Books by Rahway Authors
Submitted by Al Shipley, City Historian and Rahway Library Research Consultant
Reading a good book might be one productive way to help get through these difficult and unusual times as we remain in the confines of our homes and apartments in an attempt to stem the spread of the coronavirus. As an avid promoter of all things “Rahway,” I thought it might be an interesting idea to present a list of authors, all of whom have a connection to the city, and also offer a few titles. It should be pointed out that of the twenty-five authors, eighteen of them are graduates of Rahway High School. The year of graduation for each is in parentheses after their name.
Joe Bost (class of 1974) – A retired Rahway policeman turned novelist, his mystery novel,Behind the Blue, is filled with details of police investigatory work as could only be told by a career officer.
Catherine Brooks – A vocalist, dancer, writer, poet, historian, and lecturer, she traveled extensively in Europe, Africa, the West Indies, and the United States in search of Black History. Turn the Other Cheek is one of her books of poems and lyrics.
Jessica M. Brophy (class of 1997) – A poet and creative writing professor, her poems are poignant memoirs where she explores family, nature, the body, and spiritual identity. Her works include the Paper Girl and Firemark.
Camille Cusumano – An author of Sicilian descent, she has written articles for many publications on a variety of subjects including food, travel, and fitness. Her novel, The Last Cannoli is a memoir of growing up in a Sicilian family in Rahway and the Peterstown section of Elizabeth.
Tricia Dower – This prize-winning author has received first prize awards for both fiction and creative non-fiction. Her novels include Stoney River, Becoming Lin, and Silent Girl.
Milton Friedman (class of 1928) – Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 1976, his economic theories are recognized throughout the world. He was awarded the National Medal of Science (1988) and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1988). His theories are detailed in Capitalism and Freedom and The Theory of Consumption.
Michael Hartnett – An established illustrator turned novelist, his novel Tales of Alamucha is a fantasy saga which combines mystery, romance, science-fiction, and humor. His illustrations are placed throughout the story.
Richard G. Hartnett – An ordained Jesuit priest, he served the Jesuit Order in both North and South America. He was the author of many inspirational and self-help articles and publications including two books, The Three Inner Voices and Sobriety and Inspiration.
Andrea Hollander Budy (class of 1964) – A published poet and winner of two National Endowments for the Arts Fellowships and several other awards, she has an extensive body of collected poems. Her titles include House without a Dreamer, Poems That Talk to Other Poems, and Landscape with Female Figure.
James Horling – A retired program manager, project engineer, and maintenance officer in the aerospace industry, he worked on projects for both the government and the military. Using his experiences in this highly sensitive field, he has written novels that contain mystery, intrigue, and thrilling suspense. His titles include The Falcon’s Revenge, An Evil Among Us, and A Light Shines Bright.
Janis Karpinski (class of 1971) – A retired career officer in the U. S. Army Reserves, she wrote One Woman’s Army, a personal account of her experiences as the commanding officer of the forces that operated the infamous Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq (2003-2004).
P. Kenna – An author of historical novels, his two-book series, Cinders over the Junction and Beyond the Divide, creates an Irish American saga that covers 175 years of family history.
Adele Kenny (class of 1966) – Author of twenty-three books of poetry and non-fiction that have been published world-wide, she is a recipient of two N. J. State Arts Council Poetry Fellowships and the International Book Award for Poetry. Her collections include What Matters, At the Edge of the Woods, and Not Asking What If.
Charles Knight (class of 1965) – A best-selling cookbook author and former TV cooking show host on the Food Network aired out of Tampa, Florida, his titles include, Healthy Meat and Potatoes and I Don’t Believe I 8 the Whole Thing.
Leslie Micone (class of 1962) – A self-employed author, her novel titles include Josephine and Murder on the Waterfront.
Kenneth R. Miller (class of 1966) – A cell and molecular biologist and Professor of Biology at Brown University, he has written many articles and books opposing creationism and the intelligent design movement. He is the recipient of many awards and medals for his work in the fields of science and evolution. His titles include Finding Darwin’s God and The Human Instinct.
Ira Nadel (class of 1961) – An American/Canadian biographer, literary critic, and James Joyce Scholar, he is a professor at the University of British Columbia. He was awarded the UBC Medal for Canadian Biographies (1996) and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. His works include books on 20th century modernists, biographies on Ezra Pound and James Joyce, and books on Jewish-American writers.
Frank Roberts (class of 1965) – Author of several novels, he combines local history with encounters with the paranormal. His titles include The Haunted Hardware Store and The Brick House.
Carl Sagan (class of 1951) – Famous Professor of Astronomy and Space Sciences at Cornell University and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Literature (1978), he was the author, co-author, or editor of more than a dozen books. Most noted for his book Cosmos, on which his award-winning television series was based, he also wrote one novel, Contact.
Alex Shipley (class of 1966) – Rahway City Historian and writer of four books and hundreds of articles on local history, his fourth book was The Case of the Unknown Woman, an account of the famous unsolved Rahway murder mystery of 1887.
Earl Reed Silvers (class of 1908) – Connected with the administration at Rutgers University for most of his life including serving as Dean of Men, he was the author of twenty-seven novels and more than 1,000 stories most involving high school and college student-athletes. Some of his titles are The Spirit of Menlo, Son of Tomorrow, and If This Be Forgetting.
Frank Thorne (class of 1947) – Internationally acclaimed cartoonist and author, he wrote several autobiographical works that are memoirs of his life growing up in Rahway. His works include The Crystal Ballroom, and How to Draw Sexy Women.
Roy Vagelos (class of 1947) – Retired scientist, CEO and Chairman of Merck and Co. Inc., he was at the helm of Merck when the company became the world leader in the pharmaceutical industry. He is a member of the National Academy of Science, The American Academy of Arts and Science, and the American Philosophical Society. He is the author of Medicine, Science, and Merck.
Carolyn Wells (class of 1886) – Considered the most popular mystery writer in the years between the 1920s and 1940s, she wrote over 170 books. After starting out as a writer of playful poetry and children’s novels, in 1910 she became fascinated with the structure of the mystery story. The Radio Studio Murder, The Killer, and The Gilt Edged Guilt are just three of her seventy mystery titles.
Christian Williams (class of 1961) – Journalist, television writer, and former Washington Post editor during the Watergate era, he is author of three books. His book, Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way, is a biography of media mogul Ted Turner and the 1981 founding of CNN.
Unfortunately, libraries remain closed due to the virus pandemic, however, most of the titles can be found by searching websites such as Amazon, Goggle, EBay, etc. Enjoy your reading, and above all else, stay healthy and stay well.
Also, please note: If there are other “Rahway connected” authors who should be added to this list, please contact me as I would be very interested in learning about them and their works. Email rahwayindian66@verizon.net.
