State College local Mimi Barash Coppersmith, Town & Gown founder and author of Eat First, Cry Later | photo: WPSU
Written by locals or featuring insights into life in State College, there are a whole bunch of great books that you might want to consider adding to your Local Reading List!
Browse this digital library shelf and see which of these strike your fancy.
Among the Woo People: A Survival Guide for Living in a College Town
by Russel Frank
So many of us know that it’s not only possible to survive life in State College, but to thrive here. Nonetheless, it’s fun to laugh at the quirks – and even bond over the annoyances! – that can be a part of life in a college town. (Plus, knowing how State College tends to grow on people, we’re interested to see where the author lands on the subject in the end.)
Eat First, Cry Later: The Life Lessons of a First-Generation College Graduate, Penn State Alumna, and Female CEO
by Mimi Barash Coppersmith
After the death of her brother in childhood, Mimi Barash Coppersmith devoted her life to making herself happy by making others happy. Coppersmith, who went on to found Town & Gown and served as the first female Penn State Board of Trustees Chair, is also well known for her generous philanthropy. In the book, she shares the highs and lows of her life story, offers life lessons, and discusses the importance of making a difference in the lives of others. Proceeds from the book go to Penn State’s College of Communications for study abroad scholarships.
Eat Like a Local
by Brian Douglas
A guide to the State College food scene, written by someone who experiences it as a resident! Douglas, originally from the Philadelphia area, graduated from Penn State in 2006. After more than a decade, he and his wife, also an alumna, are still in the area, enjoying our town’s vibrant culinary offerings.
Field Guide to Wild Mushrooms of Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic
by Bill Russell
Penn State University Press’s perennial best-seller consolidates mushroom expert Bill Russel’s more than 50 years of wild mushroom foraging knowledge and experience. With information that both novice and experienced foragers can use, the book details more than 100 species and is “an indispensable reference for curious hikers, amateur biologists, adventurous chefs, and mycophiles of all stripes.”
Order a copy from Penn State University Press
P.S. Want to learn from Bill in person? Join him every Monday at Webster’s Bookstore Cafe and bring the mushrooms you’ve found!
Ice Cream U: The Story of the Nation’s Most Successful Collegiate Creamery
by Lee Stout
The Creamery is iconic. Its famous (134 year old!) Ice Cream Short Course has educated professionals from all over the world. We’ve attended weddings where alumni served their favorite flavors for dessert. And while other college creameries struggle to stay afloat, the Penn State Creamery continues to thrive.
Seasons of Central Pennsylvania: A Cookbook
by Anne Quinn Corr
From late summer’s Grange Fair to festivals celebrating our international communities throughout the year, this cookbook takes readers on a culinary tour through the seasons. With photos and stories about area cooks and recipes featuring both ingredients local to Central Pennsylvania and those that highlight our area’s cultural diversity, this cookbook honors the wide variety of foods that can all be considered “local.”
Want to keep browsing? Check out:
Out in Central Pennsylvania: The History of an LGBTQ Community
An award-winning and expertly researched story of local activism in the decades after Stonewall
Story of the Century: The Borough of State College, Pennsylvania, 1896-1996
One hundred years of State College history in 224 pages
Keystone Poetry: Contemporary Poets on Pennsylvania
A new poetry volume published by Penn State University Press featuring some State College-specific poems and poets
Lair of the Lion: A History of Beaver Stadium
Beaver Stadium’s origin story written by historian Lee Stout and engineering professor Harry H. West
This is Penn State: An Insider’s Guide to the University Park Campus
An ode to Penn State’s past, present, and future, in honor of the University’s sesquicentennial
