The Johnstown Flood, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, The School for Good Mothers, and more Pennsylvania-focused reading recommendations from Spotlight PA’s staff.
Tanisha Thomas of Spotlight PA
HARRISBURG — When Spotlight PA staffers aren’t busy filing public records requests, contacting sources, or preparing your favorite newsletters, we’re often reading books or talking about them.
This led to the creation of an internal book club, of course.
To celebrate summer and all the opportunities the season brings to read on the beach, in the park, or in that perfect nook or resting spot at home, the staff has compiled a list of our favorite books. The selections span a range of genres, but all connect to Pennsylvania in some way.
The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough: On the cusp of summer in 1889, the worst dam failure in American history hit Johnstown, killing thousands. McCullough’s meticulous recounting of the disaster is captivating, and his explanation of its cause is infuriating.—Colin Deppen, newsletter editor
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson: This is a kid’s book that I read in elementary or middle school, but it’s very educational! It is set during the yellow fever outbreak in Philadelphia right after the Revolutionary War.—Kate Huangpu, government reporter
Long Bright River by Liz Moore: This is a great summer crime read that highlights the opioid crisis in Philly. I loved the story of these estranged sisters and how trauma and addiction shaped their worldviews in completely different ways.—Yaasmeen Piper, events coordinator
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride: This historical novel set in the 1920s and 1930s Pottstown examines the relationships of the Black and Jewish residents of the Chicken Hill neighborhood. What I like most about the book is that McBride takes his time to let you know each character thoroughly. You feel their pain, their fears for the future, their joys at success. I hated to say goodbye to some of the characters when I finished the book. —Michelle Mertz, director of individual and corporate giving
Oreo by Fran Ross: Oreo is an experimental picaresque about a Philadelphia woman’s journey to meet her father. It is intensely ridiculous and dizzyingly committed to a style of heady and bawdy comedy that wrung laughs out of my entire body. I’ve never read a book like it.—Stephen Kearse, assistant editor
A Walk In the Woods by Bill Bryson: Bryson wittily discusses the history, biology, and experience of hiking the Appalachian Trail. The book touches on Pennsylvania at times and the wider Northeast. It’s just a fun summer read.—Stephen Caruso, Capitol reporter
All in the Day’s Work by Ida Tarbell: Tarbell is a native of Oil City who helped take down Standard Oil. Her autobiography includes observations on journalism, the economy, and life that are timeless. It reminded me why I am a journalist. SC
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews: This will make you laugh and cry over and over again until it ends. It’s a young adult book, but I believe all ages will enjoy it! YP
God’s Gym by John Edgar Wideman: Wideman, who was raised in Pittsburgh, is one of the best writers Pennsylvania has ever produced. This story collection boasts all his talents: the breathless and elegant sentences, the rich social commentary, and the haunting storytelling. One of the stories is so electrifying that as soon as I finished it I had to get to writing myself. He’s that good. SK
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan: This dystopian novel is set in Philadelphia and centers on a divorced mom who goes to a state correctional institution after leaving her 2-year-old unattended for a few hours. It explores expectations for mothers, women of color, and double standards, and is just a great read — definitely a page-turner. KH
Carnegie’s Maid by Marie Benedict: Set in mid-1800s Pittsburgh, this novel tells the story of an Irish immigrant who assumes a new identity and becomes part of the Carnegie household. It showcases Andrew Carnegie’s evolution into the most well-known philanthropist of his time and details the neighborhoods and living conditions of Pittsburgh at that time. MM
Slouch: Posture Panic in Modern America by Beth Linker: I love it when a book gets me to acknowledge and completely rethink some bit of conventional wisdom I’ve internalized without much thought. Linker, who I interviewed earlier this year, does that by untangling the roots of America’s obsession with “good” posture. CD
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