Maine Books

This hefty Foxfire volume provides in-depth narratives about life in 20th century New England, as well as detailed instructions on how to
fashion historic products and articles of daily use. Teams of Maine students spent countless quality hours interviewing (then transcribing) senior citizens--recognizing them as a living trust who have preserved traditional Yankee activities and values. Accompanio by student photographs plus excellent sketches and diagrams, these pages recapture dying arts and cherished traditions, faithfully chronicling a vanishing past for future generations to understand and appreciate.

Divided into two parts: the Sea, and The Land, this thick book covers a wide range of New England skills and activities. Now, most readers might not care to tackle it cover to cover, preferring instead to choose articles of special interest. Some topics include: Rum running, lobstering (shrimping, trawling, dragging) and fishing,; sea moss pudding, life in lighthouses, stone walls, barn construction, snowshoes, flintlock rifles, maple syruping, bee hive triangulation--it's ALL IN THERE! There are sure to be several articles of interest to every reader. A wonderful resource book, which preserves treasured traditions, for all personal librairies.

This book reminds of a sortlike book written by guide John Kumiski called "Flyfishing Florida salt". Various flyfishing locations from New England to Texas are listed in this book.

Each location has a separate chapter with an interview with the local guide about the fish, the flies and the tactics to use at that particular spot. Each chapter has tables which give you an indication when the best times for fishing for a particular species is and which flies the most effective ones are.

Although the chapters are relatively short they should give the visiting angler a pretty accurate indication of what he can expect at that location and what kind of gear he has to use. All of the flypatterns used by the guides are listed in the book but unfortunately only a few are pictured. There are several black and white photographs in this book as well as a few pages with colorphoto's by the guides. The quality of some of these pictures are not up the standard that I have seen in other books. Well, they are taken by guides so you really can't complain over that.

I guess the intention of this book was to cover the fishinglocations of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts very roughly. It is therefore very suitable to give you a broad idea of what the fishing is in all these places.

For really in-depth local information you will still have to get one of the local guidebooks for your next saltwater flyfishingtrip. Having said all this I must say that it is a very good book with a wealth of information that should be owned by everyone who likes to flyfish in saltwater.

A very enjoyable story for children as well as adults. It teaches a valuable lesson about overcoming obstacles to achieve a goal. The story is both entertaining and educational. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about what life was like in Maine during the shipbuilding era of the early 1900s.

Ken Nye's poems share the joys of home and family life in the beautiful Maine countryside. Here is a poetic feast for those who love the state of Maine and those who simply love a Maine state of mind. His images are strong and honest and the reader will come away with a sense of friendship with this fine, accessible poet.

When I was a young woman, I was drawn to Vanessa's character, a woman unhappy in marriage and her seeming lack of possibilities. Her story stayed with me, over the years, and I am pleased to learn this book is available for me to re-read and reacquaint myself with her from a more mature perspective. It is a story of forbidden passion, a woman who finds herself in the eyes of a married man, a woman who has to learn to deal with the unCinderella like ending.

I had been to Sebago Lake once to visit a relative and have ancestors from the Standish and Baldwin, Maine areas so it was very interesting and informative to see photos of the area.

I read one chapter a day of The Secret of the Missing Grave to my students in grades three through six in preparation for a visit from the author, David Crossman. At the end of each chapter there was always a chorus of, "No! Don't stop now!" as new plot twists kept readers on the edge of their seats. The end of the book had students begging for the sequel, Mystery of the Black Moriah. There was not a single student, boy or girl, third grader or sixth grader, who was not enthralled with the book.

The cover of Brenda Kay Ledford's poetry book causes you to open the book and begin reading about the people of Shew Bird Mountain. Her poems recall the past with imaginative quality and universal appeal for anyone who has experienced rural life. Her poems come from the culture of southwestern North Carolina, a vivid description of quiltings, churning butter, preparing foods, blue grass music and the scenic beauty around Shew Bird Mountain. Her childhood memories give her a magnificent treasure chest that she uses most effectively. I will read "Shew Bird Mountain" often to recall a time that is quickly passing away.

A Shower of Stars is a fascinating book about the Civil War. This is a true study of our American History, Mr. Pullen has reseached and interviewed the historians of the Civil War era. The anthropological skills of this author is amazing! In each of our attics (storage places), holds the future of the truth. I wholeheartedly endorse this book. A Shower of Stars is brilliantly written!

Howard Stein greets us where "prairie grasslands sprawl," "Cottonwood line a creek bed," and "a thunderstorm approaches / the way a mouth engulfs its prey." Stein's vivid poems welcome the reader to join in on the poet's journey of finding beauty in simple things, all the while provoking us to a deeper level of thought and self reflection. Excellent!