KILLING THE POORMASTER, A Saga of Povery, Corruption and Murder in the Great Depression

by Hollly Metz

In Hoboken, New Jersey in 1938, as in other cities in our country, thousands of people were unemployed and literally starving.  The position of Poormaster was created and poormasters were given a budget and charged with doling out the necessary aid to assist people in their towns.

Unfortunately, Harry Barck, the poormaster for the City of Hoboken, New Jersey was one of the worst examples of someone entrusted with this power.  He was a cold hearted, stingy and mean man who went out of his way to further humiliate those he was appointed to serve; proud when he denied aid to the neediest of families, while filling the pockets of town officials and family members with the aid money.  

Joseph Scutellaro was just one of the many unemployed, struggling to even feed his family.  On February 25, 1938, Mr. Scutellaro followed the rules of the time and applied to Mr. Barck for aid, for money and for coupons for stale bread to keep his family alive.  Instead of doling out the very barest of assistance as he was charged to do, Mr. Barck suggested that Mr. Scutellaro's wife prostitute herself to feed the family, rather then asking for aid from the city.  Driven by frustration, anger and fear for his family, Joseph Scutellaro wrestled with Harry Barck in the poormaster's office, and either by accident or on purpose, Mr. Barck died from having a paper spindle pierce his heart.  Despite his claims of innocence, Joseph Scutellaro was arrested for the murder of Harry Barck.

But this true story deals with so much more than a death, even if it was murder.  It's the story of desperate people and horrible events during the Great Depression.  With no one looking over their shoulders, poormasters had free rein in deciding how to spend the aid money.  Some did what they were supposed to do and helped the very poorest of their townspeople; and then there were the Harry Barcks, not even doing the barest minimum to keep people alive.

Mr. Barck's death and Mr. Scutellaro's trial turned the national spotlight on the City of Hoboken and the plight of everyone in the country suffering just trying to exist.  Joseph Scutellaro was saved from the electric chair when his attorneys, led by prominent New York Attorney Samuel Leibowitz, argued that the struggle between Mr. Scutellaro and the poormaster was a symbol of the larger social ills of the time.

We've all heard stories from relatives who lived through the depression, but Ms. Metz has delved deeper and unearthed a heartbreaking story of despair and greed during that tragic era.  The position of poormaster disappeared in the 1940s, replaced with social assistance programs that still exist today.

KILLING THE POORMASTER is a hard book to read and even harder to put down.  Well written, it depicts the gut wrenching desperation and corruption that occurred in Hoboken, and it should be on everyone's "must read" list.

ISBN:  9781613744185
Pub. Date:  October 1, 2012
320 pages
Harcover and eBook

HAPPY 2013 EVERYONE!! (A little late)

I've been MIA on Monarch Book Reviews for quite a while and I apologize to my  faithful followers.

Toward the end of the summer our home was broken into.  The thieves took too many things to list, but most importantly, they robbed me of my sense of safety and comfort in my home.   I spent many sleepless nights worrying over the "what ifs".  Luckily I was away when it happened, but since the burglary occurred during the daytime, what if I had been home when they broke in?   What if they came back?   It took almost two months to deal with just the missing checkbooks, credit cards and other personal items, as well as the insurance company, not to mention the many many upgrades to our home alarm system.

We added motion lights outside and it took a while to get them to work properly, spending more than a few nights with so many lights on all night long, you could probably see us glowing on the moon!

Not long after returning to New Jersey, Hurricane Sandy hit our state with a vengeance.  Unlike so many people, we were fine; just without power for ten days.  As collections of donated items for the hardest hit at the Jersey shore began, I met a neighbor on my street who was accepting donated clothing.  As chance would have it, her home had been  broken into just that week as well as another on our same street.  You can imagine how all the worry and what-ifs returned.

But through it all, I spent my time with books; lots of books!  Books by Yrsa Sigurdardottir, Sue Grafton, Camilla Lackberg, David Baldacci, Kathleen Grissom, John Grisham, Dana Haynes, Cara Black, Michael Connelly and many others.  I made quick work of everything written by Robert Crais (love Elvis Cole!) and  Ake Edwardson.  Most were enjoyable, some were wonderful and some just okay.  But I'm sorry I wasn't able to focus on my blog and send my regular book reviews out into the Ethernet for others to enjoy.

2012 wasn't all doom and gloom.  There were many bright spots.  Our older son and his wife celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary!  Our younger son moved to NYC and is in a wonderful new relationship.  He also adopted a rescue dog named Ralph.  Ralph is a nine year old mini Schnauzer and he's an absolute delight!  He's a silly looking little dog and he's always messy and unkempt and constantly makes you smile!  Our older son's longtime friend and his wife had their first baby and it's been great seeing the photo updates.  Last, but certainly not least, my husband and I celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary on January 10th.

There are even more new "men" in my life.  My husband finally realized a lifelong dream and is now the proud owner of two Clydesdales.  Mike and Sherman (they came with their names) are truly gentle giants, weighing in at about 1,800 pounds each, but acting like eager puppies! George now spends his vacation time mucking out stalls, riding Mike or Sherman and teaching them to work as as team pulling a cart.  The "men" are pictured here with our good friend Pete.  George rode a Clydesdale many years ago when he was a member of the Junior Essex Troup in West Orange, New Jersey.

Needless to say, I'm glad that 2012 is over and that we're just at the beginning of a bright new year.

Hope you'll come back and join me for new adventures and book reviews in 2013!

THEN AGAIN

by Diane Keaton

Clearly Diane Keaton suffers from ADD, ADHD and a host of other conditions that are portrayed in her iconic Annie Hall persona.  She is at the same time clearly an abundant “creative", and for anyone sharing the same traits, tribulations and closeted abnormalities, the tone and rhythm of her recently published autobiography “Then Again”, rings true.

If you’re used to linear plots or well developed themes in your reading, take a step back; Keaton’s endlessly looping reflections, run-on sentences and long-lingering reflections will drive you mad.   For me they read as an unfolding of my own convoluted stream of consciousness as she shares her “collage” of revelations and wonderful anecdotes from her personal and professional life.

The book is not only about Di-Annie’s history but an intimate look into the life of her recently deceased mother Dorothy Keaton Hall, a suburban housewife of the fifties whose own awakening was portrayed through endless notebooks and catalogs left behind.   Reflections on not only the lives of her four children but much of her inner self are captured as life moved on and the times changed dramatically for her in the sixties and seventies.  After Dorothy ultimately succumbed to a prolonged case of Alzheimer’s disease, Diane chose to parallel her own life's stages against those of her mother in this book and what emerges is a deeply endearing portrait of mother and daughter; the life and joys they shared, and the many instances where intimacy was lost or connections just not made.  There is some regret.

Sad and sweet, this is a wonderful book, and by all means not in the chick lit category, it deserves to be seriously treated and seriously read.  I really, really loved it. 

NOTE:  This review was written by my new guest blogger, my husband George Kimmerle.  I haven't yet read Ms. Keaton's book, but will post my own footnote after I do.  Thank you, George!

ISBN: 978-0-8129-8095-0

Pub. Date:  Nov. 15, 2011

303 pages

Hardcover, Paperback and eBook

BROKE LEG BEAR

Written by Loren Spiotta-DiMare
Illustrated by Key Wilde
Published by Woodlands Wildlife Refuge

BROKE LEG BEAR is the true story of a young black bear cub who was injured while crossing in front of a car in New Jersey.  Taken to the Woodlands Wildlife Refuge in Alexandria, New Jersey, the cub was treated for the injury to her leg and nicknamed Broke Leg Bear by the staff.  

Tracey Leaver, founder and executive director of Woodlands, developed the black bear rehabilitation program in 1995.  The book details the Refuge's work in caring for wild animals until they are able to return to the wild.  During Broke Leg's stay at the refuge, nine more bear cubs arrived, most because their mothers were destroyed after becoming nuisance bears, frightening people in their yards or breaking into homes while searching for food.  The animals are cared for until they are old enough or, in the case of injury, strong enough to be released back into their natural habitat.

Woodlands is the only facility licensed in New Jersey to care for bears and has been able to successfully release more than sixty.  It is a non-profit organization and receives no state or federal funding, relying solely on donations. Life-long animal lover Spiotta-DiMare's tale of BROKE LEG BEAR, beautifully illustrated by Wilde, was released for the 25th anniversary of Woodlands Wildlife Refuge and all proceeds benefit the Refuge.  They continue their fine work in New Jersey, caring for more than 800 wild animals each year, including raccoons, foxes, woodchucks, otters, beavers and rabbits.

Lynn's footnote:  We had a black bear in our yard last year as noted in a previous blog entry, and a large one passed just under the window of my home office about two weeks ago.  A gentleman who works with my husband and lives in Randolph came home to find a bear in his house last year.  He and his family were advised by the police to just stay in their car and wait until the bear left.  Widespread development has disturbed so many of the places bears originally called home, making it more common to see black bears in populated areas of New Jersey.  It's estimated that there are 3,400 black bears in northwest NJ, and approximately 464 bears were killed during the annual state bear hunt in 2011.   


ISBN 978-0-615-51973-9
Pub. Date:  2011
Hardcover available from Woodlands Wildlife Refuge 
www.woodlandswildlife.org

FIFTY SHADES OF GREY

by E.L. James

I admit I'm a bit of a book snob.  I never read the TWILIGHT series or the HARRY POTTER series.  Whenever almost everyone is reading the same book, I just seem to lose interest.  But everyone, everywhere seems to be reading the FIFTY SHADES trilogy, particularly middle aged women.  In May 2012 I heard on the news that the books were sold out everywhere in NYC and that libraries in three states had banned the series.  Recently there was a psychiatrist on one of the morning talk shows who commented that she was "afraid that people would be hurt" after reading the books.  HURT??!!  Additionally, adult sex shops cannot keep up with sales of some of their merchandise......what in the world!?

With over ten million copies sold in 37 countries, FIFTY SHADES OF GREY is the first book in a trilogy that is defined on its back cover as an "erotic romance for a mature audience."  The trilogy is noted for its erotic scenes with elements of BDSM (a condensed acronym coined in the 1990s to include bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, sadism and masochism).

Minus the vampires, the FIFTY SHADES trilogy was developed from a TWILIGHT fan fiction originally titled MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE and self-published episodically on fan-fiction websites under the pen name "Snowqueens Icedragon".  It ultimately evolved into the best selling trilogy released in April 2012 that booksellers can't keep on their shelves.

Wanting to see what all the hype was about, I finally relented and borrowed a copy of the first book after two of my friends started whizzing through the series recently.  Honestly, by page 77 I couldn't stop laughing!  With such pithy phrasing as "you are quite the disciplinarian", "he gasps, his eyes wide", "I gasp...my heartbeat spikes", and my personal favorite, "I'd like to bite that lip", the author at least threw in a few "holy shits" to keep the characters more normal.  And these phrases are all within the same three pages!

While the author tries to elevate her writing with some well spaced fifty-cent words, the overall tone of FIFTY SHADES OF GREY can only be compared to a Harlequin Romance on crack!

Folks, ladies, please, there are so many wonderful books to read!  Aren't we more intelligent than this???

ISBN 978-0-345-80348-1
Pub. Date:  April 2012
514 pages
Paperback and eBook

BINGO and Other Short Stories

by T..J. Childers

As some of you know, I'm not a big fan of short stories, but every once in a while a collection of shorts comes along that is just too good to pass up.  This was the case with BINGO and Other Short Stories  by T.J. Childers.

PHOTOGRAPH, the first in the group, is a touching and haunting tale.  I laughed out loud after reading GARDEN SNAKE, and VALENTINE'S DAY was terrific!  My husband who never reads fiction borrowed my kindle and his personal favorite was GEOFF GEORGE.

Self-published on Amazon.com (and only available as an eBook or download to your computer or Smartphone), this young author from Hillside, New Jersey has a strong voice and a pleasingly quirky style.  T.J. Childers is someone to watch and I'm looking forward to the next book from this fresh new writer!


ASIN BOO88PBEWW
Pub. Date:  June 3, 2012
eBook available at Amazon.com


Thanks to Joanne Large for introducing me to Childers' work!

BIG GULP BANNED-WAGON

It was with great interest that I read Edward Morrissey's CNN Opinion  BIG GULP?  MEET BIG BROTHER, about Mayor Bloomberg's proposed ban of supersized soft drinks in New York City.  Earlier this week, a friend and I were having a discussion about this very subject.

Years ago when everyone jumped on the smoking banned-wagon (pun intended), I warned everyone who would listen that we need to be careful about personal rights.  Unfortunately, most people don't care unless and until someone proposes to ban something they're fond of.

Recently my family was in a nice restaurant enjoying lunch in New Jersey.  An older couple came in and was seated at a table next to us.  Obviously these people were old school and stored their winter clothing away with mothballs; a horrible odor that I personally can't stand.  When I couldn't think of any way to get up and change tables without making the newcomers feel uncomfortable, I simply, accidentally on purpose, spilled my entire glass of water on the tablecloth, forcing our move to a different table, which my son thought was hillarious.  Should I start a petition to ban mothballs? 

Personally, I can't stand perfume or aftershave, especially when it's applied in large doses.  I don't like the smell of acrylic nails being applied when you go for a simple manicure.  Both of these could be considered second-hand health risks to people with breathing problems.  But you'll never hear me calling for a ban on perfume, acrylic nails, alcohol or mothballs because I believe we have the right to behave as stupidly as we want to without government intervention.  The powers-that-be can argue that sugar, like cigarettes, is a national health concern, but there are so many things that I wouldn't choose to do or ingest that could be considered a  major health concern if you're looking at figures and statistics.

Many years ago when my youngest son was in grammar school, the McDRUG FREE group in Morristown, NJ decided to include alcohol in their list of drugs, adding "ALCOHOL IS A LIQUID DRUG" to all their banners and fliers.  Now, I'm not much of a drinker and never have been, and didn't give this too much thought until I went to the grocery store with my son.   My in-laws were coming for dinner and I added a six-pack of beer to my cart, since Grandpa always enjoyed a cold glass with dinner during the summer.  My young son started screaming for me to put the beer back on the shelf because it was a liquid drug!  I had to explain in great detail that while the McDrug Free group had good intentions, they weren't always right.  As a postscript to this, the children were all asked to sign (along with their parents) a pledge to remain drug and alcohol free.  After a long discussion, we sent a note to the teacher explaining why Bill would not be participating in this particular pledge.  How can an elementary school child have the understanding of a pledge to never take a drink???  When they had the McDrug Free assembly at school and asked each child to stand if they signed the pledge, the students seated near our son wanted to know why Bill didn't have to stand up.  Interestingly enough, our children didn't grow up to be druggies or alcoholics, but they did grow up having a strong sense of themselves and a compassion for others.  Please don't think this is an attack on the McDrug Free or DARE programs, but our "war on drugs" hasn't been very successful....maybe because we didn't call it the "BAN on drugs"?

Almost every moment of every day someone is doing something that could effect our health care costs.   Happy hour, chocolate, riding a motorcycle without a helmet, fried food, riding a bike on two lane roads without shoulders, donuts, tanning salons, bungee jumping, and the list goes on; all have an impact on our health and health care costs.  Don't tennis elbow, shin splints and housemaid's knee add to the health care costs, too?  Maybe we need a ban on housework?  The big question remains...how far should the government be allowed to go to curtail our personal freedom?

I grew up in an age when people would buy cartons of cigarettes as Christmas gifts (back when we could still call it Christmas), the same with BB guns, and no one thought twice about giving their son or daughter a copy of HUCKLEBERRY FINN.  We used to have tubes of something called Plastic Bubbles, a horrible chemical smelling substance we could blow into bubbles to toss around.  Every young boy made models with that stinky airplane glue -- I'm not even sure this stuff is still being sold.  We've evolved into being much more health conscious than our grandparents on one hand which is great, but much less so when it comes to things like food additives and preservatives.

Banning things we don't personally like or enjoy has become a way of life.  Books, music, food, activities, pick your favorite.  It's frightening to think that our children and grandchildren are growing up accepting that these new restrictions on personal choice are the norm.

I'm just glad that Mayor Bloomberg didn't attack diet soda or I'd really be in trouble.   While I'm thinking about it, New Yorkers need to definitely ban a fourth term for the mayor.  I'd sign that petition for sure!

THE SKELETON BOX A Starvation Lake Mystery

by Bryan Gruley

The third in the Starvation Lake Mystery series finds local newspaper editor Gus Carpenter involved in the investigation of the bingo night burglaries in the small town of Starvation Lake.  While the residents are attending bingo at the local Catholic Church, homes are being broken into, but strangely, nothing appears to be missing; the thief just rifles through personal and financial papers.

As tensions mount, things take a turn for the worse when someone is murdered during another break-in.  The victim is the mother of Gus' ex-girlfriend, local police woman Darlene Espers.  Even worse, the murder occurred during the burglary of the home of Bea Carpenter, Gus' ailing mother.

The town of Starvation Lake is fraught with more turmoil.  Even as the local sheriff  is under fire to solve the burglaries, one of his deputies is working against him while planning his own election campaign.  Then there is the born-again Christian group that's not only kicking up a fuss, but threatening to disrupt the season for the local hockey team, the lifeblood of entertainment and pride for this small community.

Working with newcomer Luke Whistler, a seasoned older reporter, Carpenter finds himself looking into the mysterious disappearance of a beautiful young nun decades earlier, and how her disappearance may be linked to both his mother and the events in Starvation Lake today.

I've enjoyed all three of the author's books, and his characters and writing just keep getting better.  Mr. Gruley has created another fun and satisfying mystery with THE SKELETON BOX....be sure to add it to your summer reading list!

ISBN 987-1-4165-6366-2
Pub. Date:  6/5/2012
336 Pages
Hardcover and eBook

CLIFF WALK - Liam Mulligan Series No. 2

by Bruce DeSilva

Liam Mulligan, a seasoned investigative reporter with the Providence Dispatch Newspaper, is back in this new mystery from Bruce DeSilva.  The second in the Mulligan series deals with legalized prostitution and pornography, specifically child pornography and murder in Providence, Rhode Island.

As I've mentioned in earlier reviews, I don't enjoy fiction that deals with heinous crimes against children. Especially when the story involves body parts.  To be honest, I would have stopped before I started if I hadn't read Mr. DeSilva's first book, ROGUE ISLAND, and thoroughly enjoyed not only his writing style but also his portrayal of graft and corruption in Rhode Island.

Mulligan is a likeable man who is dealing with the demise of the newspaper business, as well as with Dorcas, his shrill and angry soon-to-be ex-wife. Mulligan is joined once again in his investigations by Thanks-Dad, his nickname for the son of the newspaper's publisher.  Attilla-the-nun, State Police Capt. Steve Parisi, and a host of other intriguing and fun protagonists add to the author's smooth writing style and tongue-in-cheek dialogue.

But best of all, and lucky for the reader, the plot of CLIFF WALK is secondary to his scathing portrayal of the city of Providence; terrific fun if you don't happen to live in Rhode Island.  Being from New Jersey, which is very often portrayed as a mob-infested, crime-riddled state, it's refreshing to let another state take the rap for a change!

If you can get past the subject matter, this newest Liam Mulligan mystery is a good read and very entertaining.

ISBN 978-0-76533-237-0
Pub. Date:  May 22, 2012
320 Pages
Hardcover and eBook 

BOOK REVIEWS ON THE STONINGTON-MYSTIC PATCH

PATCH me in!

You can now find my book reviews and blog posts on the Stonington-Mystic Patch in Connecticut.  I've been submitting reviews for about two weeks and the response has been wonderful!  Thanks to everyone who emailed me.

Don't forget that you can also follow my reviews through the Recorder Newspapers in New Jersey.  You can find the Monarch Book Reviews link on the website of each of their sixteen community newspapers.

I've been reading some terrific new books and hope to continue to include more local authors, both in New Jersey and Connecticut.  Please check back to find new books to add to your summer reading list.

It's great to hear from each of you, so please keep your comments, emails and especially your ARCs coming!