New Jersey Books

So far, about half way through the book and I find the acticles as good or better than the General BR series. I love American History, and this book is quite an addictive read! Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein would be proud, as they are both written about as New Jersey residents.

Heard Perdita Buchan lecture on Utopian communities through the Pinelands Preservation Alliance. Her book is fascinating and this is a much under examined topic. I'd recommend this to anyone who is interested in New Jersey history, the history of Utopian communities, or town/village development and evolution.

John Weingart's book is a well-written, detailed, and fascinating account of how the public's distrust of government can adversely affect public policy. Even though this book is a thorough case study of his experiences as Executive Director of the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility Siting Board, it reads like a story and doesn't get bogged down in excessive scientific rhetoric.

This book is perfect for anyone interested in public policy and/or the environment. Weingart objectively reports on how the public reacted to the Siting Board's activities and how the Board unsuccessfully tried to alleviate the public's fears. This is a GREAT book for the classroom because it is an example of how the real world works. Not only is this book ideal for public policy and political science classes, but it is also great for chemical and environmental engineering classes since working with the community and government is so important in these areas.

Make a special note of all the creative and interesting headlines and opposition flyers the Siting Board had to deal with as they traveled from town to town looking for the right place to build the facility!

I had John Sinton as a professor at Richard Stockton College of NJ in the early 1990's. This book was the basic text book of the Land Use Planning Course he taught. I recently re-read this book and noticed that a lot of the stories and background on the history of South Jersey including the now extinct South Jersey "PINEYS", similar to the Tennessee and Kentucky "Hillbillies", and the ever elusive Pennsylvania "Townies". Anyone who wants to learn about the history of South Jersey should pick up this book, remember New Jersey isn't only about Springsteen and the Soprano's.

As someone who grew up in Wharton, it was heartwarming to see the images of this special town. The writing and remembrances of the Kelly's rings true. It brought me "home" ... if only for the time it took to read this wonderful book. (The only thing I missed was Lobb's Luncheonette across from St. Mary's). Congratulations to Alan and Charlotte. I can't wait to share it with my nephews!

This book, by one of the most pre-eminent scholors in the field of paleontology, is not only accurate and thoroughly thought out, but is enjoyable to boot. It is a "must read" for anybody interested in paleontology; especially if they are from the Mid-Atlantic region.

I have lived a few miles for Colliers Mills for 28 years and never knew anything about it. Reading this great book has opened my eyes. It is packed full of history, botany, and wildlife information. It list the trails and the wonders of this precious peice of land and makes the reader long to hike through nature as God created it. I loved the easy read and can't wait to see what this author comes up with next.

William Franklin, born in 1730, was the illegitimate son of Benjamin Franklin. He traveled to England with his father in 1757 and married there; upon his return he was appointed governor of New Jersey. He performed his duties well and was highly regarded by the assembly that worked under him. Skemp describes Franklin as a great conciliator, able to appreciate both sides of every argument. He knew the colonists opposed increased taxation and the sending of British troops to Boston, but he also knew how much England needed the colonies and how they couldn't afford to totally antagonize them; he tried to walk the middle ground between the two sides. It became more and more difficult for him to succeed in this tack, and after Lexington and Concord, his days as governor became numbered.

According to Skemp Franklin was vain, ambitious, authoritarian, and stubborn when it came to principles. He could be fiercely loyal, as he was to the Crown, which he believed could best serve the colonists. Rather than flee as many other royal governors did when hostilities seemed imminent, Franklin stuck it out, trying to persuade the assembly to deal with England and to reject the Continental Congress. This failed, of course, and in June 1776, he was arrested and imprisoned in Connecticut. Released in 1778, he went to British-held New York and became a leader of a loyalist group that fought against the Americans. After the war he fled the country for England, where he died in 1813.

The relation between Ben and William is an interesting one that has intrigued historians over the years. They were very close at first, but opposing views regarding Crown and country separated them; their shared vanity and unyieldiness to principle is what probably made the separation permanent. Skemp is an excellent writer and writes a very clear account of her subject's life. Included is an excellent annotated bibliography. Highly recommended.

Most of us are familiar with the Political History of the 18th Century, which seems to be over-Romanticized. In this excellent book Derek Jarrett describes what it was like to be a Squire, a woman or a Child in this very rough age, by todays' standards. It wasn't like the Williamsburg Themepark at all. Described are how people from different walks earned a living, what they did for pleasure when they had time, and the Violence which seemed to permeate all Classes. Life was tough in the Georgian Age. The illustrations are almost all by William Hogarth who often showed the dark side of English Society of the mid-18th Century. Prints like "Gin Lane", "Rake's Progress" or the "Cockpit", show how rough life was, and go very well with the concise well-written text. The sources are all excellent. No doubt, the reader will come away with a new view toward the 18th Century. This book is accessible from everyone from the High School Student to the Scholar, and Jarrett writes in a way that keeps the reader interested. More Historians should write like him.

Wonderwalks: The Trails Of New Jersey Audubon by Patricia Robinson is a straightforward guide to the trails, sanctuaries, and nature centers owned by the New Jersey Audubon Society and which are open to the public without toll or entry fees. Black-and-white photographs, along with an inset section of color photographs, wonderfully enhance the solid text of basic information concerning recommended paths, species of birds, butterflies, and more to be seen on various walks. Citing open hours, contact information of sites, and so much more, Wonderwalks is especially recommended "interesting things to do" resource for New Jersey natives and tourists.