To present these thoughtfully crafted case studies of undergraduate culture, the author did what anthropologists usually do in more distant cultures: he lived among the natives. His findings are sometimes disturbing, potentially controversial, but somehow very believable. This text presents a vivid slice of life of what the author saw and heard in the dorms of a typical state university, Rutgers, in the 1980s.

Six Guys is a memoir of friendship and a social history of Hackensack, New Jersey during the post-World War II era. Our group of six buddies met in elementary school and graduated from high school in 1963.

New Jersey Fan Club is an eclectic anthology featuring personal essays, interviews, photographs, and comics from a diverse group of writers and artists. An exploration of how the same locale can shape people in different ways, it will inspire readers to look at the Garden State with fresh eyes.

Finalist for Best Book of 2017 by CLMP’s Firecracker Award Just your average New Jersey childhood? Not exactly. A circus tiger attack, a schoolmate’s abduction, heartbreaking addicts, and a few close encounters with the seedier sides of humanity. Scott Loring Sanders’ suburban adolescence overflowed with perils: bone-crushing water slides, hitchhiking serial killers, a chilling collision in a ’71 Impala. From his tough, complex father to Sanders’ own reckoning of fatherhood and alcohol after leaving the Garden State, Surviving Jersey is a tour-de-force exploration of the risks that shape America’s youth. Praise for SURVIVING JERSEY: “Scott Loring Sanders’ Surviving Jersey brings…perilous locations vividly to life in an absorbing amalgam of ravenous tigers, crazy coincidences, memorable characters, and human folly. A good read for anyone from New Jersey, or anyone seeking a few compelling reasons to steer clear.” —Dinty W. Moore, author of Between Panic & Desire “Exuberant, gritty, and laugh-out-loud funny.” —Matthew Vollmer, author of Permanent Exhibit “We realize by the time we close this wonderful book that we have been reading not only about fear and human mistakes and how to survive despite them…but also about the richness of life, its connections and joys —the very things that help us hold onto hope for the future.” —Arts Fuse “Sanders’ brutal honesty is a hallmark and strength of Surviving Jersey. The book also gives the reader hope: If Sanders can survive and thrive despite the difficulties he encountered…then we all can.” —The Roanoke Times “Surviving Jersey takes one of the most fundamental human endeavors, to survive the hazards of our world, and applies it to hardy characters, risky decisions, and life-altering events. Its magic goes beyond asking Where are we going? and reminds us to also wonder: How did we make it to here?” —Sweet: A Literary Confection

Growing up in Jersey City, New Jersey, from 1966 to 1979, Tony quickly learns that there are few rules on the streets. A child born in the city has to learn fast, and Tony is no exception. The fictionalized memoir of author Jerry McGrellis speaks to the carefree days of the past while simultaneously focusing on the current problems of inner-city youth.

The Jewish practice of bar mitzvah dates back to the twelfth century. Yet, as this new study reveals, the ritual has changed dramatically over time and now serves as a sometimes shaky bridge between the values of contemporary American culture and Judaic tradition. Interviewing over 200 individuals involved in bar and bat mitzvah ceremonies, from family members to religious educators to rabbis, Patricia Keer Munro presents a candid portrait of the conflicts that often emerge and the negotiations that ensue.

Dr. Lee Kronert believes that his hometown, Springfield, New Jersey, was the best place ever to grow up in during the nineteen-sixties. Springfield, a predominantly Jewish community located right outside of the city of Newark and only 19 miles from New York City, was an absolute haven for young baby boomers. While the War in Vietnam, the Civil Right Marches, and three assassinations of United States leadership filled the headlines, life in the small community of Springfield continued on joyfully for those fortunate enough to call it their home. Instead of focusing on hippies protesting at sit-ins or stopping trains carrying young troops off to war, the youth of Springfield had sports to play and watch, the British Music Invasion, and getting to enjoy members of the opposite sex to occupy their minds. Oh, the town folks were well aware of the turbulent times around them and were not only concerned but reached out to assist those in need. Old and young alike in Springfield did not have their heads buried in the sand. No, they were good people who loved their neighbor and who raised their children to become caring, active and successful adults who in turn would help to make the world a better place.