Boathouse Row: Waves of Change in the Birthplace of American Rowing
Mon, December 12, 2016 7:00 P.M.
Parkway Central Library
The history of Philadelphia's Boathouse Row is both wide and deep. Dotty Brown, an avid rower and former editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer, immersed herself in boathouse archives to provide a comprehensive history of rowing in Philadelphia. She takes readers behind the scenes to recount the era when rowing was the spectator sport of its time-and the subject of Thomas Eakins' early artwork-through the heyday of the famed Kelly dynasty, and the fight for women to get the right to row. (Yes, it really was a fight, and it took generations to win.)
Boathouse Row is the first book to lift the curtain on the little-known culture and history of Philadelphia’s iconic 19th century landmark, revealing stories of passion and perseverance along with hard-won victory. Boathouse Row chronicles the “waves of change” as people of different races, classes, and genders fought for access to water and the sport.
Dotty Brown is a former reporter and editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer. During her newspaper career, she edited numerous prize-winning projects, including one that won a Pulitzer Prize. She is also a member of the Vesper Boat Club. Visit her online at boathouserowthebook.com.
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