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    504 Results in the "Historical Fiction" category


    • Chapter 17: The Bullfrog Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin Chapter 17: The Bullfrog begins during a chaotic time for Ahavat Achim synagogue on Chicken Hill. The community is facing not only emotional strain from Chona’s critical illness but also unexpected complications with their mikvah. When a massive bullfrog is discovered splashing in the sacred bath, it startles the congregants and sparks fresh controversy—especially for Mr. Hudson, a vocal new member from Buffalo who insists on a more lavish, professionally built mikvah, even offering a generous donation…
    • Chapter 18: The Hot Dog Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin Chapter 18: The Hot Dog begins with Chona, one week after her assault, drifting between dreams and a painful reality. She lies in her hospital bed, barely tethered to the world, as fragments of a prayer from her childhood, Barukh She’amar, float through her consciousness like shimmering motes of light. These prayerful echoes remind her of Sabbath mornings beside her father, the comfort of ritual, and the warmth of faith long held. Her parched lips and whispered desire for water elicit a quiet response,…
    • Chapter 19: The Lowgods Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin Chapter 19: The Lowgods begins on a storm-soaked night, with Fatty gripping the wheel of his rickety Packard, leading Paper and Big Soap through thick sheets of rain toward Hemlock Row. The journey is not simply about distance, but about crossing into a realm that few dare to visit—a secluded cluster of dwellings hidden just outside Pottstown and untouched by time. Here, the Lowgods reside—descendants of a southern legacy that diverged from the upward trajectory pursued by neighboring Black…
    • Chapter 20: The Antes House Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin Chapter 20: The Antes House begins with an annual tradition drenched in irony and contradiction. What appeared to be a grand celebration of local heritage was, at its core, a parade of contradictions—where brass instruments blared for a forgotten composer and flags fluttered over a building more often used as a back-alley dive than a historical monument. The John Antes Historical Society and Pottstown's city council observed Memorial Day with feigned reverence and theatrical rituals, while residents…
    • Chapter 21: The Marble Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin Chapter 21: The Marble begins as Dodo’s world turns inside out. Thrust from a cozy space behind Miss Chona’s store into the chaos of Ward C-1 at Pennhurst, the shift felt like plunging into an abyss. The smell, the noise, and the blur of drug-induced disorientation stripped him of control, leaving only confusion and pain. His body, once full of energy, lay trapped in traction. Though terrifying, the restraint spared him from further injury and gave his limbs time to heal. The mental toll, however, was…
    • Chapter 22: Without a Song Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin Chapter 22: Without a Song begins with the weight of closure bearing heavily on Moshe’s shoulders. Packing up the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store proved more painful than he anticipated, triggering memories long buried. Discovering the butter barrel that Chona once used to calm him, now filled with toys for neighborhood children, forced him to confront not only her absence but the gaping silence left behind. Moshe, overwhelmed by emotion, broke down quietly while Nate and Addie respectfully kept their…
    • Chapter 23: Bernice’s Bible Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin Chapter 23: Bernice’s Bible begins in the thick woods behind a jook joint where Fatty, engrossed in the mechanical intricacies of an old convertible, is interrupted by Rusty’s shout. His sister, Bernice, had arrived, and Fatty’s immediate reaction was one of skepticism. He wasn’t sure why she was there, but the mention of a visit from her set the tone for what would unfold. Fatty, leaning over the car’s hood, was knee-deep in the idea of selling the old vehicle he had found behind a demolished…
    • Chapter 24: Duck Boy Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin Chapter 24: Duck Boy begins in a small kitchen where community and food intersect to uncover difficult truths. Sweet potato pie was the lure—everyone on Chicken Hill knew Paper made it best. She gathered Nate, Addie, Rusty, and Fatty at the table, hoping Miggy would also join. Miggy, who worked at Pennhurst, eventually arrived wearing her nurse’s whites, no longer the dazzling oracle seen days before. Her professional demeanor softened upon seeing Nate, though tension lingered between their shared…
    • Chapter 25: The Deal Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin Chapter 25: The Deal begins with a surprising request. Marvin Skrupskelis, a man of modest appearance and an unassuming past, approaches Isaac Moskovitz not as a labor agitator but as a concerned figure with insight into deeper corruption. During their drive along Broad Street, Marv reveals that he’s no stranger to the struggles of the working class. He grew up fixing shoes, listening to union talk, and observing how power moved quietly through cities like Philadelphia. As he unfolds the story of Gus…
    • Chapter 26: The Job Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin Chapter 26: The Job begins with a simple mechanic moment but quickly unfolds into something deeper—an under-the-table task that blurs the line between necessity and legality. Fatty, noticing the mismatch of Ford parts in what should’ve been a Chadwick engine, proposes a new opportunity to Big Soap. The offer sounds tempting: $35 for a few hours of clandestine plumbing work—an alluring proposition compared to Big Soap’s modest factory wage. Fatty's plan involves digging under the cover of night,…
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