David J. Goodwin
Ballantine House, Newark, New Jersey
A week and some days ago, I spent an afternoon in downtown Newark, New Jersey. Anyone familiar with Newark knows that the city has seen far better days and that its “rebirth” has been inaccurately forecast on numerous occasions. Newark holds a nefarious—and not necessarily unearned—reputation for crime and corruption throughout and beyond the Garden…
Breaking News: History Found in New Jersey!
This Easter, my wife and I shared dinner with my in-laws at the Stage House Tavern in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. Incidentally, the meal and ambiance were excellent. If you’re a resident of the area or simply passing through, enjoy a few drinks or a meal at the Tavern. I doubt that you’ll leave disappointed.…
The Simple Life? Thoughts on Eric Brende’s Better Off
Last summer, I happened across a decade-old book, Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology by Eric Brende. This volume appears to be Mr. Brende’s sole publishing credit; in fact, he seems to have embraced the philosophy explored by his work and effectively constructed a life beyond the parameters of the internet and the computer…
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Enjoy a drink and a sliver of soda bread with friends or family. Find a genuine Irish bar wherein to celebrate the day. Listen to traditional Celtic music or read a piece of Irish literature. Or just watch The Quiet Man again. We’re all Irish today!
Washington Irving, Gibbet Island, and Jersey City
My post from last summer examined the connection between Washington Irving, America’s first international author and a connoisseur of Dutch culture, and the village of Communipaw—a part of contemporary Jersey City. This post has proven to be my most read piece with visitors from around the globe, illustrating the power and the possibility of culture—whether…
The Peach Tree War
My blogging has been sporadic during the past several months, and my attention has wandered far afield from my original subject of Jersey City. This post marks an intellectual return to the forgotten Dutch empire on the banks of the Hudson River. Following the Pavonia Massacre, hostilities between Dutch colonists and the surrounding Native American…
Self and Soul … More Thoughts
When I launched this blog, I envisioned it as venue to explore the history and culture of Jersey City, my adopted hometown. However, the blog is evolving into a sounding board for my musings on culture, literature, the humanities, and other topics within and without my homestead in the Garden State. Never fear, Jersey City…
Book Review: Self and Soul: a Defense of Ideals
Several weeks ago, I heard a remarkable conversation with author and academic, Mark Edmundson, about his new book Self and Soul: a Defense of Ideals, on the always engaging and entertaining Art of Manliness podcast. During this past weekend’s snowstorm here on the Eastern seaboard, I found myself sitting in my parlor and enjoying a…
Merry Christmas
With its music, food, films, television specials, and assorted festivities, Christmas remains a special season. This will sound cliched and sappy, but I always feel a charge or a spell in the air in the days and weeks leading up to Christmas Day. Dear readers, I wish you a Merry Christmas and I hope that…
Returning to the (Virtual) World …
After several months of silence, dear reader, I am returning my attention to Another Town on the Hudson. Since the summer, I’ve been working on a manuscript and teaching. Both efforts have demanded all my creativity and intelligence. In my free moments, I’ve been fixing up my wife’s and my home and puttering around my…