New Jersey Books

Among river guides for canoeing and kayaking, Walter Burmeister is tops. He goes into detail that most guides do not, giving a fairly thorough picture of the river and the things the paddler needs to know. After studying this one about the Hudson, I want to investigate others he has explored and written about.

It has been a while since a team from the Atlantic Division has won the NBA title, but this volume of the "Above the Rim: The NBA Library" series explains to young fans that some of these teams have enjoyed glory days in the past. In "Atlantic Division" Jim Gigliotti looks at the history of the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, and Washington Wizards, focusing not only on championship teams but star players and great coaches. Gigliotti provides a nice balance between the past and the present for each team, so that young fans who follow Allen Iverson learn about Wilt Chamberlain as well. If there is a weakness in this book compared to the others it is that the role players on championship teams are not mentioned as often.

Of course these volumes will quickly become outdated: Tracy McGrady is already on his way out of Orlando and who knows what other trades will happen before and during the draft this week, but the history lessons here make up for being behind the headlines. "Atlantic Division" is illustrated with photographs of superstar NBA players, with both black & white shots of the likes of Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, and Dr. J along with color shots of Larry Bird, Jason Kidd, Shaquille O'Neal, and Elvin Hayes. The back of this book includes all time team records, as well as the career leaders in points and rebounds for each franchise, and members of the Naismith Memorial National Basketball Hall of Fame from each team. There is also a Glossary of terms from "armory" to "stymied," along with a Time Line of the history of the division, Books and Web sites for additional information about the Atlantic Division and the NBA, and an Index.

"The Autobiography of Mayo W. Lanning" is mostly devoted to Mr. Lanning's experiences in the New Jersey Zinc Company's Franklin Mine and Sterling Hill Mine in Franklin and Ogdensburg, New Jersey, ca 1941-1943; the NJZ Eagle Mine in Gilman, Colorado ca 1943-1950; and the NJZ Friedensville Mine ca 1950-1966. NJZ's training policies are indirectly documented. Competent men were moved from job to job (regardless of prior or formal training) to learn the full process of mining and processing the ore. A great deal of time (and therefore company resources) was spent on training men this way. After being moved around to learn the basic "labor" of mining in Franklin, NJ, Lanning was trained as a safety engineer (taken very seriously by the New Jersey Zinc Company), and from there moved to various engineering and supervisory positions. He was NJZ's shaft engineer for the sinking of the Friedensville Shaft (although the sinking was done by a contractor).
Mr. Lanning goes into detail on topics such as the spontaneous combustion in portions of the Eagle Mine and shaft sinking at the Friedensville Mine. At least equally fascinating are the insights he provides into the dynamics of management--that is, the interactions among individuals.
Although highly readable, the book suffers from a lack of even basic copy editing. There are numerous non-sequiturs, misspellings, and numerous highly visible typographical errors (such as double periods).

What a great guide! To be honest, I did not intially think this would be worth more than a quick perusal but I have found myself returning to this guide again and again for additional ideas as well as just to use a refresher on certain plants.

It is not just another general gardening guide, either. The introduction is a mere seven pages and just covers the bare bones so you are free to spend the next 160 or so getting to know (and love) the 356 plants suggested for your Jersey garden.

Plant profile sections are broken down by Annuals, Perennials, Trees & Shrubs, Roses, Vines, Bulbs Corms & Tubers, Herbs, and Ferns Grasses & Groundcovers.

Each section of plant type is color coded for easy access and reference.

Every plant has been given a one page entry containing a photo of the plant as well as a smaller close up of the leaves and/or flowers in the bottom corner. The entries include growing guidelines and tips, general plant uses (in and out of the garden, when appropriate) as well as cultivar suggestions and descriptions.

The author is an herb and nature lover so the book is wonderfully weighted with natives and useful plants. Readers can easily build beautiful four-season gardens with just the guidance of this one book.

Any beginning gardener would be delighted to receive this book as a gift but experienced gardeners may be surprised at some of the "lesser knowns" that appear.

To top it off, the quality of production was clearly considered and the binding is solid with a great flexibility. The cover is also easy to wipe clean so don't hesitate to take it with you to the nursery or into the garden.

Mary Jasch describes 52 of her favorite hikes located all over New Jersey, although the majority are north of Princeton. She writes: "Abundant opportunities to enjoy nature and escape a hectic world await people and their canine pals in New Jersey's national, state, county and township parks and forests. Some private organizations also open their lands for people and dogs to experience."

A map shows the closest walks and driving distances to major cities. Each trail description begins with information on distance, elevations, difficulty for human and dog, approximate hiking time, and best seasons. She gives directions to the hikes, local regulations, best detailed maps to use, and park contact information.

Jasch earned a BS in natural resources management, applied ecology, and she uses her training to add interesting environmental and horticultural facts. Her black and white photos add real interest to the hikes.

As a long time hiker in the metropolitan region I know that many of the organized hiking leaders do not welcome dogs. Jasch's website (search on Google for nj dog hikes ) lists a few leaders that do so. With or without such a leader, Jasch's book is a splendid guide to hiking with dogs in New Jersey.


Robert C. Ross

I live in this part of the country, and I absolutely loved this compilation of recipes. The Mid-Atlantic is a varied region, but the authors have included recipes from cookbooks that cover many of the area's specialties. As always with this series, I have yet to find a recipe that does not come out well. I have made several of the cakes and they were all superb (esp. the One-Step Poundcake). There are also several very good crabcake recipes and one of the best Eggplant Parmesan recipes I've ever tried.

The seafood recipes in this book are a particular strength, which is appropriate for this region. In addition to the crabcakes, I would recommend the Maryland Oyster Bake and the crab salad stuffed tomatoes (wonderful on a hot summer day).

If you want a taste of real Mid-Atlantic cooking, please give this book a try. You won't be disappointed!

First published by the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club in 1937, "Bird Studies at Old Cape May" is ornithologist Witmer Stone's exhaustive study of the bird life in Cape May County and along the New Jersey coast between 1920 and 1930. 374 species of bird are described: 318 from Cape May County, primarily from the area stretching from the town of Cape May along the shore to Cape May Point, and 56 species from further north along the New Jersey coast. The book opens with several introductions from previous publications, including one written by Roger Tory Peterson for the 1964 edition. The introductions are followed by short chapters describing the bird life in different geographic areas of Cape May County -sea, meadows, islands,woodland, farmland- as well as history of previous bird life at the Cape, descriptions of bird migrations, and summaries of bird occurrences by month. The bulk of the book consists of descriptions of each of the 374 species observed. For each species, there is a physical description, information on the occurrence and history of the bird in this region, and stories of Stone's personal experiences with the species as well as those of other birders of his acquaintance. Some entries are less than a page in length, while others are up to 12 pages, but the average length for each species is a few pages. There are short introductory essays before the sections on ducks, hawks, and shore birds.

This is an absolutely fascinating study of the birds of the New Jersey shore. Bird enthusiasts who have been to Cape May will find engaging and still relevant descriptions of birds which continue to be found there. And it is most interesting to learn the history of these species before much of Cape May's wetlands were filled in, along with the histories of some species which are no longer found in the area. Reading "Bird Studies at Old Cape May" 65 years after its original publication, it is in some ways more informative than it was in 1937. It allows us to observe, for even longer than Witmer Stone did, how and why Cape May changed and its bird population along with it. 941 pages is a lot of information to absorb, but I've found it a very pleasant book to pick up now and then and read the entries for a few species at a time. The order of the book is a mystery to me, but there is an index.

The Jersey shore area around Cape May has long been a favorite retreat tool nature lovers and birdwatchers, and many ornithological studies have emerged from work done in this locale. By far the most complete and delightful of these works is Witmer Stone's "Bird Studies at Old Cape May." Not merely a tabulation of scientific data, this beautifully written two-volume study draws a vivid picture of the wild bird life at the Cape from 1920-37, capturing all of the charm of the region and of the subject without sacrificing scientific accuracy. This is one of the great classics in nature studies.

The first seventy pages present an overview of the subject. The birds of the Cape are grouped according to geographical location and are discussed as a unit (i.e. birds of the sea, birds of the town and farmland, etc.). Included also in this section are chapters relating the changing bird life of the Cape, migratory patterns of the birds, and a monthly summary of birds at the Cape, arranged in groups according to residency (regular and irregular residents, transients, visitants). The major portion of the work is devoted to detailed observations of the individual birds (over 350 different er are included). The author, one of the great field ornithologists of his time, tells what time of the year each bird can be found at Cape May; what part of the Cape it inhabits; describes the general appearance of the bird, with particular attention paid to color changes due to age, season, light and shadow, mating habits; discusses the behavioral characteristics and migratory activities of the individual species; and whatever else is needed for a full coverage.

This Set is handsomely illustrated with hundreds of photographs and line drawings of birds, nests, various nature Sites at the Cape. A new Introduction has been prepared especially for this Dover edition by Roger Tory Peterson, a noted ornithologist and editor of the `Field Guide" Series. Also new to this edition is a biographical sketch of the author by James A. G. Rehn and a List of Additional Species Recorded in Cape May County since the original publication of this book, compiled by -Ernest A. Choate. All ornithologists, birdwatchers, and nature enthusiasts will welcome the republication of this highly readable and immensely valuable study.

Unabridged republication of 1937 edition, with new Introduction by Roger Tory Peterson, biographical sketch of the author by James- A. G. Rehn, and List of Additional Species Recorded in Cape May County compiled by Ernest A. Choate. Author's preface. Bibliography. Index. Total of 277 line drawings and 121 plates including 229 photographs, 6 maps. Total of lii + of text .53/8 x 8½.

A DOVER EDITION DESIGNED FOR YEARS OF USE!
We have made every effort to make this the best book possible. Our paper is opaque, with minimal show-through; it will not discolor or become brittle with age. Pages are sewn in signatures, in the method traditionally used for the best books, and will not drop out, as often happens with paperbacks held together with glue. Books open flat for easy reference. The binding will not crack or split. This is a permanent book.

The Jersey shore area around Cape May has long been a favorite retreat for nature lovers and birdwatchers, and many ornithological studies have emerged from work (lone fl this locale. By far the most complete and delightful of these works is Witmer Stone's "Bird Studies at Old Cape May." Not merely a tabulation of scientific data, this beautifully written two-volume study draws a vivid picture of the wild bird life at the Cape from 1920-37, capturing all of the charm of the region and of the subject without sacrificing scientific accuracy. This is one of the great classics in nature studies.

The first seventy pages present an overview of the subject. The birds of the Cape are grouped according to geographical location anti are discussed as a unit (i.e. birds of the sea, birds of the town and farmland, etc.). Included also in this section are chapters relating the changing bird life of the Cape, migratory patterns of the birds, anti a monthly summary of birds at the Cape, arranged in groups according to residency (regular and irregular residents, transients, visitants). The major portion of the work is devoted to detailed observations of the individual birds (over 350 different entries are included). The author, one of the great field ornithologists of his time, tells what time of the year each bird can he found at Cape May; what part of the Cape it inhabits; describes the general appearance of the bird, with particular attention paid to color changes (Inc to age. season, light and shadow, mating habits; discusses the behavioral characteristics and migratory activities of the individual species; anti whatever else is needed for a full coverage.

This set is handsomely illustrated with hundreds of photographs and line drawings of birds, nests., nature sites at the Cape A new Introduction has been prepared especially for tins Dover edition by Roger Tory Peterson, a noted ornithologist and editor of the "Field Guide" Series. Also new to this edition is a biographical sketch of the author by James A. G. Rehn and a list of Additional Species Recorded in Cape May County since the original publication of this book. compiled by Ernest A., Choate. All ornithologists, !sirdsvatc1ier and nature enthusiasts will welcome the republication of this highly readable and immensely valuable study.

Unabridged republication of 1937 edition, with new Introduction by Roger Tory Peterson, biographical sketch of the author by James. A. G. Rehn, and list of Additional Species Recorded in Cape May County compiled by Ernest A. (bout'. Author's preface. Bibliography. Index, Total of 277 line drawings and 121 plates including 229 photographs, 6 maps. Total of lii + 941 pages of text. 5 3/8 x 8½.


A DOVER EDITION DESIGNED FOR YEARS OF USE!

We have made every effort to make this the best book possible. Our paper is opaque. with minimal show-through; it will not discolor or become brittle with age. Pages are sewn in signatures, in the method traditionally used for the best hooks, and will nut drop out, as often happens with paperbacks held together with glut'. Books open flat for easy reference, The binding will not crack or split. This is a permanent hook.

This book tells what birds are likely to be found in any of NJ's various natural habitats, whether ocean beach, dunes or thickets, salt- or fresh-water marshes, cedar swamps or ponds, pine deciduous or hardwood forests, mountain ridges, field, bogs, or city parks. It descripbes the birds' mating, nesting, feeding and other habits.