I recently visited a friend/colleague in New Brunswick and we took some excursions to whatever the "nuclear waste" state was supposed to offer. Actually, they had grass and trees and gorgeous parks that we visited over a long weekend. This book was in the front seat and I learned as much about this wonderful part of America from reading along the way as actually seeing it!

This book is fantastic. I recently began working for a company in New Jersey, and decided to discover more about the Garden State. This is definitely the best guide book of its kind. Far superior to the others I purchased!
Buy it today. You'll love it.

The write-ups cover such a wide spectrum and the observations are right on the money that I think this is still the best guidebook on the Garden State. and those over-the border places like the Crayola Factory and Sesame Place in Pennsylvania were great when my nieces visited. Includes cruises like The Spirit of New Jersey and outlets like Westbury Commons and Flemington.I always keep a copy in the car.

It's a "Keeper" and you should just leave it in your kitchen so you won't have to go to and from the book shelf. The "Teachers Tips are amazing! It's like she is in the kitchen with you and can read your mind. Try the Mussel Soup aith Aioli and Saffron. Wonderful!

"Feastivals Cooks at Home" is packed with great recipes offered with a simple directness that is a real blessing for those of us who are technically challenged in the kitchen. The book offers an admirable range of formal and informal (try the orange chicken wings!), complicated and simple. And every dish that I've tried has turned out great. Good design, and very good writing make this cookbook a "must have" for any kitchen.

LOVE Chef June Jacobs' new cookbook! The recipes are delicious, the Teachers' Tips are invaluable, and the Wine Tips are exactly what I have wished for. The book is a compact 7 x 9 inches, spiral-bound, perfect for propping up on the kitchen counter while in use, and perfect for wrapping and mailing. The range of recipes in 192 pages is outstanding, everything you could possibly want to prepare--appetizers, soups, main dishes, desserts (GLORIOUS desserts), THE WORKS. And this book has CHARM. One of its most delightful features is the anecdotal material that Chef June shares about family and friends who inspired these recipes. This is a cookbook you can curl up with OUTSIDE the kitchen and read for FUN. I felt as if I were meeting the best of Charles Dickens' characters in this wonderful cookbook. In sum, the recipes are to SWOON over, Chef June's enthusiasm for the art of cooking and for these great recipes is contagious, I am thoroughly enjoying trying these recipes and sharing them with my friends and family. And I know you will, too!

There are now two editions of Boyle, the older version with an orange cover and the Barred Owl, and a newer version with a photo of a Hooded Warbler on the front. You'll want to make sure you get the latter, since many things have changed over the years.

It is one of the milder species of blasphemy, I suppose, to call any book one's "bible"; but since its appearance 17 years ago (!), Bill Boyle's NJBFG has served thousands of the birding faithful as ritual object and authoritative companion alike. My own copy of the first printing, with its ugly laminated binding in shreds and the bookblock bulging from tipped-in notes, photocopies, and clippings, is probably the single most used volume in my birding library: field guides come and go, but for nearly two decades now, Boyle has come and gone wherever I have.
Just how intensive my use of the book has been came clear to me with the arrival--"long-awaited," in the reviewer's cliche--of the second edition. As I read through the new treatments of areas long familiar to me, I discovered that (like many NJ birders) I'd actually memorized verbatim great chunks of the first edition, and that I noticed every new word and every new turn of phrase in the revised accounts. If it is true that every obsession is at its base religious, then this book truly is the birder's bible.
The birder's bible: divine in inspiration, certainly, but here and there the mortal nature of its human author peeks through. As anyone who has ever written anything knows, it is even more difficult to revise than to write, and this revised edition has some flaws that were not apparent in the first. There are far more copy-editing errors this time around, and the index--more important than ever, given the new book's rather breathless layout--is not an infallible help (just try to find the main entry for Merrill Creek!). Compared to the enjoyably expansive style of the first edition, the new entries strike me as occasionally a bit too concise, a problem that might have been eased by simply eliminating even more of the old sections treating sites that, like the Institute Woods, now offer (in Boyle's words) "the mere shadow" of their former glory; valuable space is also sacrificed to a number of new full-page illustrations.
These things having been said, the book is still an outstanding example of the bird-finding guide. The maps seem to be largely up to date and accurate (Sussex County birders: are Rockport and Blackdirt marshes really the same place?), the annotated species list is even more useful than in the first edition, and the binding isn't likely to crackle and peel. It will take only weeks, I am sure, for New Jersey birders to start quoting this new Boyle, chapter and verse.

This book is just as useful for seasoned birders as it is for the beginner, or the person new to New Jersey. Beginners will appreciate its review of New Jersey's best birding destinations; seasoned pros will enjoy the depth of the information and the amount of detail on nesting species and accounts of rarities.

For us locals, "Bird Finding" is great for those days when you want to hop in the car and travel to somewhere a little different, or if you want to explore a familiar destination a little more closely. The book offers detailed directions (although some of the exit numbers and streets have changed since its publication date), including which trail to follow, which tree to investigate, etc. Its accuracy is remarkable. It's clear Bill Boyle knows each location intimately and visits them often.

This is a must-have for any birder living in the state (and there are lots), and any vacationer planning to spend more than a weekend in New Jersey.

As an urban educator, no book is more valuable to me than this one. Understanding the problems of today's urban schools means reading Gerson's In The Classroom.

In the Classroom is one fast read: I downed it in one night. Right from the beginning, Gerson's account of teaching in the inner city is gripping. Tired, old assumptions are put to rest and new, provocative questions are raised by someone who was actually "there". Perhaps the best aspect of this book is the dialogue. The dialogue is so vivid that reader is taking a seat in Gerson's classroom. If it is not already clear, I highly recommend this book

If you're like me, you're a sort of level-headed, moderate-to-conservative American who is sick and tired of political extremism, government bureaucracy, and dumb ideas. You know what you like, and you base your political ideology on common sense, plain and simple. If all that is true, you'll enjoy Gerson's story of a spending a year in an inner-city New Jersey Catholic high school teaching American history. Gerson is the sort of guy who is not afraid to pull punches. If a student does something wrong, he is punished rather than pampered (eg, forced to listen to Sinatra during detention), and the results are amazing. A must-read

First I must credit Deborah Garrison and her book, "A Working Girl Can't Win," for even getting me interested in poetry after learning to hate it throughout high school.

Then I must credit my friend Misty for telling me about Mr. Ward's books. While I am not a fanatic like she is, I certainly appreciate his very real voice speaking to regular folks like me instead of above our heads. He brings us along for many little rides in this book--I especially love the poem where he is nine and the priest makes him believe he is Jesus! There is truth here, with humor and sadness.

I happened upon B.J. Ward the poet, looking for B.J. Ward the opera singer! I thought she would be performing at the College of New Jersey Writers Conference, so I went all the way to Trenton from Astoria, NY. How disappointed I was when I see this necktied white guy get up there and start reciting poetry! How elated I was after his first piece, his second piece, and--the highlight for me--his baseball poem! His books were sold out at the table, so I ordered them both from Amazon.com and can't praise him highly enough! To paraphrase Keatxs, I feel like a new star has just been discovered in my sky. This guy is terrific. I am actually looking for some first editions of his books--I think they'll be worth a lot someday.

I first encountered BJ Ward's poetry in the February issue of Poetry Magazine--an incredible poem called "The Star-Ledger." I ordered both his books based on the quality of that poem. I am so glad I did. I feel I've discovered a new world! He is writing with a voice that reminds me a little of the cavalierness of William Carlos Williams, the passion of Pablo Neruda, and the serious playfulness of Anne Sexton. I can't wait for his next book to be released.

Learning to play soccer at 30, 40, or 50 is nothing like learning to play tennis, ski, or snowboard at that age. This book captures the essence of the challenge, exhilaration, and camaraderie that adult women experience in taking on one of the most demanding sports. Soccer moms who have tried what these women have done will really empathize with this book. It also accurately depicts the group politics that arise when organizing a playing league of women who are new to team sports and expect fairness to be applied. "Alive and Kicking" is extremely well-written and is a highly enjoyable fast read. Circulate it amongst your teammates and significant others; they will all be delighted.

This book is for all adult women who play soccer and then pass this book to your husbands , boyfriends or significant other its a must read !!! Harvey caught the essence of exactly how deprived I felt not being in competitve sports when I was younger . Now later in life I like Harvery's wife became an organizer of women in sports. I felt like Harvey was writing about me . It was truly enjoyable to see a man appreciate and understand his wife's new found interest and ENCOURAGING it . What a wonderful book. Im sure I will see Harvey's wife in our OTH (over the hill) divison one day. Keep kickin it up !!! I recieved this book from my wonderful husband :)

As a novice soccer-playing mom, I can authoritatively recommend this book. Araton captures the essence of the soccer-mom playing movement: the pure joy - both physically and emotionally - that comes with playing a team sport for the first time. This book is more than soccer. It's the story of a great group of women who made a difference in their community.

While the author is redundant through-out the book, he has certainly brought to the public the oppor- tunity to look into the case of another "trial of the century". In taking the position that Richard Hauptman was wrongfully exicuted, Mr. Jones does show much evidence to demonstrate his claim, and I have been moved into the same opinion. The book is over 1200 pages, and at times tedious, but I found it to be well worth the time spent. Mr. Jones is into his eighties,and I think he should be commended for the accomplishment of his life's goal.

Jones documents more information in his book than any other thus far. While he presents his conclusions about who was responsible for the kidnapping, he leaves many avenues for other verdicts that may eventually come along. While the book is difficult to put down, there are times when the author presents needless details. On several occasions, he leads us through several pages that eventually go nowhere when a brief paragraph would have been sufficient. I have read dozens of books on the Lindbergh kidnapping case but this is the most complete so far. The book will make the reader very cautious concerning police and prosecuting practices in capital cases.

Sad to report that Mr. Wayne Jones passed away on Saturday, July 4, 1998. Although at times this book is tedious reading and, when needed, repetitious, it is a book that must be read if one is interested in the true story of the Lindburg kidnapping.

While "Palisades Amusement Park" might not be a book everyone would enjoy, it meant a great deal to me. I grew up in New Jersey, where this park was located and went there often as a child. The bus company where my Dad was employed provided free passes, which encouraged us to go. When it was destroyed, to erect a condo, my heart was broken, as I knew my daughter and grandchildren would never know the excitement I felt when I first rode the Cyclone at Palisades Park. Through this book, I was able to share some of my experiences with them. Even my son-in-law, who grew up in Georgia, enjoyed it, as history is one of his interests. If you are into historic sites or ever went to Palisades Park when you were young, I think this is a wonderful trip into the past.

ITS GREAT. BROUGHT BACK ALOT OF MEMORIES.DIDNT CARE FOR CONEY ISLAND THO. TOO MANY PICTURES AND THAT ALL IT WAS

This book was absolutely fantastic. I was 10 years old when Palisades park closed. I had vague reminiscences tucked away in the recesses of my mind of the many times I'd visited the park with my parents and grandparents. This book jogged them all loose in a wonderful cascade of memories. The book was cleverly written and well organized into the various epochs in the parks history. There were many interesting facts given, of which I was previously unaware. The book had a generous assortment of vintage photographs. My only wish (and this is no criticism of the book or author) was that the older pictures could have had better clarity, as I found myself desperately trying to get into the "way-back machine." Understandably, these were old, vintage photos and some graniness was therefore unavoidable. But I found myself clinging to each photo as memories would unfold. There was a nice set of color photos also included which were very vivid. I wish there could have been even more. My overall impression is that anyone who was ever lucky enough to have passed through the gates of this great american park will cherish this book.It was worth 100 times the amount I purchased it. I bought another copy for my mother. This is a book that anyone would love. Mr. Gargiulo; Thank you so much!

While I wouldn't consider myself a "paperweight" fan, I admire Paul Stankard's work immensely.

For so long I've wondered, "how does he accomplish such wonderful things?". This book cannot show his unique genius nor how his imagination works, but it does show just enough of his techniques to sate my never ending curiosity.

You can see how a thistle is built. There are gorgeous pictures of how a glass bee is build and attached to a honey comb. Here are the dragonflies, the orchids and those amazing root people!

The book is filled with full color pictures, and many wonderful detail views. In Paul Stankard's case, "God is in the details".

I admired Paul Stankard's work before I read this book. I admire his ability ever so much more now that I've seen the immesurable detail that goes into each piece.

Filled with beautifully detailed photographs of Paul Stankard's paperweights as well as excellent closeups of the making of his flowers and other paperweight inclusions. It also includes an interesting background on Paul's career and philosophy, but the multitude of wonderful color photographs of his extraordinary work are what make this book truly special.

You will not be able to stop the "oohs" and "aahs" . The artist has developed a style unlike anyone else and the photographs are so detail you feel like you have become part of the piece. A work of art in and of itself.