Real Philly History, Real Fast
Is Filled With Fascinating
Stories Almost No One Knows
51 punchy profiles … none more than 4 pages long
Philadelphia is known as the home of vibrant colonial history: the Liberty Bell, the Betsy Ross House, and Independence Hall. But the City of Brotherly Love is also home to—and less well known for—its quirky history. The country’s first quarantine station was located here. One of Philly’s clocks has a face larger than Big Ben’s in London. And a unique skill of Black abolitionist James Forten saved him from a life of West Indian servitude (and “Forten” was not even his real name).
In Real Philly History, Real Fast, Jim Murphy provides an original tour of the city. He highlights artistic gems including the Dream Garden Tiffany mosaic and Isaiah Zagar’s glittering Magic Gardens. He profiles intriguing historical figures from military leader Commodore Barry to civil rights heroes like Lucretia Mott. Murphy also explores neighborhoods from Chinatown to the Italian Market and the unique architectural details of Carpenters’ Hall and the PSFS building.
Each chapter provides a pithy story about a historical person or site, along with bullet points featuring interesting oddities, and nearby attractions along with fun facts such as: Why there are so many churches? What is the Philadelphia Eagles’ connection to the U.S. Custom House? Which famous artist may have been Philadelphia’s first nude model? And where was the Liberty Bell secretly damaged? (We didn’t do it!)
This is Philly history in bites that are as digestible as a soft pretzel with mustard.
Note from Jim Murphy: The “order” link under the book goes to Amazon, because that’s the best way for me to track sales. But my book is also available at many local independent book stores, at bookshop.org, and at Barnes & Noble. Wherever you buy it, thank you!
Highly recommended
by Pennsylvania Magazine
"This book by Jim Murphy certainly ranks as one of the best guides to visiting Philadelphia.... The author has done a fine job presenting a guide that anyone can use to navigate the city and all it has to offer. It is highly recommended.”
—Pennsylvania Magazine
Why buy “Real Philly History, Real Fast”?
Not because I say so – although every word I’ve said is true. But because three people I really respect have read the proofs and praise the contents. And I am truly honored by their comments …
Here’s What These 3 Experts Say:
“New insight” into Philly history
“A breezy glide through Philly history, Murphy’s new book should give every lover of this historic place new insight into the characters, places, and events that shaped it through four centuries.”
— Sam Katz, Executive Producer, History Making Productions
“Wonderfully readable”
“Even the most knowledgeable expert on Philadelphia history is likely to learn some new and interesting facts from Real Philly History, Real Fast. Jim Murphy has a way of bringing Philadelphia’s obscure and offbeat history to light in a wonderfully readable fashion.”
— Paul Steinke, Executive Director, Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia
“Billy Penn would be proud”
“Jim Murphy has probably forgotten more Philly history than most historians know. Real Philly History, Real Fast makes readers want to discover the iconic places, and the men and women from all races and walks of life who made this city great. Each page of his excellent book contains a fact that will elicit anything from a smile to a ‘Wow!’ Billy Penn would be proud!”
— Tim McGrath, author of James Monroe: A Life
Recent press.
Real Philly History, Real Fast has been featured in a number of newsletters and magazines. Here are a few examples.
“Today, 24 months after publication and with no major media coverage, Real Philly History, Real Fast is still number nine on Amazon’s list of Best Sellers in Philadelphia Travel Books.”