Eastern State Penitentiary and "Long Black Veil" by Jennifer Finney Boylan

Details

Eastern State Penitentiary at NIGHT! Creepy! It's the perfect setting for a murder (or at least a fictional one!). Join us as we explore the 180+ year old cellblocks of the world's first modern prison while we chat about "Long Black Veil," a novel set...in Eastern!

THE ACTIVITY: Night Tours: Summer Twilight - this is a unique opportunity to visit Eastern State Penitentiary during the evening as the sun sets around us. The building itself was an architectural wonder. (Did you know they had indoor plumbing before the White House?!)

On our self-guided audio tour we'll experience things like:

History exhibits like Al Capone's Cell and Death Row
"The Voices of Eastern State" Audio Tour, narrated by actor Steve Buscemi (yes, you read that right!)
Award-winning exhibits about prisons today and the root causes of mass incarceration
Artist installations

After our self-guided audio tour we'll relax on the penitentiary’s historic baseball field (transformed into The Fair Chance Beer Garden). At The Fair Chance Beer Garden. Triple Bottom Brewing Company offers a selection of their beer for sale, including Purpose Pale Ale, brewed in collaboration between Triple Bottom and Eastern State.

TRANSPORTATION/PARKING: There are several options outlined here: https://easternstate.org/visit/directions-parking

FEE:
The group rate $24 per person if we have at least 15 attendees. I am limiting the event to 20 people (at this time). You must pay in advance by July 10 in order to reserve your spot. FIRST PAY, FIRST GO.

HOW TO PAY: (Please put Eastern SP and your Meetup Name in the notes when you pay)
Venmo - @audrey- Heller1
PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/AudreyBug (use friends and family or there is an extra fee)

THE BOOK: "Long Black Veil" by Jennifer Finney Boylan
From the publisher:
From the New York Times bestselling author of She’s Not There, a new novel about a woman whose family and identity are threatened by the secrets of her past.

Long Black Veil is the story of Judith Carrigan, whose past is dredged up when the body of her college friend Wailer is discovered 20 years after her disappearance in Philadelphia’s notorious and abandoned Eastern State Penitentiary. [How about that! We'll be on site!!] Judith is the only witness who can testify to the innocence of her friend Casey, who had married Wailer only days before her death.

The only problem is that on that fateful night at the prison, Judith was a very different person from the woman she is today. In order to defend her old friend and uncover the truth of Wailer’s death, Judith must confront long-held and hard-won secrets that could cause her to lose the idyllic life she’s built for herself and her family.

Plan to meet at the Penitentiary entrance at 7:45. I can't wait past 8pm for you so don't be late or you'll forfeit your ticket! (But of course, message me if you're having an unexpected issue and I'll see if I can work something out!)

If you are interested in grabbing a bite to eat (ahead of the tour) at a walk-able nearby spot, I'll send out options closer to the date. We'd meet around 6pm. Please indicate your interest when you RSVP.

Happy reading! Looking forward to our next literary adventure!