Philadelphia Audiobook By Paul Kahan cover art

Philadelphia

A Narrative History

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Philadelphia

By: Paul Kahan
Narrated by: Jared Cram
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About this listen

A comprehensive history of Philadelphia from the region’s original Lenape inhabitants to the myriad of residents in the twenty-first century

In Philadelphia: A Narrative History, Paul Kahan presents a comprehensive portrait of the city, from the region’s original Lenape inhabitants to the myriad of residents in the twenty-first century.

As any history of Philadelphia should, this book chronicles the people and places that make the city unique: from Independence Hall to Eastern State Penitentiary, Benjamin Franklin and Betsy Ross to Cecil B. Moore and Cherelle Parker. Kahan also shows us how Philadelphia has always been defined by ethnic, religious, and racial diversity from the seventeenth century, when Dutch, Swedes, and Lenapes lived side by side along the Delaware; to the nineteenth century, when the city was home to a vibrant community of free Black and formerly enslaved people; to the twentieth century, when it attracted immigrants from around the world. This diversity, however, often resulted in conflict, especially over access to public spaces. Those two themes diversity and conflict have shaped Philadelphia’s development and remain visible in the city’s culture, society, and even its geography. Understanding Philadelphia’s past, Kahan says, is key to envisioning future possibilities for the City of Brotherly Love.

The book is published by University of Pennsylvania Press. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.

©2024 University of Pennsylvania Press (P)2025 Redwood Audiobooks
Americas Politics & Government Public Policy Sociology State & Local United States City Gilded Age American History

Critic reviews

"This is the perfect introduction to understanding how Philadelphia became the city it is today." (Inga Saffron, Architecture Critic, Philadelphia Inquirer)

"Remarkably honest, astute, and forthright telling of Philadelphia’s three-hundred-year history..." (Randall M. Miller, Co-Editor, The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia)

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Very disappointing

I bought the audiobook to learn more about the history of Philadelphia where I grew up and have spent a good part of my 70 years. I found the first half to be pretty interesting albeit not particularly well written as I learned a lot about how the city grew over the years and the population evolved. But the last couple of chapters were terrible and so one stilted it made me wonder about the rest of the book.

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