In Philadelphia Stories, Samuel Otter finds literary value, historical significance, and political urgency in a sequence of texts written in and about Philadelphia between the Constitution and the Civil War. Historians such as Gary B. Nash and Julie Winch have chronicled the distinctive social and political space of early national Philadelphia. Yet while individual writers such as Charles Brockden Brown, Edgar Allan Poe, and George Lippard have been linked to Philadelphia, no sustained attempt has been made to understand these figures, and many others, as writing in a tradition tied to the city's history. The site of William Penn's "Holy Experiment" in religious toleration and representative government and of national Declaration and Constitution, near the border between slavery and freedom, Philadelphia was home to one of the largest and most influential "free" African American communities in the United States. The city was seen by residents and observers as the laboratory for a social experiment with international consequences. Philadelphia would be the stage on which racial character would be tested and a possible future for the United States after slavery would be played out. It would be the arena in which various residents would or would not demonstrate their capacities to participate in the nation's civic and political life. Otter argues that the Philadelphia "experiment" (the term used in the nineteenth-century) produced a largely unacknowledged literary tradition of peculiar forms and intensities, in which verbal performance and social behavior assumed the weight of race and nation.

For the average tourist, the history of Philadelphia can be like a leisurely carriage ride through Old City. The Liberty Bell. Independence Hall. Benjamin Franklin. The grooves in the cobblestone are so familiar, one barely notices the ride. Yet there are other paths to travel, and the ride can be bumpy. Beyond the famed founders, other Americans walked the streets of Philadelphia whose lives were, in their own ways, just as emblematic of the promises and perils of the new nation. Philadelphia Stories chronicles twelve of these lives to explore the city's people and places from the colonial era to the years before the Civil War. This collective portrait includes men and women, Black and white Americans, immigrants and native born. If mostly forgotten today, banker Stephen Girard was one of the wealthiest men ever to have lived, and his material legacy can be seen by visiting sites such as Girard College. In a different register, but equally impressive, were the accomplishments of Sarah Thorn Tyndale. In a few short years as a widow she made enough money on her porcelain business to retire to a life as a reformer. Others faced frustration. Take, for example, Grace Growden Galloway. Born to an important family, she saw her home invaded and her property confiscated by patriot forces. Or consider the life of Francis Johnson, a Black bandleader and composer who often performed at the Musical Fund Hall, which still stands today. And yet he was barred from joining its Society. Philadelphia Stories examines their rich lives, as well as those of others who shaped the city's past. Many of the places inhabited by these people survive to this day. In the pages of this book and on the streets of the city, one can visit both the people and places of Philadelphia's rich history.

Philadelphia Stories is a kind of family album. As in their earlier volume, Still Philadelphia: A Photographic History, 1890-1940, Miller, Vogel, and Davis have collected photographs of ordinary lives and daily events from 1920 to 1960 that have shaped the collective memory of people in the Philadelphia area. Through a series of photo essays, Philadelphia Stories evokes the mood of an era that embraced the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, and the complacent prosperity of the 1950s. Contemporary photos document physical changes in the metropolitan area: the developing skyline, the streets of rowhouses, the expanding suburbs. Details on homelife, food prices, school activities, local politics, shopping, social mores, and neighborhood customs chronicle experiences that are in many ways distinct to Philadelphians but also indicative of dramatic social, political, and economic shifts in the United States over forty years. Using photojournalism as the dominant style of documentary photography—and consciousness making—the book also features three prototypical family albums. These collections of snapshots taken by local residents to record weddings, holidays, and other family events not only depict how people saw themselves at various times but reveal the kinds of memories they wanted to keep. While major national events create the context for this social history, the book focuses on the daily lives of Philadelphians: as they cope with the Depression, participate in New Deal programs, buy automobiles and television sets, grow Victory Gardens, hold air raid drills, visit the Freedom Train, move to the suburbs, cling to old neighborhoods, and maintain tradition amid flux.Philadelphia Stories celebrates the recent past in the words and images of those who experienced it. It is a family album for all who know and love the city. Author note: Fredric M. Miller is Curator of the Urban Archives Center, Paley Library, Temple University.Morris J. Vogel is Professor of History, Temple University.Allen F. Davis is Professor of History, Temple University.

These stories and essays, for the most part, take place in the city of Philadelphia. Taken together, they paint the portrait of a young scholar trying to find his way in the big city. From the halls of academe through his transition into the "real world," the stories chart his progress, his love life, his triumphs and his failures as he tries to find within himself who he is and where he belongs on this planet. Just because most of the characters are still in their twenties doesn't mean the stories should be labeled coming-of-age stories. Most of the stories have no moral, and there are more questions than answers to be garnered from most of them. Finally, not all the stories are uplifting, but at least they are honest and may offer some insight into this perplexing world of which we are all a part.

THE BEST RESOURCE FOR GETTING YOUR FICTION PUBLISHED Novel & Short Story Writer's Market 2016 is the only resource you need to get your short stories, novellas, and novels published. As with past editions, Novel & Short Story Writer's Market offers hundreds of listings for book publishers, literary agents, fiction publications, contests, and more. Each listing includes contact information, submission guidelines, and other essential tips. This edition includes articles and interviews on all aspects of the writing life: • Learn how to unlock character motivations to drive your story forward. • Imbue your fiction with a distinct, memorable voice. • Revise and polish your novels and short stories for successful submission. • Gain insight from best-selling authors Chris Bohjalian, John Sandford, Lisa Scottoline, and more. You'll also gain access to a one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com's searchable online database of fiction publishers,* as well as a free digital download of Writer's Yearbook, featuring the 100 Best Markets: WritersDigest.com/WritersDigest-Yearbook-15. + Includes exclusive access to the webinar "The Three Missing Pieces of Stunning Story Structure" by writing instructor and best-selling author K.M. Weiland *Please note: The e-book version of this title does not include a one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com. "After you've written 50,000 words, there seem to be 50,000 different things you need to know to publish your novel. Novel and Short Story Writer's Market helps clarify options so you can find the best publishing home for your work." --Grant Faulkner, executive director of National Novel Writing Month "I've published more than 200 short stories, and Novel & Short Story Writer's Market has been an essential tool in my success. It's a literary bible for anyone seriously interested in marketing fiction." --Jacob M. Appel, winner of the Dundee International Book Award and the Hudson Prize

The best resource for getting your fiction published! Novel & Short Story Writer's Market 2018 is the only resource you need to get your short stories, novellas, and novels published. This edition of NSSWM features hundreds of updated listings for book publishers, literary agents, fiction publications, contests, and more, and each listing includes contact information, submission guidelines, and other essential tips. Inside Novel & Short Story Writer's Market, you'll find valuable tips for: • How to take your readers on a roller-coaster ride by mastering the art of the unexpected • Weaving foreshadowing and echoing into your story • Discovering the DNA--dialogue, narrative, and action--dwelling inside all memorable characters • Gaining insight from best-selling and award-winning authors, including Steve Berry, Liane Moriarty, Junot Diaz, and more You will also receive a one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com's searchable online database of fiction publishers (comes with print version only). Includes exclusive access to the webinar "Say What? Create Dialogue to Hook Readers and Make Your Story Pop" by best-selling author Jennifer Probst.

The Best Resource for Getting Your Fiction Published! The 2015 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market is the only resource you'll need to get your short stories, novellas, and novels published. As with past editions, Novel & Short Story Writer's Market offers hundreds of listings for book publishers, literary agents, fiction publications, contests, and more. Each listing includes contact information, submission guidelines, and other important tips. New to this year's edition: Gain access to the exclusive webinar "Blockbuster Fiction: Exploring Emotional High Points in Popular Films" from best-selling author Cheryl St. John. This 45-minute webinar explores the ten most popular films of 2013--including Frozen, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and more--to show you how to create intense, emotional, engrossing moments in your fiction. When you make your readers care about your characters and your story, you'll evoke excitement, indignation, fear, anxiety, tears, and laughter--and keep them hooked from start to finish. You'll also find articles and interviews on all aspects of the writing life, from in-depth lessons on craft and technique to helpful advice on getting published and marketing your work. The 2015 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market offers everything a fiction writer needs to achieve publishing success, including articles and essays like these: • J.T. Ellison, New York Times best-selling author, reveals how to capture â€" and keep â€" reader interest. • Ransom Riggs, mega-popular YA novelist, shares advice on writing out-of-the-ordinary fiction. • Chuck Wendig, hybrid author extraordinaire, talks about the pros and cons of traditional and self-publishing. You'll also receive: • A free digital download of Writer's Yearbook featuring the 100 Best Markets "If you're looking for the best resource for connecting with publishers who are hungry for your fiction, you've found it. Ten novels ago I got my start as an author using Writer's Market guides." -Steven James, writing instructor and best-selling author of The King and Story Trumps Structure "If you can't go to every literary cocktail party in New York, get this book. It's an instant network." -Elizabeth Sims, best-selling author of You've Got a Book in You