New Jersey Books

I enjoyed reading this book about the life of Guzman or rather more about the life of a Puerto Rican family. The main focus is on Guzman and his sister Ramona's family. In the second half Marisol, Ramona's daughter, continues the story to the end. Magic plays a role in the story, but it adds interest as well as Guzman's return to the family in the second half. I also enjoyed the fact that women had a strong presence in the family. I thought that latin men would be the dominant members of the family. This book demonstrated to me that either women or men could have a dominant presence in the family. While reading, I felt that I was living with them as an impartial viewer seeing a life as though it were a movie in progress. The book captures the essence of the life and the spiritual influences that I have read or heard about from other sources. Some may feel that the story is full of cliches, but to me the story is about life, a good read as C.S.Forester's The African Queen or Daniel Quinn's Ishmael.

This book begins with a colorful and exoticized portrayal of a family living in Salud, a small town in Puerto Rico. The story is a telenovela, filled with bright colors, beautiful people, undying love between the wrong people. However, we find out that the narrator is, in fact, a niece to the first main character, Guzman. Her story is far less interesting and motivating than hers and the second half of the novel- her coming of age- is so similar to Nicholasa Mohr's Nilda and Esmeralda Santiago's When I Was Puerto Rican, that it is a disappointing denoument to the novel.

This has to be one of my favorite books by Mrs. Cofer; I loved it so much I read it three times in a row. The story of the lives of Mama Cielo, her son Guazman and so forth takes you on a journey to Puerto Rico in the earlier part of the 20th century. The Characters are all interweaved into a World that will captivate you. Starting in rural Puerto Rico and then going to the barrios of New York, and back to Puerto Rico. One takes a journey through the Peasant Puerto Rican life, the mystery and magic of brujeria and Santeriia. This book has it all, a Novel that reads like one of those most loved, Spanish Telenovelas. This book is a must read for all Latino, especially to my sister Latinas as this book shows the importance and strength of the Latina woman in the Familia. Highly Recommended. I wish they would base a mini TV movie on this book, it would be such a treat. A++++++++++

The support community for heterosexual male transvestites in Vancouver, British Columbia, calls itself The Cornbury Society. The organization, like New York's famous Hyde Park, has taken upon itself the name of the third Earl of Clarendon, Edward Hyde, the Lord Cornbury, royal governor of New Jersey and New York from 1702 to 1708. These men, like most historians from the mid-19th century forward, believe that Governor Hyde was an exhibitionistic cross-dresser, who attended his own wife's funeral dressed in women's clothing, and cavorted about in society dressed as a woman, to the horror and condemnation of hundreds of spectators. This has been the historical legacy of Hyde for over 150 years, and it is Patricia Bonomi's task to not only refute these (and other) rumors, but illuminate the condition of politics and political discourse in the 18th century, and expose a long-standing bias in American history against royalists in general, and Tory governors in particular. She does this all in an engaging and descriptive manner, though with perhaps an insufficient degree of explanation of basic terminology and concepts (for example, she does not explain what she means by "Grub Street Press," a fundamental concept used from the first chapter forward, until page 102), and a organizational structure that seems to lack both organization and structure. There are three areas from which criticism of Governor Hyde has always stemmed. The most infamous is a portrait said to be of him, dressed in women's attire, now hanging in the halls of the New-York Historical Society, a portrait with which there is no connection to the Governor until many decades after his death. The second, and in many ways weakest, is a series of 5 letters containing rumor-mongering of the Governor's supposed cross-dressing habits. The final, and most serious, is a large group of more or less contemporary charges (primarily propagated by Lewis Morris, the man who was in line to become the royal governor of New Jersey until Hyde's father and uncle interceded) of fiscal misconduct, including accepting of bribes, mismanagement of colonial finances, and living far in excess of his position and means. Bonomi places each of these pieces of evidence into their proper political and social contexts, completely discrediting the portrait's connection to Hyde, and clarifying the difference between the rumors of the day and what actually took place. More importantly, Bonomi explains, to a certain degree, why these rumors were so prevalent, and why so many of the rumors focused on sexual innuendo. One does not need to look farther than the Monica Lewinsky scandal to see the application of Bonomi's findings to our understanding of our own time. A new form of media, greater press freedoms, and a large upheaval in the nature of political institutions and leadership are just three of many parallels between the late 17th/early 18th centuries, and the late 20th/early 21st centuries.

One might desire more from this text, however. The balance between salvaging Hyde's historical legacy and of analyzing the social context that led to the charges against him, is heavily weighted towards the former, with only one chapter dealing with issues of sexual identity and changing morals in this period. Further, Bonomi comes across not so much as a disinterested detective, but rather as defense attorney, committed to proving that Hyde wasn't a bad guy above all else. Her analysis of the letters charging Hyde with cross dressing is primarily devoted to showing why we shouldn't believe them, and little else, and such problems are scattered throughout the book. Additionally, the book lacks something of a cohesive structure, and would do well to have a more solid introduction, any kind of a conclusion, and perhaps a glossary for those readers who aren't as intimately familiar with British political history as the author herself clearly is. Still, Bonomi's book accomplishes much of what it sets out to. It exonerates Hyde, for the most part, returning the charges against him to the context that historians have stripped them from, and increasing our understanding of the political climate of the early 18th century. It is useful for any student of colonial or British politics, and for anyone interested in the forms political discourse takes. Not to mention for all the historians who have taken the charges against the Lord Cornbury at face value and perpetuated some of the most vulgar and base forms of political accusations for their readers, out of self-interest and expediency. Despite it's flaws, this book opens the door to new interpretations of colonial and British politics, and paves the way for a more responsible historical interpretation of the American past. (originally prepared for History H398, Spring 2000, Ohio State University)

The writer does indeed show how easily stories get garbled and tales get passed on as history. A great deal of scepticism or, at least, critical awareness is needed when looking at the past. This is a very readable and lucid book.

The author argues convincingly that stories of Lord Cornbury's cross-dressing were only rumors. She offers some explanations as to why such rumors might have started but fails to consider one plausible explanation-- they were true. As evidence that the charges were untrue, the author cites the four letters which described Cornbury's behavior. Each was written by someone who disliked the colonial governor. Cornbury probably did not attend public functions in women's clothes. Rumors do tend to be embellished with each re-telling. The fact that someone has enemies, however, does not mean he can not also be a transvestite, consider J. Edgar Hoover. The fact that his enemies would be more likely to comment than his friends seems hardly surprising.

This book is really great and extremely helpful. In contrast to other books I have purchased on mountain biking trails, this book was much more "user friendly" - it has perforated pages, so you can tear out the maps of the trails. The maps are packed with valuable information, such as descriptions of the terrain, difficulty rating, mileage, points of interest, etc. I have discovered many great new mountain biking areas thanks to this book. Very highly recommended.

Now in a newly revised and expanded edition, Mountain Biking In New Jersey by Christopher Mac Kinnon presents and showcases forty-five off-roads rides for mountain biking enthusiasts. Detailed maps as well as general rules of the trail enhance this excellent resource for routs to pursue for health, fitness, and sheer fun. If you are a biking enthusiast anywhere in New Jersey, then Mountain Biking In New Jersey is the bike guide for you!

I have mountain biked all over the US and have used a number of ride guides to show me the way. While this book is acceptable, in that it does list the trails, I find it very difficult to use. My biggest gripes are about the ride organization, the directions to the rides, and the lack of detail in the illustrations/maps. I would advise the author to pick up John Zilly's "Kissing the Trail" to see how a ride book should be done.

The rides are not well organized. Most books group rides by locality or by difficulty (or both!), but this one does it alphabetically--not useful to those new to the area. Along those lines, the author makes the initial effort to number rides in the table of contents to correspond with the overview map of New Jersey but fails to carry it through in the rest of the book. The result? The poor reader cannot easily flip amongst the rides and figure out where they are on the NJ map. Instead, he has to cross-reference all the rides to locate them.

Directions to the rides are rather poor. As has been pointed out in a review of the previous edition, the author assumes you know a lot about NJ. I have to use Google or Mapquest to really figure out how to get there.

The maps and illustrations leave something to be desired. I feel the clarity that the author attempts to offer sacrifices the detail needed to help both locate the ride and to keep from getting lost. Also, while the perforated maps are a nifty idea in concept, the reality is they don't hold up well to the sweat and mud of mountain biking. Your best bet is to leave the original behind and take a copy with you.

this book is just eh!
i was expecting this wonderful survey of nj, having read from journal articles by joanna burger.
The book is a drag to read, although informative and containing subject matter not tackled by anyone else.
having had dr. burger as a professor at rutgers, i would say read the book, don't take the class.

If you are interested in nature and/or live along the Jersey Shore this book is wonderful to read. I've been to most of the places she describes and never saw all that was there. Joanna Burger brings to life the nature around us even in a crowded place like NJ.

Without a doubt the most fascinating book I have ever read on what happens out on those little sand islands in Jersey's bays. Why? Because Joanna Burger took a few supplies out in a little boat & lived on one. She followed the dream of so many young human "shorebirds" who longed to escape the crowded beaches & waterfront developments to see where the birds lived. This isn't polite ecology with fine line drawings & quotations from Thoreau, but hot piles of sands baking in the sun & wretched North Atlantic winter weather.

By going to the heart of our shore's natural beauty, Burger also finds the ongoing threats. True, the waterfowl population has increased over the past 40 years, several species at the expense of others. But road runoff is killing the bays & so-called "personal watercraft" (jet skis) are wrecking intertidal wetlands, creating incredible noise pollution & bringing hundreds of knuckleheads into first contact with the wildlife that has found relative safety from human interference in our back bays, estuaries & marshes.

I can't emphasize strongly enough the importance of Burger's writings. They should be taught in our schools & be required reading for everyone who ventures out on to the wonderlands that exist behind our stressed out barrier islands.

A beautiful & unique book. The birds love her & so do I. Give this scientist a laurel wreath, if you can find her.

Bob Rixon, WFMU-FM

This product was sent in a timely manner and in described condition- would do service with again!

New format looks good for this old favorite. The 10th edition,published by Rutgers Univ. Press, may be a little milder in its view of NJ outings than previous editions, but the book still has a "voice". There are many new entries, quite a few of the short, factual variety so newcomers to the state should find plenty to do. Earlier editions had better cross-references and indexes, but this one has better driving directions and includes websites for almost all entries.
Out of state entries like th Crayola Factory or Hyde Park are now found at the end of each chapter, so once you get used to this you know where to find them. STill the best alll around guidebook to New Jersey.

Good book filled with interesting day trips not only in New Jersey but nearby states. I had purchased one about 10 years ago but needed a more current one.

Every serious New Jersey hiker must have the most current version of this guidebook. This 1988 edition marks the split of the New York and New Jersey volumes in two; previous editions included both states.

The current edition is New Jersey Walk Book: A Companion to the New York Walk Book; it was published in 2004.

The "Walk Book" was originally published in 1923 by the National Geographic Society; the next four editions were published by Doubleday; and the sixth and later editions have been published by the NYNJTC. The first five editions included trails in both New York and New Jersey. In 1988, the "Walk Book" was published by the NYNJTC and split in two, the New York version was called the 6th edition, and the New Jersey version, the 1st edition.

"The New York Times" published an interesting article on May 19, 1998 by Glenn Collins on the history of the Trail Conference and the "Walk Book". It extracted several passages from the 1923 "Walk Book" (which now sells for around $200 if you can find a copy):

"For protection against rain, pure rubber clothing is about the only reliable material; but in warm weather or after exertion it is uncomfortably hot. . . ."

"Boots or stout leggings will save many a bruised shin or ankle or torn stocking and trouser leg. Breeches for women, long worn in the Western outing clubs, are becoming more in vogue in the East and sensibly so. There are combinations of breeches with detachable skirts which are convenient for travel to and from the country or where city or country yokels may stare. . . ."

"A pack on the back is bound to cause heavy perspiration and wetting between the shoulder blades. Reed frames have been devised to hold the pack off the back and give circulation or air. . . ."

"Paper is as effective a protection against wind as leather, and many trampers regard a paper waistcoat, costing 50 cents, as indispensable for blustery weather. . . ."

"If you are ever out with Malcomson he will introduce his big Bermuda onion. You will crave a thick slice and you will never go tramping again without one. It adds horse power to one's legs after luncheon. . . ."

Things have changed a bit since 1923, but the trails are still a major benefit of living in this area. Collect this 1988 volume for its historical interest; purchase the revised 2004 edition and use it to hike some great New Jersey trails.

Robert C. Ross 2008

This book is a great. I've used it a number of times, and consider it one of my favorite outdoor guides to NJ. It tells you everything you need to know about a variety of trails: who uses the trail (mountain bikes, horses, hiking-only, etc.), directions to get to the trail, and where you can park (if that isn't obvious). If you are just starting-out exploring "Outdoor New Jersey" you cannot be without this book.

A real gem of a book - one of those that everyone with even a remote interest in its subject matter should own. I'd give it five stars if there were more maps.

Jon Blackwell has summed up New Jersey's notorious past in one neatly bundled 400+ page volume.

Notorious New Jersey: 100 True Tales of Murderers and Mobsters, Scandals and Scoundrels provides a perfect read for anyone who wants to understand why New Jersey deserves its laughingstock slogan from former Gov. Richard Codey: "Welcome to New Jersey: Come See For Yourself."

After reading Notorious New Jersey you won't need to go "see for yourself" -- you'll have read the book (good enuf!!) -- and can stay alive in the relative safety of your own home.

Everybody knows at least a dozen New Jersey jokes, but Blackwell has pulled together most of the reasons for all the cringes that are synonymous with almost anything completely Jersey -- murders (too numerous to name so check the FBI files), mobsters -- The Sopranos (need I say more), scandals -- (a gay-American governor and the long line of his cronies are just the newest additions) and scoundrels (if you eliminate this category Jersey would go from the most densely populated state to a vast wasteland of emptiness, well maybe).

In "Notorious New Jersey", Blackwell cordons off the scoundrels, creeps and human debris that have made the Garden State a place to avoid in the minds of many. The chapters in the book are delineated into areas titled Old Rascals, Dead Wrong, Mob Paradise, Power Corrupts, Enemy Action and Cause Celebres, and is filled with the stories that have made headlines in New Jersey, and around the world, for more than three centuries.

In Blackwell's Notorious New Jersey you'll learn why the state could well be best described as the "Serial Murderer State" or the "Murder Capital of the World". In New Jersey they just do it right -- killing is the name of the game it seems.

But murder isn't New Jersey's only commodity. Blackwell reaches into the archives to refresh our memories about why the state was the perfect place to film the TV show "The Sopranos" with page after page of stories about New Jersey's notorious mobsters.

People in New Jersey have always known that there is always a "New Jersey connection" to any national newspaper headline or TV breaking news story -- just think the Unibomber, 1993s World Trade Center bombing, anthrax, and on and on and on...

Blackwell has done a superb job in pulling together all the great stories about Notorious New Jersey.

Buy this book!!! You'll be reading it for years to come, and shaking your head in disbelief every time you hear about a news story with a New Jersey connection. And you'll have Jon Blackwell to thank for that bit of reality.

If you grew up in New Jersey, you know you're tougher than anyone else. This book just confirms it.

Blackwell takes the reader on a thrilling ride through the Garden State's most infamous and darkest moments. Any true Jerseyan would be proud of Blackwell's hard-hitting tales of native rogues and rapscallions.

Author Jon Blackwell treats us to a variety of categories in his 100 true tales from my favorite section on mob bosses to corrupt politicians, terrorists, spies, and other infamous characters that make up the shady history in New Jersey. The reader is taken back to relive "old rascals" such as Aaron Burr's duel with Alexander Hamilton in Weehawken, a fight to the death between Ambrose Harris and Robert "Mudman" Simon, "The Mad Hatter" dies in the chair (barber), "Richie the Boot" Boiardo and his mysterious house, and so many others are gruesomely fascinating. I also learned that Richard "The Iceman" Kuklinski's exploits may not be all that they are cracked up to be in the recent book entitled "The Iceman." The book covers a lot about crooked politicians and other shady characters I've never heard of while I would have liked to have more of the book devoted to the mobsters. Nevertheless the book is one to add to your true crime collection.

If you're a fan of true crime, mysteries, trivia, politics, New Jersey, weird tales, and everything in between, you'll enjoy these 100 well-told stories of the Garden State's crimes and mysteries, past and present. The author is clearly passionate about his subject, and had some fun telling these tales. Even the captions are entertaining and sometimes tongue-in-cheek.

The stories range from a former Jersey City assemblyman who faked his own drowning to a possible "Jack the Ripper" suspect who moved to NJ following the London crimes (betcha didn't know that!!) In fact, there is a lot you probably didn't know about New Jersey in this comprehensive book.

Of course, there are the cases that were so famous that they spawned TV movies and national attention: the Lindbergh kidnapping, the murderous Cherry Hill rabbi, the Glen Ridge rapists, the "Baby M" saga (one of the rare entries that isn't about crime, but is still a notorious case) and others.

What's creepy is that in some of the cases, the perpetrator is still at large.

There are more than 400 pages in this paperback, but the writing style is so breezy and fun, and the passages are separated into categories, that it's an easy and delightful read. It might even make a good gift.

And there are also the requisite mob stories in here, if you're a "Sopranos" fan. A very well-done read.

Used as part of my class in Public Policy and Public Administration, this book is written well enough that it's not nearly as dry as other things we were assigned in the program. It's not chock full of theoretical jargon, and offers enough useful, thoughtful cases to be more easily understood than most. Still, for a novice with an interest in how policies are made, I would strongly recommend choosing a book by someone with a great deal of experience in government writing about their experiences- without the accompanying course I took this would have been of little value. Still, its recency is helpful, and the author writes well enough to be almost enjoyable.

I have to admit, Professor Anderson was one of my favorites at Texas A&M. I took two classes from him on public policy and public policy specifically related to the environment. We used this textbook in the general policy class. It was thorough, detailed and a great tool for the classroom. Highly recommended... Thanks Professor!

The book is up-to-date with most of the current litterature on the subject. A good balance between theory (which is the back bone of the book) and illustrative examples. Staying clear of the awful example set by "Understanding Public Policy" by Dye, professor Anderson shows how you can analyze, although not neccessarily predict, policymaking. A very useful annotated biography is included. I also appreciated the commonsensical, reflective tone throughout the book. Anderson seems to be a rather wise and thoughtful man.

However, the book is not particularly original. Anderson says more or less the same thing as most other current analysts in the field, and if you are familiar with public policy-litterature, you have heard it all before. His debt to scholars like Baumgartner and Jones is quite large.

Oh, but you were going to use it for teaching? Well, Anderson is a good writer, so the book would be o.k. for introductory classes. But remember, it is fairly basic stuff.

And one more thing, it is all-american. Few words are wasted on comparing different political systems. That is a pity, since international comparisons would highlight the great importance of political institutions.

To wrap it up: a good introductory book for an american audience not familiar with analysis of public policymaking. For an international audience, look elsewhere.

I really enjoyed reading this book and have a basic idea of the railroads of New Jersey. Living in Bordentown City where John Bull got started, make it even more enjoyable.

The strong points of this book are the outstanding color painting on the front cover, contact information, and useful bibliography list. I would like to have seen more photos of trains from 1930-1960 and fewer landscapes. From 1930-60 some famous and colorful trains served New Jersey including The Broadway Limited, The Blue Comet,The Royal Blue, The Crusader and The Phoebe Snow. The comment about Asbury Park under the photo on page 159 was inappropriate. Their public library was a great resource when I did some research on The New York & Long Branch RR. I would still recommend this book to those interested in New Jersey railroads.

You don't have to be a train nut (ie, "foamer") to appreciate this book. It mainly contains railroad history; lively and opinionated* descriptions of today's operating rail lines, including mass transit/subway-style trains and light rail; anecdotes; and rail trail info. It's designed to be browsable, like a travel guide, and that's the best way to approach it. I found the rail trail info especially helpful: I thought I knew about most of the state's rail trails, but was pleasantly surprised to find out how ignorant I was (eg, never heard of the Capoolong Creek rail trail in Hunterdon County).

*My favorite was when she and her husband fled a restaurant near the PATCO line when they learned it was in a "dry" town!

I admit, I purchased this book not for the story itself but for the cover art. However, once I fell into the rhythms of the story, my opinions of it kept changing.

Danny (Danielle) Fillian spends her summers at a lopsided home on Rainy Lake. Her architect father, Charlie, homemaker mother May and boating enthusiast older brother Bryan fill in openly realistic set of core characters.

As a person who cannot swim and dislikes the constant pull of waves and their ever-present sounds against the sand (particularly at night), I struggled to understand what others already know- the lure of swimming through lake water; the easy comraderie of adults drinking; smoking and playing cards late into the summer nights; growing up in a pocket of hazy sun, finding your place amongst the townies and summer kids.

The author sets her novel in a volitile time in my nation's history, the 1960's. At the beginning, we see what appears to be a hopeful family fixing up their summer cottage. By book's end, we realize they are fighting through various upheavals and downdrafts, broken in familiar ways, proud and venegeful as the next person.

I'd thought this book would be another dull story of an upper-middle class white family with Sunday values surrounding themselves with their own kind, aligning against an "enemy" and not making much sense of anything. I was wrong. This isn't to say there aren't stereotypes among the characters, particularly in Danny's brother as he struggles with the realities of the Vietnam war and biogtry of his fellow white neighbors.

A worthwhile read. Also, look into the art of Diane Katsiaficas.

When I first read Rainy Lake, I fell in love with Mary Rockcastle's beautifully illustrative writing. Not only was I swept off my feet by the vividly real characters, but also by the lush setting that pervaded into my own reality. I have returned to this novel many times in my life when I have needed an escape. In Rainy Lake, Rockcastle portrays a teenage girl who struggles to find a balance between living through her heart's desires and relying on common sense. I recommend this novel to all girls who are struggling with their own identities while on the road to becoming women.

Read this book! Rainy Lake is easily the best book I've ever read. I read it for the first time about 4 years ago and I loved it, but it is one of those books that you find yourself thinking about without really realizing it. When I do realize I'm thinking about it, I usually come here to see if Mary has come out with a new novel yet. Similar to "The Prince of Tides", but less predictable. It makes you feel either happy or sad, you're not quite sure; if you do feel sad, it feels good to feel sad.