Award Winning Books: Philadelphia

AFSCME's Philadelphia Story

Municipal Workers and Urban Power in the Twentieth Century

Francis Ryan

Francis Ryan, recipient of the 2022 John C. Brennan Award for Labor Education from the Pennsylvania Labor History Society

A history of the largest union in the AFL-CIO and its growth in a major American city

320 pages | 6 x 9 | 2 figures, 30 halftones

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Archaeology at the Site of the Museum of the American Revolution

A Tale of Two Taverns and the Growth of Philadelphia

Rebecca Yamin

2022 James Deetz Book Prize, Society for Historical Archaeology

152 pages | 5 x 8 | 55 color photos, 2 figures, 8 halftones, 6 maps

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The Battles of Germantown

Effective Public History in America

David W. Young

2020 Philip S. Klein Book Prize, Pennsylvania Historical Association

Lessons from Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood on how the public engages the past

294 pages | 6 x 9 | 5 figures, 17 halftones, 2 maps

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Boathouse Row

Waves of Change in the Birthplace of American Rowing

Dotty Brown

The Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia 2018 Preservation Education Award

A magisterial history of Philadelphia's iconic Boathouse Row

288 pages | 10 x 8 | 63 color photos, 3 line drawings, 110 halftones

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Dr. Radway's Sarsaparilla Resolvent

Beth Kephart

Parrott Library Award from the St. Albans School Library, 2014
Kirkus Reviews' Best in Children's Books, 2013

A young adult novel set during the height of Philadelphia's industrial age

198 pages | 5.5 x 8.5

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The Eagles Encyclopedia

Champions Edition

Ray Didinger with Robert S. Lyons

Ray Didinger, recipient of the 2019 Stan Hochman Award

An updated edition of the best-selling book The Eagles Encyclopedia celebrating the Super Bowl Champions, the E-A-G-L-E-S!

512 pages | 8.3125 x 10.875 | 33 color photos, 368 halftones

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Exploring Philly Nature

A Guide for All Four Seasons

Bernard S. Brown

Billy Brown, 2023 winner of the Witmer Stone Award for Best Ornithological Book of the Year from the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club

A handy guide for all ages to Philly's urban plants, animals, fungi, and—yes—even slime molds

168 pages | 5.5 x 8.5 | 131 color photos

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Forklore

Recipes and Tales from an American Bistro

Ellen Yin

Ellen Yin, winner of the 2023 James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur
Winner of a Pewter award in the Gold Ink Awards in the cookbook category, 2008
Winner of the Gold ADDY Award — Publication Design — Cover, 2008
Winner of the Silver ADDY Award — Publication Design — Editorial Spread or Feature, 2008

True-life tales and scrumptious recipes from Philly's trendsetting restaurant

288 pages | 8 x 9.25 | 115 color illustrations

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A Guide to the Great Gardens of the Philadelphia Region

Text by Adam Levine, Photographs by Rob Cardillo

Received a Gold Award of Achievement for best book in the Garden Writers Association Media Awards Program, 2008
Received a Gold Award of Achievement for best photography (overall) in the Garden Writers Association Media Awards Program, 2008
Silver Award of Achievement for book photography in the Garden Writers Association Media Awards Program, 2008 (awarded to Rob Cardillo)

A comprehensive and beautifully illustrated guide, chock full of inside information

192 pages | 5.375 x 9.125 | 195 color photos, 1 map

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I Walked with Giants

The Autobiography of Jimmy Heath

Jimmy Heath and Joseph McLaren

Best Book of the Year from the Jazz Journalists Association, 2011

A life in music portrayed by an NEA jazz master and his legendary friends

344 pages | 6 x 9 | 35 halftones

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The Memoirs of Wendell W. Young III

A Life in Philadelphia Labor and Politics

Wendell W. Young III

Francis Ryan, recipient of the 2022 John C. Brennan Award for Labor Education from the Pennsylvania Labor History Society

A behind-the-scenes look at a legendary Philadelphia labor leader and how he shaped local and national politics in profound ways

296 pages | 6 x 9 | 28 halftones

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Monument Lab

Creative Speculations for Philadelphia

Edited by Paul M. Farber and Ken Lum

Preservation Education Award from the Preservation Alliance, 2021
Selected in the trade illustrated category for the 2020 AUPresses Book, Jacket, & Journal Show

A living handbook for vital perspectives on public art and history

336 pages | 6.75 x 9.375 | 160 color photos, 82 halftones

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More Philadelphia Murals and the Stories They Tell

Jane Golden, Robin Rice and Natalie Pompilio, photographs by David Graham and Jack Ramsdale

Second prize winner of 2006 UCF Jane Jacobs Publication Award

The sequel to the bestselling story of the largest public art program in the nation

160 pages | 9 x 11 | 114 color illustrations

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Not from Here, Not from There/No Soy de Aquí ni de Allá

The Autobiography of Nelson A. Díaz

Nelson A. Díaz

Nelson Diaz, recipient of the 2020 National Hispanic Hero Award, presented by the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute

A lively autobiography by a community activist, judge, and public advocate who blazed a trail for Latinos in Philadelphia

280 pages | 6 x 9 | 1 figure, 19 halftones

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The Philadelphia Area Weather Book

Jon Nese and Glenn Schwartz

Winner of the Louis J. Battan Author's Award from The American Meteorological Society, 2005

A book for every season!

264 pages | 8.375 x 10 | 16 color illustrations, 36 tables, 36 figures, 159 halftones, 64 maps

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Philadelphia Murals and the Stories They Tell

Jane Golden, Robin Rice, and Monica Yant Kinney

Athenæum of Philadelphia’s Literary Award, 2004

The most important public art program in the United States

160 pages | 9 x 11

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The Philadelphia Orchestra

A Century of Music

Philadelphia Orchestra Assoc., edited by John Ardoin

Philadelphia Book Clinic Certificate of Award, 2000

Dedicated to the millions of people who have experienced the joy of The Philadelphia Orchestra

256 pages | 9 x 12 | 241 duotones

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Rave Culture

The Alteration and Decline of a Philadelphia Music Scene

Tammy L Anderson

Charles Horten Cooley Award, 2010

Exposing the forces behind the decline of the rave scene in Philadelphia and elsewhere

240 pages | 6 x 9 | 8 tables, 2 figures, 9 halftones

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Rebuilding the News

Metropolitan Journalism in the Digital Age

C.W. Anderson

International Communications Association Journalism Studies Division Book Award, 2017

An inside account of dramatic changes in journalism at a large metropolitan newspaper.

236 pages | 6 x 9 | 1 table, 2 figures,16 halftones

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Salut!

France Meets Philadelphia

Lynn Miller and Therese Dolan

The Athenaeum of Philadelphia 2020 Art and Architecture Literary Award

Chronicling the French presence and impact on Philadelphia through its art and artists, as well as through the city’s political and social culture

416 pages | 7 x 10 | 169 color photos, 2 halftones, 1 map

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St. Peter's Church

Faith in Action for 250 Years

Cordelia Frances Biddle, Elizabeth S. Browne, Alan J. Heavens, and Charles P. Peitz

Laurence D. Fish Award for Outstanding Parish History from the National Episcopal Historians and Archivists, 2014

A history of the second-oldest Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, published in honor of its 250th anniversary

272 pages | 8 x 10 | 125 color illustrations

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Still Philadelphia

A Photographic History, 1890-1940

Fredric M. Miller, Allen F. Davis, and Morris Vogel

Philadelphia Book Clinic Certificate of Award, 1984

Photographic memories of Philadelphia, volume 1

312 pages | 8 x 10 | 282 halftones

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Whisper Not

The Autobiography of Benny Golson

Benny Golson and Jim Merod

Association for Recorded Sound Collections' award for Best History Book in the category of Best Historical Research in Recorded Jazz, 2017
One of the Best Jazz books of 2017 by New York City Jazz Record

A funny, touching, and insightful memoir from one of the last surviving members of the greatest generation of American jazz musicians

352 pages | 6 x 9 | 33 halftones

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A is for Art Museum

Katy Friedland and Marla K. Shoemaker

Honorable mention in the 2008 American Association of Museums design competition

From the Philadelphia Museum of Art, a fun-filled primer for children and grown-ups to share

64 pages | 8.25 x 8.25 | 145 tables, 37 color illustrations

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