Description:
New Jersey: A History of the Garden State is a fresh and comprehensive overview of New Jersey's history from the prehistoric era to the present. The findings of archaeologists, political, social, and economic historians are brought together to offer a new look at the ways in which the Garden State has changed over time. From its pivotal role in the American Revolution to its modern-day suburbs and cities, this book shows how the small state of New Jersey is often a bellwether for the nation.
Review Quotes: "Maxine Lurie and Richard Veit do more than just connect the chronological dots of our sprawling history from the first Lenape inhabitants 12,000 years ago to today's hectic lifestyles. They've culled the talents of 11 scholars and combined their insights and expertise into a resource intended for both students and a general audience. The editors introduce and contextualize a yeasty mix of characters--loyalists, revolutionaries, Federalists, Republicans (soon to be Democrats), Whigs, abolitionists, plutocrats, inventors, reformers, bosses (think Frank Hague) -- into nicely organized chapters ranging from the pre-colonial up to suburbanization and cities in distress. This being New Jersey, though, the volume is not without inflections of whimsy."
-- "Star-Ledger"