review of Books. He spends his third and latest book The Joys of Travel: And Stories That Illuminate Them discussing what he discovers are the seven specific joys of travel through personal essays. Swick pinpoints the reasons why travel can be an enlightening and life-changing experience. Swick's first two books were Unquiet Days: At Home in Poland (1991, Ticknor & Fields) and A Way to See the World: From Texas to Transylvania with a Maverick Traveler (2003, The Lyons Press). He lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Wednesday, April 20th at 12:30pm at St. Peter's Church
Jeanne Murray Walker will read from her collection of poetry Helping the Morning. Jeanne Murray Walker (Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania) is a poet and playwright whose work has been widely published and performed. She is the author of seven books of poetry in addition to a memoir, The Geography of Memory. Walker's work has been honored with a National Endowment for the Arts Award, a Pew Fellowship in the Arts, eight Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Fellowships, the Glenna Luschei-Prairie Schooner Prize, many Pushcart nominations, inclusion in Best American Poetry, and inclusion in the 100-year anniversary anthology of Poetry magazine.
Sunday, April 24th at 3pm at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
WHYY presents iconic radio host Terry Gross in conversation with Philly's own Questlove. The Fresh Air host will conduct a live interview with The Roots percussionist at Harrison Auditorium on creativity and much, much, more in true Terry Gross fashion. Sure to be included in the lively discussion is Questlove's new book Something to Food About. Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson formed The Roots in Philadelphia in 1987 with Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter. After their success in the music industry for decades, the hip hop/neo soul group now serves as the house band on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Questlove is also the author of Mo' Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove and Soul Train: The Music, Dance and Style of a Generation.
Wednesday April 27, 2016 6:00pm at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Join the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and author Cokie Roberts to discuss her new book, Capital Dames: The Civil War and the Women of Washington, 1848-1868, as she explores the wives, sisters, and female friends of the men leading America into, and through, the Civil War. Book signing to follow the discussion. For more information and to purchase tickets visit the events page on the HSP website.
Wednesday April 27, 2016 6:30pm at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Robert K. Wittman (author of NYT Bestseller Priceless: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World's stolen Treasures) and Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist David Kinney will discuss their new book The Devil's Diary: Alfred Rosenberg and the Stolen Secrets of the Third Reich. The Devil's Diary explores the private notebook of the mind behind Nazi ideology, one Albert Rosenberg. The insight that his writings provide create a version of the Third Reich's rise to power as it has never been explored. The journal itself disappeared around the time of the Nuremberg trial so, Kinney and Wittman--the discoverer of the notebook-- take the reader on the decades long search for the artifact itself. For additional information and to purchase tickets call 215-925-2688 or visit the Athenaeum website.
Friday, April 15th at 1pm at the Philadelphia Antiques and Art Show
Renowned interior designer Elissa Cullman had a discussion of her book The Detailed Interior: Decorating Up Close with Cullman and Kravis. With lush full color images and a step by step breakdown detailing each project, Ms. Cullman provided fans with design inspiration amidst all the beautiful art and objects at the Philadelphia Antiques Show. A recent review states- "From a Colorado mountain retreat to a Fifth Avenue pied-a-terre, Cullman and Pruzan break down the nuts and bolts of their favorite projects (including some never before published) to show that successful design is all about the details." —Traditional Home
Tuesday, April 12th at 6pm at Repo Records 538 South St.
Eric Spitznagel held a release party and discussion of his book Old Records Never Die: One Man's Quest for his Vinyl and his Past. Come see why the current vinyl renaissance has album sales resurging into the millions and climbing each year. Dave Eggers wrote in a recent review- "Memories are far more indelible when married to the physical world, and Spitznagel proves the point in this vivid book. We love vinyl records because they combine the tactile, the visual, the seeable effects of age and care and carelessness. When he searches for the records he lost and sold, Spitznagel is trying to return to a tangible past, and he details that process with great sensitivity and impact."
Wednesday, March 30 at 5:30 pm at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Nathaniel Popkin held a screening and discussion of the latest episode of the documentary series "Philadelphia: the Great Experiment". This episode Disorder focuses on Philadelphia from the 1820's through the 1840's. Nathaniel Popkin is the co-founder and co-editor of Hidden City Daily, an indispensable resource for anyone interested in Philadelphia, past, present, and future, and senior writer of the film documentary “Philadelphia: The Great Experiment.” He is the author of Song of the City: An Intimate History of the American Urban Landscape and the novel Lion and Leopard. His literary criticism appears regularly in the Wall Street Journal and the Kenyon Review. Mr. Popkin led a panel discussion following the film with Sharon Ann Holt, History Department, Penn State Abington, Caryn Hunt, President, PA NOW, and Dan Biddle, author of Tasting Freedom. For more information visit the Athenaeum website.
Wednesday, March 16 at 7:30pm at Head House Books
Julie Gard read from her debut book of poetry Home Studies (New River Press). Home Studies is a series of flash nonfiction-like pieces that illuminate queer midwestern family life as the author has known it, including long-term lesbian partnership, adoptive parenting, and survival of an arson attempt. Home Studies is currently a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award in Poetry and Scout Magazine recently wrote that the poems possess "a stealth so intelligent that the reader is often caught unawares, as the careful perceptions quietly at work here settle in."
Julie Gard teaches writing at the University of Wisconsin Superior. Her prose poems and stories have appeared in 50 or so literary magazines and anthologies, and has published chapbooks with Finishing Line Press and Tiger's Eye Press.
Wednesday, March 16, at 5:30 PM at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Thom Nickels discussed some of the important writers who have lived in and around Philadelphia over the past two centuries, as well as some of the city’s most eccentric and notable early booksellers.The talk explored why Philadelphia was known as “Sin City” in the 18th Century and shed new light on authors such as Bayard Taylor, Walt Whitman, George Lippard, Edgar Allan Poe, James Michener, and touch on the mostly ignored artistic legacy of Agnes Repplier, “the Jane Austen of America” who once shared a bit of whiskey with Whitman.
Thom Nickels is a poet and the City Beat editor at ICON magazine, a weekly columnist for Spirit Newspapers, a blogger for the Huffington Post and the author of 11 books. He was the 2005 recipient of the Philadelphia AIA Lewis Mumford Award for Architectural Journalism. For additional information visit the Athenaeum website.
Wednesday, March 2 at 5:30 pm at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Ben Yagoda talks about his new book, The B-Side: The Death of Tin Pan Alley and the Rebirth of the Great American Song and explains changes in American music after WWII. The talk will include musical selections.
Ben Yagoda is Professor of Journalism at the University of Delaware and the author of such highly-praised books as Will Rogers: A Biography, About Town: The New Yorker and the World It Made, and Memoir: A History. Reception and book signing to follow. For additional information visit the Athenaeum website.
Wednesday, February 3 from at 7:00PM at Pen and Pencil Club
Matt Katz discussed his book American Governor: Chris Christie's Bridge to Redemption at the Pen and Pencil Club. Katz was among the team awarded a Peabody Award for reporting what eventually became known at "Bridgegate," the Chris Christie scandal. Since reporting that collection of storieshe has continued to follow and research Christie--from his family's origins in America to the announcement of his presidential run.
Matt Katz's career in journalism began in 2000, starting with school boards and planning in New Jersey to the Christie campaign. He works for New Jersey Public Radio.
Sunday, December 6 from 2:00-4:00PM at the Athenaeum
Industrial Philadelphia, Past and Present is a juried art exhibition and sale presented by The Athenaeum of Philadelphia.
This exhibition celebrates the significant role the Philadelphia region has played, and continues to play, in our country's industrial life. All submitted works must depict some aspect of industry, past or present, in the six-county region (Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Chester,Delaware, and Camden). Tickets and additional information available here
Wednesday, December 9 at 5:30PM at the Athenaeum
Marjorie G. Jones discussed her book, The Life & Times of Mary Vaux Walcott. Spanning two centuries, it tells the story of a remarkable Philadelphia Quaker (1860-1940), whose life as an avid explorer, glaciologist, photographer, BIA commissioner & above all, renowned illustrator of North American wildflowers, earned her the sobriquet Audubon of Botany.
Marjorie G. Jones is the author of Frances Yates & the Hermetic Tradition, the first biography of the noted British historian. A graduate of Wheaton College, Norton MA, the Rutgers School of Law & the Graduate Faculty of the New School in New York City, she is a member of Writing Women’s Lives Seminar in NYC.
Friday, November 20 from 6:00 to 9:00pm at WHYY
Join Emmy-winning host of Lidia’s Kitchen, Lidia Bastianich, as she discusses her newest cookbook, Lidia's Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Great Italian Cook with WHYY’s Elisabeth Perez-Luna. Lidia's Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine is a beautifully produced definitive guide to Italian cooking, coauthored with Lidia’s daughter, Tanya—covering everything from ingredients to techniques to tools, plus more than 400 delectable recipes.
Before the program, attend a member-only reception with hors d'oeuvres inspired by Lidia's new cookbook provided by DiAntonio’s Catering.
Wednesday, November 18 at 5:30PM at the Athenaeum
James McClelland and Lynn Miller discuss their book, City in a Park. Begun in the 19th century as a civic effort to provide a clean water supply to Philadelphia, Fairmount Park also furnished public grounds for boat races and hiking, among other activities. Millions travel to the city to view its 18th-century villas, attend boat races on the Schuylkill River, visit the Philadelphia Zoo, hear concerts in summer, stroll the city’s historic squares, and enjoy its enormous collection of public art. In City in a Park, the authors provide an affectionate and comprehensive history of this 200-year-old network of parks.
James McClelland is a freelance writer whose work focuses on the arts. He is Executive Director Emeritus of the Philadelphia Art Alliance and the author of The Martinos: A Legacy of Art and Fountains of Philadelphia: A Guide. Athenaeum stockholder Lynn Miller is Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Temple University. He is the author of Global Order: Values and Power in International Politics and Crossing the Line (a novel), and the co-author (with Annette H. Emgarth) of French Philadelphia: The French Cultural & Historical Presence in the Delaware Valley.
Saturday and Sunday, November 14-15 at 11AM-3PM both days at Head House Books
SEX, DEATH, AND MEMOIR
Part of the First Person Arts Festival Presented by PNC Arts Alive
Why is it so hard to write compelling, authentic scenes about some of our most primal experiences? Writers sometimes sidestep such themes as sex and death by falling back on euphemism, cliché, or formula. In this workshop we’ll focus on how to write in the face of taboo, and create bold, genuine narrative around such “risky” topics. Additional information and tickets available here.
Wednesday, November 11 at 8 PM at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Part of the First Person Arts Festival Presented by PNC Arts Alive
What began as a big dream of a small town filled with ghosts, angels, aliens and government conspiracies has become one of the most popular podcasts on iTunes today, and a newly released novel. Hear the true story of how an out-of-this-world idea inspired a new reality for creators Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor, as they are interviewed by podcast star Cecil Baldwin about their debut novel which is based on the podcast of the same name. You don’t have to be a fan or listener to enjoy this show! Featuring musical guest Disparition. A book signing concludes the event. Additional information and tickets available here.
Saturday November 7 at 3:30PM-5PM at Head House Books
QUIRK BOOKS PRESENTS: THE BUSINESS OF PUBLISHING
Part of the First Person Arts Festival Presented by PNC Arts Alive
Do you dream of becoming a published author, but aren’t quite sure how to get there? Quirk Books Publisher and Editor Jason Rekulak presents tips and suggestions for getting your work published in today's competitive marketplace. From polishing your manuscript, to writing a query letter, to finding the right market for your book, Rekulak will draw on 20 years experience as an editor to help you advance your work from page to print. Additional information and tickets available here.
Saturday and Sunday, November 7-8 at 11AM-3PM both days at Head House Books
TRUE NORTH
Part of the First Person Arts Festival Presented by PNC Arts Alive
In this workshop, we'll tap into the stories that are waiting just for you. You'll get a solid foundation in the craft of writing personal essays and memoir as well as opportunities to access your inherent creativity and celebrate its power. By investigating the fundamental tenets of constructing an authentic self on the page, this workshop will help you to deepen your connection to your material, craft memorable and original prose, and discover your own voice. Additional information and tickets available here.
Wednesday, November 4 at 5:30 PM at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Mark Reinberger discusses his book, The Philadelphia Country House, an examination of the country houses urban gentry built on the outskirts of Philadelphia, the influence of British architecture, and the reponse to local economic and social needs. Reinberger, the first scholar awarded a Peterson Fellowship in 1988, is now professor of architecture at the University of Georgia. Elizabeth McLean, long know for her research on historical landscape and gardens, is a research associate in botany at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.
Book signing and reception to follow. Additional information and tickets available here.
Saturday, October 31 at 5:30 PM at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Raghu Karnad discusses his nonfiction epic, Farthest Field. Farthest Field narrates the lost epic of India’s war, in which the largest volunteer army in history fought for the British Empire, even as its countrymen fought to be free of it. It carries us from Madras to Peshawar, Egypt to Burma—unfolding the saga of a young family amazed by their swiftly changing world and swept up in its violence.
Raghu Karnad is an award-winning writer and journalist who lives between Bangalore and New Delhi, India. His essay detailing the origins of this book was described by Simon Schama as “nothing short of brilliant.” Farthest Field is his first book.
Book signing and reception to follow. Additional information and tickets available here.
Wednesday, October 28, at 5:30 PM at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Stephen Hague discusses his book on the eighteenth-century Georgian mansion. Between the late 17th century and 1780, compact classical houses developed as a distinct architectural type. From small country estates to provincial towns and their outskirts, ‘gentlemen’s houses’ proliferated in Britain and its American colonies.
Stephen Hague, the recipient of a Charles E. Peterson Fellowship in 2012, teaches modern European, British and British imperial history at Rowan University in New Jersey.Book siging and refreshments to follow. Admission $10 or free for Athenaeum members. Additional information and tickets available here.
Wednesday, October 21 at 5:30pm at the Athenaeum
Nancy G. Heller will be lecturing about the John Signer Sargent painting, El Jaleo, a large-scale painting which he painted out of his fascination with Gypsy culture and dance. Heller is a professor of Modern & Contemporary Art History at the University of the Arts. Her most recent books are the 4th edition of Women Artists: An Illustrated History (Abbeville Press) and Why a Painting is Like a Pizza: A Guide to Understanding and Enjoying Modern Art (Princeton University Press). She has studied and performed Spanish dance since the 1980s and was the American correspondent for Flamenco International Magazine. Dr. Heller earned her MA and Ph.D. at Rutgers University, New Brunswick. She will bring with her to this presentation a number of flamenco costumes and accessories, for attendees to examine.
Books will be available for purchase at the event, with book signing and reception to follow. Free for Athenaeum Members, All others $10. Members may RSVP by calling 215-925-2688 or emailing events@philaathenaeum.org
Saturday, October 17 at 12:30pm-3:00pm at the Drexelbrook Catering and Special Event Center
At this WHYY-hosted event, author Patrick J. Kennedy discussed his lastest book, A Common Struggle, which will be released October 5. In the book, the former congressman and youngest child of Senator Ted Kennedy details his personal and political battle with mental illness and addiction, exploring mental health care's history in the country alongside his and every family's private struggles. Following the discussion, the book was available for signing. A Common Struggle was available for purchase at the event.
Wednesday, September 30 at 5:30pm at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
John L. Puckett and Mark Frazier Lloyd discussed Becoming Penn: The Pragmatic American University, 1950-2000. shares the interwoven history, university politics and urban policy which came into play during these years of change. Drawing upon both photographs and documents in the University Archives and from the City of Philadelphia, the authors enlighten the reader on this catalytic time in the University’s history which saw the presidencies of Martin Meyerson, Sheldon Hackney, and others. Book siging and reception following the event. Admission $10 or free for Athenaeum members. Program description and tickets available here.
Thursday, October 1 at 7:00pm at Head House Books
Michael Gould-Wartofsky discussed his new book about the 99% movement, The Occupiers. In The Occupiers, Michael Gould-Wartofsky offers a front-seat view of the action in the streets of New York City and beyond. Through the use of material gathered in the course of eighty interviews and two years of on-the-ground investigation, Gould-Wartofsky traces the occupation of Zuccotti Park—and some of its counterparts across the United States and around the world—from inception to eviction. He takes up the challenges the occupiers faced and explores the ways in which occupied squares became focal points for an emerging opposition to the politics of austerity, restricted democracy, and the power of corporate America. Signing following the event.
Saturday, Oct 3 at 1:00pm at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Vincent D. Feldman discussed his photography book City Abandandoned: Charting the Loss of Civic Institutions in Philadelphia. Photographs from the book are currently on display at the Athenaeum, where the event will be held. Vincent D. Feldman, a lifelong resident of Philadelphia, has been photographing architecture and the urban landscape for three decades. In the early 1990s his photography came to concentrate on the conflicts and questions that often surround historic buildings in Philadelphia. Feldman's photography helps uncover the stories attached to buildings, thus revealing the nature of the societies in which these structures were built—and then neglected. Book signing and reception following the discussion. Admission $10 or free for Athenaeum members. Program description and tickets available here.
Saturday, September 19 at 1:30pm at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Vincent D. Feldman discussed his photography book City Abandandoned: Charting the Loss of Civic Institutions in Philadelphia. Vincent D. Feldman, a lifelong resident of Philadelphia, has been photographing architecture and the urban landscape for three decades. In the early 1990s his photography came to concentrate on the conflicts and questions that often surround historic buildings in Philadelphia. Feldman's photography helps uncover the stories attached to buildings, thus revealing the nature of the societies in which these structures were built—and then neglected. Book signing and reception to follow the discussion. Admission $10 or free for Athenaeum members. Program description and tickets available here.
Tuesday, September 8 at 11:30am at WHYY
Dr. Dan Gottlieb, host of Voices in the Family, hosted an event on September 8th from noon-2pm at WHYY. For nearly 30 years, Voices in the Family hosts thoughtful discussions dealing with the many aspects of personality, psychology, and inter-personal relationships. Dr. Gottlieb's books were available for sale and signing before and following the talk.
Wednesday, September 9 at 6:30pm at Zipco Wine Cellars
A talk with Dr. David Casarett, author of Stoned: The Case For Medical Marijuana was hosted at the Zipco Wine Cellars warehouse. His book has been described as "[o]ften humorous, occasionally heartbreaking, and full of counterintuitive conclusions." In Stoned, Casarett "offers a compassionate and much-needed medical practitioner’s perspective on the potential of this misunderstood plant."
Tuesday, September 15 at 7:30pm at FringeArts
Poet Saul Williams performed at this spoken word event at FringeArts. His latest book of poetry, US(a.), will be released the same day, with copies available for sale at the event. Saul Williams is an acclaimed poet, musician, and actor. The film Slam, which he co-wrote and starred in, won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival (1998), and the Camera d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. He has contributed to The New York Times, voiced Jean-Michel Basquiat in Downtown 81, and cut records with Rick Rubin and Trent Reznor. He has spoken at more than 200 universities where his poetry has been added to the curriculum of dozens of creative writing programs, and has taught poetry/performance workshops around the world. He recently starred in the Broadway musical Holler If Ya Hear Me. His other books include S/HE, ,said the shotgun to the head., and The Dead Emcee Scrolls.
Thursday, June 18th at 7pm at Head House Books
Bob Fernandez discussed his new book The Chocolate Trust: Deception, Indenture and Secrets at the $12 Billion Milton Hershey School. Bob Fernandez is a staff writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer, currently covering the telecommunications and media industries. He has won multiple journalism awards since his career began in 1987, including for his stories on the Hershey Trust. His first story on the Trust appeared in the Inquirer in 2001.
Tuesday, June 16th at 7pm at Head House Books
John Benditt discussed his novel "The Boatmaker." A recent review in Time Out New York states "The Boatmaker is already one of our favorite books of the year: a true odyssey about one man’s complicated journey away from his native island." The Boatmaker is John Benditt's first novel. He has a background in journalism and poetry and previously served as an editor at Scientific American and as Editor-in-Chief of Technology Review, published by MIT. As an undergraduate at Swarthmore College he studied with Adrienne Rich and was awarded the John Russell Hayes Poetry Prize by Robert Creeley. He grew up in Seattle and lives in Brooklyn.
Thursday, June 15th at 6pm at Head House Books
The Barnard Club of Philadelphia presented: "From Barnard to a Life in Fiction: Author Talk with Stephanie Feldman"
Stephanie Feldman—Barnard alumna (’05) and fiction author— discussed her journey from Barnard student to author of the acclaimed book The Angel of Losses (Ecco/HarperCollins 2014). Stephanie read a brief excerpt from her book and took questions. The perfect event for booklovers, aspiring authors, and publishing professionals!
Tuesday, June 9th at 7pm at Head House Books
We hosetd Lauren Saft, for a great discussion and launch party for her debut young adult novel Those Girls. Set in a high school in the Philadelphia suburbs; a recent School Library Journal review states-" Saft gives readers a look at the complicated relationships between high school girlfriends. The female characters she crafts are complex."
Friday, May 29th at 7:30pm at the Tattoed Mom- 530 South Street Philadelphia, PA 19147
"Party Like a President" author Brian Abrams hosted a book signing and discussion, moderated by Geekadelphia's Chris Urie about the 100-proof history of our nation’s leaders and lechers, from a pill-popping Richard Nixon to a tail-chasing Woodrow Wilson to a skinny-dipping JFK, and much more.
Tuesday, May 26th at 7pm at Head House Books
David S. Cohen discussed his book Living in the Crosshairs: The Untold Stories of Anti-Abortion Terrorism. David S. Cohen is a renowned scholar in constitutional law and gender, sex segregation, masculinity, and violence against abortion providers. He is an associate professor of law at Drexel University School of Law, serves on the board of directors of the Women's Law Project, and regularly contributes articles to Slate.com, Feminist Law Professors and Faculty Lounge.
Saturday, May 16th at 9am at the Pennsylvania Convention Center
We were thrilled to be the official bookseller at The Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania event #GirlPop2015. This was an incredible day of non-stop fun that features an exciting lineup of guest speakers, interactive breakout sessions, a hands-on Hall of Experiences, and plenty of opportunities to meet and connect with thousands of other girls. Featured authors included Jenna Bush Hager, Mo'ne Davis and Ame Dyckman. All girls in grades K-12 are welcome to attend.
Tuesday, May 12th at 6pm at Head House Books
Young Women's Initiative led a book discussion in preparation of Janet Mock's acceptance of the Women's Way Prize. Janet Mock will discuss the enriching stories about trans-women she shares in her memoir Redefining Realness. Kel Kroehle, director of The Bryson Institute of The Attic Youth Center and contributing writer at Everyday Feminism, will moderate this discussion around the importance of trans* experiences and identities in feminist thought and work.
Monday, May 4th at 6:30pm at Head House Books
Local authors Liz Abrams-Morley and Anne Kaier read from their latest books. Anne Kaier read from her new memoir: Home with Henry “Pet lovers will lap up this charming cat memoir!” John Grogan author of Marley and Me. Liz Abrams-Morley read from her latest collection of poetry Inventory. “Liz Abrams-Morley has done something wonderful here, transforming the mundane language of our lives into poems of richness and depth... in this collection about mothers, daughters, fathers, sisters and friends, all making their inventories, all trying to say something about their time here” Dorianne Laux author of The Book of Men
Wednesday, April 22nd at 5:30pm at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Mary Bergstein presented In Looking Back One Learns to See: Marcel Proust and Photography. The book features over 90 illustrations and brings to light Proust's visual imagination, his visual metaphors and his photographic resoursces and imaginings.
Wednesday, March 25th at 5:30pm at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Sue Eisenfeld discussed her book Shenandoah: A Story of Conservation and Betrayal. A recent Kirkus Reviews states “Eisenfeld writes about Shenandoah the way Annie Proulx writes about Wyoming or Edward Abbey about the deserts of the Southwest: pristine, unsentimental, eloquent prose.” Sue Eisenfeld is a freelance writer, communications consultant, and faculty member in the Johns Hopkins University MA in Writing Program.
Thursday, March 12th at 6pm at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Join architect Peter Pennoyer and architectural historian Anne Walker for a look at two of the early 1900s’ most important, but largely forgotten architects. A discussion of their book New York Transformed: The Architecture of Cross & Cross will be followed by a reception. For tickets and event details click here.
Wednesday, March 11th at 5:30pm at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Peter Binzen led a dicussion of Richardson Dilworth: The Last of the Bare Knuckled Autocrats with Jonathan Binzen. Peter Binzen was a reporter, editor, and columnist for more than 30 years at The Philadelphia Bulletin, and for more than 20 years at The Philadelphia Inquirer. He is the author of The Cop Who Would Be King. For tickets and event details click here.
Wednesday, February 25th at 5:30 pm at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Cordelia Biddle discussed her biography Saint Katherine: The Life of Katherine Drexel.
“Powerful and profoundly moving, Saint Katharine is a book of rich and lively scholarship and of deeply felt devotion. You will not be able to put it down.”—Donald Spoto, author of Reluctant Saint: The Life of Francis of Assisi For tickets and event details click here.
Wednesday, February 11th at 7pm at Head House Books
We were pleased to host Concha Allborg as she discusses her new memoir Divorce After Death. Concha Alborg earned a PhD in Spanish Literature from Temple University and has been a professor at Saint Joseph's University for twenty years. In addition to numerous academic publications on contemporary women writers, she has published two collections of short stories: Una noche en casa (Madrid, 1995) and Beyond Jet-Lag (New Jersey, 2000) and a novel, American in Translation: A Novel in Three Novellas (Indiana, 2011).
Thursday, November 13th at 8pm at Christ Church Neighborhood House
First Person Arts Festival presented Sane New World, a one-woman show performed by Ruby Wax based on her book Sane New World: A User's Guide to the Normal-Crazy Mind.
Thursday, November 13th at 7:30pm at Head House Books
Cordelia Biddle discussed her new book Saint Katherine: The Life of Katherine Drexel. A recent review of the bookstates- “Powerful and profoundly moving, Saint Katharine is a book of rich and lively scholarship and of deeply felt devotion. You will not be able to put it down.”- Donald Spoto, author of Reluctant Saint: The Life of Francis of Assisi
Wednesday, November 5th 6:30 pm at Head House Books
Susan Morse will discuss her latest book The Dog Stays in the Picture: Life Lessons From A Rescued Greyhound.
Tuesday, November 4th 6pm at Le Meridien Philadelphia- 1421 Arch Street
First Person Arts presents an evening with celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson. The evening begins with a dinner prepared by Marcus Samuelsson and Jennifer Carroll based on his most recent cookbook of home recipes Marcus Off Duty. A book signing will conclude the evening.
VIP Reception from 6-7pm. Main event opens at 6pm. Dinner at 7pm. Tickets, pricing and additional information available at First Person Arts.
Saturday, October 25th at 4pm at Head House Books
We celebrated the 215 Festival with a reading from Ixnay Press poets Sandra Simmonds, Pattie McCarthy and Jenn McCreary.
Thursday, September 18th at 7:30pm at Head House Books
Join us for a discussion with Denny Somach on Get the Led Out about rock legends Led Zeppelin. The Examiner.com wrote in a recent review- "Get the Led Out is a beautiful coffee table book that any fan would love to devour."
Wednesday, September 10th at 6pm at Philadelphia Institute Library
Diane Hale discussed her new book "Mona Lisa: A Life Discovered." Author presentation followed by a reception. A recent Publishers Weekly review says of the book, “Entertaining…Combining history, whimsical biography, personal travelogue, and love letter to Italy, the book portrays Lisa Gherardini has a Renaissance Everywoman…an accessible, vivid examination of women’s lives in Florence in that period.”
Wednesday, September 10th at 12pm at Le Meridien, 1421 Arch Street
First Person Arts and Harmelin Media celebrated their annual fundraiser and a luncheon and book signing with Lily Ledbetter, women's activist and author of "Grace and Grit."
Additional information at First Person Arts
Wednesday, August 6th at 5:30pm at Le Cheri, 251 S. 18th Street
Richard Vague on his new release of "The Next Economic Disaster."
Ed Luce, Chief U.S. financial columnist for Financial Times writes: "Economists failed to predict the 2007 meltdown and they're on the course to miss the next one too. As a consumer lending practitioner who saw it coming, Richard Vague's voice should not be ignored. His emphasis on the dangers of rising private household debt is a key to both the last crisis and the next. This book is a must read."
Tuesday, July 15th at 7:00 PM at Head House Books
It was a wonderful evening hosting Andrew Meredith as he discussed his book The Removers.
Salvatore Scibona, author of The End, writes "The Removers" is for anyone whose adolescence has taken too long, whose hands need useful work, or who wants to put his family grudges away and get on with the rewards of adult life - such as the wicked laughs and the sweet, tender, singing prose of this wonderful book."
Wednesday, June 18th at 7:30pm at Head House Books
Louis Greenstein discussed his new book of growing up on the shore in "Mr. Boardwalk."
Louis Greenstein’s writing has crossed multiple genres, from scripts for the Emmy Award-winning Nickelodeon series Rugrats to stage plays performed by theaters around the country. Several of his plays are available in print and his work has been honored with a fellowship from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. His musical show,One Child Born: The Music of Laura Nyro, co-written with performer Kate Ferber, travels to multiple venues in New York City and elsewhere. Mr. Boardwalk is his first novel.
Thursday, June 19th at 7:30 pm at Head House Books
A discussion of When I first Held You edited by Brian Gresko and The Scientists: A Family Romance by Marco Roth led by Pen Parentis Literary Salon of Philadelphia.
Brian Gresko is the editor of When I First Held You: 22 Critically Acclaimed Writers Talk About the Triumphs,Challenges and Transformative Experience of Fatherhood (Berkeley Books, 2014). His work has appeared in Poets & Writers Magazine, The Brooklyn Rail, Glimmer Train Stories and online at Salon, TheAtlantic.com, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and many other sites. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and son.
Stephanie Feldman grew up in Philadelphia and studied writing at the University of Pennsylvania and Barnard College. She lives in the greater Philadelphia area with her husband and daugher. The Angel of Losses (Ecco, July 2014) is her first novel.
Marco Roth is the author of The Scientist: A Family Romance (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux,2012) and a founding co-editor of the magazinen+1. He lives in Philadelphia with his daughter.
Thursday, June 12th at 7 pm at Head House Books
We loved hosting Kevin Morris' discussion of his new collection of stories "White Man's Problems."
Life undermines the pursuit of success and status in these rich, bewildering stories. True to the title, the heroes of Morris’ first volume of fiction try to figure out the conundrums of love, career and family at every stage of the white male life cycle... His wonderfully evocative prose finds a world in tiny details of gesture and setting, in the casually arrogant stirring of coffee or the drab décor of a hotel room “conceived in mediocrity.” The result is a clear-eyed, finely wrought and mordantly funny take on a modern predicament by a new writer with loads of talent.
- Kirkus starred review
Monday, May
19 at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia, 219 South 6th St
In partnership with the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Adrian Raine discusses his book The Anatomy of Violence: The Biological Roots of Crime
Thursday, May 
8 at 6:00PM at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia, 219 South 6th St
In partnership with the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
George H. Marcus discusses his book The Houses of Louis Kahn
Sunday, April 27 at 2:30 PM at The College of Physicians, 19 S 22nd St
We're excited to be participating in the Murder at the Mutter event!
Participants will gather at 2:30 for a forensic investigation, followed by a reception where Lisa Rosner will sign copies of The Anatomy Murders
Tuesday, April 8 at 7:00PM at Head House Books
WHYY's Dan Gottlieb discusses his new book The Wisdom We're Born With
Wednesday, March 12 at 6:00pm at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia, 219 South 6th St
In partnership with the Athenaeum of Philadelphia in co-sponsorship with the Philadelphia Chapter of The Institute of Classical Architecture & Art
Nancy S. Steinhardt discussed the classical tradition in Chinese architecture and the Beaux Arts
Thursday, March 13 at 7:00pm at Head House Books
Keri White discussed 
her book The Mommy Code: A New Mom's Guide to Surviving Parenthood
See Keri on Good Day Philadelphia
Read Richard's review on his blog
Sunday, February 23 at 10:00am at Little Shul, 2015 South 4th St
In partnership with the Feinstein Center for American Jewish History
Alisa Solomon discussed her book Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of Fiddler on the Roof
Wednesday, February
26 at 7:00pm at Head House Books
Warren Hoffman discussed his book The Great White Way: Race and the Broadway Musical
Thursday, March
6 at 5:30pm at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia, 219 South 6th St
In partnership with the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Diane Jacobs discussed her book Dear Abigail: The Intimate Lives and Revolutionary Ideas of Abigail Adams and Her Two Remarkable Sisters
February 21, 2014
In partnership with the Montgomery County Poet Laureate Program
J.C. Todd led Go Figure! A Poetry Workshop For Writers of All Genres
February 20, 2014 
Joe Cross discussed his book The Reboot with Joe Juice Diet: Lose Weight, Get Healthy and Feel Amazing
February 19, 2014 
In partnership with the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Bob Brier discussed his book Egyptomania: Our Three Thousand Year Obsession with the Land of the Pharaohs
November 21, 2013 
In partnership with the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Rosemary Flannery discussed her book Angels of Paris: An Architectural Tour Through the History of Paris
November 14, 2013 
In partnership with First Person Arts
Ana Castillo and Angela Davis conversed with Sonia Sanchez
November 10, 2013 
In partnership with First Person Arts
Beth Kephart discussed her book Handling the Truth: On the Writing of Memoir with Dani Shapiro who discussed her book Still Writing: The Pleasure and Perils of a Creative Life
November 6, 2013 
In partnership with First Person Arts
Toni Morrison and Rita Dove conversed with Sonia Sanchez
September 12, 2013 
Jo Piazza discussed her book Love Rehab: A Novel In Twelve Steps
Are you a community group or organization in the Philadelphia area who would like to make books available for purchase at your next literary event? Please contact us at sales[at]headhousebooks[dot]com
