Inspired by a local true crime in 1843 and published as a Gothic novel in 1845, George Lippard’s The Quaker City or The Monks of Monk Hall is a sensational unveiling of the secret lives of Philadelphia’s elite in the nineteenth century that reads as a deliciously depraved soap opera - but it’s all based on true events that actually happened. This book was the first bestseller in American history, eclipsed seven years later by Harriet Beecher Stowe’s classic Uncle Tom’s Cabin in 1852. Meet in person at 124-126 Elfreth's Alley at 4:30pm on August 31 for a lively discussion of this extraordinary Philly story led by local author Josh Hitchens!

NOTE: This book can be difficult to find in a good and readable version. We recommend the University of Massachusetts Press edition from 1995, edited by David S. Reynolds. This edition can be found used at online retailers for reasonable prices, or through loan at your local library.

Tickets are $10.00. As seating is limited, purchasing tickets in advance is recommended.

https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/elfrethsalley/the-alley-book-club-the-quaker-city