My boyfriend and I crossed the parking lot that lay between the restaurant we had just had lunch at and the bookstore next to it. I didn’t want to go inside because I didn’t want to spend any money. He agreed to buy me a book if we did. I honestly don’t know why he even suggested this, bringing me to a bookstore is both dangerous and expensive for anyone who offers to pay for the trip. I ended up presenting him with three books that I really, really wanted, and this is the first of the three that I finished reading.
As a lifelong New Jersey resident, I have heard tales of Action Park. I was born after its glory days so I never got to experience it. Fortunately for me I found this chronicle written by the original owners’ son. The story is crazier than I could have ever imagined, it is unfathomable how much Gene Mulvihill got away with. The entire time I was reading I was waiting for the chapter in which he was sent to jail for either negligence or evasion and I was shocked and appalled that it never happened. Even if you have never heard of Action Park this is a story that you don’t want to pass over. And if you went to Action Park before all of its safety concerns were acknowledged and dangerous attractions were removed, you’re going to want to hear what went on behind the scenes. I know that there is a documentary out there, there is probably more than one even, but I think you’ll get more out of this book than you would a film if you’re interested in learning more about the park.
Nonfiction and Nonsense 