Journalist’s Debut Book Includes His Memories Of Bloomfield

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — There’s no doubt that living in Bloomfield has left its mark on Charles Lopez Bruns.

Recently, Bruns celebrated the release of his debut book, “Fatherlands: Identities of a Cuban American.” The book is available in print and digital formats.

Bruns – a former Bloomfield resident and journalist – said that the book includes his memories of growing up at a time when his family was among the few Hispanic households in the neighborhood.

The author described his book as a “memoir with a twist,” noting that it probes his “journey from Charles Lopez to Charles Bruns” – including how his identity and experiences as a son, stepson and father impacted his family and career.

It also touches upon Cuban immigration in the U.S. and Cuban Americans whom Bruns has gotten to know during his life in New Jersey.

“My mother, older brother and I were among the first Hispanics in our southern Bloomfield neighborhood when we moved from New York City with her second husband,” Bruns told Patch. “At the time, the area between Grove Street and the Newark border was predominantly Italian American. It was a completely different world for my mother, who grew up in Cuba and had been living in Manhattan neighborhoods for over a dozen years where she could walk to Spanish grocery stores and interact regularly with Hispanic friends and family.”

“That Bloomfield neighborhood has certainly changed with time, and I imagine my first years in town would have been quite different if it had the Hispanic culture then that it does now,” he added.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Bloomfield Facebook page. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Sign up for Patch email newsletters.