What Readers Are Saying

ANNE MARIE - “Terrific Story Telling” (Amazon)

A very fun read! The author walks us through his life growing up in the 60s and 70s with a series of sweet and funny anecdotes, some of which may make you nod in agreement, or cause you to remember your own experiences from that time, or to wince in empathy … but the best ones will make you laugh out loud – this author is a great storyteller!

I think people of many different ages and backgrounds would enjoy reading this book, but as one who also grew up during that time, I especially loved all the cultural markers he included, from popular foods and clothes and music, to major news events that shaped life back then. They really brought me back, setting the scene for this terrific book.

COUNT FWOPPO - (Goodreads)

A fun, easy read featuring highlights of growing up in the NJ of the 60s and 70s, including a childhood obsession with all things related to candy and sports. Also a surprising amount of violence both at home and abroad. Maybe it was the leaded gasoline.

Some of my FAVORITE LINES:
"military grade nun"
"The tackle she made of her nearly-escaped daughter would have made Dick Butkus proud."
"The Sisters of Perpetual Homework"
"not worrying about ticks since they hadn’t been invented yet"

TERRY M - (Goodreads)

“A Catholic Kid from a Jewish Neighborhood" by JA Brizek is a book Baby Boomers will enjoy! It was easy to read and the writing style relatable. It definitely gives "Wonder Year" vibes. If you were told to "play outside," this is the book for you. Highly recommend!

M.R. - (Amazon)

This book is a great step back in time! Life was simple and family values were prominent. It is light and easy reading and very entertaining! Highly recommend !

MARY G - “Great Read!” (Amazon)

An enjoyable read, great stories of an era past one that I’m lucky to have been a part of…writer with each story put me exactly where he was…. loved this book of stories.

JENNA L - “Great Stroll Down Memory Lane” (Amazon)

As someone who grew up in Fair Lawn (FLHS class of ‘79), I absolutely loved this book! Although Joe’s experiences growing up in many aspects were different from mine, I could so relate to much of what he experienced growing up in our wonderful town during the 1960s and 1970s.

And the great thing is that you don’t have to have grown up in our specific town to appreciate and enjoy the stories that he tells. It gives you a real sense of nostalgia for what life was like back in those days…

AMAZON CUSTOMER – “Warm & Humorous”

A Catholic Kid from a Jewish Neighborhood shines with warmth, humor, and a deeply human perspective that makes it an unexpectedly entertaining read. The author captures the texture of childhood with vivid detail—complexities of large families, innocence, neighborhood characters—while exploring what it means to grow up between cultures. The storytelling feels both intimate and universal, offering a portrait of identity shaped by unique boundaries but also by the friendships, love, and shared experiences that define both family and community. It’s the kind of memoir that leaves you smiling at its charm while appreciating the sincerity beneath it.

The book’s greatest strength is the way it celebrates family. The author’s Catholic upbringing and the predominantly Jewish world around him become a lens for understanding empathy, curiosity, and belonging. Moments of misunderstanding are handled with gentle humor, and moments of connection feel genuinely earned. By the end, the memoir becomes not just a personal story but a reminder of how family—messy, conflicted, imperfect—can shape us into more open and grounded people. It’s a heartfelt, uplifting read that lingers long after the final page.

RONALD M – “…Took My Breath Away” (Amazon)

Joe Brizek enjoyed a varied but happy childhood on the eastern seaboard of the US. Fortunately for us readers, his memory is well above normal. With many a rich insight and much wit, he captures precisely what it was to grow up in the’60s and ’70s in a happy, hard-working family with nine brothers and sisters (yes 9) in a richly mixed neighborhood. He writes well, with feeling, poignancy and understanding. Sometimes his stories took my breath away. Sometimes I laughed out loud.

In fourscore short recollections, Joe Brizek reminded me of the tribulations as well as the joys of childhood and adolescence surrounded by a loving family, neighbors and friends who demand much but give all. What a boon to learn well, the important lessons of life, mature as a thinking teenager, graduate at 18 and venture out into the world equipped to be a happy, devout, and responsible citizen.

DANIEL C– “Great Times” (Amazon)

Joe reliving his childhood brought back many of MY childhood memories. It was such a simpler life for all us. Our worries, while at the time simple, today would be nothing.
My mom just like Joe’s loved to do things around the house. We would come home from school and a room could be painted or wallpapered. I remember her creating a paver patio in the back yard. Also loved the relationship he had with his grandmother. I had the same with mine as lived with us until I was a teenager. (I was her favorite) … very enjoyable and realistic for the time.
I would recommend this read to everyone!

DOODLE - “A Simpler Time Great Memories (Amazon)

The childhood names in your life were probably different, but the neighborhood and school friends you made and games you played were hopefully the same. A fun book that brought back memories (with fewer brothers and sisters) of my childhood.

Whacking whiffle balls, working a paper route, family vacations in the car. Weekly family Sunday meals after church, holidays you looked forward to year after year - traditions. It’s all here. If you’re a Ralphie from “A Christmas Story” fan, this book is for you. Read it once and you’ll read it again.

ELIZABETH B – “Grateful Vivian Court Neighbor”

I could not stop laughing while reading about my childhood neighborhood. The author, Joe was older than me, but I also experienced the cravings for the candy store and the memories of our local bagels . The pizza place is now owned by another kid from the neighborhood.

The "Baum" family thanks you for the trip down memory lane and all of the wonderful years filled with fireflies and street games that were a constant presence on Vivian Court! Finally, I can't go without saying that your mother's cookies were always a highlight of a Jewish family's Christmas!

CHRIS D - (Goodreads)

This was such a fun, nostalgic read! At times, I found myself unable to put the book down, completely immersed in what childhood must have felt like in 1950s and 1960s Fair Lawn. Making connections between Fair Lawn today and what it used to be was especially enjoyable.

The book gives off very similar storytelling vibes to A Christmas Story, and the storytelling itself is excellent. You can tell the author truly took their time crafting this book. Amazing!