PA BOOKS on PCN

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"Saga of the Johnstown City Schools" with Clea Hollis Aug 24, 2020

Show notes

Offers a detailed chronology of the growth, decline, and attempted resurrection of one American public education system. This book illustrates academic milestones and contributions of Johnstown's African-American community with the development of Johnstown Schools.

"Ruling Suburbia: John J. McClure and the Republican Machine in Delaware County, Pennsylvania" with John Morrison McLarnon Aug 17, 2020

Show notes

Ruling Suburbia chronicles the history of the Republican machine that has dominated the political life of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, since 1875, and of the career of John J. McClure, who controlled the machine from 1907 until 1965.

"Bridges…Pittsburgh at the Point…A Journey Through History" with Thomas Leech and Linda Kaplan Jul 27, 2020

Show notes

"Bridges…Pittsburgh at the Point…A Journey Through History" tells the stories of the 34 bridges that crossed the Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio rivers in Pittsburgh from 1818 to today. Told through the words of engineers, architects, planners, and historians this is a story of the development of technology, the rise of a city, and the progress of transportation.

Thomas Leech is the retired Chief Bridge Engineer of Gannett Fleming, Inc., Adjunct Professor of Civil Engineering of Carnegie Mellon University and a part of the continuing education faculty of the Pennsylvania State University.

Linda Kaplan is a bridge engineer in the Pittsburgh region. She has experience designing highway, rail, and pedestrian bridges, retaining walls, and tunnels

Description courtesy of Thomas Leech and Linda Kaplan.

"The Houses of Louis Kahn" with George Marcus and William Whitaker Jul 20, 2020

Show notes

Louis Kahn (1901–1974), one of the most important architects of the postwar period, is widely admired for his great monumental works, including the Kimbell Art Museum, the Salk Institute, and the National Assembly Complex in Bangladesh. However, the importance of his houses has been largely overlooked. This beautiful book is the first to look at Kahn's nine major private houses. Beginning with his earliest encounters with Modernism in the late 1920s and continuing through his iconic work of the 1960s and 1970s, the authors trace the evolution of the architect's thinking, which began and matured through his design of houses and their interiors, a process inspired by his interactions with clients and his admiration for vernacular building traditions.

Richly illustrated with new and period photographs and original drawings, as well as previously unpublished materials from personal interviews, archives, and Kahn's own writings, The Houses of Louis Kahn shows how his ideas about domestic spaces challenged conventions, much like his major public commissions, and were developed into one of the most remarkable expressions of the American house.

"Juniata, River of Sorrows" with Dennis McIlnay Jul 13, 2020

Show notes

A stirring documentary of Dennis McIlnay's trip on the 100- mile Juniata River in central Pennsylvania, and a moving portrait of some of the Juniata's earliest -- and bloodiest -- events.

"James Buchanan and the Political Crisis of the 1850s" with Michael Birkner Jul 06, 2020

Show notes

When Buchanan entered the White House in March 1857, he seemed well positioned to accomplish his main objectives. A canny and seasoned politician from Pennsylvania with a reputation for moderation on slavery-related issues, Buchanan had a straightforward agenda: the amelioration of sectional tensions, the promotion of American prosperity, and the extension of the Democrats' control of the federal government.
Four years later, Buchanan left Washington convinced that he had done his best and accomplished much. In fact, he left behind a shattered Democratic party, a new Republican president, Abraham Lincoln, and a ruptured Union. Except for a cadre of faithful Pennsylvania friends, Buchanan's reputation lay in ruins. He has consistently been ranked among the least effective presidents in American history.

"On the Front Lines of Pennsylvania Politics: Twenty-five Years of Keystone Reporting" with John Baer Jun 29, 2020

Show notes

Pennsylvania, first home of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, has a tradition of political progress. However, along with the good, the political playground of Pennsylvania has also seen the brazenly bad behavior of its political leaders. For over twenty-five years, political columnist John Baer has had a front-row seat to the foibles and follies of the Keystone State's political system. Baer takes readers through his memories of covering state politics for the last quarter century, from Democratic governor Milton Shapp's short-lived run for president--in which he finished behind "no preference" in the Florida primary--to highlights of some of the game-changing campaign missteps and maneuvers that moved administrations in and out of the capital. With a delightfully gruff wit, Baer gives readers a behind-the-scenes view of the politics and personalities that have passed through Harrisburg.

"Lost Mount Penn" with Mike Madaio Jun 22, 2020

Show notes

German immigrants of the nineteenth century brought their traditions of winemaking and mouthwatering cuisine to the slopes of Mount Penn high above Reading. With a Santa Claus beard and a long-stemmed pipe, the hermit of Mount Penn, Louis Kuechler, founded Kuechler's Roost, where travelers flocked for feasts, literary soirees and free-flowing local wine. The opening of the Mount Penn Gravity Railroad brought a flurry of tourists from around the nation and fueled the creation of resorts throughout the countryside. Spuhler's Hotel hosted renowned pig roasts from noon until midnight. The fresh waters of Lauterbach Springs attracted wine and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Author Mike Madaio explores the vibrant society and culinary culture that made Mount Penn one of the best-known resort regions in the country until financial difficulties and the passage of Prohibition spelled its end.

Mike Madaio is a food and wine writer based outside Philadelphia. His career began with the creation of Main Line Dine, a popular restaurant and dining blog covering the Philadelphia suburbs, and his writing has appeared in publications such as Wine Enthusiast, VinePair and Edible Philly. He has also achieved Italian Wine Ambassador certification from the Vinitaly International Academy. His website is Lifeattable.com and can be found on social media @lifeattable.

Description courtesy of The History Press.

"Ghost River: The Fall and Rise of the Conestoga" with Lee Francis IV, Weshoyot Alvitre and Will Fenton Jun 15, 2020

Show notes

During the Paxton massacres of 1763, a mob of white settlers, so-called "Paxton Boys" murdered 20 unarmed Conestoga People in a genocidal campaign that reshaped Pennsylvania settlement politics. Ghost River: The Fall and Rise of the Conestoga reimagines this difficult history through an educational graphic novel that introduces new interpreters and new bodies of evidence to highlight the Indigenous victims and their kin.

Author Lee Francis IV is the owner and CEO of Native Realities and the author of Sixkiller and Tales of the Mighty Code Talkers.

Artist Weshoyot Alvitre has illustrated numerous books including Deer Woman: An Anthology, Sixkiller, Graphic Classics: Native American Classics, and Tales of the Mighty Code Talkers.

Editor Will Fenton is the Director of Scholarly Innovation at the Library Company of Philadelphia.

Description courtesy of Red Planet Books.

"The Lake Erie Campaign of 1813" with Walter Rybka Jun 08, 2020

Show notes

On September 10, 1813, the hot, still air that hung over Lake Erie was broken by the sounds of sharp conflict. Led by Oliver Hazard Perry, the American fleet met the British, and though they sustained heavy losses, Perry and his men achieved one of the most stunning victories in the War of 1812. Author Walter Rybka traces the Lake Erie Campaign from the struggle to build the fleet in Erie, Pennsylvania, during the dead of winter and the conflict between rival egos of Perry and his second in command, Jesse Duncan Elliott, through the exceptionally bloody battle that was the first U.S. victory in a fleet action. With the singular perspective of having sailed the reconstructed U.S. brig Niagara for over twenty years, Rybka brings the knowledge of a shipmaster to the story of the Lake Erie Campaign and the culminating Battle of Lake Erie.

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