Book: Philadelphia Noir edited by Carlin Romano

Residents bitch and complain about Philadelphia, but the truth is, most of us are just content enough not to leave. If we do leave, many of us return five, ten, fifteen years later, as if drawn back by some huge, invisible, urine-stained magnet buried underneath City Hall. It’s the city we love to hate.

In Philadelphia Noir, the latest installment in Akashic Books long-running Noir series, editor Carlin Romano assembles a balanced collection of stories from local writers reflecting the neighborhoods and sensibilities of the of the city and residents without romanticizing them. There’s not a single mention of Wawa, the Broad Street Bullies, water ice, or even Frank Rizzo.

The anthology is arranged in four themed sections. Part I: City of Bursts contains violent stories spreading from Strawberry Mansion to South Philadelphia. Asali Solomon’s “Secret Pool” (West Philadelphia) is the standout here, a sad story narrated by a fifteen-year-old girl who lives with one foot reaching just outside her neighborhood. “Princess” by Aimee LaBrie captures the dirty desperation of South Philadelphia, plastic covered couches, tacky decor and all.

Failed love is the theme of Part II: City of Other Love, which includes Laura Spagnoli’s “A Cut Above”, a sly homage to Philadelphia’s recent “Bonnie and Clyde” scumbag scammers.

I enjoyed Part III: The Faker City most of all, the stories of common residents striving for more than what they think the city can offer them, like the wannabe social climbers in Meridith Anthony’s “Fishtown Odyssey” and Jim Zervanos’ “Your Brother, Who Loves You”. In “Seeing Nothing”, Diane Ayres really captures the “I didn’t see nuthin’” code of Bella Vista (which is vastly different than “Stop snitching”, since it doesn’t involve coercion) with humor and an eye for detail.

The collection concludes with Part IV: Those Who Forget the Past, historically-set stories, like Duane Swierczynski’s “Lonergan’s Girl”, which is also a primer on the politics of the Philadelphia Police. “The Ratcatcher” by Cary Holladay borders on the fantastic, as does “Reality” by Cordelia Frances Biddle.

Perhaps I am biased, but there’s no story in Philadelphia Noir that should be excised, and nothing that I can’t believe couldn’t happen, even the presence of fanciful dancing rats. As someone who didn’t notice Independence Hall covered in scaffolding for a month, but is still peeved about Septa dropping “R” labels from the train lines, the absence of all the usual Philadelphia cliches in this anthology is a welcome respite. After all, it’s the little things in the city that we notice, that irritate us, and that give us something to complain about. We don’t want it any other way.

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Upcoming Philadelphia Noir local author events

Wednesday, November 3, 7:30PM
Head House Books, 619 South 2nd Street

Sunday, November 7, 2:30PM
Moonstone Arts Center, 110A S. 13th Street

Wednesday, November 10, 6PM
Penn Bookstore, 3601 Walnut Street

(Check the Akashic Books site for added events.)