Patriots, Pirates, Heroes & Spies-TAKE THEM HOME Book of Once Upon A Nation stories released July 8

June 30, 2008 - PRLog -- PHILADELPHIA, July 1, 2008 – Historic Philadelphia, Inc. announces the release of its brand new book, Patriots, Pirates, Heroes & Spies: Stories from Historic Philadelphia. The book is to be released officially on July 8, the same day the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence took place back in 1776.  Comprised of twenty favorite stories from the renowned Once Upon A Nation storytelling benches, this book enables visitors from all over the world to take these unique stories of Philadelphia’s history home with them.

“This book is a long-awaited result of requests and positive feedback Historic Philadelphia, Inc. has received from our audience,” explains Amy Needle, President and CEO of Historic Philadelphia, Inc.  “We are so excited to be able to create this colorful, hardcover, high-quality product that gives these memorable stories new life in written form.”

Sandra Mackenzie Lloyd, Editor of Patriots, Pirates, Heroes & Spies: Stories from Historic Philadelphia states, “The concept of historical storytelling that the Once Upon A Nation program offers is a unique way of learning and successfully engaging visitors of all ages.  Working on this book has been an exciting process and one we are very eager to share with the world.”

Patriots, Pirates, Heroes & Spies: Stories from Historic Philadelphia creates a great connection between the past and the present.  This book tells amazing and true stories of real people who lived in or around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from the 1600s up through the present.  It shares stories of people like Lydia Darragh, who risked her life to deliver important secrets to General Washington, and Peter Still, an enslaved man who bought his freedom and found his family.  Stories about inventors and moms, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, and even a cow, are also included because history is made by everyone – young or old, rich or poor, male or female.  

The stories in this book got their start in the Once Upon A Nation storytelling program created in 2005 by Historic Philadelphia, Inc., occurring from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day.  The storytellers who share these stories bring history to life for visitors in Philadelphia and Valley Forge.  These enthusiastic and knowledgeable storytellers ring their storytelling bells and invite visitors to sit on beautiful semi-circular benches placed in such locations as Independence Hall, Christ Church, and the National Constitution Center (in Philadelphia) or in Washington’s Headquarters (Valley Forge).  Stories of these exact locations are then told, allowing the listeners to put their history and the history of Philadelphia into perspective.  With thirteen benches located in different areas of Historic Philadelphia and four in Valley Forge, visitors move from bench to bench to hear all of the stories this program has to offer.  Whether sad, funny or dramatic, all of the stories told ring true and prove to be significant in the making of history

The goal of the stories told within the book is to tell a snapshot of history, some filled with humor or some filled with drama. These stories all grow from and expand on the place in which they are told.  Therefore, each story is very specifically linked to a historic place.  The inspirations for the stories were collected from a variety of sources: National Park Service rangers, primary sources such as diaries, and others are built from stories told in well-regarded secondary sources.  No matter where the stories come from, only reliable information is used.  These stories help make the people and events of the past interesting and alive, and are told in such a way so visitors today can connect with the past.  

Patriots, Pirates, Heroes & Spies: Stories from Historic Philadelphia has been proclaimed “a must for kids” as the stories help to encourage learning in an interesting way.  Along with these stories, included in the book are tips on how to tell a good story and how to become a storyteller.  Readers are now able to recreate and act out these stories from the comfort of their own homes.  

Edited by Sandra Mackenzie Lloyd and available in hardcover, this new book released by Historic Philadelphia, Inc. contains 192 pages with illustrations of the best twenty stories told at the Once Upon A Nation storytelling benches.  The book is published by Grosset & Dunlap, A Division of Penguin Intl. and distributed exclusively by Historic Philadelphia, Inc.  With a retail price of $9.95, Patriots, Pirates, Heroes & Spies: Stories from Historic Philadelphia can be purchased at the Independence Living History Center, Franklin Square, the Betsy Ross House, as well as at www.historicphiladelphia.org.  For additional information about purchasing this book, please contact Daria Fink at 215-629-5801 x219 or retail@historicphiladelphia.org.

Through its groundbreaking storytelling and its innovative tours, Historic Philadelphia, Inc. enhances the visitor experience and helps strengthen Philadelphia’s tourism industry through interpretation and interaction, making our nation’s history relevant and real.  Historic Philadelphia, Inc.’s programs include the Betsy Ross House, Once Upon A Nation storytelling and Adventure Tours, Franklin Square, and the Lights of Liberty Show.  For more information, call (215) 629-4026 or visit www.historicphiladelphia.org.