Land of Giants: Where No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

Of course, Lopez had the benefit of good material. Some of Lopez's most famous columns are reprinted here. They include his dissection of the case against the city's actions in bombing the MOVE house on Osage Avenue in 1985. Despite 11 deaths, 61 destroyed houses, and 260 people left homeless, no indictments were issued against the police officers involved, and then-mayor W. Wilson Goode was re-elected the following year.

Lopez had particular fun with several characters with connections to the mob. Then-City Councilman Lee Beloff received special treatment in several columns during and after his trial on extortion charges. (At a reading a few years ago, Lopez told the story of a Philadelphia reading where Beloff, newly released from prison, showed up. According to Lopez, Beloff heckled Lopez throughout the reading, bought a large stack of Lopez's book "Sunday Macaroni Club," and had Lopez sign several copies.)

Lopez's best work shines through in these columns and in columns on life in and around Philadelphia. He has an eye for characters: Louie the barber; Marge Tartaglione and the Boom Boom sisters; Emanuel Johnson, the $40K/year supervisor at the Philadelphia Water Department who, by orders, showed up for work every morning and did absolutely nothing for 8 hours; and Sean Brennan, the pint-sized coxswain for Temple U.'s crew team.

Lopez has been pursuing a career as a novelist. "Sunday Macroni Club" is a fine tale of Philadelphia personalities and politics, marred only by the fact that his villains are far more interesting than his heroes. However, his journalism remains his best achievement. Anyone interested in Philadelphia culture and recent history should purchase this book.


Unforgettable snapshots of life in urban America.   April 6, 1999
 11 out of 11 found this review helpful

Steve Lopez hits another home run with this non-fiction work: a collection of his best columns from the Philadelphia Inquirer. Reporter Steve Lopez left the sunny doldrums of CA to find real, old-fashioned greed and corruption worthy of his investigative writing. You can accompany this great writer through the streets of Philadelphia, the suburbs and beyond through his hilarious, touching, tragic and outrageous (but always true) stories. Even if you have no interest in exploring the unique culture of America's 3rd largest city, then read it for the human interest and the superb writing. It's a portrait of city life in the twilight years of 20th Century America - a must read for the end of the millennium!

PS: If you've read his other books (highly recommended), then this book will provide you with insights into the real people upon which his fictional tales are based.