Tagged Literature
Literature Meets Music with Shakespeare Is for Everyone
William Shakespeare is a towering figure in English literature, but his contributions were not limited to written work; he also had a major influence on classical music. A new webinar from the Free Library’s Literature Department…
The Year of James Baldwin: Kick-Off Event and Programming
Join the Education, Philosophy, and Religion Department on Saturday, February 17 at 11 a.m. for Inaugurating the Year of James Baldwin: God’s Revolutionary Voice . The event will take place in the Skyline Room on the Fourth…
Virtual Monday Poets - Now in its 28th season!
Monday Poets is one of the longest continuously running programs at the Free Library, currently in its 28th season. Join us for a very special virtual event on Monday, December 19 at 6:30 p.m. with Philadelphia Poet Laureate Airea D.…
Explore Creative Careers with Field Teen Center!
Throughout the month of July, Field Teen Center recorded interviews with a voice actor, four game designers, and a comic book writer. If you’re interested in creative jobs or if you just want to learn more about how your favorite…
Bloomsday is back!
The Rosenbach's annual Bloomsday festival is BACK on Delancey Place after a two-year hiatus. Join the celebration on Thursday, June 16 anytime between 11:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. What is Bloomsday? Bloomsday is the day…
Dracula at 125
Written by Edward P. On May 26, 1897, visitors to bookshops in London found a new book, for just six shillings, published by Constable and Co., bound in a lurid yellow cloth cover with blood red letters announcing its strange…
Rosemary for Shakespeare
Written by Isabel S. April 23 marks the day that we traditionally celebrate William Shakespeare’s birth and deathday, though neither of those occasions are confirmed to have actually been on the 23rd. Shakespeare was baptized on…
The lyrical speaker: Finding your own voice through poetry!
“La poesía es un espacio de libertad/ Poetry is a space of freedom”. Carlos José Pérez Sámano, Mexican poet and writer Poetry explores the language and its limitations. It’s a way to get…
Newspapers: A Guide Into the Past
Many of us may get our news from online sources these days—social media feeds provide a constant source of information about everything from policy proposals, the weather, celebrity news, and more, as the events unfold in…
A Continued Discussion on the Topics of Surrealism and Gender
Written by Lewis Shaw, who conducted extensive research in the Art Department as part of a Friends Select School Senior Internship Project. The following is a continuation of a previous blog post on the topics of Surrealism and Gender.…
Celebrating Jacqueline Woodson
Born in Columbus, Ohio, Jacqueline Woodson grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and Brooklyn, New York, graduating from college with a B.A. in English. She is the author of dozens of award-winning books for young adults, middle…
Surrealism and Gender
Written by Lewis Shaw, who conducted extensive research in the Art Department as part of a Friends Select School Senior Internship Project. During the extended fever dream which we all refer to as COVID quarantine, I picked up a love of…
Create Something New During National Sewing Month
September is National Sewing Month and a great opportunity to create something new this year for everyone on your D.I.Y gift-giving list. Both the Art and Literature and Science and Wellness departments at Parkway Central Library have…
¡Celebremos la Fiesta del Libro en Español!
The love for the Spanish language and culture can transcend frontiers! The stories, poems and illustrations of the books can reflect personal narratives that touch our collective unconsciousness. A team of talented community…
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Uncovering the Real James Bond in the Rare Book Department
From Sean Connery to Daniel Craig, the intrepid agent of the British Secret Intelligence Service—James Bond, designated Agent 007—has epitomized masculine cool. Everyone knows how he likes his vodka martinis. Everyone knows…
Celebrating Pakistan's Independence Day with Music, Film, and Literature!
Jashn-e-Azadi Mubarak! Happy Independence Day! This past Saturday, August 14, was Pakistan’s Independence Day. Formed in 1947, Pakistan celebrated 74 years of its independence and freedom from British colonialism and the formation…
Summer Reading with Dena!
Yes, it’s that time of the year again, to head to the beach (or a heavily air conditioned reading nook) and dive into some fun reading! Here are some new and newish books that are perfect for giving yourself a mental vacation:…
Central Senior Services Joins Moore College of Art to Fight Social Isolation During Pandemic
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has studied the impact of loneliness and social isolation on American seniors and the results are deeply disturbing. Extensive studies of the subject reveal that social isolation of…
10 Great Reads from the Holmesburg Library Book Club
Since 2019, the Holmesburg Library's Book Club has met biweekly to discuss great modern literature, nineteenth-century classics, and historical nonfiction, to name just a few genres. Not even the pandemic could stop the book club…
Creative Writing: Discovering Your Inner Voice
I always wanted to explore creative writing! It’s fascinating to understand what tools and mechanisms writers use to craft a story or a poem. Creating with words is an amazing and fun experience! The pandemic gave me the…
Tom McGrath | Triumph of the Yuppies: America, the Eighties, and the Creation of an Unequal Nation
REGISTER In conversation with Will Bunch, National Columnist, The Philadelphia Inquirer The former editor-in-chief of Philadelphia magazine, Tom McGrath also served as chief content officer of Metro Corp., the parent company of…
Ari Berman | Minority Rule: The Right-Wing Attack on the Will of the People―and the Fight to Resist It
REGISTER In conversation with Neil Makhija The national voting rights correspondent for Mother Jones and a reporting fellow at Type Media Center, Ari Berman is the author of Give Us the Ballot: The Modern…
Joseph Earl Thomas | God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer: A Novel with John Vercher | Devil is Fine: A Novel
REGISTER Joseph Earl Thomas “constructed a sort of alchemy on the page” ( The New York Times Book Review ) with his first book Sink , a coming-of-age memoir that chronicles the author’s escape…
Rachel Cusk | Parade: A Novel
TICKETS In conversation with Tamala Edwards, anchor, 6abc Action News morning edition. Rachel Cusk is the author of the Outline trilogy, a “brilliant, insightful” ( The Guardian ) series of experimental…
Steven Rowley | The Guncle Abroad
REGISTER In conversation with Katie Fulton Steven Rowley is the author of the bestselling novel The Guncle, the “wise and hilarious” ( People ) story of a has-been gay sitcom star who steps up to help his…
Samuel R. Delany | Pride Month: How Science Fiction Dances to the Music of Time
“A visionary novelist & a revolutionary chronicler of gay life” ( The New Yorker ), Samuel R. Delany speaks with Music Department library trainee & Hollywood indie film composer Mark Inchoco on the intersections…
Mr. Los Angeles: "Raymond Chandler & His World"
Raymond Chandler (1888-1959) was one of the greatest mystery writers that America ever produced. His eight classic novels and the six movies that followed brought the dark, disturbing underbelly of Los Angeles fully alive in a…
Rev. William J. Barber II | White Poverty: How Exposing Myths About Race and Class Can Reconstruct American Democracy
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO ATTEND THIS EVENT In conversation with Matthew Desmond A Protestant minister, professor, social activist, and founding director of the Center for Public Theology and Public Policy at Yale Divinity…
Julian Randall | The Dead Don’t Need Reminding: In Search of Fugitives, Mississippi, and Black TV Nerd Shit
REGISTER In conversation with Kirwyn Sutherland Julian Randall is the author of the poetry collection Refuse , winner of the Cave Canem Poetry Prize and a finalist for an NAACP Image Award. He was a contributor to the no.…
Treasures from the Literature Vault
Do you love old books? Then join us for Treasures from the Vault– a casual, hands-on book club program spotlighting items from the Literature vault! The vault, home to our closed reference collections, is a treasure trove of…
Garth Risk Hallberg | The Second Coming: A Novel
REGISTER A panoramic pastiche of figures who are forever changed in the darkness of an infamous 1977 power blackout, Garth Risk Hallberg’s debut novel City on Fire was a New York Times bestseller,…
Mark Harman (Centenary Celebration) | Kafka: Selected Stories
REGISTER Mark Harman gained public recognition for his 1998 translation of Franz Kafka's The Castle , for which he won the Lois Roth Award of the Modern Language Association. Professor Emeritus of German and English…
CHECK IT OUT! A Beardmobile Library Tour
The Bearded Ladies Beardmobile gets into her finest book-lover drag for a family-friendly show about libraries and the people who make them so wonderful. CHECK IT OUT! celebrates Philly's libraries as places of freedom for all…
Authors and Their Typewriters: Octavia Butler
Visit the Literature Department on the 2nd floor of Parkway Central to learn about author Octavia Butler and type on the same model of typewriter she used, an Olivetti Studio 46 . You can also check out this booklist to…
CHECK IT OUT! Celebration with the Bearded Ladies
C H E C K I T O U T ! Celebration begins at 3:00pm; show starts at 4:00pm! The Bearded Ladies Beardmobile gets into her finest book-lover drag for a family-friendly show about libraries and the people who make them so…
Emma Copley Eisenberg | Housemates: A Novel
REGISTER In conversation with Jennifer Wilson Emma Copley Eisenberg is the author of The Third Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia , the chronicle of a long-reverberating 1980 double murder in a…
CHECK IT OUT! A Beardmobile Library Tour
The Bearded Ladies Beardmobile gets into her finest book-lover drag for a family-friendly show about libraries and the people who make them so wonderful. CHECK IT OUT! celebrates Philly's libraries as places of freedom for all…
Omar Tyree| Control
REGISTER In conversation with Kimberly S. Reed Omar Tyree is a New York Times bestselling author, a 2001 NAACP Image Award recipient for Outstanding Literature in Fiction, and a 2006 Phillis Wheatley Literary Award…
MK Asante | Nephew: A Memoir in 4-Part Harmony
REGISTER In conversation with Molefi Kete Asante MK Asante is a writer, filmmaker, and hip-hop artist, and recipient of the Langston Hughes Award. His books include It’s Bigger Than Hip Hop , the poetry…
Daniel Schlozman and Sam Rosenfeld | The Hollow Parties: The Many Pasts and Disordered Present of American Party Politics
REGISTER In conversation with author and Pennsylvania State Senator, Nikil Saval In The Hollow Parties , Daniel Schlozman and Sam Rosenfeld present a comprehensive history of the rise of American mass party politics through the…
Poetry in Translation
Take pleasure in reading poets from other languages and cultures.
Poetry - Novels in Verse
Poetry with special appeal for tweens and teens.
Poetry - Great Contemporary Poetry
Selections from the Literature Department.
PressReader including the Economist Magazine
Access more than 6,300+ newspapers from the US and around the world in 60 languages from 120 countries in image view including the Guardian, Daily Mail, Der Tagesspiegel, Libération, China Daily, and La Razon. List to the articles in…
NewsBank Hot Topics
Trending news and hot topics for your next assignment! Hot topics covers Current Events, Business & Economics, Civics, Government, & Politics, Social Issues, Science, Technology & Health, Sports, Arts & Literature, and People in the News.
LitFinder
Discover literature content from more than 150,000 full-text poems, 840,000 poem citations and excerpts, 7,100 full-text short stories and novels, 3,800 full-text essays published in the 16th-20th centuries, 2,400 full-text speeches, and…
Literature Criticism Online
This extensive compilation of literary commentary represents a range of modern and historical views on authors and their works across regions, eras, and genres. Covers Children’s, Classical, Contemporary, Drama, Poetry, Shakespearean,…
Gale OneFile | High School Edition (formerly InfoTrac Student Edition) *
High school students will have access to age-appropriate content from magazines, journals, newspapers, reference books, and engaging multi-media covering a wide range of subjects, from science, history, and literature to political…
Gale Literary Sources (formerly Artemis)
Cross-search all of Gale’s literature databases from a single digital space to find biographies, primary sources, contextual reference, and criticism. Includes Dictionary of Literary Biography, Something About the Author, LitFinder,…
Gale in Context | Middle School (formerly Research in Context) *
Discover reliable and trusted information on a variety of topics to support middle school student research for government, U.S and world history, geography, literature, sciences, and social issues. Research In Context offers…
Gale in Context | Elementary (formerly Kids InfoBits) *
Elementary students in kindergarten through grade five will find age-appropriate content covering a broad range of educational topics such as animals, arts, geography, health, literature, people, social studies, technology, etc. Kids…
America's Historical Imprints
Explore the nation’s past in unprecedented ways. Includes books, pamphlets, broadsides and other scarce printed material, centuries of American history, literature, culture, and daily life, and extensive indexing and full bibliographic…
Academic OneFile
More than 20,000 peer-reviewed journals and more than 9,200 in full text Full text of The Economist ranging from 1988 to the present, with no embargo Full text of The New York Times from 1985 to present, updated daily Full text of The…
Colm Tóibín | Long Island: A Novel
“His generation’s most gifted writer of love’s complicated, contradictory power” (Los Angeles Times) , Colm Tóibín is the author of an impressive list of novels, short stories, essays, plays, poetry, and criticism. His novels The…
Lydia Millet | We Loved it All: A Memory of Life
Praised for her “darkly funny and painfully sharp” ( Los Angeles Times ) fiction, Lydia Millet is the author of the novel A Children’s Bible , shortlisted for the National Book Award and a New York Times Top 10 book of 2020; the…
Julia Alvarez | The Cemetery of Untold Stories: A Novel
Barbara Gohn Day Memorial Lecture In conversation with Rebeca L. Hey-Colón, Professor of Latinx Studies, Temple University Awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Obama in 2013, poet, essayist, and fiction writer Julia Alvarez…
Sloane Crosley | Grief is for People
“A fountain of observations” ( The Boston Globe ), Sloane Crosley is the author of three New York Times bestselling essay collections, How Did You Get This Number, Look Alive Out There, and I Was Told There’d Be Cake , which was a…
Hanif Abdurraqib | There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension
In conversation with Airea Dee Matthews Hanif Abdurraqib is the author of A Little Devil in America , a sweeping look at Black music, art, and culture that won the Carnegie Medal and the Gordon Burns Prize and was a finalist for the…
Jenny Jackson | Pineapple Street: A Novel
In conversation with Lexy Bloom “A delicious new Gilded Age family drama—almost a satire—set in the leafy enclaves of Brooklyn Heights” ( Vogue ), Jenny Jackson’s Pineapple Street tells the story of three women navigating the shoals…
Nam Le | 36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem
In conversation with Airea Dee Matthews Referred to by Nick Cave as “exquisitely crafted fire bombs of incandescent rage,” Nam Le ’s 36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem is a debut collection of verse that both honors and shatters…
Morgan Parker | You Get What You Pay For: Essays
In conversation with Shantrelle Lewis Morgan Parker won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Magical Negro , a poetry collection that ponders the nuances of Black American womanhood. She is also the author of the young adult…
Xochitl Gonzalez | Anita de Monte Laughs Last: A Novel
“Packed with richly imagined characters and vivacious prose” ( Esquire ), Xochitl Gonzalez ’s debut novel Olga Dies Dreaming tells a tale of family secrets, Latinx politics in a gentrifying Brooklyn neighborhood, and romance set…
Tommy Orange | Wandering Stars: A Novel
In conversation with Tailinh Agoyo Tommy Orange is the author of There There , a novel of “pure soaring beauty” ( The New York Times ) that tells the story of 12 interconnected Native Americans living in Oakland, California. A…
Marcus Anthony Hunter | Radical Reparations: Healing the Soul of a Nation
In conversation with Tamala Edwards, anchor, 6abc Action News morning edition. Co-promoted by the American Constitution Society The Scott Waugh Endowed Chair in the Social Sciences Division, Professor of Sociology & African American…
Maura Cheeks | Acts of Forgiveness: A Novel
In conversation with Zoe Sivak Maura Cheeks is the author of Acts of Forgiveness , a debut novel that imagines a contemporary moment in which our government has approved reparations for Black Americans—but only if they can prove they…
Phillip B. Williams | Ours: A Novel
In conversation with Airea D. Matthews Phillip B. Williams is the author of two acclaimed poetry collections, Thief in the Interior , which won the Kate Tufts Discovery Award and a Lambda Literary Award; and Mutiny , which was a…
Calvin Trillin | The Lede: Dispatches from a Life in the Press
In conversation with Bill Marimow “Perhaps the finest reporter in America” ( The Miami Herald ), Calvin Trillin has written more than 400 nonfiction and comic articles for The New Yorker since 1963. His book include U.S. Journal …
Grace Lin | Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite American Chinese Foods
In conversation with Ellen Yin A New York Times bestselling children’s author and illustrator, Grace Lin earned the Newbery Honor for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon , the Theodor Geisel Honor for Ling and Ting , and the…
Paul Lynch | Prophet Song: A Novel
In conversation with novelist and musician Wesley Stace Paul Lynch won the 2023 Booker Prize for Prophet Song , a “brilliant, haunting” and “crucial book for our current times ( The Guardian ) that tells the dystopian but plausible…
Kiley Reid | Come and Get It
In conversation with Niela Orr A “hilarious, uncomfortable and compulsively readable story about race and class” ( TIME ), Kiley Reid ’s novel Such a Fun Age tells the story of a young Black babysitter and her well-intentioned but…
Susan Muaddi Darraj | Behind You Is the Sea: A Novel
Susan Muaddi Darraj won the 2016 American Book Award, the 2016 Arab American Book Award, and was a finalist for the Palestine Book Award for A Curious Land , a collection of linked stories that follows the denizens of a Palestinian…
Sigrid Nunez | The Vulnerables: A Novel with Henry Hoke | Open Throat: A Novel
Sigrid Nunez won the 2018 National Book Award for The Friend , a “beautiful” novel “crammed with a world of insight into death, grief, art, and love” ( The Wall Street Journal ) in which a woman is forced to adopt her deceased best…
Alice McDermott | Absolution
In conversation with Nomi Eve “Filled with so much universal experience, such haunting imagery, such urgent matters of life and death” ( The New York Times ), Alice McDermott’ s bestselling novels include Someone ; Charming Billy ,…