South Plainfield's rich and varied history mirrors that of New Jersey as a whole. Early on, Native Americans first recognized the potential of the area and called it home. Later, in the 166 0s, Baptists from New England, Scottish Quakers, and Dutch settlers erected mills and transformed the forest into farmland. Agriculture remained a mainstay of life in the region into the twentieth century. Railroads and industry, coupled with a growing population, led South Plainfield to declare its independence from Piscataway Township in 1926. In 1924, the town flirted with fame when Hadley Field was selected as the eastern terminus for transcontinental airmail flights. A pictorial tour of the borough's history, South Plainfield highlights the people and institutions that have shaped this community. Views of prominent families, important industries, noteworthy institutions, and local landmarks are all included. Together, they depict the transformation of the area from the sleepy rural hamlets, once called Samptown and New Brooklyn, into a thriving suburban community located at the heart of central New Jersey.

Based on the true World War II story of the American Library in Paris, an unforgettable novel about the power of books and the bonds of friendship—and the ordinary heroes who can be found in the most perilous times and the quietest places. Paris, 1939. Young, ambitious, and tempestuous, Odile Souchet has it all: Paul, her handsome police officer beau; Margaret, her best friend from England; Remy, her twin brother who she adores; and a dream job at the American Library in Paris, working alongside the library’s legendary director, Dorothy Reeder. When World War II breaks out, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear—including her beloved library. After the Nazi army marches into the City of Light and declares a war on words, Odile and her fellow librarians join the Resistance with the best weapons they have: books. Again and again, they risk their lives to help their fellow Jewish readers, but by war’s end, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal. Montana, 1983. Odile’s solitary existence in gossipy small-town Montana is unexpectedly interrupted by her neighbor Lily, a lonely teenager craving adventure. As Lily uncovers more about Odile’s mysterious past, they find they share not only a love of language but also the same lethal jealousy. Odile helps Lily navigate the troubled waters of adolescence by always recommending the right book at the right time, never suspecting that Lily will be the one to help her reckon with her own terrible secret. Based on the true story of the American Library in Paris, The Paris Library is a mesmerizing and captivating novel about the people and the books that make us who we are, for good and for bad, and the courage it takes to forgive.

Constructed as the Easton and Amboy Railroad and opened by 1875, the Lehigh Valley Railroad was instrumental in developing the commerce and communities of central New Jersey through which it once ran. Originally built to haul unending trains of "black diamonds" from Pennsylvania to Perth Amboy, the Lehigh Valley Railroad became so much more than a conduit for shipping coal. In building across the state, it became instrumental in not only hauling produce to New York City markets but also for providing service to companies like Johns-Manville and Lionel Trains. From Phillipsburg to Jersey City and all points in between, the Lehigh Valley Railroad hauled freight and passengers, while at the same time contributing to the social fabric of the area. The Lehigh Valley Railroad across New Jersey paints a picture of a railroad that provided over 100 years of quality service to the Garden State.