Highlights in the History of Reading, Pennsylvania

As a relatively recent transplant to the Reading area, I found stories in this book to be fascinating, amusing, sometimes even baffling. From stories about Reading’s industrial past to descriptions of various forms of entertainment to tales of some of its decidedly unique “characters,” there is something for everyone even remotely interested in the Reading area. I discovered how the Pagoda came to be not only a local landmark, but even a symbol of the city- along with the pretzel. I learned about the venue at which John Philip Sousa was scheduled to conduct a concert, prior to his untimely demise in a local hotel. I read about the formerly enslaved woman who made her living as an itinerant sawyer and about the Reading prisoner of war camp constructed during the American Revolution. Comprised of short chapters, I so enjoyed being able to pick up this book and read one, or several, stories in a sitting.