Charles Fishkin

Charles A. Fishkin has published a profile of Dr. Rowena Spencer, the country’s first woman pediatric surgeon. See CA Fishkin, “Remembering Dr. Rowena Spencer (1922-2014),” Journal of Pediatric Surgery, 55 no. 3 (March 1, 2020): 576-578. For copies of the article, please contact the author. Beginning her surgical career in 1953, she worked in New Orleans for over thirty years, acquiring a reputation as a talented surgeon and an expert on the separation of conjoined twins. She became a pediatric surgeon, moreover, just as the field was emerging as its own surgical specialty. She was passionate about her work and exceptionally dedicated to her patients, especially her “babies.” She earned her MD degree from Johns Hopkins, where she was the first woman intern in surgery. She completed residencies at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Louisiana State University. She subsequently served on the medical school faculties of Louisiana State University and Tulane. She died in 2014 at the age of ninety-one. Associated website

Bob Nesoff

Bob Nesoff’s third book under contract  Bob Nesoff, long-time ASJA member has just signed a contract for his third book, the second with Arcadia Publishers. This is his second non-fiction book.The book, a true crime story about a Federal undercover agent who infiltrated the Al Capone gang and helped bring the notorious “Scarface” down, earning himself the sobriquet “Mysterious Mike.” Other Federal agents with whom Mike Malone worked, later said they had no idea who he was. So deep was his undercover work. They named him “Mysterious Mike Malone”After helping to bring Capone down, at the request of aviator Charles Lindbergh, Malone and his group of agents were brought in at the specific request of Lindbergh to try and solve the kidnapping of his young son. So close did Malone become with Lindbergh that the two of them would go to the back of the Lindbergh estate in New Jersey and do target shooting together. Malone and his squad recommended, and finally convinced Lindbergh, to copy the serial number of the bills in ransom money. That was what ultimately led to the arrest of Richard Bruno Hauptmann.Malone was also deeply involved in the investigation of Nucky Johnson, the corrupt Atlantic City, NJ politician on whom the TV series, Boardwalk Empire was based on.Nesoff’s first book with Arcadia is “A History Lovers Guide to Bergen County,” New Jersey. The travel oriented book details scores of prominent historical sights for travelers to visit ranging from pre-Revolution to the space age. One of the features is of the Old ’76 House, arguably the oldest continuously operating tavern/restaurant in the country, where Benedict Arnold co-conspiritor, Maj. John Andre was kept prisoner until his execution for spying. Nesoff  describes the sightings of two ghosts at the eatery, one of whom might be Andre.Nesoff’s first book, the novel, Spyder Hole, received raves from book reviewers and was rated 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon. It tells the story of a former American Green Beret officer,now an Israeli Mossad agent who missed cues foretelling 911. Subsequently he comes on information that terrorists are planning nuclear attacks n New York and London. He is charged with leading a “Ghost Force” of international Special Forces from the United States, Great Britain and Israel to stop the plot with “extreme prejudice.” Several reviewersnoted that Nesoff himself was a Green Beret sergeant and was writing what he knew about.Nesoff’s next book venture is a travel book focusing on three Texas cities.