Pennsylvania Books

I'm a retired teacher who got elected to my local Borough council. I found this book very clear and useful in learning about pensions, even though ours are municipal and it deals with private pensions. Many of the same considerations apply and even the formulas given and explained are not beyond the understanding of a careful general reader.

this little book taught me in a few hours all hat i needed to know in order to draft my first pension related actuarial report. clear concise and to the point.

Man what a book!!!! Fortunately for me, I was a student at PSU when this game was played. Some of the players were in my classes and some of them I knew on a first name basis.

This book took me back to a time when life was simpler and simple satisfactions, like football, at the time meant little, but over time they mean a lot more.

The author takes you into the game. Not just what you saw on TV and how the announcers made it look, but really takes you into the pre-game, how the Fiesta Bowl people did what they did to get this game played on Jan 2.

He takes you on the field with each of the players 20 years later as they relive the greatest college game that they ever played. Even the insights from the Miami players makes this book totally complete.

I couldn't put it down and am glad I bought it. I gave it to my Brother and he read it in about 4 days.

Great book, great story

Mike Misannelli did a fantastic job on this well researched, well written time capsule. It helped me recall my fondest memories of a magical season.
I strongly recommend reading the book, then watching the D.V.D. of the game.

PETROLIA recently was awarded the Giddens Prize as the best new writing on oil history, 1996-2000.

Never before have I read such an eloquent and informative journey through the oil boom of Pennsylvania. The photographic images that Dr. Black has chosen for his book are as captivating and clear as his text. An outstanding and brilliantly written book.

The Phenomenon of Torture: Readings and Commentary is an anthology of essays by learned authors discussing the widespread human rights crime that is torture, practiced in more than one hundred countries - now including the United States. Why is something so cruel and brutal so entrenched? Can anyone become a torturer? Are certain societies more prone to use torture? Are there any circumstances under which torture is justified? How can torture be stopped, or at least reduced? The readings seek to better understand this hot-button issue, and cover the history, experience, and dynamics of torture, who the torturers are, and what experience has shown ultimately can bring an end to torture and healing to victims. A sober, astutely assembled compilation and a much-needed contribution to modern-day discussions of government policy.

So says the current administration, and so say most Americans--which is precisely why William Schulz's collection is so timely and important. Surely one of the explanations for why so many people deny that waterboarding or sensory deprivation is torture is lack of clarity on what the phenomenon of torture actually is. The essays in this anthology go a long way to clear up the confusion.

Probably the single most important section of the book is Chapter IV, "The Dynamics of Torture." It's there that the phenomenon of torture is explored. Torture isn't merely a set of physical techniques for inflicting pain. More fundamentally, it's an intentional set of actions, as this section's authors point out, that destroy the self, the very identity, of the torture victim and intimidate the rest of society. Moreover, as the essays in Chapter III, "Who Are the Torturers?" make pretty clear, torture also morally and spiritually destroys the torturer's identity as well as the identity of the society that condones torture. Given this understanding of torture, debates about whether it's ever morally justifiable take on much greater weight than they typically have in the last five years or so.

Absolutely essential reading. Recommended without reservation.

For all of you in the Philadelphia area who love watching the weather reports and read your own dopplers online, this is your book! It begins with a history of weather forcasting and describes the difficulties in the early days of our nation of predicting the weather. It also educates those with little weather knowledge on the tools used in weather forcasting and how to read different weather maps, radars and dopplers. Peppered throughout the book are side-bars of clarifying information and stories of forcasts-gone-wrong as well as old storms you might remember from growing up.

Also included are charts in the back that go month-by-month listing the highs, lows, and precipitation for any given day in the Philadelphia area since they started recording such things. After borrowing this book from the library several times and occasionally owing overdue fees, I've decided to get my own copy. I live in the Valley Forge area and enjoy having a resource to look up the historical details on weather oddities. When folks say, "It's never been colder . . ." I can look it up and say, "yes, it has. On this day back in 1933 . . ."

The most comprehensive book dealing with the Philadelphia area's weather. This book is excellent for the average person interested in the weather, and for advanced meteorologists. It is simply fascinating. The highlights are the "Stories From The Trenches." These stories describe specific events and what life was like as a forecaster at the time. I've met Glenn "Hurricane" Schwartz several times and the man knows his weather! If you are interested in the weather, whether you're an expert or not, this book is for you!

Written by award-winning "Philadelphia Inquirer" restaurant critic Craig LeBan, The Philadelphia Inquirer Restaurant Guide is a compendium of 76 in-depth reviews of the most enticing restaurants in and around Philadelphia, as well as over 600 capsule reviews of additional quality food joints, and special features on coffee shops, food trucks, retail shopping, dining at the Jersey Store, and more. The in-depth reviews include a list of menu highlights, lunch or dinner hours, notes on prices, parking, and whether credit cards are accepted, a brief history, and of course, a succinct summary of the restaurant's ambiance and highlights. The capsule reviews tend to be only one or two sentences plus the restaurant's address, phone number, and website, but a simple four-star rating system (with the stars replaced by liberty bells) immediately highlights the best of the best. A wide variety of ethnic eateries are among the many profiled in this "must-have" for epicureans visiting or living in the Philadelphia area.

Craig LaBan's guide is an essential read not only for those who enjoy exploring the Philadelphia restaurant scene but also for those who appreciate good food writing. As you would expect, the book provides you with all of the utility you want in a restaurant guide, including indices that organize the restaurants by various categories. But LaBan serves up much more. The guide reads like literature. And LaBan is the consummate storyteller, treating you to a level of depth and expertise about the Philadelphia restaurant scene that only he can deliver.

LaBan feeds you detailed, eloquent reviews of his 76 favorite Philadelphia restaurants, all of which have been updated for the new book. LaBan's prose will vividly transport you to his dinner table, his sensory details so crisp and engaging you'll be convinced you shared the meal with him. In the margins of each of these 76 reviews, LaBan fleshes out the scene even further by delivering bullet point highlights about the menu, the wine list, the weekend noise level and even parking options, among other things. In addition to his 76 favorites, you'll also find concise capsule reviews of over 600 more area restaurants.

But, as a guide, what sets this book apart from the others are LaBan's essays. Peppered throughout the book are nine densely informative and richly entertaining essays about features unique to the Philadelphia restaurant scene, including the BYOB phenomenon, truck fare and (of course) cheesesteaks. Digest these and you'll feel like you own the city.

Edward Colimore's The Philadelphia Inquirer's Guide To Historic Philadelphia takes the reader on twelve walking tours through city neighborhoods that have preserve history and culture through the generations. Walkers can visit buildings, streets, gardens, and parks that date back to the colonial period and the Victorian era. The Philadelphia Inquirer's Guide To Historic Philadelphia is arranged in a logical, easy-to-follow format, and includes maps, touring and public transportation information, parking tips, recommendations for nearby restaurants, and more. Enthusiastically recommended for armchair travelers or walking tourists - for anyone who either vicariously or personally wants to follow the footsteps of Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin!

This book is divided into 12 chapters, each proposing a different walking tour of Philadelphia. The tours included are "The Nation's Most Historic Square Mile," "North of Market," "Society Hill," "Penn's Landing," "Southwark: A Stroll Through Time," "Washington Square West," "Around City Hall," "Rittenhouse Square: The Good Life," "University City and West Philadelphia," "The Ben Franklin Parkway," "Philadelphia's Backyard: Fairmount Park," and "Germantown and Chestnut Hill." The book may be of interest to tourists, but it is particularly valuable to Philadelphia residents desiring to learn more about their neighborhood. While the tours will get you to the major tourist sights like Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and Betsy Ross's House, the true value of the reference is that it uncovers some of the city's treasures that may have escaped the resident's notice. I was surprised to learn that General George Meade, commander of the Union troops during the Battle of Gettysburg, had a house in Philadelphia that still stands. I was even more surprised to learn that I had been passing by it on a regular basis for years without realizing what it was. If you are a civil war buff and you want to see Meade's House, this book will lead you there. Check the index, and it will direct to you his field uniform or his gravesite if you like. Philadelphia is rich in history, much of it hidden, and this reference can help you ferret out some of the city's treasures. While it is not totally comprehensive (some of my favorite historical sites are not in any of the tours and a walking tour of Broad Street is noticeably missing), its division into easily manageable tours lends itself to pleasant Sunday afternoon strolls for the motivated. The author even includes some of the prominent restaurants around each of the walks.

If you are looking to read about Philadelphia history, this clearly is not the book for you. Many better and more comprehensive books are available. However, if you are looking to get out and see some of the history of the city for yourself, I recommend this reference without reservations.

Growing up on the outskirts of Phoenixville in the 1970s and 1980s, I had a great time seeing how Phoenixville evolved over the years. Completely enjoyable!

I found this book to be very interesting and informative.
I highly recommend the book to anyone who is interested in history. I'm looking forward to Mr. Martino's "then and now" book on Phoenixville, which is scheduled to be out sometime in September 2005.

-ML

It is finally here! This book includes everything you could want to know about the Pirates. It rates the Top 100 players in Pirates history, Top 10 teams, and 10 worst teams. It includes info on all of the Pirates managers, general managers, and owners. It provides a year-by-year season recap. It has info on each of the ballparks the Bucs have called home. If you want one book for reference on Pirates history, this is the one.

By far the best book on the Pittsburgh Pirates that I've seen, complete with season-by-season recaps and stats galore. The highlight: Lifelong baseball fans Finoli and Ranier offer their picks for the 100 best players in the history of the storied franchise. It's sure to start an argument or two among fans of the black-and-gold, but that's what a good book should do. Well-researched and written, this is a must reference guide for any self-respecting Pirates fan. (And you know who you are.)

Growing up around the three rivers I was not aware of how much of Americas history flowed past their banks. This book helped to illuminate such moments. The pictures and the captions bring life to an era where steel was king and the rivers its mistress. You will not be disappointed. Buy it!

Not only do the images in this book portray an important city's life, growth and development along its three rivers, but the captions are replete with fascinating facts (and some surprises) about the region. This book is a must-have for anyone interested in Pittsburgh's history.