South Philadelphia: Mummers, Memories, and the Melrose Diner [Hardcover]

Murray Dubin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 3, 1996

From mayors and mummers to tap dancers and gamblers, South Philly has it all. This quintessential Philadelphia neighborhood boasts a complicated history of ethnic strife alongside community solidarity and, for good measure, some of the best bakeries in town. Among its many famous people South Philadelphia claims Marian Anderson, Frankie Avalon, Mayor Frank Rizzo, Temple Owl's coach John Chaney, Larry Fine of the Three Stooges, and 'Loving' soap opera actress Lisa Peluso. For South Philadelphians, whether they stay or leave, the neighborhood is always happy to give you their opinions, and in this book they talk about their favorite subject to Murray Dubin, award winning journalist at the Philadelphia Inquirer, who also called South Philly home.Music and the arts are part of everyday life. Baritone Elliott Tessler says, 'I'm not a celebrity, I'm a minor curiosity. If Pavarotti lived here, he would just be a minor curiosity, and probably because he was fat more than because he sang'. Jean DiElsi remembers finding work in 1943 as a cashier at a diner that would become a South Philly landmark. 'It was the only diner around and it was open 24 hours. If you went to dances, everybody would go to the Melrose Diner afterwards...No, there was no Mel or Rose. It was named after a can of tomatoes. In addition to being Philadelphia's first neighborhood, South Philly is the oldest ethnically and racially mixed big-city neighborhood in the nation.Catherine Williams remembers growing up black on Hoffman Street, 'We had everything. We had the Jews, we had Italians, we had the blacks, we even had a Portuguese family. You never knew there was a color thing back then. I was the only black in my class at Southwark, but you never knew. In the third, fourth grade, some of those Italian boys was big, but you would have thought they were brothers to me'.These are some of the people and the opinions that make up South Philadelphia and Murray Dubin will take you on a resident's tour of the ultimate city neighborhood. But for every interview, there's also a lot of history. And Dubin provides an historical examination that spans 300 years, from Thomas Jefferson living in South Philadelphia in 1793 to the burning of Palumbo's in 1994. Whether you're a South Philadelphian yourself, or just want to understand the South Philly phenomenon, this book is a must. Author note: Murray Dubin was born in South Philadelphia and is a reporter for the "Philadelphia Inquirer".

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Reading this account of the historical neighborhoods of South Philadelphia is like looking at someone else's personal photographs. They may at first intrigue, but anyone lacking direct ties to the subject will eventually lose interest. Dubin, a Philadelphia Inquirer journalist, reconstructs the neighborhood's history through interviews of current and past South Philly residents. Sometimes enchanting and reminiscent of long-gone times, the book includes stories like those of Father Cox, who forbade the Twist at the high school dances he oversaw "because it began to get a little too racy." Dubin writes, "People downtown were not afraid to enjoy themselves.... Remember, there were no strangers, so who was going to laugh at you? Not your neighbors. They were rooting for you." Past, present, maybe even future neighbors of South Philadelphia will enjoy this work. The rest will just smile politely and flip through. Recommended only where interest warrants.
Penny L. Piva, Univ. of Massachusetts, North Dartmouth
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"If we could all observe our fellow men with Murray Dubin's talent and breadth of understanding, there would be Peace on Earth...and a hell of a lot more great books." --Richard Ben Cramer, Pulitzer Prize Winner "Murray Dubin has managed to weave this neighborhood's 300-year history into a lush tapestry." --The Philadelphia Lawyer "[A] moving series of family histories told by people who grew up in South Philly and in many ways, never left. These folks are mostly Irish, Italian, Jewish and African-American because the community has always been a way station for immigrants from Europe and southern blacks seeking personal or economic freedom in the north." --Main Line Times

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 234 pages
• Publisher: Temple University Press (June 3, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566394295
• ISBN-13: 978-1566394291
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #747,702 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #89 in Books > Travel > United States > States > Pennsylvania

More About the Author

Author of three books, Murray Dubin grew up in South Philadelphia, son of a newsstand manager. Not quick enough to play professional basketball, he, instead, began working at the Philadelphia Inquirer in 1971, remaining there for 34 years as a reporter, editor and national correspondent based in Los Angeles. In 1986, while the newspaper was shut down due to a strike and he was living without an income in Pasadena, he wrote "The Official Book of Wallyball," a sports instruction book for a new sport that needed no such book. In 1996, he wrote "South Philadelphia: Mummers, Memories and the Melrose Diner," and in 2010, he co-authored "Tasting Freedom: Octavius Catto and the Battle for Equality in Civil War America."

"Tasting Freedom" was seven-year obsession, a tale of the civil rights movement in the 19th century and its African American leaders, most of whom have been forgotten.

He is currently taking baby steps on a new history book, about insanity, murder, sex, the law and Edgar Allen Poe.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Warm, factual, and full of Nostalgia!, December 22, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: South Philadelphia: Mummers, Memories, and the Melrose Diner (Hardcover)

Being a South Philly resident sparks my interest in South Philly as well as Philadelphia. This book is GREAT! Each issue is handled with love and affection for the the good things South Philly used to be known for. I love the little facts and the info that makes you smile. It has given me a great sense of pride and I wish the sense of community the author writes about existed as fully today. If we could get rid of the violence South Philly has also been known for it would be the perfect place. If you are into facts, humor, touching life stories (without being sad), a little local history and a lot of love this is a great book to read. I do not read often but this book held my interest and was not overbearing in any one aspect. I may even read it again! If you read it you won't be disappointed! God Bless South Philly! --Nicole R.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Factual, tender, & personal; a return to my childhood., July 3, 1998

By 

Arlene Howard (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: South Philadelphia: Mummers, Memories, and the Melrose Diner (Hardcover)

This factual, tender, and personal treatise immediately transported me back to my childhood in South Philadelphia in the 50's. The content is both from an historical and cultural perspective,and is interspersed with wonderful photographs and humorous commentary. Much of the thorough historical information (the author is a journalist) was new to me and fascinating. However, it was the exploration of the cultural heritage which launched me on a wistful, nostalgic journey. Mr. Dubin, whose experiential reverence is evident, has infused the story of South Philadelphia with a rare intimacy. This reader feels very appreciative.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Memories, September 24, 2011

By 

M. B. RICHARDSON - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: South Philadelphia: Mummers, Memories, and the Melrose Diner (Hardcover)

This is a book that can be enjoyed by anyone who is, or has family from, South Philadelphia. Certainly wish the jacket was still on the book but since it's used and from an Akron, Ohio library - I'm just thrilled to own the publication.