Review of Two Jersey Brothers

[Anthony__]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Two Jersey Brothers" by Nick and Bob Finamore.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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How does it feel living in a sleepy small American town where everyone knows themselves? Two Jersey Brothers by Nick and Bob Finamore is an autobiography that answers the above question and many more in detail. The 162-page book explores the themes of familial love, immigrant toil, joyful childhood, and camaraderie.

Nick and Bob were born in the early twentieth century in New Jersey to parents of Italian origin. Their grandparents from both sides immigrated to Italy and found work in silk factories in Haledon and Paterson. Being of the Catholic faith, they were raised to be truthful, religious, and hardworking. The self-authored account of the two brothers traces a period of their lives from birth to early adulthood and how each of them eventually found their path in life. Dive into this book to see how they enjoyed life in an era with nothing like smartphones or the internet.

The story was relatively straightforward, with a clear and concise description of events. The book has a certain rustic feeling to it, even though the towns of Haledon and Paterson are not agrarian-based places. I believe the feeling is due to the generally slower pace of life in that era than today's frenetic bustle. There were plenty of family pictures shown in the book, including other relevant ones of those that are not family. We see some family tree diagrams that simplify the genealogy of all the fathers, cousins, and sisters of the more prominent Finamore family. That was quite helpful in following the thread of the stories, as the reader is led through tales of family dinners and visits to grandmas and cousins.

I liked the idea of the authors’ citation of references for historical events that were enshrined in the book pages. Also, there were plenty of historical events that tied the stories in place. Their father was drafted for the World War II effort, and Bob was also a Vietnam vet. That made their stories more relatable and appealing. It also touched briefly on racism, as seen through the eye of a very young Bob.

I found no particular thing to dislike about the book. Therefore, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It realistically conveyed human interaction in a relatable manner. Also, the book is well edited because I noticed only one grammatical error.

I recommend this book to lovers of historical stories. It highlights prominent historical events like the industrial strike actions of silk workers at the beginning of the twentieth century and many more.

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Two Jersey Brothers
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[Asma Aisha Ansari]

I would love to read this book because it narrates a story that takes place in an earlier era. The authors lived in the early twentieth century and can more accurately describe what life really was like for the common people.
Thanks for this amazing review.