In contrast to more biographical accounts, Helen Castor's history situates Joan of Arc's life firmly within the historical context of the Lancastrian War (1415-1453) - the third and final phase of the Hundred Years' War between England and France. The first several chapters of Castor's book focus on the political intrigue in the fractured Kingdom of France, reeling from its devastating loss at the Battle of Agincourt in the years leading up to Joan's birth. Had George R.R. Martin not chosen the subsequent War of the Roses (1455-1487) as the inspiration for his novels, the events in France which preceded that war would have been just as good an option. Any fan of Game of Thrones will likely enjoy reading an account of the civil war between the Burgundian and Armagnac cadet branches of the French royal family - A war which brought France to a point of crisis where a peasant woman from a border town who claimed to have spoken to God was able to command armies and bring the French monarchy back from the brink of capitulation to the English crown which was so ascendant at this stage in the war.

Castor largely treats the civil war in France and the ensuing war between France and England as a discrete conflict with connections to the historical era more broadly. She does not explain to the reader every detail of the historiography of the Western European Late Middle Ages, partially to avoid confusing lay readers and partially because she likely expects her audience to be somewhat historically inclined and familiar with the foundational history of Western European nation states. From her perspective as a London-based historian of Medieval and Tudor England, this is somewhat reasonable. But American readers may wish to consult a few outside sources in order to brush up on the full historical context of the book's events.

Castor's analysis in the second half of the books brings her unique perspective on the life and subjectivity of Joan of Arc the living woman to print. Where other histories and biographies of Joan have focused on her role as a religious icon, military strategist and proto-feminist, Castor's history weaves those threads together and presents the reader with a picture of a woman who, as a person living in the middle ages, had beliefs and a perspective on the world which is as alien to the modern reader as an entirely different culture would be. Castor is a responsible historian who is so steeped in the facts on the period she writes about that she is able to make educated conjectures that make her story come to life, while still distinguishing fact from speculation. This analysis makes the book, and especially her characterization of Joan, richer.

Castor generally rejects the idea that Joan had any kind of feminist consciousness about her actions. The evidence points to Joan seeing her mission on Earth as a religious one, firmly embedded within the political imaginary of the time and limited in its objective to the ongoing struggle between kings. This does not mean, however, that Castor's history is devoid of an analysis about what it meant for Joan of Arc to be a woman, both for herself and to her friends and foes. Castor's Joan of Arc is a woman who found herself at the command of an army and an integral part of French politics between the ages of seventeen and nineteen, with no formal experience in statecraft, military strategy or politics. She is a woman who may have worn a fastened leather tunic in the fashion of a man as her only form of protection from sexual violence as a woman traveling alone in a low-trust society with no effective rule of law. She may have been inspected for chastity by female members of the royal court, to verify her claims of piousness. She may have agonized when hearing church bells, which were said to have been a trigger for her religious visions. All these details and more await the reader in the pages of Helen Castor's Joan of Arc.

Kathryn Wilson's 2015 study is one of the only full length, academic studies of Philadelphia's Chinatown available in paperback. It is an essential companion to anyone seeking to understand the neighborhood's rich history and tradition of resistance. As Chinatown once again finds itself at the center of a debate over downtown development, Ethnic Renewal is likely to become an important and sought-after resource for those seeking to understand how one of Philadelphia's most iconic neighborhoods became what it is today, how its people managed to adapt to changing circumstances by mobilizing unique community institutions, and how in spite of the renewed threats Chinatown faces today, it continues to thrive, defying the expectations of those who doubt its worth and potential.

Hilarious film starring Eddy Murphy as "Prince Akeem"; a lost in new york wealthy man escaping an arranged marraige. Eddie Murphy is also is the creator of the story. Co-authored by Eddie Murphy David Sheffield and Barry W. Blaustein. Directed by John Landis. #comedy

If you are looking for an all ages film based on a comic book the characters and robots of Big Hero Six will win your heart. Everything from the science, to the script, to the emotional scenes are well illustrated/animated. Part of the fictional cityscape seems to be based directly off SanFrancisco and Alcatraz Island. #superhero #juvenile #animation
 

George Wilson's Stephen Girard: The Life and Times of America's First Tycoon is probably the Free Library's best print resource for a comprehensive overview of the life and legacy of Stephen Girard. Girard's name is ubiquitous in Philadelphia, but despite his impact common knowledge of his role in history is surprisingly scarce, even locally. Of course, the institutions and locations which bear Girard's name would be in many ways unrecognizable to him today, so it makes sense that his legacy is not apparent in everyday city life.

Wilson's account of Girard's life in Philadelphia more than 200 years ago provided me with the missing link that I needed to bridge my understanding between the City of Philadelphia's early past and some of its oldest still-standing institutions. Wilson does a good job situating Girard's life within the broader historical context of early America in a way which captures the dynamic mood among the propertied elite of the early republic - a milleu in which Girard was an influential force. Though times have changed and Girard is hardly a relatable figure to modern sensibilities, Wilson writes in a way that makes the reader appreciate Stephen Girard's exceptional talent and eccentric, reclusive, dynamic nature. As a man who came from relative obscurity and rose to hold many of the strings of Trans-Atlantic commerce and finance in his hands while bankrolling a republican turn in the Americas in the years before democratic pressure from the new propertied classes would rock the aristocracies of Europe, Girard embodies the dynamism and political influence of the late 18th and early 19th century bourgeiosie. He is worth learning about for that reason alone.

Most interesting to me however was the way that Girard's legacy would go on to shape Philadelphia in ways he could not have imagined. Life and his own legacy have moved on without Stephen Girard the man, from the property still owned by his estate on 11th St from Market to Chestnut which turned out to be one of the best real estate investments of the 20th century, to Girard College, a boarding school which fought bitterly against racial integration in the name of Girard's will, but is now more or less a part of the fabric of North Philly, complete with a mural of its once-adversary Cecil B. Moore on its northern wall.

For all its detail and fascinating prose, this is ultimately a favorable biography of someone who history has recognized as a classic Great Man, with a great deal of personal influence on Early America and Philadelphia up to the present day. It shys away from any controversy or speculation about the two most contested parts of his personal life: his direct and indirect ownership of enslaved people and his incarceration of his wife, Mary Lum Girard, in the asylum at Pennsylvania Hospital. Wilson takes a no-conjecture approach on these issues and refuses to lay out a range of possibilities for Girard's attitudes and behavior based on the historical context that surrounded him, instead preferring to assume that Girard did not do or think anything for which there is no direct historical evidence. This is not entirely Wilson's Fault: Girard's papers are held by his estate and by Girard College, who have long used their powers as private institutions to gatekeep access to Girard's legacy. Wilson would not have been able to write such a well sourced, thorough biography if he were hoping to write a scathing critique of Girard's life, and unwilling to play ball with the Girard Estate. Nonetheless, The presumption of innocence with which Wilson presents the more controversial aspects of Girard's legacy is the book's greatest weakness, and will strike a well-informed reader steeped in the historical context of the times Girard lived in as naive.

A deep, dark Philadelphia with secret societies, alchemy and ghosts of the past. I wish it was longer - it felt a bit rushed and I wish I had been given more time to understand the world, what was happening, and Nina's relationship to it all. 

A sweet and savory Romeo and Juliet kind of love-story set in a Little Saigon in OC, California. This YA deals with parental expectation, the trauma that carries on generationally due to war, and how young people can reclaim their narratives despite it. 

This is The Hunt for Red October staring Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin. If you are a Sean Connery fan you may have already seen this when it came out in the 1980s. This is based on the book written by Tom Clancy and isn't too violent and will appeal to anyone young or old who loves submarines as well as much of the footage is shot in one. 

Here is the previously untold backstory about how Ice-T became a west coaster, and got started in the rap scene in L.A. Available to read on the Libby App.

Check out this awesome chapter book. Read alone or read as a bed-time story, or let your child read to you every other chapter perfect for bedtime reading.

This is the final book in the Trilogy. Ritz survives an assasination attempt and the death of her newborn. Will she make it in Hollywood? Will she keep Chas as her main booker/agent or is Chas too hot to handle? Read it and find out.

Great family comedy. This will be a great film for anyone who has been through the foster care system in America or Australia or elsewhere. Beautiful footage of the outback. Also available on kanopy

Jaron Lanier has led a captivating life; that at many times surpasses the intrigue of Virtual Reality creation in America. If you are interested in knowing about the early development scene in the 1980s and 1990s in Marin County before everyone was connected by email this is the book for you. This would also be a great book for an instructor introducing the topic to their class since there are more than twenty definitions of Virtual Reality explored. 

This is a great classic. It is also available via the Free Library Kanopy service.

This is Questlove's new childrens' book. It's a great bed-time read but has enough adult jokes in it that it's written for adults as well. Set in Philadelphia but filled with adult concepts like time travel, history, the philadelphia experiment and more. Father son relationship themes. No spoilers.

This is the second book in the series so it's action packed from the begining. Everyone has drama from Ritz laying in the hospital, to the gunman, down to even the local preacher. This would be a great read on the bus ride or during the liminal moments of the day. Trigger Warning* This book contains a theme of gun violence.

In Michio Kaku's Quantum Supremacy the reader is led through the basics of physics in order to better understand limitations and possibliities of Quantum computing. The implications for everything from cancer treatments to code breaking long numbered security keys is covered in a way that will be understood by a wide variety of education levels. This book inspired me if nothing else to want to invest in a new technology with so much promise. I think it's a tie between which Kaku book I've enjoyed more this one or Hyperspace.

A must read for a parent or child considering medicine at a young age.

A fantastic debut novel that spins the timeless girlhood coming-of-age on its head. Mermaids: just add water! (and blood, acidic pool water, and horrific longing!)

 My first mind was to DNF but the brash, abrasive, get-what-you-came-for Aunty kept me going. The abbreviated nature of Ferrante's characters is somehow refreshing. But, the whole bracelet debacle and the main characters whiny, insular (typical of teens) attitude was off putting. Worth the read. Loved the ending!