Jack Scholssberg’s candidacy for Congress has many asking: why?
By Thom Nickels
About: Thom Nickels
Thom Nickels: Writing the book on music in Philly
What do you do with a 362-page anthology of music biographies? You look up your favorite musicians and study the […]
Thom Nickels: Faith, identity, and the questions that remain
An organization called FRIEDA, located at 320 Walnut Street, bills itself as “connecting generations to strengthen our community.” This membership-based […]
Thom Nickels: Renamed, rebranded, and reduced — What happened to the Philadelphia Museum of Art?
The Philadelphia Museum of Art, now the Art Museum of Philadelphia, has been in decline for a number of years. […]
Thom Nickels: Harvard’s atheist chaplain
The current chief chaplain at Harvard University is an atheist who’s never seen the inside of a foxhole. Greg Epstein, […]
Thom Nickels: Psychic to (Philadelphia) stars
In my 2014 book, Legendary Locals of Center City Philadelphia, I included the story of a talented clairvoyant, Arlene Ostapowicz […]
Thom Nickels: When the sacred met the profane in Russia
When the sassy members of Pussy Riot entered Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral back in 2012, it was not to […]
President’s House is politics over architecture — and everything else
While the history of slavery should never be forgotten, it should not be interwoven in the “design message” of the President’s House.
By Thom Nickels
Marines grapple with history and judgment in new play
“The Pearly Gates” for many represents the Gates of Heaven or the gates of the afterlife. The term is used […]
Listening to Justice Barrett
Seven days after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, I headed over to the Constitution Center to hear Supreme Court Justice […]