UNCLE JOHN'S BATHROOOM READER Plunges Into New Jersey
Overall the book is a delightful collection of New Jersey information. Literally, it's something to read when reading isn't the foremost thing on your mind.
However, I'd like to point a few things they missed about New Jersey.
On Page 21 the book refers to ''Smartswood lakes''.
The correct name is Swartswood as in Big Swartswood and Little Swartswood. Both are in Swartswood State Park.
On Page 306 it says:
Nutley lost nearly 3,000 of its residents in World War II. Their names are listed on the town's World War II memorial.
The memorial refered to lists the names of the nearly 3,000 Nutley residents who SERVED during WWII.
Actually, Nutley lost 92 in WWII, 17 in WWI, 9 in Korea, 9 in Vietnam, and 9 who died in service during peace.
The authors don't even try to explain the various words behind the acronym BENNY, a derogatory term for people from Bayone, East Newark, New York who go 'down the (Jersey) shore to become SHOOBIES - or people from not-around-here who wear shoes on the beach.
There are plenty of books about New Jersey - the nearly-all-inclusive list is Jack Mount's Books About New Jersey - and if you read them all, you'll probably find some more errors in Uncle John's book.
But if you use Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges In To New Jersey to pique your imagination, then it's a great place to start learning the vast and rich history and culture of our great state.
Then go out and find the rest of the story.
Copyright © 2006 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved.
1 comment:
Here's what Uncle John's editors wrote back:
Thank you so much for writing to us. We love to hear from our readers, especially the ones who keep us honest!
You're absolutely right about both of those errors. We've made a note of them and will correct them in future printings.
Thanks again for your input and keen eye. And as always, go with the flow.
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