New Jersey Books

I laughed out loud a lot. The strip scene in the restaurant is the sexiest thing I've read all year and the ending is the funniest! Love to see more from this guy.

"The Vietnamization of New Jersey (An American Tragedy)" is a genuinely funny play in the classic Christopher Durang style. Still, it is plagued by a problem I have noticed as prominent in his other works: Durang can't end his plays. In this one, the ending is strangely incompatible with the rest of the play and has a bad plot. Sadly, the same applies to nearly all his work I have read; "Titanic," one of his more unsuccessful works, had all the characters change personas at the end and do very strange things, and "'Dentity Crisis" had a sudden change in the characters too. In fact, of all Durang's work that I have read or seen performed (a total of nine or ten), the only two plays which do not feature incoherent endings are "Beyond Therapy" and "Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You," which are easily his best. The verdict? "Vietnamization" is a good play, with lots of humor and a hilarious analysis of America, but the poor climax brings down the total.

This is a modern reprint of two nineteenth-century vocabularies of the Delaware (Lenape) Indian language (one of them in the unusual Sanhican dialect). It is a very small volume, and there is no phonetic key. An interesting book from a historical linguistics perspective or if you'd like to learn a few words of Delaware, but don't buy it expecting to learn how to speak the language.

Bicultural Americans may recognize a part of themselves or the people they've grown up with in this story of a Ukrainian family living on American soil, but not quite yet a part of America. The rituals, superstitions, songs, and celebrations described are familiar, evoking smiles of memories and nostalgia. This book stays with you, prompting an occassional rereading.

This book gives a wonderful overview of the kind of devotion that we as humans, as God's creatures, should have for Him. Roger takes the reader through different adventures, highs and lows, in his life and how the power of prayer helped him through. The tales are true and inspiring. The book is an easy read, but is full of meaning. It can be read at any age, but I believe that the reader would have to be over the age of thirteen to get the most meaning out of it. It's an uplifting read.

A YEAR IN OUR GARDENS by Nancy Goodwin and Allen Lacy is a chatty exchange of letters and faxes between two old friends, both of whom have many years of gardening experience to their credit. Ms Goodwin ran Montrose Nursery for many years and is very informed and informing about plants -- native, cultivated, imported, and home-grown.

Dr. Lacy has written many books about gardening and garden design -- centered on his garden in New Jersey and other gardens futher afield. My personal favorite of Lacy's books is THE GARDEN IN AUTUMN, although THE INVITING GARDEN is probably his best selling book. I wouldn't recommend A YEAR IN OUR GARDENS to the novice gardener since it has no colorful photographs and a plethora of Latin named flowers and plants. Even the intermediate gardener searching for tips might find THE INVITING GARDEN a better read.

If you've been gardening awhile and like to read about green adventures from the comfort of your easy chair or need a good book for bedtime reading, you'll probably enjoy A YEAR IN OUR GARDENS. To me it's something of a cross between the books by Elizabeth Lawrence and Beverly Nichols. In fact, if Lawrence and Nichols had written to each other their conversations might have been a bit like the conversations of Goodwin and Lacey.

Goodwin and Lacey both had an affilitation with Duke University as did Elizabeth Lawrence though neither Goodwin nor Lacey is a botonist like Lawrence. Lacey wrote garden columns for the Wall Street Journal and New York Times and until recently taught philosopy and horitculture at Richard Stockton College in New Jersey where he lives and gardens. Lawrence's father was Lacey's professor of English at Duke University, and Lawrence lives and gardens near Hillsborough NC.

Both Goodwin and Lacey have gardens in growing zone 7. As they relate their experiences over the course of the year, it becomes obvious this counts for little. Lacey lives near the Atlantic, has sandy soil he must amend with humus, and experiences milder summers and colder winters. Goodwin lives in the NC piedmont, gardens in clay, and has hot-hot summers. Both have green houses that allow them to cultivate a variety of plants more suited to tropical climates. Lacey tends to grow many plants in pots on a large extended deck, while Goodwin has a much larger property with room for numerous shubs and trees and a woodland garden. Lacey says he prefers summer months for gardening, and Goodwin says she prefers anything but summer.

In addition to the exchange about plants, garden design and the various wildlife sightings, both correspondents share the ups and downs of daily living. Over the course of a year, Lacey undergoes major surgery and Goodwin's husband has eye surgery and her father dies. Both Godwin and Lacey travel to various locations to give lectures and undergo interviews on television and radio. Martha Stewart drops by for a fifteen minute tour of Montrose, and Lacey goes to Disneyland.

All in all this book is mildly entertaining, and a peek into the lives of two relatively well educated gardeners.

This book really opens your eyes to the fact that not everyone desires their neighborhoods to be "yuppified" and tells it like it is from the people who live in this town. Good read.

Stephanie Plum reminds me of my friends and family. For those that didnt find this book entertaining have never had a Lula in her life. I have and I nearly died laughing from her lingo and her craziness.

I read the book in one sitting...and was brought to tears during the scene with Connie, Steph, Lula, and the kidnapped thug. I even read it to my husband and I ruined it by the non stop laughter.

Im new to this series and started reading at 9 when I picked it up at JKF airport and I was drawn in. I love the fact that you dont need to read the other books prior to get the gist of the relationships...and Evanovich makes the 1st chapter of the new book the last chapter in the previous...at least thats what I noticed between 9 and 10.

Its definitely a fun read.

I love Janets books. They are all interesting, hard to put down and a quick read. Once you start one you have to keep reading til the end.!!

This tenth installment of the Stephanie Plum novels is by far one of the best. Stephanie Plum, New Jersey's notorious bounty hunter and her sidekick LuLu are out to lunch when the witness the Red Devil robber in action. Stephanie's ability to identify the Red Devil quickly makes her a target for the vicious street gang the Slayers. Soon after, her boyfriend Trenton detective Joe Morelli informs her that the Slayers have recruited Junkman from the west coast to murder her, as she is at the top of his hit list. Morelli's protective nature and Italian ego instantly put the two head to head and Stephanie declares her intention to move out. The gang crimes are escalating and Stephanie fears for her own life as well as the lives of her friends and family. On the outs with Joe and with no safe place left to hide, Stephanie turns to the one man who is capable of protecting her, Ranger. The only problem is that Ranger is incognito, but he did loan her his truck, which also happens to include the keys to his private apartment. Stephanie finds herself living lush in Ranger's seductive home but fears the consequences that will arise when he returns home. Beyond having a price on her head, Stephanie has to deal with her sister's engagement and the wedding plans rolling forward. Sally Sweet reappears and is officially declared the wedding planner. Running short on time, patience and sexual exploitation Stephanie constructs a plan to remove herself from Junkman's hit list before he gets to her. Ten Big Ones is a stellar book, and exciting read. In classic Evanovich style, the writing is superb, the plot is miraculous and the emotions run right off the page. Packed with humor, suspense, passion and action Ten Big Ones proves that Janet Evanovich is at the top of her game. Readers will want to reread this book over and over and enjoy it each time around. Valerie Jones mrsvaljones@netzero.net

Another great book in the series. Good mixture of romance, comedy, and mystery. I hope she continues with the series for a long time.

I am running late in my readings of Janet Evanovich's Plum stories. I just finished reading "To the Nines" about a week or so ago and I thought it was a super read. In this book "Ten Big Ones" I was delighted to find another super read. The story had a lot of my favorite characters from the earlier books and I thought this story had more bounty hunts than the other works. Overall, in my opinion this is great read that will keep your interest page after page.

This is a can not put down book. Janet Evanovich is a great writter. I am working working my way through all of the Plum series, since I got hooked on the first one I read.

Janet Evanovich writes great characters. I love Stephanie Plum and Lula and Ranger and Morelli. I have read all 17 books from this series now and am still longing for more....

ok so I got this book as a freebie and I love the Stephanie Plum series. The thing is: this takes familiar characters out of the realm of reality and gives them a whimsical twist. Not together unpleasant, but not the Sephanie Plum series I adore. The familiarity gives it something to bond to, but I was afraid it would detract from the series when I went back to it. It didn't and for this reason alone I am saying it was a good little read. Fortunately it is brief and easy to read. The between series is 'cute', but I still think overall it detracts from the main series. That being said I also bought the next one before I started the between series. I do not completely regret them, however I would not go out of my way to buy them either after having read them. The Series is another story..those are well worth the laughs.

I ended up reading this out of order--mostly because I forgot about it. Whoops.

But that's not that much of a problem, because these between-the-numbers books (meaning Visions of Sugar Plums and this one, though I suspect there'll be more forthcoming) are just a wee bit off the series' track. The cast balance is shifted--Ranger and Morelli, and even Grandma Mazur and Lula are relegated to the sidelines, and the focus shifts to mystery man Diesel (we learn in this book that he's an Unmentionable--it's been a while since I read Sugar Plums, but I don't remember that being... er... mentioned). It's also where most of the plot developments with Stephanie's sister Valerie occur. And it's got a touch of the supernatural.

So, I'm a wee bit confused by everybody who was screaming that Ranger and Morelli were missing, and why was Evanovich changing the series, etc., etc. It's really the same format as Sugar Plums, and it's obviously not a regular series book, or the title would have a number. I'm guessing it's short memories.

Anyway. Knowing what to expect, I wasn't disappointed.

Stephanie's job collides with Diesel's when her FTA, Annie Hart, turns out to be somebody Diesel is keeping under wraps. So they make a deal: Steph will help Diesel do Annie's job, then Diesel will turn her over to Steph.

The job: relationship expert. They have to ensure that Annie's three clients have happy Valentine's Days. Of course, this being a version of the Plum-verse, it's not all that easy. It gets more complicated, and more personal, when it turns out that the third client is none other than Albert Kloughn, who would be Stephanie's brother-in-law if marriage didn't terrify him. So now it's up to Steph and Diesel to get Albert to the altar with Valerie.

Lots of fun, lots of laughs, short quick read. Between-the-numbers. Remember that. You'll enjoy the book a lot more that way.

I bought this book at a drugstore while on vacation with nothing to read. The alternatives were several variants on "How to Flatten Your Abs," a few Sue-Grafton wannabe mysteries, and romance novels with the authors' names in raised gold lettering.

The only excuse for buying this book is if you're on vacation wtih nothing to read.

I've read a couple of Stephanie Plum books (Janet Evanovich's self-effacing, Jerseyed-out bond agent), and they were OK escapist mysteries, fluffy with some light humor. Unfortunately, Plum Lovin' has a wildly improbable plot, stereotypic characters, and and an unsuccessful mix of science fiction, romance, sex without the sex, and a little mystery. The plot, such as it is, involves Ms. Plum helping a hunky bond agent named "Diesel" (how manly!)find a guy named Beaner who's out to get a matchmaker he's protecting jumped bail and is wanted by Beaner. Diesel will turn over Annie (the matchmaker) if Plum will help Ms. Hill finish five people find love (or just a good dinner companion) by Valentines' Day. The result is a contrived mishmosh with pasted-on characters and a facile resolution.

OK, so the plot's just a vehicle, right--it doesn't matter if it's convoluted as long as we're in for a fun ride. Too bad the characters are unbelievable, buffoonish stereotypes or the expected testosterone-laden men with a heart of gold. There's a strange device in which Diesel and Bean are among the "Unmentionables," people who lurk among we innocents with strange, powers. Evanovich hints at these darkly, using them to portray Beaner's menacing danger and elusive movements, and Diesel's sexually-charge and unsuccessful moves for Stephanie.

Again, excusable if this jokey implausibility served as a backdrop for quick-witter satire, or any real sense of mystery or suspense. However, Beaner's power is the ability to spread hives (hives!) without skin contact, and Diesel's brutish sexuality consists of lam-o repeated suggestions to Stephanie that have all the subtlety and wit of a junior high bathroom wall. The pursuit of Beaner and Annie (and a Jersey gangster inserted to make the story make sense) all take a backseat at times to deal with the five lonelyhearts, who, of course, "comically" find their Valentines with the same kind of dumb luck and convenient fortuity as Stephanie and Diesel.

Although there are some clever lines, and one or two of the heartbroken "Marty-like" lovebirds have interesting trajectories, this is the literary (if one may use that word here) equivalent of Muzak. If the contrived teasers had been pruned, and some real excitement and adult sexuality generated (along with some sleuthing that didn't rely so heavily on a drunken informant), there might have been enough substance to hold up the froth.

From reading through various reviews on here, I imagine my opinion on this book is shared by the majority but there are still many who disliked it very various reasons. I was born after all the events of the 40's, 50's, 60's, and seventies took place. This book was a giant eye-opener for me and taught me more than any textbook or college course. This was one of those books that so touched me personally, and helped me conceive of how my grandparent's moralistic generation warped into the mess of today, that I feel I will never recover from reading this book. For better or worse it has changed me. It may be the heaviest book I've ever read.

As an analysis of Weather Underground types, or homegrown violent terrorists the story fails completely. The book says almost zip about the 60's. This is yet another book by Philip Roth about the mindset of Philip Roth. Basically the US is a horror story for Philip Roth. Roth sees a littleness in the United States and for Roth terrorism is a natural response. This is more a horror story than a work of literature.

I can not think of why this book won the pulitzer prize. Of course is well written, but that's about that. Unless you love gloves...
Very boring.

Roth is still a great prose stylist. And the passages on Newark were brilliant. But for a historical novel, the history is way off. The radicalism is cartoonish or worse. Other writers have tackled this fascinating subject (the 60's radicals and what became of them) and done a much better job - Marge Piercy, for one.

Amer pastoral

In this novel, Roth's alter ego Nathan Zuckerman ("Skip") returns to his beloved northern New Jersey--in this case, Newark, during the halcyon days of the 40's and 50's. Back then, Newark was a thriving city of immigrants, many of them Jewish, who worked harder than we can possibly imagine today, but indeed caught the golden ring and realized the American Dream. Growing up, Skip lived in an innocent world of sports and school, worshipping the magical Swede, so-called because this blond god didn't look Jewish. Swede was an athlete and hero, and a look or a kind word from him was enough to send a young boy to Cloud 9. Swede grows up to live out a Jewish version of the American fantasy--he marries Miss New Jersey, buys the old stone mansion of his dreams, has a daughter, and lives the life of an upper middle class WASP. But it all turns into nightmare as daughter Merry grows up and gets caught up in the turmoil of the 60's.

Many consider "American Pastoral" Roth's masterpiece, and it won a Pulitzer. But as a Roth fan, I was disappointed. Was this story merely Skip's imagining of what had happened in the Swede's life? I tended to think so, which might explain the lack of immediacy I felt as I read. Too much of the second half of the book consists of Zuckerman's imaginings of the obsessions in Swede's mind as his personal American dream turns into a hellish nightmare. I felt as if I was going round and round in this poor guy's brain, never to escape. No doubt that's what Roth wanted to convey, but I found it wearing. I find other works of Roth far more compelling, "The Plot Against America" The Plot Against America and "The Human Stain" The Human Stain: A Novel among them. If you felt the same as I did about "Pastoral" don't give up on Roth; try these others.