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This 1957 national bestseller by the late Richard Powell, a seventh-generation Philadelphian, was touted by its publisher as a "shocking exposé" of Philadelphia and Main Line society. The novel was released to rave reviews and became the 1959 Oscar-nominated film, The Young Philadelphians, starring Paul Newman and Robert Vaughn. Spanning four generations beginning with the emigration of a poor Irish girl in 1857, The Philadelphian is a raw and powerful tale of a family of humble origins clawing its way to the top. The story climaxes in an unforgettable courtroom scene, with society on trial and an entire city held spellbound. This 50th anniversary edition restores Richard Powell's remarkable novel to print after a long hiatus, and is a must-read for anyone who loves classic American fiction or the great city of Philadelphia.
Anonymous
Posted January 21, 2013
Very interesting background leading up to modern days. Good book, but I liked the movie better when it covered the later part of the book.
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Posted July 15, 2007
I bought this book and had it for a month before I actually started reading it on an plane ride back home because of a flight delay. I live just outside of Philadelphia and it was cool to recognize names mentioned in the book of places and names. It's basically about four generations of a family in Philadelphia attempting to gain credibility and social status, but it's well written enough that those points aren't the only focus of the story. The author did a really good job transitioning from one generation to the next.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 14, 2009
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Overview
This 1957 national bestseller by the late Richard Powell, a seventh-generation Philadelphian, was touted by its publisher as a "shocking exposé" of Philadelphia and Main Line society. The novel was released to rave reviews and became the 1959 Oscar-nominated film, The Young Philadelphians, starring Paul Newman and Robert Vaughn. Spanning four generations beginning with the emigration of a poor Irish girl in 1857, The Philadelphian is a raw and powerful tale of a family of humble origins clawing its way to the ...