New Jersey Books

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.

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.

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.

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.

In what appears to be the last in the "Suburban Detective" series, DEATH ROW once again brings the sometimes pompous, sometimes foolhardy Kit DeLeeuw into suburban mayhem. This time one of the series' recurring characters is bumped off, prompting a devastated Kit to look into a nursing home for the elite. Katz' narrative is a little more preachy than usual and the pacing is not as tight as in his previous entries. Kit has become somewhat of a staunch do gooder, always right, and sometimes doing things that rational thinking would not deem probable. It's nice to see his supporting characters, such as Luis, Will, Evelyn and James get more use, but overall, this is a disappointing entry in the otherwise engaging series. Wouldn't mind seeing more from Kit in the future, though.

I was actually quite bored with this novel, slow motion, loosely knitted and thought-to-be small-time-&-no-big deal plot and scenario, except the writing was quite fluently processed. Failed to find any attraction in this so-called suburban detective mystery that seemed to be written by a blabbing nanny.

This is my first Jon Katz book. I believe he has a gift for the written word but the plot in this book is oh, too slow to be called a "thriller". At least I only invested 228 pages and fifty cents at the local library sale. I am not certain I would have finished the book if it were more than 228 pages. Maybe ??? I will try another one of his books.

Wow, what a timely book! The protoganist is struggling to take care of his kids, plus he's worried about aging parents, plus he has to save a dear friend.Sad and moving. Like the NYTimes says in this week's book review, Katz really "turns up the emotional screw" with this one.

What a great book! This book had me laughing out loud. If you never have had the pleasure of reading a Jon Katz book you are in for a treat!! He is one of my favorites!!! Pick this one up- you won't be disappointed!

First got cued to this book by Shawn Penn who took an extensive amount of time on Charlie Rose to explain the significance of "Sweet Time Unafflicted" from Pinsky's ABC in his own life. It is a simple, accesible beauty that Pinksy strives for and delivers, many of his poems focusing on contemporary themes and keeping their lexicon to the modern. As in ABC Pinsky builds several stanzas throughout the book on 26 word strings in alphabetical order. If as a reader you are interested in expanding your present interests into contemporary poetry the work of this Poet Laureate may be a sublimely fufilling place to begin.

A thin volume, full of jewles--dark-colored jewles, like rubies and emeralds, lit by candlelight inside a church. The secret to reading a Pinsky poem is to read it very slowly, out loud, annunciating each syllable as though it were its own line: you will realize that the slimness of this book is misleading. Pinsky seems to construct each of his poems out of perfect sound, so carefully that each line--free verse or otherwise--resonates with meaning and memorability, as anyone who has read THE FIGURED WHEEL will probably already know. A worthy addition to Pinsky's already rich body of work. I'm grateful to have read it.

A few good, solid poems here. Is it just me, however, or does anyone else out there feel the emperor is wearing increasingly fewer clothes? The technical control is masterful, yes, but I miss the greater vision of AN EXPLANATION OF AMERICA and Pinsky's other earlier works.

In what turns out to be quite an interesting collection of Poems, Robert Pinsky uses his stripped down style to convey his messages clearly, but with a sense of symbolism. In each writing, the point is introduced pretty early in the reading, and then expounded upon in ways that few poets I have encountered are able to. In addition, the length of each one is nearly perfect, keeping the reader's attention while still expressing exactly what Pinsky wants to say. I certainly recommend this book to anyone who has read poetry before and is interested in a slight change of pace.

When I received "Jersey Rain" as a gift last year, I initially read it through once and put it down for a few months, deciding that Pinsky (more so even than Seamus Heaney or Derek Walcott) was a poet more concerned about pretentious mythological name-dropping than about true depth. I have since decided that my judgment was too harsh, and I've gone back and re-read some of the poems many times. I think "Samurai Song" stands as the strongest poem in here (not coincidentally, it makes no references to Greek mythology...) and is the one that I read most often. The other poems I especially enjoy are "The Knight's Prayer," "Victrola," "Steel Drum Variations," "Biography," "Song," "Ode to Meaning," "The Haunted Ruin" and "Vessel." Pinsky is able to achieve profundity in the most surprising ways, and is even able to poke fun at himself and his craft (witness "Ode to Meaning").

Contrary to some other reviewers, I find that "ABC," while it's a clever and fun experiment, fails in the last line ("X = your zenith" What the hell does that mean?). Nevertheless, for those looking for some breathtaking poetry with a good balance between pretension (which, as I've come to realize, is not always a bad thing), lyricism and depth, "Jersey Rain" is a decent bet.

I, too, am a descendent of Penelope Stout, and I am a poet.

The poetry in this collection is written with mastery. The collection and the book itself are a work of art that honors a woman's memory, legacy, strengths and struggles. The character development allows the reader and decedents to relate to Penelope as a complex human being, not a flawless hero, which allows us to connect more intimately with Penelope. Schott respects the historical facts and remains well within the boundaries of acceptable creative license to re-create what we do not and cannot know.

I've heard Penelope's legend passed on for years. The nature of ancestral storytelling embraces that we do not and cannot know all the facts, thoughts and motivations. Schott's book honors the nature of such storytelling; it should be read as such.

The book's form and voice have characteristics of an epic poem. The fully developed voice and verse, added to character development, plot, scene, summary and the poetic form give the book layers of complex meaning. It isn't just a story, as most of us who've heard it told over and over know. The story is written with creative skill and attention to historical reference.

I, too, am honored to have her in my lineage, and I encourage the rest of her far-reaching clan to read this masterful work for its unique perspective, the strength of its poetry and its interesting narrative.

I will be honored to pass this book down to my children some day, along with other works written on the subject.

THE STORY WAS GREAT . ITS AMAZING SHE LIVED THRU ALL OF THAT . THE INDIAN THAT SAVED HER I UNDERSTAND USE TO COME VISIT HER . I'VE READ PLENTLY OF STORIES ON THIS WOMAN BUT , THIS ONE I THINK STANDS OUT THE MOST . I AM A DESCENDANT OF HER'S . SO IT HAS COME IN MOST HELPFULL WHILE I'M TRYING TO FIND INFORMATION ON THIS PART OF MY FAMILY. THANK YOU JENA WILSON

I purchased and read the story of Penelope Stout by Penelope Scambly Schott, and I'm sorry I did. I am a descendant of Penelope Stout, and I believe this poem is an insult to the memory of one courageous woman. I see no need to defame the memory of this beautiful woman by suggesting that she had homosexual leanings and lost her faith. Penelope apparently did not lose her faith in God as she reared children who were people of faith. Marriage and children should be indication enough that she was not a Lesbian. I see no reason for what I consider slander of the woman called the First Lady of Monmouth NJ. My advice to anyone descended from Penelope Stout is to not waste your money. I for one will not keep this book in my home library nor will I recommend it to anyone.

An excellent rendering in poetic form of a remarkable true story of survival. Penelope arrived on the shores of America in the 1640's to face an immediate, devastating loss of her husband due to a brutual attack by Indians. Left half-scalped and severely injured on the beach of Sandy Hook, New Jersey, Penelope somehow survives the attack, and after seven days is rescued by Indians and nursed back to health. I personally owe deep gratitude to Machk, the Lenape Indian who used his Native remedies and skills to heal Penelope, and to Penelope herself, for the inner-strength she obviously displayed to get through such a trying time in her life. If she had not survived, I would not be here. Penelope Stout is my 9th great grandmother. I am proud to have her as my ancestor, a discovery I only recently made. The strong bond that developed between Machk and Penelope reaches down through many generations, and as a result, touches many of us who are descendants of this notable woman and her second husband, Richard Stout. The author, Penelope Scambly Schott has presented a poetic story of historical events, including the moving relationship of this one immigrant woman and one Native American man.

"Penelope, The Story of the Half-Scalped Woman" invokes 3 Penelopes. Penelope Schott, its author. Penelope of "The Odyssey", Ulysses' long abandoned and faithful wife, and the Penelope of this true story, an early American settler. Like The Odyssey's Penelope, her tale is told in poetry. Newlywed Penelope arrives from Holland, on the shores of New Jersey in 1640. Her husband is too ill to go further so they are left by their companions. Almost immediately they are set upon by Lenape Indians who kill her husband and leave Penelope half scalped and half dead. She is found by other Indians of the same tribe, where she has found shelter in a hollow tree. Healed and cared for by them, Penelope makes her life among them until she is "rescued" by white settlers with whom she can no longer fit in. Researched carefully from documents and family history, Penelope Stout's tale is one of bravery, both alone and in numbers. Written beautifully, it's a tale thrice told: about Ulysses' Penelope, Penelope Stout, and the story's author Penelope Schott, women whose awareness of life is the same despite the centuries.

This is the first book (actually audiobook) I've read by Hecht and I must say it's now one of my all-time favorites. Hecht keeps the wheels on the story right through the very end. Most fiction seems to disappoint by either being too long winded, too far-fetched, or by having a preposterous ending, but not here, this is good till the last drop.

Hecht is an extremely gifted writer. Do yourself a favor and ignore the negative reviews posted here and give it a try. Not for the faint-of-heart.

Daniel Hecht has two other books I thoroughly enjoyed. I am speaking of the Cree Black thrillers, "City of Masks" and "Land of Echos." He has one other book with Mo Ford in it, "Skull Session." This book really confused me because I recalled that at the end of the book,

SPOILER HERE








Mo Ford was killed off. So how'd he resurrect his for this book?

Anyway, the story is pretty interesting, a serial killer hanging his victims up with string, a la puppets. It really didn't take a great deal of ingenuity to figure out who the killer was, I think Hecht wanted you to know but the chase to catch him is the thrill. Overall, a pretty good read.

not as good as some of his other books, but still way better than most

I had to shake my head over the so-called reviewer who hadn't bothered to read the word "prequel" on the cover, and then fussed over the ending of the book. Groan. One should have at least basic reading skills before deigning to criticize a writer of Hecht's enormous skills. Puppets is, like all Hecht's work, addictive. The author has an all but peerless ability to create mood and genuninely creepy tension; this, coupled with great narrative drive, makes for a superior reading experience. Puppets is fascinating on many levels, dealing as it does with the issue of control--something that is central to all our lives--and it delivers the goods. It isn't so important to learn the identity of the villain (and the pathway is strewn with a fair number of adroitly dropped red herrings) as it is to watch Mo Ford and the other main characters take shape before us and act out in entirely believable ways. What I like best about Hecht's work is the believable fallibility of his characters; they remain true to themselves, even when it isn't pretty, even when we, the readers, wince at their ability to embarrass themselves and then scramble for redemption. Puppets is Hecht doing what he does best: making us care about his people to the extent that we're willing to go with them, wherever they have to go. Highly recommended!

Warning: animals and humans are tortured in this book. But that's not why I rated it "poor." It's because I figured out, almost from the beginning, who was behind it all and after that, I really didn't care. There were red herrings trying to divert suspicion, chapters that took you into the killer's mind, a massive government conspiracy, a romance for the protagonist, and I still didn't care. In fact, I ended up skimming through most of the book. I've enjoyed other books by Hecht, but just can't recommend this one.

Biking has become an increasingly popular hobby -- even more so these days with the astronomical prices of gas. Now in a newly updated third edition, "Ride Guide: New Jersey Mountain Biking" by mountain biking expert Joshua M. Pierce is a comprehensive guidebook to mountain biking rails throughout the Garden State. The twenty-six rides include both low-impact and hard-core trails that take the rider through the varied and occasionally spectacular terrain that New Jersey offers. "Ride Guide: New Jersey Mountain Biking" is enhanced with the inclusion of practical information as to levels of trail difficulty, turn-by-turn cue sheets and maps, as well as accurate and succinct descriptions of topography, trail conditions, and points of interest. Also very highly recommended for regional bike enthusiasts is Joel D. Sendek's "Ride Guide: Mountain Biking in The New York Metro Area, third edition" (9780933855267, $15.95).

This isn't necessarily a review, since I am the author, but I thought that this new edition warranted a comment. I completely rewrote this book over the past year for this third edition. If you look at the previous reviews of the book, I address all of the issues brought up by reviewers. I re-rode, re-plotted and re-measured every mile of trail in the book. I added nine new parks that include every place to mountain bike that I know of in South Jersey (including Estell Manor, Gloucester Community College and Wharton State Park).
New Jersey gets a bad rap from lots of people, but the truth is there is a lot of excellent riding in the Garden State.

A more discriptive title would be, "Ride Guide Mountain Biking the Counties of Northern and Central New Jersey." For those of you living in the southern part of the state...look elsewhere. All of Southern New Jersey is ignored.

Wharton State Forest is the largest single tract of land within the New Jersey State Park System. It covers part of Atlantic, Burlinton, and Camden counties and has some great off road riding. Lebanon St. Forest is historic and includes a major section of the 50 mile Batona trail. A major mountain bike publication listed Lebanon St. Forest in an article called "Five Great Places to Ride Double Track." These areas' as well as the rest of Southern New Jersey are completely ignored in "New Jersey Mountain Biking"

Hey Josh, buddy. Come on...if you're going to write a book about riding in New Jersy, how about including the rest of us!

I took up mountain biking last summer (1999). It has been a great source of challenge and pleasure to me.

Finding this book has made such an adventure out of biking in NJ! It is well-written, has great maps with the mileage and turns and a good rating system so you know what you are getting into before you leave. Driving directions to the spots and explanations of where to park, whether or not there is a fee... it's got everything you need to know. He really did a good job of researching the book and a nice touch is the inclusion of other nearby sites (relevant to the place you pick).

One possible improvement: There's a map of NJ showing all the sites, it would be nice if the page numbers were listed there and the trail ratings were also included on the map. As it is now, you need to go to 3 different pages to find all of that info. Hardly worth mentioning, but if there was one thing to make it better, that would be it, in my opinion.

I gave this book a token 2 stars because I wasn't actually able to try any of the trails for myself...So, I don't know how good the trail maps or descriptions are. All I can report is that there isn't anything here for those of us in the soutern part of the state! For mountain bikers in S. Jersey, I recommend Bob Di'Antonio's "Mountain Bike America: Greater Philadelphia Area." This book covers some S. Jersy rides as well as nearby Philadelpha and Eastern Pennsylvania.