Required Reading
Writers with local ties build upon the area’s history of accomplished storytelling.
Some of the world’s best-known writers and publishers have claimed the Philadelphia area as their home at some point in their life: Ben Franklin, Louisa May Alcott, James Michener, Edgar Allan Poe, etc. The tradition endures, as writers who were born, bred, or otherwise forged a connection to this part of the world continue to turn out remarkable works of readable art. Two recent examples, both of which are available within fine bookstores and through online booksellers:
Released earlier this month, From Hang Time to Prime Time by Pete Croatto takes readers on a riveting and incredibly well-researched ride through the history of the National Basketball Association. The book, which has drawn praise from the likes of People, Sports Illustrated, and the Wall Street Journal, offers insight into the cultural revolution that fueled the NBA’s remarkable rise. It also honors some of the game’s brightest shining stars, including Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson—and the Sixers’ own Julius “Dr. J” Erving. If the author’s name rings a bell, there’s a good reason why; Croatto’s byline has graced the pages of the New York Times, Rolling Stone, and the Columbia Journalism Review, as well as Suburban Life.
This sturdy collection of fiction, prose, and poetry comes from the ink-stained fingers of the Bucks County Writers Workshop, which has been cultivating writers in the Philadelphia area for more than 20 years. (Editor’s note: The BCWW partnered with the Doylestown Historical Society last year to launch Neshaminy, a twice-yearly literary and historical journal specific to Bucks County). Shocking Verbs, Lawless Nouns contributors include past and present BCWW members from every point along the literary spectrum, from recreational self-starters who have put in the time and effort required to improve their craft, to notable authors who have achieved commercial success, such as Chris Bauer, Ilene Raymond Rush, John Schoffstall, and Don Swaim, the group’s esteemed founder. The anthology will be released on Jan. 1, 2021.
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, December 2020
