New Jersey Books

If you are looking for a guidebook on developing strategies on winning Monopoly games, look elsewhere. This book does a fantastic job of explaining the history behind the streets and places printed on a Classic Monopoly gameboard. The postcards are diverse and even cover Baltic Avenue. The postcards are from when the Monopoly game was issued nationally and earlier. This book makes a great present for someone who enjoys playing Monopoly and wants to more about the background and real-world history of the locations on the traditional game.

"Taking a walk on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City was an excursion into a wonderland of grand hotels, amusement piers stocked with colorful rides and marquee performers, and arcades full of games and sweet treats of every description. The Boardwalk was part avenue, part grandstand." ~ pg. 65

If you loved playing MONOPOLY and wondered how this game got it start, then this is the story behind this beloved pastime. Since the game is based on real-life locations in Atlantic City, this book is filled with lovely pictures of the area. The main chapters include:

Go
The Game - A Brief History of MONOPOLY
The Place - A Brief History of Atlantic City
The Railroads
The Properties
The Utilities
Chance and Community Chest
Free Parking
Passing Go

One of the most interesting pictures is one of the original circular game boards from 1933 and a square board from 1932. There is also a drawing of the origins of the game as patented by Lizzie Magie in 1904. Most of the book then focuses on the properties and other fun things like salt water taffy.

~The Rebecca Review

The book was informative. The history of Atlantic City was interesting, but I was more interested in the game itself. I would like to see a book with more on the different editions of MONOPOLY and tons of pictures of games...not Atlantic City postcards.

This is a great little book that takes a historical look at the game we all love and the story behind it. It starts off with a little bit of the history of the game itself, from Elizabeth Magie's original invention to the worldwide phenomenon the game became.

However, the book mainly focuses on describing the streets, railroads and sites that have given their names to the game board spaces. The book describes them mostly as they were around the time that Monopoly was being invented.

The book is beautifully illustrated with antique photographs and postcards, and shows Atlantic City in a more glamorous and classy era than the current neon-sign-and-big-hair place that it has become.

While the book does not cover more than a little bit about the game itself, it does put it into a fun historical context.

This book is basically a history of Atlantic City during the time that the boardgame Monopoly was being invented. The book is not so much about the game itself but the locations that are on the game board. The book goes into the history of all the locations on the board by color and explained to the reader what Boardwalk was like in the 1930s or how Marvin Gardens got misspelled and other tidbits. It rather a short book overall and its give a pretty good understanding basic values of locations in terms of Atlantic City to the boardgame.

Of course, the Atlantic City that being described in this book no longer exist. Much like St. Charles Place no longer exist but this book does allowed the reader to know that the game was based on actual locations that one time, had values which was reflected on the game board. I think that was the purpose of this book.

This book would be a welcome trip down memory lane for anyone who knew and loved Palisades Amusement Park and the simpler times the park thrived in. A plainly written, honest account by a man whose life was indelibly imprinted by this magical place; the book contains loads of small black and white photos, many of which look like copies from newspapers, but most are fairly poor reproductions. The two lonely pages of color photos left me longing for more.
If you grew up in Northern New Jersey with fond memories of your times at the park; then by all means you will enjoy looking back through the pages of this book.

This book dealt more with way before my time, more with the beginning times. I would have liked more from the 50's on. Returned the book.

Reading this book brought me back to the 60's and a wonderful time in my life. The book is filled with history but it is, more importantly, chock full of the spirit of Palisades Park.

Palisades Park was like Christmas, New Years and a fun Birthday Party all rolled up into one. As a small child I visited the park with my parents where we shared good times like a family should, but as a teenager it became something even more special. I performed there with my rock band a couple of times, and felt like I had really "made it".

How can these feelings be expressed in a book? Mr. Gargiulo does it with intelligence and a child-like awe of this place, the first "magical kingdom".

The prose is wonderful as so are the amazing pictures.
If anyone wants to take a time machine and return to those magical days in Fort Lee, one has only to read this book!

ITS GREAT. BROUGHT BACK ALOT OF MEMORIES.DIDNT CARE FOR CONEY ISLAND THO. TOO MANY PICTURES AND THAT ALL IT WAS

While "Palisades Amusement Park" might not be a book everyone would enjoy, it meant a great deal to me. I grew up in New Jersey, where this park was located and went there often as a child. The bus company where my Dad was employed provided free passes, which encouraged us to go. When it was destroyed, to erect a condo, my heart was broken, as I knew my daughter and grandchildren would never know the excitement I felt when I first rode the Cyclone at Palisades Park. Through this book, I was able to share some of my experiences with them. Even my son-in-law, who grew up in Georgia, enjoyed it, as history is one of his interests. If you are into historic sites or ever went to Palisades Park when you were young, I think this is a wonderful trip into the past.

There have been a few books written on this disaster at sea, and this book got good reviews.... But I found it disappointing. It seemed to me like a longggg magazine article. Maybe the problem was that the characters are all so very unlikeable. After the fire and the chaos, for which there was no excuse, there are many good words written about passengers, but the crew was, almost to a one, petty, ignorant of their duties, and just basically unlikeable, so I didn't care about what happened to them. I don't like cruise ships, anyway; I find them claustrophobic and boring, unless perhaps if you drink and gamble, which I don't do. I am aware of improvements over the past many years since this incident, but still we read about almost-disasters happening in our seas week after week. After reading this book, it just confirms my refusal to ever go on another cruise.

Every so often I come across a book that grabs my attention in the opening pages and keeps me fixated right until the very end. "When The Dancing Stopped" is just such a book. Author Brian Hicks relates the incredible tale of the cruise ship Morro Castle and fantastic events that led to its untimely demise in September 1934 off the New Jersey Coast. The Morro Castle, flagship of the steamship company known as the Ward Line, carried all of the mail between New York and Cuba. It was a lucrative government contract worth more than $750,000 per year. The ship was also outfitted to carry hundreds of passengers on its weekly jaunts to Havana.
None of the passengers or crew members of the Morro Castle could possibly have anticipated the bizarre and deadly events would unfold on that fateful evening of September 8, 1934. Within just a few short hours the ships captain Robert Willmott would be found dead in his quarters and a deadly fire would break out on board the Morro Castle. To make matters worse a tropical storm was rapidly approaching the disabled vessel from the South while a massive Nor'easter was bearing down from the North. All the ingredients were in place for a major catastrophe!
What makes all of this so disturbing is that there was ample evidence to suggest that Captain Willmotte just might have been murdered and that the fire was indeed no accident. What could possibly motivate an individual or group of people to perpertate such dastardly deeds? This is what "When The Dancing Stopped" is all about. You will meet the members of the crew and learn how they reacted during this tragedy. You will be appalled to learn why so many of the lifeboats on board were never even used. You will also learn the identity of the individual who many suspect may have been motivated to set these horrible events in motion. Brian Hicks does a splendid job in researching this book. Hicks also makes use of recently declassified government documents that shed new light on this 70 year old mystery. But the story does not end with the Morro Castle. The individual suspected of planning and executing the events on that fateful night would continue to wreak havoc for another 20 years. It turns out that this portion of the book is every bit as compelling as the story of the disaster itself. Whether you are a fan of disaster books like I am or enjoy murder mysteries I suspect that "When The Dancing Stopped" is a book you will certainly enjoy. Highly recommended!

This is, by my reckoning, the fourth book-length treatment of the Morro Castle disaster. It is also arguably the best of the lot, while not without its flaws.

Thomas Gallagher's "Fire At Sea," published initially in 1960 and reprinted a few years ago by Lyons Press, told what was a compelling tale on the surface; however, some of the author's claims fall apart on closer scrutiny, in no small part because he presented as fact incidents that could kindly be called apocryphal (some of which were known, at the time, to have been false). "Morro Castle" (Hal Burton), while a competent offering--here the author sticks to the facts--breaks no new ground. "Shipwreck" (Thomas/Witts) I've seen compared--accurately, it should be said--to a screen treatment; the writing is dramatic in all the worst ways, and the authors make some factual leaps in service to their story, rather than sticking to events as they happened. Each of these books covers slightly different facets of the event, giving a Rashomon-like quality to a narrative whose true nature may never be known.

Against this backdrop, "When The Dancing Stopped" appeared in 2006. Hicks takes as his protagonists passenger Doris Wacker and crew member Tom Torreson, whose stories are covered, to varying degrees, in the previous books. He does, however, further flesh out their stories, and much of the rest of the back story both of the vessel and the Ward Line, the company that operated her. He further makes use of FBI files that had previously been unavailable, shedding some new light on the character and actions of the disaster's "hero," Chief Radio Operator George Rogers.

On the other hand, much of the Rogers material had been uncovered earlier by Gallagher's research, and much of what Hicks has "unearthed" merely corroborates that part of Gallagher's story. Furthermore, Hicks, like Gallagher, builds the case against Rogers without giving serious consideration to the other possible causes of the fire. One would grant, based on the evidence presented in these two books, that if the fire was caused by arson, Rogers is the prime, if not the only, suspect; however, this is far from an open-shut case.

Burton's book, while acknowledging the possible Rogers connection, raises another possibility. While it's more prosaic, it's every bit as plausible, and is compelling in its own right. Without giving the game away, I would refer you to yet another book: "The Aspirin Age," edited by Isobel Leighton, which contains an essay on the Morro Castle that lays out in depth the case that Burton makes only in brief.

But I digress. Hicks has delivered a well-researched, eminently readable book. While it doesn't close the nearly 75-year-old case, it's a more-than-worthy addition to the (sadly limited) canon on this disaster. But there's a caveat... Hicks managed to avoid his predecessors' shortcomings and pitfalls, save for one: I can't help but think, based on the evidence, that the author allowed his narrative to shape his research, rather than seeing where the research took him, and writing accordingly. I wonder what this book could have been if that hadn't been the case, and it's what kept a very good book from being an excellent, perhaps even definitive, one.

The strange story of the cruise liner S.S. Morro Castle is truly one of history's most intriguing "stranger than fiction" mysteries. The Depression-era Morro Castle sailed regularly between New York and a then pre-Communist Cuba. But even though old Havana was a prized tourist destination in those days, the political turmoil of the island in and of itself infected the Morro Castle with intrigues. The Morro Castle's cargo business involved it in what can only be called gun running, and the repressive "banana republic" governance found in Cuba lead to political agitation amongst her crew. Labor unrest in general seemed to be a constant since the liner's owners seemed a bit too ready to take advantage of the desperation of the crew for jobs while the Depression raged. And as the troubled liner plied her trade, her captain, Robert Willmott, himself became more and more troubled. Mysterious fires broke out on the ship during her runs. Stories reached the captain about explosives and toxic chemicals being smuggled aboard to either sabotage the ship or injure him personally. On the Morro Castle's last voyage, Willmott had become so paranoid that he had nearly cutoff all contact with passengers and crew.

On that last voyage on the last night of the cruise, the beleaguered captain dropped dead under circumstances that can only be called mysterious in the light of subsequent events. The exhausted up-since-dawn first mate, William Warms, has to take charge only to find himself piloting the ship through the most bizarre weather imaginable. A hurricane is traveling up the East Coast from the south while simultaneously a Nor'easter is traveling south - trapping the Morro Castle between the two and leaving her no escape from gale force winds. Three A.M. sees the ultimate horror when a fire breaks out amidships in one of the few rooms aboard that is not fitted with smoke detectors or sprinklers. In minutes the fire burns out of control and cuts nearly everyone off from lifeboats. Most of the passengers and crew find themselves forced to decide whether to burn to death or jump into storm tossed seas. Over a hundred die from the fire or in the water off of the New Jersey coast and in an eerie coda, the burned out liner herself drifts ashore at Asbury Park and draws gawkers to watch her smolder for weeks on end. The sequence of events that night was so bizarre that speculation began immediately that the suspicious fire wasn't accidental but was purposely set.

The story didn't end there, however. It became even more disturbing. One of the ship's officers - one of the few that ended that night being lauded for his heroism - proved in subsequent years to be a homicidal sociopath. It was discovered that he had a criminal history prior to his time aboard the Morro Castle. Not only was he convicted for robbery, but he was strongly suspected of having committed arson to hide his burglaries. After his time on the Morro Castle, he attempted to murder a co-worker with a homemade bomb, was suspected of poisoning a water cooler at his place of work, and finally was sent to prison for life for the gruesome murder of his elderly neighbors. Although this proves nothing about the events of that awful September morning, the path of devastation this man wrought in his life can't help but fuel speculation as to whether he had a role in the death and destruction that took place on Morro Castle's last voyage.

I have the distinction of having read every book written about that terrible fire at sea, although that's not that impressive an accomplishment given the fact that Hicks' is only the fourth. Since I read the other three so long ago, however, I don't feel it fair to compare this newer book too directly to those others. There is admittedly not too much new here to those who also may have read a prior book about the Morro Castle. What Hicks' narrative has, however, is a tremendous driving energy that pulls you as deeply into the events of that night as possible. Even though I knew exactly what was due to come next, I still found myself seized with a tremendous foreboding with the recounting of each new ominous turn in the story. In fact, I think that this masterful narrative drive is actually Hicks' biggest contribution to the historical record as well. As well acquainted as I was with the story, I still never realized just how bad the hand William Warms was dealt that night. Up since dawn, finding a respected friend dead in the middle of the night, and having to assume command in the middle of not one but two tropical storms, he must have been a nervous wreck well before the fire started. One can always argue that a different man might have better risen to the occasion that morning, but past accounts of this tragedy have tended to paint the poor man as an incompetent bungler - a portrait that seems grossly unfair in light of the mounting series of problems he faced.

What also becomes clear from Hicks' account is how thin the line was between nuisance and outright disaster. In fact, it's not even clear that the fire wasn't already out of control the moment it was discovered. When one thinks of maritime disasters, one inevitably recalls the Titanic. But the Titanic sank over the course of four hours, giving plenty of time for all aboard to react in the best manner possible. The Morro Castle fire was more in the nature of an engine falling off an airplane wing - the pilot has one split-second decision to make that determines whether the plane crashes or lands safely. In some ways the situation aboard the Morro Castle was even worse in that successfully fighting the fire or saving as many people as possible would have entailed a series of split-second decisions by scores of crew members located all over the ship. Once the fire had spread out of control, the lifeboats were already essentially inaccessible by the passengers. This left the crew with little they could do to save lives. The fire also quickly spread to the engine room and knocked out the ship's engines. This left no way for the bridge to control the ship and left the ship's acting captain helpless to do much to save passengers. Crew incompetence is a big part of earlier recitations of this story but even though there were some incidents of undeniable cowardice on the part of the crew, it's not easy to see how the crew could have lessened the disaster in a substantial way once the fire spread out of control.

I think Hicks has also improved on earlier accounts in his handling of the testimony of the enormously unlucky radio operator George Alagna. Past accounts of the Morro Castle's last days have tended to treat Alagna's tale as gospel. Frankly, I think this is because his testimony casts everyone aboard in the worst light possible. Hicks, however, demonstrates that Alagna was a bit of a hothead and troublemaker. This doesn't totally discredit his account by any means, but does imply that one should subject it to the same skepticism accorded to the testimony of any of the other officers onboard. Keeping Alagna's testimony at arm's length actually makes the story of that morning richer and more human. I'm sure that the Morro Castle's officers where good men who, had things not progressed to disaster so quickly, might have pulled together to salvage what they could of the situation. The fire, however, left them all in a hopeless situation. And what can be expected from men in a hopeless situation? Ego-clashes. Finger-pointing. Self-pity. None of these are pretty, but they are completely understandable. Hicks has done a great service here I think by humanizing these poor men while other books have tended to paint them to a man as hapless failures.

As I grow older I find myself less and less inclined to believe the sensational. It's entirely possible that the sequence of disasters that overtook the Morro Castle that night were nothing but bad luck. On that awful night in September in 1934, the fates may just have collided over the waters of New Jersey to make the Morro Castle the worst possible place on the planet to be. Certainly, no human agency is to blame for the freakish weather which in and of itself claimed the most lives that morning. Willmott's death - while suspicious - was not unambiguously murder. The man wasn't found stabbed or shot, and he had earlier complained of things like chest pains that point to the very real possibility of a heart attack. And just because there was a wicked man aboard that night capable of committing arson, it doesn't mean that the fire was definitely set. The biggest criticism I have of Hicks' account is his failure to mention a very real possibility as to the cause of the blaze. The writing room locker in which the fire was initially discovered was backed by the ship's funnel. It's certainly possible that this funnel was malfunctioning and running hot - not only sparking a fire in the writing room locker but also super-heating its surrounding walls on several decks. This would also explain why the fire so quickly spread as deck after deck could have been heated to ignition temperatures over the course of the evening by the hot stack. And yet, while I think a lack of discussion of this possibility is a real problem with Hicks' telling, I still absolutely loved this book and strongly recommend it. The strange tale of the Morro Castle is a fascinating part of American history, and I devoutly wish that Hicks' wonderful telling acquaints or reacquaints as many people as possible with it.

Having grown up only minutes from Asbury Park I have seen the many photos of the Morro Castle beached in front of Convention Hall for years, but never knew the details of the fateful voyage until reading this excellent book. Unfortunately too much remians unknown about the ships true fate, and many years have passed. The author does an excellent job of trying to solve the mystery, but the ultimate explanation will never be known. Nonetheless "When the Dancing Stopped" is a well written, suspenseful book; a worthy read for anyone interested in maritime history or the history of New Jersey.

Love it or hate it, Jew Girl by EminemsRevenge is an unforgettable semi-autobiographical novel about the struggle of surviving another day in the post 9/11 New York City area. The first 50 pages are confusing at times, as is the city to a newcomer. Things fall into place, and the reader is drawn into the lives of the characters, who come to life in this vulgar, multi-ethnic, Dantesque tale.
Reuven, 'the chosen one' journeys across the evil city in search of 'the Hamlet of Harlem,' hoping this man can somehow perform a miracle. All of the subsequent characters know these two people in some way and while some are entranced by the unusual rainbow that appears that day, others know that the day is 'unlike any other day.'
"...There was something seriously amiss in the universe TODAY, something more nefarious than the discovery the ethereal lord she once so devotedly placed all her hope on might not be the omnipotent force that kept her from drowning in the sorrow that was her life..."
Eileen, the long-suffering mother; Mauverneen, the siren of the Road Kill Diner; Ian Odamench, the revered teacher with the fading blue tattoo on his left forearm; the triumvirate of Darla, Dora, and Darla; and a host of memorable characters all act their part in this modern day drama. EminemsRevenge presents his characters as Dante did some 600 years ago, incorporating well known figures with people from his own life.
Often vulgar, this book is written in the vernacular of the city streets. How the races and religions interact is an integral part of the novel.
"...It did not enter his mind that an innocuous anti-Semitic comment made by her might cause Luke umbrage. As far as Ryan was concerned, all schwartzes considered the creed of his people a gutter religion..."
The terminology in Jew Girl is often difficult to comprehend. Foreign and religious words and phrases are interjected into the novel in a new and exciting, often arduous to comprehend way. (There is a glossary in the back for the reader.) EminemsRevenge seems to create new words to suit his purpose, and they often enhance this dramatic saga of players in this one day of their ordinary lives.
The ending is abrupt and seemingly unfinished, but many things in life end that way.
Love it or hate it, Jew Girl should be required reading for all who wish to know the mindset of many in modern New York. The struggle to digest the book is well worth the shot!

This book is not for someone looking for light escape fiction. It exposes the everyday reality of life with it's lack of connections and unpredictability while at the same time showing the threads that connect all of us just because we're human. We see how each of us lives in our own world, affected by the world outside and things we can't control, never really knowing what we think we know about someone else and his world. Ian Odamench sees Reuven as a potential messiah. Some of the women who work with Reuven's mom think he's special, too. Reuven just wants his mom to get well. He's looking for a savior for his dying mom, Eileen. He thinks Jonah is who he is looking for. Jonah has gone through life only barely aware of how he has affected others. Though once part of Eileen's life, he's just looking to get through each day. For all the connections of the main characters, all the lesser characters have their impact too. No one has a truly minor role. Sometimes it's the character the walk-on role who provides the most significant catalyst. These characters are real whether or not they live on your patch of the fabric of life. This book can be startling, annoying or difficult but ultimately, it reveals the true pattern of the whole.

It took 50 pages of reading in fits and starts to build enough momentum to get into the flow of this novel. I put it down repeatedly, but kept picking it up for fear that I was missing an opportunity to better myself. The disengaging and confusing narrative and stylistic language jolted me from the story, until I got used to it. The creative spellings are not, in fact, typos as I at first assumed, but a deliberate and meticulous frolic with word meanings.

Being unfamiliar with James Joyce and his unique approach to language and imagery, this homage to his writing style was a new experience for me. Allowing the words to simply wash over me allowed me to see the fun and artistry of this genre. This is the novel as art, and it requires a diligent and inquisitive reader. Eminemsrevenge obviously did extensive research to complete this work and it is clearly a labor of love (although there are enough unintentional word omissions and grammatical errors to warrant another edition).

It pains me to give Jew Girl a low rating. I wanted to like this book. At times it was a damn fine read. I don't wish to provide any plot (and I use that term loosely here) spoilers so I will simply say that the conclusion was anti-climatic at best, bordering on non-existent. I disliked the clunky beginning and despised the bafflingly bankrupt ending, but found enough worthwhile, occasionally brilliant, material in the middle to warrant three stars. Perhaps a sequel will bring the characters in Jew Girl to fruition and do them justice.

i havnt read the whole book, just page 6 (on this site) which was filled with numerous spelling mistakes, made up words (that have no meaning, even in context they make no sence) and basic writing mistakes. it shows that this author has no respect for the reader as it cant have been even slightly edited from the original version.

Yesterday I forced myself to watch the Oprah Winfrey show because I was curious to see how she handled James Frey whose "A Million Little Pieces" has been in the news recently. Having read EminemsRevenge's "Jew Girl" over the winter break, I was surprised that Ms Winfrey has not yet tapped this author for her book club yet!

"Jew Girl" is an intricate and difficult read, a "vigorously vulgar" and "throat grabbing read" as author Lisa Zaran states on the back cover blurb, but it is a lot more than that. The characters seem like refugees from a Charles Dickens novel transported through time to modern day NYC, and I had to keep reminding myself that this was a novel and not a non-fictional story, and once I got by the stylistic obfuscations that are an obvious homage to James Joyce--I was awestruck at how EminemsRevenge has captured the psyche of the people in post-9/11 NYC!

A hundred years from now Oprah Winfrey may be a footnote in history and James Frey a lot less than that, but I have a sneaking suspicion that "Jew Girl" might be one of the classics that is required reason for any student interested in the way people really think & feel after the tragedy that recreated America.

At ten, Kay is well versed in suffering and hardship. The youngest of five children - none of whom get along well with either their father or stepmother - Kay is used to trying to disappear within her grim home. It's not such a bad tactic at school, either, where Kay is a country girl among townies, and her one friend has begun ignoring her.

To make matters worse, the family's housekeeper Queenie has just left, and their stepmother - dubbed Amazing Grace by the children who both fear and dislike her - is expecting a baby. To help, Kay's grandparents have come to stay, further crowding the household.

One day, Kay's German grandfather is arrested. Only she knows the truth about what happened that day -- will she tell the truth and risk turning her family upside down?

Readers will appreciate the many details Rinaldi scatters throughout Kay's life - her longing for Mary Janes, popular 1940s radio programs and the various avenues of support for the war effort - which give a vivid taste of life in America during World War II.

By and large, such a book probably could have been distributed in Nazi or Communist schools as well (Pavel Morozov is a good example, Hitlerjunge Quex another). Particularily insulting is that German Americans not in goose-step with FDR are portrayed as Nazi sympathizers. But, since nowadays the only ethnic group that can be safely slandered & stereotyped are people of German ancestry, I'm certain that shmonzes will sell well. Gott sei's geklagt!

with history thrown in. One of the better historical fictions about the home front that we have read. From beginning to end it is a page turner.

This was a quick read, and I am glad. I didn't like it that much--it spent a lot of time talking about the radio shows during that time--which seem to have been an important part of life, but if you were not around at all for that--it is hard to relate. With a historical novel--I want to be able to relate even if I was not there. Isnt' that the point? I didn't feel the connection to the radio show characters that Rinaldi must have wanted. The thought patterns and imagination of the main character were right on for a little girl of that age. The ending is good--I liked the last few chapters the best. If Rinaldi could have given more historical detail and more depth I wouldn't have minded a longer book. Don't judge Rinaldi by this one book--she has some great stuff.

This is a super super book. It is about a girl,Kay, whose mother has died and lives with her siblings, father and step mother, Amazing Grace, who is the "mean one" throughout this book. Kay, growing up in middle America, loves the radio and has heroes. The date was 1940. But when she found out an extreemly important secret that will help her country, she has to make a critical choice. Kay experiences many hardships throughout the chapters, but this book is a real page turner. It warms your heart to see how much poor little Kay wants and needs love and doesnt get much. It is one of my favorite books and I would DEFINETLY reccomend it to children from grades 5-7. I think girls would enjoy it more than boys, but maybe boys will like it too.

This book is so good...I am not an avid reader often starting a book and never finishing it. But this book I could hardly stand to put it down. So many twist and turns. I can't wait to read more Evie Rhodes.

Do you believe in evil? Get ready to experience the devil's handiwork in this page turning thriller. The setting is Newark, New Jersey where the toughest street warriors are butting heads to claim their territory. After the senseless death on a young girl, Jasmine, the blood begins to flood unrestrained in the neighborhood. It will take her father, Shannon and the old head prayers warriors to combat the evil spirit that has covered the neighborhood.

Out "A" Order will challenge your beliefs and keep you glued to the pages till the end. The story develops as the characters morph into the spirit that lives in their hearts. The supporting characters make the novel real and believable. The possibility of this type of thing happening is scariest of all. Rhodes is a master writer with a skilled vision of story telling. Do yourself a favor, read and be ready to be thrilled.

Deltareviewer
Reviewing for Real Page Turners

Based on the reviews, (granted there were only three)I expected this to be a riveting yet dark tale that weaved together spirituality with a bit of urban drama. Well, the drama is there and the spirituality is there; they just aren't blended together very well.

Here we find Shannon, a reformed OG that has lost his daughter in a senseless death and is again caught in the web of gang violence. Shannon and his wife Tawnye have "made good" but never left the neighborhood or their people.

What I am never able to understand is how Rico felt that Shannon was a threat to him and why he wanted him dead. Even more confusing is the story of the darkling. How did Nana, Momma and Poppa all migrate from New Orleans to Newark? What caused the darkling to reappear?

The idea of this story is really good, just not executed very well.

OUT "A" ORDER by Evie Rhodes is the story of gang warfare in Newark, New Jersey. Ballistic wants Rico's territory but Rico isn't about to give it up without a fight. The only problem is, Ballistic is a sociopath with absolutely no conscience. Nothing is too ugly for him to do when it comes to asserting his authority in the Central Ward. The war breaks out in earnest when Shannon's daughter is killed by what appears to be a stray bullet intended for Rico. Shannon is an Original Gangster or O. G. who has turned his life around. Unfortunately, when Jasmine is killed, his marriage falls apart and he is thrust back into the underworld.

Before Jasmine closes her eyes in death, she sees a mysterious stirring in the trees. Marcus, who rushed to her side, sees it also. Later, after another gang killing, another friend sees it, but because of the shock, she loses her voice and becomes unable to tell anyone about her experience. Three elders in the community watch what's going on with fear and horror. They know that something even worse than evil gangbangers is loose in the Central Ward. Will they be able to stop it before it is too late? Will Aisha get her voice back? Will Shannon be able to find out what was really behind his daughter's murder?

Evie Rhodes has penned an interesting paranormal novel about evil and how it can come about. It is a very tense book with well-developed characters and a very different plot. If you find the paranormal fascinating, then this is the book for you.

Reviewed by Alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Evie Rhodes paints a modern depiction of the battle of good and evil in the book, Out `A' Order. Newark, NJ is a city in despair. Crime, murder, and evil have taken up permanent residence and there is little hope left for the members of this community. The resident elders are shocked and disappointed that so many of their youth have adopted the vicious code of ethics that heartless criminals like Ballistic and Rico have established.

Shannon Davenport lived the life of a gangsta before turning over a new leaf for his wife, Tawny, and daughter, Jasmine. Tawny begged Shannon for years to move their family out of Newark, but Shannon is determined to raise his family in the only place he has ever called home. He regrets this decision after Jasmine is killed on those same streets. As Shannon searches for answers about Jasmine's death, he stumbles upon an evil bigger than anything he has ever known. This evil threatens all of Newark's Central Ward and if someone does not intervene soon, all will be lost.

Rhodes presents a unique tale on an ancient dilemma...good versus evil; however, the storyline is poorly constructed. Readers will find it hard to connect with most of the characters because they are one-dimensional. The multitude of characters, storylines, and details are confusing, and forced this reader to backtrack in order to make the necessary connections. Grammatical errors, lingo and strange word structure slows the reader down as well. This story has great potential but it will leave readers disappointed.

Reviewed by M. P. McKinney
APOOO BookClub

I never realized how complex the Jersey Devil phenomena is until I read this book. You get the feeling when reading this book that the Jersey Devil is an amalgamation of several different crytpozoological elements (a little Bigfoot activity here, a little Thunderbird activity there, and a lot of that ugly cow, pig, kangaroo, dragon, goat-mix thing activity everywhere). I guess the only way to distinguish the Devil from his crypto brothers is to assume that he/she is represented by the continuing accounts of the "ugly cow, pig, kangaroo, dragon, goat-mix thing". Personally, it seems easier to believe in the existence of Bigfoot or the Thunderbird than to believe in the existence of the Jersey cur. Keel descibed wndows of paranormal activity and maybe South Jersey is such a window where Bigfoot and the Thunderbird and the Jersey cur all cross paths. I'm not doubting all the accounts beacuse that's a futile argument. It just seems more difficult to believe in the biological adaptivity of such a creature if it did physically exist. Regardless, this is a great, quick read. The authors seem to be knowledgeable of the subject. All in all it's a pretty good book on a topic which has too many loose threads.

fascinating book - definately recommend it - especially to native New Jerseyians...

Allow me to introduce myself briefly; I am an amateur investigator of the weird, strange, and the generally paranormal. My attitude is to always keep an open-mind, and to believe that anything that is logical can be true, whether or not it follows the grain of conventional science. In fact, I find that many a time, the skeptical story may be less logical and believable than the "outlandish" explanations that there are paranormal forces at work in our world.

Now on to the topic at hand: "Phantom of the Pines," a book by James F. McCloy and Ray Miller Jr. I should first say that I had very little exposure to the topic of the devil in my prior reading. I'm much more well read on the "classics" of cryptozoology and the paranormal, by authors such as Coleman, Shuker, and Keel, on the more traditional topics of lake monsters, bigfoot/sasquatch, mothman, UFOs, and so on.

In regard to the material covered, I found that without a doubt Miller and McCloy are experts on the subject. The book leaves no doubt that they've done their homework on the Jersey Devil, and contains countless notable events throughout the modern history of the devil, including an extensive treatment of multiple possible origins. This being their second Devil book, it leaves no question that they're more than capable of accurately representing the Devil's history. In terms of writing style, I found it quite readable, and was pleased to see that the authors did maintain a healthy distance from the material presented. While I admit I've not yet finished the entire book (now over half way through), they have fully refrained from opinionated text. The text is primarily a compendium of quotes and references, not of the author's opinions, and I find that extremely important in any book on the paranormal. The reader can definitely draw their own conclusions.

This brings me to my complaint: my conclusions. In all honesty it is a complaint with the legend of the Jersey Devil itself, rather than with the authors of this book, however I think it's fair to lay out all grievances as I find it may impact the pleasure of future readers just as it has impacted mine. The authors mention more than once that the Devil is a wide-spread and popular myth, and yet it has not received the same attention as the other paranormal topics I mentioned earlier. I have quickly come to the conclusion that there are multiple "problems" with the Jersey Devil myth, and perhaps this is why it has not been treated very equally.

First of all, the Devil is clearly a hybrid between a folk tale and a crypto- or paranormal incident. Creatures like the Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster do not have backstories or folktales associated with their coming into being, or their life. They are accepted as a scientific or zoological problem because their witnesses treat them as fellow earth creatures rather than fables. On the contrary, the Devil has a rich history of mythology. Stories, many different and varied versions, have been handed down in Jersey for many generations telling of how this "devil" was actually born. This then intermingles with real eye-witness sightings of the paranormal, so you have a clear case of a folktale which has also somehow come to life. Now even I, as a very open-minded person, have trouble dealing with such a situation. Either it's a folk tale or a real creature, but not both.

Secondly, I find it blatantly obvious that the Devil has been used as a blanket explanation for a huge variety of paranormal events in the Jersey area, no matter how unrelated. The authors themselves take you through countless examples of "Devil" sightings which range from 6'' tall human like creatures, to 25' long dragons, to blatantly obvious Bigfoot encounters, and everything in between. And yet despite the vast diversity of the experiences, they're all explained away as an incarnation of the same "Devil". I find this to be not only frustratingly illogical, but a crime against any real investigation that might otherwise have taken place. Rather than attempting to categorize the weird goings on as one might in any other portion of the country, we instead find every strange event in the area simply shrugged off as the work of the same enigmatic creature that apparently has no form nor function.

Now to tie my rant on the Devil in with this book specifically, I found the clear problems with the myth were quickly frustrating as a reader who came in hoping for at least a story of a semi-believable creature. I was extremely annoyed when the authors would recount an obvious sighting of the Bigfoot family, and credit it to the Devil instead. And for that matter, the fact that nearly every account in the book dealt with a different description of the "same" creature was very intellectually frustrating. Furthermore the authors made almost no attempt to categorize what was witnessed in any logical way. In a chapter which actually contains "Bigfoot" in the title, they simply used it as an excuse to recount more Devil sightings, rather than make a logical comparison of the topics. Finally, the recounting of the initial folklore behind the Devil was frustrating to me, although it was hardly the authors' fault for including it. As a person of science I had expected to be reading of empirical evidence of a creature, not the old wives tales I was presented with.

So in summation, I found the "Phantom of the Pines" to be physically successful as a work: readable, with authors of good integrity and expertise. Unfortunately I was very unpleasantly surprised with the subject matter, and don't plan on continuing to read into the topic of the Jersey Devil. The lack of any logic or tact behind the creature left me more than frustrated, and I would much rather dedicate my time to topics which can be approached scientifically and logically. I would only recommend this book or this topic to those with a healthy interest in New Jersey folklore, but those looking for something scientifically paranormal should look elsewhere.

Growing up near (and sometimes in) the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, it is safe to say that I have had a fascination with the Jersey Devil all my life. First, it started as a natural childhood monster fascination (the same thing that had me watching Godzilla movies and being unable to fall asleep with the lights out), and over time it simply became an interest in how ideas survive through the ages, as well as how they morph and change from person to person.

This book is a great collection of the multitudinous versions of the Jersey Devil myth, along with connected legends and stories of sightings to document the wide variations that have occured over time. Even the shape and form of the Devil himself is in contention--from something serpentine to humanoid. The authors set down the wide array of variations with an almost anthropological removal. Rather than going for cheap conclusions or pale insinuations of a real monster out there in the pines, the authors relish in the array of tales that are out there as a kind of history of New Jersey storytelling. Their proper tone keeps the evidence convincing, and I became impressed with their thorough work and had no doubt that their research was authentic.

In the end, though, I did leave wanting some kind of summation of things beyond the information provided. Obviously, this was not the point of the book itself, but I do hope that it has been (or will be) the fodder of some analysis of Jersey folklore that looks at the drive behind the legend--what truths about New Jersey can be found in the proliferation of the Devil myth? McCloy and Miller have done great work laying down the foundation. I am waiting for someone to build the spires atop of it.

Aspects of Phantom of the Pines are slightly cheesy, but ultimately, the Jersey Devil has to be my favorite mythical beast. The accounts of parents not allowing children to school for fear they'd be prey of the monster are as chilling as they are silly.
The JD has a long, rich history. You can say that sasquatch encounters go back to Native Americans, but the "wild man" hairy hominoid stuff is very Jungian. The Devil is its own beast.
This is a fun, worthwhile introduction to the terrifying creature. You don't need to be from Jersey to appreciate the Devil.

I recently moved to NJ for PA and was looking for a good guidebook to point out some lesser-known sites to explore in my new home state. I ordered this book used on Amazon for about six bucks, which is really all that it's worth. It's a small book and a very quick read. Though Wandering points out a number of historically interesting places throughout the southern part of the state, the dry, lack luster writing style of the author makes most of them seem, well, kinda mundane. There are very few places mentioned in the book that I would be inspired to visit based on the unenthusiastic descriptions of them. Which is too bad because I have always held a fascination with such places and love go hiking and exploring. I think I will have to look elsewhere for a book to point me in the right direction though.

This book covers ground that for many is well covered already: exploration of mostly abandoned sites and old ruins (some are still in use) in Southern NJ. The Pine Barrens is a mystery to many people, and it has the kind of reputation that goes along with a largely wooded, very old, and relatively unknown and misunderstood area. The author doea a decent job of putting the sites in historial perspective, discussing what occured there, as well as documenting it's current condition.

What I like about the book (and what sets it apart from many other current books) is that it has an old school feel. It is a small book (not length, I mean physically it is paperback sized) and uses somewhat grainy B&W photos sparingly. The paper is not gloosy and it doesn't have that polished slickness that many new books have. It *feels* like an old book, and it's written in the same way. I know for a fact that the author was inspired by Beck and it shows. In fact that's who I think of when I read the book.

There are many books out that document odd places to go, strange sites and old crumbling buildings and factories. This book is set apart because of it's old school style, it's focus on southern NJ, and the historical perspect8ive. Is it a perfect book? No. It's the first of what will probably be several books by this author, and it does have some short comings (sometimes there are small gramtical mistakes) but none that should keep you from enjoying this book thoroughly.

I received this book as a Christmas gift this year and was excited about reading it, as I love books about New Jersey and enjoy traveling around the state and exploring little known sites. Unfortunately the book turned out to be a real disappointment. The subject matter was all familiar to me already as it has all been covered to better effect in other books that I have read. The writing was amateurish at best and seemed more like text taken off of a hobbyist's blog rather than an well researched book. Aside from the poorly written text there is little else here to recommend the book, the photos are small black and whites of sub par quality and are few and far between. If you are interested in this sort of subject matter I would suggest seeking out any of Henry Charlton Beck's many books on South Jersey. There are several available used for less money than this book and they are far, far better.

Wandering Around South Jersey is the first book by author Ryan Stowinsky, which chronicles some of the lesser known, out of the way places in South Jersey.

I tore through the one hundred seven page volume in the course of two sittings, which is both a good thing and a bad thing. It's good because it's paced really well. The book covers a good number of locations throughout South Jersey from the well known to the obscure. Each chapter is devoted to a separate place, with a few paragraphs describing the history or legend of the area, and then usually followed up with a photograph or two. It's a bad thing because the book is just too short. Some articles, such as the one on the Charles Wills grave, went by too fast. Others, like the one on Thompsons Beach, were just right. It would have been nicer to see a little more "meat" on each article, and perhaps more talk about the actual search for the place.

What really struck me about the book is that it reminded me a lot of Weird New Jersey, minus all of the crap about ghosts, KKK camps, and Nazi's. This is a good thing because in my opinion there is enough "weird" history in South Jersey that doesn't need to be muddled up with the "cheap thrills" that's used to sell magazines. The places mentioned in the book are mostly not too far off the beaten path, and this book would make an excellent guide for other explorers to plan out their day trips.

Of particular note was Stowinsky's reporting on the "Pet Cemetary" or Ten Mile Hollow cemetery. What I really enjoyed was how he talked of how hard it was to find this place - something that I can sympathize as I still have not been there myself. His description and photographs are the best I have read with regard to that site. He is also, I believe, the first to talk about a town with no roads - Grassy Sound.

What really makes this book shine is how it blends a good deal of original discovery with visits to well known "weird" places. Even if you have a large collection of books on South Jersey and read every issue of Weird New Jersey, there's still good reading here. While my own preference for exploring is down the forgotten sand roads of the Pine Barrens, it's nice to follow along with Stowinski's adventures. I'm told that he's working on a companion book - I'm looking forward to seeing that when it comes out.

When i first received this book, my first thought was, "wow, it's smaller than i thought!" With this book, size does not matter!

Although i am a New Yorker, I spent most of my summers in South Jersey. Some of the places described in this book i had known about, but most were unknown to me. I thought i knew all, until i read this book. There is so much more exploring to do!

Ryan Stowinsky is a modern day explorer and his curiosity for history and the unknown shows in his writings. His enthusiasm makes me want to go back to exploring, the way i did when i was younger. All in all this is a great book filled with great information for anyone interested in exploring Southern New Jersey.

I have lived on the Jersey Shore most all of my life, and have worked in the rock n roll summer bars and have seen a million bands and people come and go each year........ Some went on to greater fame, like the guys I knew in the FUNK Brothers, the Motown House Band, or others who achieved some regional fame, like Johnny Casweell and Joey Powers........yet others who came through and were never heard from again.........This book was truly engrossing reading for me as I knew quite a few of the names, but learned about many others for the first time...... Certainly recommended for anybody who wants to delve into the Jersey Shore scene a bit deeper than Springsteen and Bon Jovi.

This is a great book if you're one of those people, who want to know about the North Jersey Music scene in the 80's and 90's, as well as, see band of days gone by. learned a lot about the band from that period.

I was especially surprised to see my favorite band, "Well or Souls" with Tom Kanach. He was the best and is an unsung hero. He's such a great writer, but he never really got his chance to shine. He did what he felt was best for him and his band mates. He was NOT selfless, but stuck by his guns to the record ladles. This hurt his music career, but it show integrity. I was touch by his chapter. It's almost a Shakespearian music tragedy... [...]

Hey I know there's some relevant points being made by some of the criticism I've read here, but overall I think its FANtastic that somebody took the initiative to author a chronicle of this nature. Instead of bitching about what got left behind, let's just ask for a Volume No. 2! Oh & Gary, let's not forget Phantom's Opera this time pleeze :)

I read the book and found it to be very well researched and entertaining. It shed light on some details of Asbury Park's music scene that I had not previously been aware of (and I know quite a bit, both about the music and about the local history). Most people know of the Asbury Park/Jersey Shore music scene because of Springsteen, Southside, and Bon Jovi, but the book gives insight into the scene that extends, well, "beyond the Palace" (excellent title choice).

However, I gave the book four stars instead of the whole five because there are some details of the story that were omitted, whether because of publisher's size limitations (where are Fire Tribe? Karen Mansfield? RW Kingbird? Charlie McIntosh?) or because they may not have been "politically correct" to include (the beginning of the Nasar years at the Pony, which were in fact exciting to those who were there).

All in all, though, it tells a story that needs to be told and gives a multidimensional aspect to a scene thought by many to be monolithic.

The book right from the start should grab your attention with it's black cover and neon colored photograph of the Palace Amusement building with the catch phrase "the struggling city along the Jersey Shore with a music history unlike any other..."
In a word Beyond the Palace is comprehensive. A quick glance at the table of contents reveals fifty-five chapters of interviews, descriptions of well-known music venues and band profiles. The last pages of the book includes official website listings and a brief bio of the author. In between is tons of great information and over seventy-five photographs. This book goes well beyond the Springsteen and Southside Johnny histories that have been the norm. Beyond the Palace tells the whole story from people who were there and who were a part of this unique music scene.
Gary's opening chapter is entitled The Upstage. As many may know this is where Bruce started playing but it was also the jam spot for many other promising musicians. It was a sub-culture in itself and Wein truly captures the spirit and energy of that famous club. Details and descriptions are a high point of many of Gary's chapters and the opening one sets the tone for the rest of the book.
Chapter two focuses on Convention Hall and the Paramount Theater where many big name acts played. Asbury Park was an ideal location for a concert as it was between New York and Philadelphia and Boston and DC. Many bands stopped over in Asbury Park between their shows in bigger cites. (pg. 13). Therefore, this rather small town was a thriving center for music.
The following chapters discuss some of the smaller clubs such as The Student Prince and the amazing people that played these halls. Chapter five is the start of the interviews Personal perspectives and memories are discussed in a question and answer format that gives the reader an idea of what the scene was all about in its heydays. Interviews and artists profiles scan the 70's into the present. Gary often uses similar questions which adds to the organization and flow of the book. A favorite inquiry appears to be what do you/your band want to most remembered for?
It is astounding how many people Gary interviewed for this book. The wide ranging list includes well known musicians Glen Burtnick who is currently in Styx, Southside Johnny and Dennis Diken of the Smithereens. Younger artist such as Joe D'Urso, Mimi Cross, Highway 9 and Danny White were also contacted for their insights and experiences in Asbury Park. Wein scans more than three decades of change in music and a community in Beyond The Palace. This book is an entertaining educational volume extensively documenting music history but also describes the peak, the fall and the rising again of Asbury Park, New Jersey.

"Bloody Bonsai" is the first of the Jim Dany series, and it is plainly average. Dandy is a retired physical therapist who was dragged into doing Elterhostel by his kids. He meets Doddie Swisher, and falls in love with her. In the meantime, a shady hotel clerk is found stabbed to death with get this-a bonsai tree. It is up to Jim and Doddie to solve the mystery and find the killer so they can be cleared. Blackmail and illicit love are two things they dig up.

This is author Peter Abresch's first novel, and it's painfully obvious from the first page. Now, to be fair, the man has an eye for detail, and the the pacing is good. However, the characters are all stupid stereotypes of the worst kind that can be found in countless other detective novels. There's the energetic old lady, the crusty general that still thinks he's in the military, the lesbian (who apparently serves only to be a foil for her attractive roommate), the maid who speaks broken English, and the rich old guy with the young girlfriend, to name just a few. Adding to this is Abresch's atrocious writing voice. Never have I heard the phrase "yeah, buddy" used more often and more gratingly than it is here. Sure, it's Jim Dandy's trademark or whatever, but why not just print it on the cover and save a few pages of paper? Dodee Swisher can also be summed up with the words "wheaten hair" (which are used about every tenth page) and "cornflower blue eyes". Be prepared for a quick read, because this book contains so many single-sentence paragraphs that you can finish a page in seconds. If half of these had been removed or simply added to the other paragraphs, you'd have about fifty pages less. I also just couldn't bring myself to care about ANY of the characters. James P. Dandy really needs to see a shrink, and soon. His social paranoia (which exceeds that of a thirteen-year-old) and overall personality make me want to murder him, too. The supporting cast, while all having distinct personalities, are all just background; none of them do anything significant. I'm also convinced the killer's name was drawn out of a hat. If you've perchance visited an Elderhostel yourself, this book may be interesting. I doubt it would appeal to anyone under the age of sixty. While it deals with murder and adultery, the novel overall is too gentle to really draw in the reader. Hopefully Abresch will try again, because the man shows much promise as a writer.

Crisp dialogue and humor add a light flair to this mystery. Although Jim and Dodie are hardly the poster boy and girl for morals (I would hope my mother isn't as loose as Dodie!), they do manage to come up for air often enough to trip over some bodies and get into life-threatening situations. A new voice in mysteries that is talented and entertaining. And I learned quite a few things about bonzai trees, too.

I loved this book. I'm a huge fan of mysteries but I find it hard to dig up new writers who I enjoy--most seem to be doing same old-same old. But Peter Abresch has taken a fresh approach to the genre and breathed life into it. This story is wonderful, and the background of bonsai and Elderhostel is fascinating.

Michele Rogers

I'm sorry there are not more reviews about this book. I assume not many people read it. Their loss! This was one of the most fun books I've read in a long time. I would recommend it to anyone.