There's More to New Jersey than the Sopranos

Marc Mappen

Published by Rutgers University Press 2009

There's More to New Jersey than the Sopranos

Marc Mappen

https://doi.org/10.36019/9780813548449

Overview
Contents

About this book

An American tourist in Europe stopped at a restaurant in Gdansk, Poland, and struck up a conversation with a local. "Where do you come from?" he asked. "New Jersey," she said. He smiled and replied, "Ah, Sopranos!"

Even fans of that popular show, one that held viewers captive, may be a bit disheartened to discover that the first thing that pops into minds around the world about New Jersey is a dysfunctional crime family, just an exit or two off the infamous N.J. Turnpike. But there's no need to live in fear that the only culture and history that the state is known for is, well, let's say, a bit of bada bing. Actually, the echo of the Big Bangùthe cosmic event that marked the birth of our universe some 13.7 billion years agoùwas first identified by scientists from Bell Labs in Murray Hill, New Jersey.

In this lively romp through history from the primitive past to the present day, Marc Mappen's message resonatesùThere's More to New Jersey than the Sopranos. Real tales, wise tales, tall tales abound throughout the pages of Mappen's collection, filled with zest, humor, scandal, and occasionally tragedy. Annie Oakley. Ulysses S. Grant. Benedict Arnold. Ezra Pound. Shoeless Joe Jackson. These luminaries and many others share a common bond with the state that witnessed prehistoric elephants roaming its pastures, the explosion on the USS Princeton, a Martian invasion, famous firsts like the phonograph, electric light, and movies, and, well, step aside Tony Soprano: mobster Al Capone strolling along the Atlantic City boardwalk.

Providing a lens into American history through lively prose and more than twenty-five illustrations, There's More to New Jersey than the Sopranos is as much fun as a trip to the Jersey Shore and definitely more rewarding than a night home watching televisionù simply stated, this book is one you can't refuse to read.

Author / Editor information

Marc Mappen is the coeditor of the award-winning Encyclopedia of New Jersey and author of Jerseyana: The Underside of New Jersey History (both Rutgers University Press). He has written articles for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Rutgers Magazine,New Jersey Heritage, and otherpublications and has appeared on the History Channel and National Public Radio.

Reviews

"Mappen pulls out little-known tidbits in our state's history to illustrate a long-standing assertion by many historians that it is difficult to find national and international events without some link to New Jersey. Mappen makes a sound argument to lift our state from a punchline to a more suitable noble station in our hearts and minds."

— Home News Tribune

"This is a delightful and informative book--where scholarship meets Weird New Jersey. Mappen is truly New Jersey's master historical storyteller."

— Mark Lender, Kean University

"Mappen's little book, brimming with page-turning tales of our funny, ironic, serious, tragic, heroic, shameful, endlessly fascinating history is proof enough that it's title is indeed true. Five stars: Excellent in scholarship, writing style, and graphic/typography."

— Garden State Legacy

"So, you think you know New Jersey history? Well, think again. In There's More to New Jersey than the Sopranos, Marc Mappen provides readers with dozens of fascinating Jersey stories. From long-buried mastodons to menacing Martians, it is all here. This book is a must-read."

— Dr. Richard Veit, Department of History and Anthropology, Monmouth University

"There's More to New Jersey than the Sopranos lives up to its title, and then some. The book is a delightful read, full of wit and information on every page."

— Thomas Fleming, Winner of the Richard J. Hughes Award for Lifetime Achievement in New Jersey His

"You can sense the twinkle in Marc Mappen's eyes as he tells tales--real, wise and tall--packed with zest, humor, scandal, and occasionally tragedy."

— Star-Ledger

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Introduction Publicly Available Download PDF	ix
1. How We Got to Where We Are Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
2. When Prehistoric Elephants Roamed New Jersey Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	15
3. New Jersey Was Paradise Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	18
4. Move Over, Betsy Ross Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	22
5. Good Golly, Miss Molly Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	27
6. The Caldwell Murder Case Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	38
7. “The Cow Chace” Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	42
8. Classical Gas Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	46
9. The Congressman’s Cold Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	49
10. The First Flight Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	54
11. John Adams’s Ass Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	58
12. Man Eats Tomato and Lives! Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	62
13. Explosion on the USS Princeton Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	66
14. Two New Jersey Soldiers in Confederate Prisons Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	70
15. General Grant Skips the Theater Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	78
16. The Jersey General and the Secret of Custer’s Last Stand Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	81
17. Poor Mary Smith Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	90
18. Mrs. Stanton Steps Out in Tenafly Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	93
19. It’s About Time Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	97
20. Leprosy in the Laundry Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	100
21. Stephen Crane Gets into Trouble Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	105
22. The Ghostly Sphynx of Metedeconk Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	108
23. Annie Oakley Lived in Nutley, New Jersey Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	112
24. Scandal at the Girls’ Reform School Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	116
25. Alice Goes for a Drive Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	120
26. Billy Sunday Came to Trenton on Monday Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	124
27. Ezra Pound Insults Newark Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	127
28. Cher Ami Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	131
29. The Poet, the Athlete, and the War to End All Wars Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	135
30. The Applejack Campaign Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	139
31. Swan Song for Shoeless Joe Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	143
32. The Tragic Fall of the Mexican Lindbergh Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	146
33. On the Boardwalk with Al Capone Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	149
34. The Morro Castle Mystery Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	153
35. The Rise and Fall of a Great Detective Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	156
36. Mommy Was a Commie Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	159
37. The Martian Invasion Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	162
38. When New Jersey Was a Nazi Target Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	168
39. Teleporting Penguin Lands in New Jersey Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	171
40. The Serpent in the Garden State Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	175
Postscript: How to Write an Encyclopedia of New Jersey in Nine Easy Years Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	190
Suggestions for Further Reading Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	197
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	205
About the author Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	211