Product Description
In 1981, when Raymond Abbott was a twelve-year-old sixth-grader in Camden, New Jersey, poor city school districts like his spent 25 percent less per student than the state's wealthy suburbs did. That year, Abbott became the lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit demanding that the state provide equal funding for all schools. Over the next twenty-five years, as the non-profit law firm representing the plaintiffs won ruling after ruling from the New Jersey Supreme Court, Abbott dropped out of school, fought a cocaine addiction, and spent time in prison before turning his life around.

Raymond Abbott's is just one of the many human stories that have too often been forgotten in the policy battles New Jersey has waged for two generations over equal funding for rich and poor schools. Other People's Children, the first book to tell the story of this decades-long school funding battle, interweaves the public story--an account of legal and political wrangling over laws and money--with the private stories of the inner-city children who were named plaintiffs in the state's two school funding lawsuits, Robinson v. Cahill and Abbott v. Burke. Although these cases have shaped New Jersey's fiscal and political landscape since the 1970s, most recently in legislative arguments over tax reform, the debate has often been too abstract and technical for most citizens to understand. Written in an accessible style and based on dozens of interviews with lawyers, politicians, and the plaintiffs themselves, Other People's Children crystallizes the arguments and clarifies the issues for general readers.

Beyond its implications for New Jersey, this book is an important contribution to the conversations taking place in all states about the nation's responsibility for its poor, and the role of public schools in providing equal opportunities and promising upward mobility for hard-working citizens, regardless of race or class. ... Read more

Product Description
General Books publication date: 2009Original publication date: 1894Original Publisher: MacCrellish ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR’d book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Publisher: Trenton, N.J., The J.L. Murphy Publishing Co., PrintersPublication date: 1902Subjects: Educational law and legislation -- New JerseyNotes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Romeo and Juliet in northern New Jersey? Yiddish constellations in Asbury Park? A garbage dump in the Meadowlands that's filled with old musical instruments from a high school marching band? Love and sex, hockey and snorkeling, a family that is falling apart despite the best intentions-this is what Frederick Reiken has delivered in his brilliant second novel.But the real subject is true love, the one and only-known in Yiddish as b'shert. Anthony Rubin, the young protagonist, isn't sure whether he's found it with his neighbor, Juliette, daughter of a reputed Mafioso. His mother, who quits the family after her husband's affair with a neighbor, doesn't believe in true love at all. But his father does, and so does Anthony's grandpa, who meets the love of his life at 78. Reiken is known for creating characters you feel you've known all your life, for mapping landscapes with profound intimacy and wonder. The Lost Legends of New Jersey is a rich, resonant book, filled with joy as well as heartbreak, and the extraordinary magic that can arise within ordinary lives.
Amazon.com Review
In Frederick Reiken's first novel, The Odd Sea, a family grappled with an almost unreal dilemma: the unsolved disappearance of a son. His second effort, The Lost Legends of New Jersey, is also a family saga. But this time the focus--the suburban dissolution of the Rubin clan--is more mundane, and the novel's casual eye toward chronology keeps the plot from accumulating much in the way of momentum. Indeed, the only way young Anthony Rubin can make sense of his experience is to give it a legendary spin:

He was always doing that, making things up, trying to see how it all might fit into a legend. He didn't understand why he did this, because New Jersey was not a legend. It was the armpit of America, according to most people. Still he saw everything around him as a legend.

Customer Reviews (43)

Wonderful short stories/chapters...
I bought this book after reading and thoroughly enjoying Reikin's new novel, "Day for Night". That book was one of the best novels I've read this year and I was anxious to compare his early writing with his later writing.

Like "Day for Night", "Lost Legends" is a book with short stories/chapters which all interrelate. The main character, Anthony Rubin, is a highschool ice hockey star in the hinterlands of the New Jersey suburbs in the early 1980's. His parents' marriage is falling apart; his high-strung mother wreaks havoc with her low key doctor husband. They separate and Jess, Anthony's mother moves to Sarasota to begin a new life, sans husband and children. Anthony's last two years of high school are filled with the comings and goings of family members and friends, all of which have an effect on his life. Reiken's look at Anthony's family and friends is sweet and endearing. "Lost Legends" is not quite as good as his later book, but I assume that 10 years between publications only allowed his writing skills to mature to the level they are today.

A GOOD READ
THE LOST LEGENDS OF NEW JERSEY

The Rubin and Berkowitz families are neighbors who vacation together on the Jersey shore.The families are close, especially the boys, Jay and Anthony.Life is good until two of their parents get involved and have an affair.This changes everything and everybody in both families.

Our focus is Anthony Rubin.His mom, Jess, cannot deal with the infidelity and/or most of life, and takes off for Florida, leaving her daughter, Dani, Anthony, and his dad to fend for themselves.Anthony's dad is a doctor, so the kids pretty much are on their own for their teen-age years.

The members of the Rubin family are the main characters in this book.What great characters they are!Michael, the dad, is trying to hold a demanding job as a doctor.Dani is without her mom and doing the best she can going to school, trying to get into college.However, Dani is a strong woman and takes care of her dad and brother, Anthony.Anthony is very vulnerable.He plays hockey in high school and is trying hard to fit in.Enter Juliette, his next door neighbor.Anthony has admired her from afar for years; finally, they start to hang out together.

People in this small New Jersey town are very leary and afraid of Juliette's parents -- her dad is a small time hood, heavily in debt to loan sharks who repeatedly beat the crap out of him.Her mom is considered to be a bit odd and people avoid her.When tradgey strikes this family, Juliette is drawn to Anthony.One catch -- Juliette is going with Tommy, who is a total jerk, who gets his kicks beating up on anyone who looks at him sideways.So, Juliette starts to sneak seeing Anthony.

Anthony and Juliette become a "couple" -- sort of.They need each other, but Juliette is numb to emotion, yet manages to care for Anthony.

The book takes us through the years as Dani, Anthony,and Juliette go through school, college, young adult-hood.They go through the ups and downs of life, along with family members and those trials and tribulations.

There are some flashbacks into the lives of Anthony's parents.All of this ties nicely into a good book, one that I would recommend.You should also read THE ODD SEA. That was also a good book.

Happy reading!

Thank you -- Pam

Thank You Mr Reiken
I wish I had read this beautful book in 2000 when it first came out! I suppose it wasn't meant too be till now!I can't even explain the feelings you brought to the surface of all the 70's and 80 knowledge and the unsure steps we took. NEVER have I felt the pain andLove of each person ina book. You are amazing! Also read "The Odd Sea" Outstanding!
What I wouldn't give to meet you and just say THANK"S!!!!! Please fellow readers trust me on this .. you will Fall In Love all over again! I Hope you will write another book,,,I will be first on line!
Thank you..
Colleen

great novel
This is one of my favorite novels.I went to school in New Jersey and Reiken does an excellent job of capturing the local flavor while telling layers of coming-of-age stories.A real treat!

Lost Legends of New Jersey
Wonderful!Wonderful!! Wonderful!! I grew up in New Jersey and to see towns, places, streets and other things mentioned within the story brought the whole book and story alive!!! A great book and a wonderful story, Three days and I was done ready it! That says alot for me!! Hope to see many more works from this young man. There is so much to write about the people of this wonderful state. The family life is boundless. Each generation and each family has a story!!! ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1916.This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies.All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume. ... Read more

Product Description
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. ... Read more

Product Description
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. ... Read more

Product Description
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent Historical reference
Though this is a great book of NJ Educational laws, be ye careful. It is the NJ Educational laws as dated 1911. Do not purchase this book if you are looking for current NJ Educational laws ... Read more