Maine Books

I absolutely LOVED this book. I don't know exactly what it was, but I thought of the characters for days! I almost wish someone would make a feature film about it, but there is ALWAYS a chance that the book wouldn't match the film. Sigh. Anyway...I STRONGLY recommend this book!

I liked this book because it's about Maine and it's well put together, like one of the Indian baskets the main character learns to create. It pulls you along and concludes satisfyingly. But maybe a little too satisfyingly: At around 19, Blue has her whole life figured out, which I find hard to buy. Also hard to believe is how noble the Indian characters are. Some flaws would have been nice. My other quibble (I know this is truly picky) is the constant use of "alright" instead of "all right." I look forward to reading other books by Thayer but hope she's edited a little better next time.

This book was fabulous. I couldn't put it down. It's a book about Blue, who is a twin. Her other twin, Berry, died a few days after the birth because she had no brain. Blue seems haunted by the mystery behind Berry as her family never talks about her. This book tells of a girl growing up and finding where she belongs in all this chaos in her life. Blue has an accident when she is a child.....that leaves her missing one eye and other scars and a disability. Her father was responsible for the accident. Her relationship with her mother is strained, because of catching her mother having sex with a friend. The father hides behind his camera.....literally, not able to relate much to any one without using his camera to catch every moment he thinks is worth saving. The only stability that Blue finds is in her Grandfather, a Passamoquoddy indian. He teaches her about life, nature, and passion. He loves her unconditionally. He is her safe harbor, where she can go to ask all the mysteries of life. This book was a narrative of how Blue felt about her life and going through it. You feel like you are right there with Blue during the whole book. Again, this is a beautiful book. You will love it.

Great for the young adult reader who is learning about who they are in relation to the stereotypes that surround them in today's world. Writing style is easy to read, a good rainy day book. Also very nice description of Maine, somewhat idealic, but nice nonetheless.

For the first time in my life, I actually cried over a book. Cynthia Thayer created a character so real and so heartwarming, I couldn't help but feel her pain.

This installment in the Lucy Stone series was excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Tinker's Cove is growing and new subdivisions and people are arriving.

The hat and mitten fund needs money. Lucy, Pam, Sue, and Rachel decide to have a bake sale. This was an interesting part of the book. It was typical how things change in communities and "new blood" should be brought in to help as often as possible.

These new people bring new situations to Tinker's Cove including murder. The author does an excellent job with this book. She weaves a story about teen issues and coping with home and career into her usual mystery. You will enjoy this book.

I'm a huge Lucy Stone fan, however, the last couple of books in this series, IMO, haven't been as good as some of the others...until now.

Lucy Stone is back, and this book is a great addition to the series. It's well-written...there's a lot of red-herrings, some nicely placed clues, and the killer is introduced early in the book. As a mystery lover, you can't ask for much more.

This time out, Lucy has new neighbors, and one who is quite the little troublemaker. Early on, she is found dead, and Lucy investigates the murder, and eventually discovers who the murderer is.

BAKE SALE MURDER is a great addition to this series. I loved the addition of the new characters, and I hope they will appear in the next Lucy Stone Mystery. I also loved the recipes that are included at the back of the book.

Honestly, I'd have given this book 10 stars if it were an option.

Welcome Back Lucy Stone.

After a long line of less than stellar books, the Bake Sale Murder has taken us back to earlier, superior Lucy Stone mysteries.

Lucy Stone isn't happy. Instead of living on a nice quiet road that she's used to, a little subdivision has sprung up next to her, including one obnoxious motorcyle riding teenager who spends as much time reving up his machine as he does riding it.

Lucy and her friends, Sue, Pam and Rachel start working on the Hat and Mitten fund. A bake sale seemed like a good idea to raise funds, until she starts calling her friends for baked donations and realizes she hasn't kept up with them for awhile as everyone is involved in activities which make it impossible for them to bake anything.

So they decide this would be a good time to get to know the new people in the subdivision and get some baked goods for the sale at the same time. Bonnie Burhart, wife of the new guidance counselor at school. Willie Westwood, wife of the new vet. Frankie LaChance a divorced mother and Chris Cashman mother of Pear and Apple. Unable to attend the first meeting, Mimi Stanton, wife of the subdivision developer and mother of motorcyle riding Preston.

What starts out as the selling of a few baked goods at the school turns into a major sale when Chris Cashman takes over. No longer a couple of brownies and cakes, they're going to produce low-carb snacks, have bottled beverages and even make home made dog treats. Chris even decides that they should all make several of their best treats and then they would all get together and have a taste test to vote for the best and then only produce them in large quantities for the sale.

Lucy is always happy to let an "A" type personality take over, but since it's usually been her friend Sue, things are a little strained as Sue has met her match in Chris.

Things don't seem as upbeat when on the day of the taste test, Mimi doesn't show up. Lucy gets sent over to find out if she needs any help. Mimi needs help, but not the kind Lucy can offer as she's in her kitchen with a large knife in her chest.

Who would have killed the developer's wife? Was it a disgruntled new home owner? Rumors were the houses weren't built that good. A jealous wife? Rumors were she might have been stepping out with someone else's husband. Or a jealous husband? Maybe the mysterious homeless person that was seen lurking around the house and living in the woods?

Lucy isn't sure, but she's determined to investigate as the person arrested by the police just doesn't seem like a killer to her.

Highlights:

Lucy Stone had been one of my favorite characters, but her last several books have been very disappointing. This one gives us back the old Lucy who is more involved with her family and friends rather than her job a the Pennysaver.

Lucy getting the prime job of making the dog treats, resulting in her two daughters Sarah and Zoe not wanting to help as anythng containing liver is disgusting.

Sue's frustrations at meeting an "A" type personality that was stronger than she was and having to take second place. They wouldn't even let her make her "Better Than Sex" brownies.

Sarah - 14 & Zoe - 9. With just two children at home the book reminds me of the first ones in the series when she had three children at home, Toby, Elizabeth & Sarah and she worked part time at various jobs.

Frankie LaChance who may dress like a bimbo but seems to be an almost perfect mother while raising her teenage daughter alone. I would like to see this character continue in future books.

No Elizabeth. Lucy's oldest daughter ruined more books than any other character. For some reason she was turned into a smart mouthed, backtalking, having to have everything her own way brat. And Lucy bowed to all her wishes. I think I wrote about this relationship in my previous reviews. She's away at college and I'm hoping she never moves back hom.

Good mystery. Lucy does some real investigating this time.

Lowlights.

Lucy's wishywashy behavior. Her daughter Sarah is a cheerleader and Lucy finds out she and the other cheerleaders are being sexually harassed by the football players while on the bus to games. (I won't get into the details,) but if my daughter told me this and the principal and coach blew me off, I'd be at a lawyer's office. Lucy does nothing except talk to them and then wonders if maybe it isn't as bad as Sarah tells her.

Bill Stone - I don't believe for one minute his reaction when he hears what has been happening to his daughter. He seems to think it's ok because the team is winning. If you'd read the earlier books you would know this would not be Bill's reaction. I think he'd be up on murder charges.

I almost didn't buy this book as I have been so disappointed in the previous ones, but I'm glad I did. I hope the future books continue to have Lucy solving the mysteries from a background of her homelife and not her job.

As usual I thoroughly enjoyed this look in to Lucy's busy life. The plot is well crafted,quick moving and plausible (ok, as plausible as it can be for one person to be involved in several murders in a small New England town). A good evening by the fireplace for sure.

Lucy Stone's neighborhood has changed. Instead of her nice quiet street, now there's a new subdivision nearby with a loud motorcycle riding teenager.

Lucy and her friends, Sue, Pam, and Rachel begin working on the Hat and Mitten fund. They decide a bake sale, like they used to hold, would be a great fundraiser. Lucy volunteers to call everyone to get donations of baked goods. Unfortunately she finds that she hasn't kept up with everyone and they're all busy doing something else and unable to bake anything.

So they decide to include the new neighbors in the subdivision to help with the bake sale. New neighbor Chris Cashman decides to take over. Lucy's fine with letting her take over, but it puts a real strain on her friendship with Sue as she'd always been the leader before. Chris decides they should make low-carb snacks, sell bottled water, and even make some dog treats. They're going to have a taste test to decide which recipes are the best for the sale.

The date of the taste test Mimi Stanton doesn't show up. Lucy is dispatched to check on her and find out if she needs any help. Unfortunately Lucy finds Mimi in her kitchen with a large knife in her chest.

Who could have killed her and why? Lucy sets out to figure out who did it since she doesn't think the person the police arrested is the killer.

I love this series. Lucy is such a fun character. She's very involved with her kids, friends, and community. Her involvement gives her credibility in investigating, plus it sets up the secondary story line. I really enjoyed this book. I highly recommend it.

Boyle's career as a journalist is evident in his novels. The Jack McMorrow tales are as gripping as any crime thrillers and Boyle's work on the streets ensures that his books are authentic and gritty. Read one, you'll want to read them all.
-- Mark LaFlamme, author of "The Pink Room."

Good atmosphere, good characters, pretty believable story. The only thing is, when the murderer decides to kill McMorrow, it's not quite believable that McMorrow falls for his trap so readily, carelessly going out to the canal all alone. And wouldn't McMorrow's murder really only draw more scrutiny into the whole affair? From the book's point of view, the story had to end like this, but logically, in life, it would have made more sense for the murderer to have just moved out of town.

Boyle's Deadline is fast-moving and descriptive. He lets the novel build to a point of suspense, almost unbearably, before coming to a conclusion that is both intriguing and thought-provoking.

Slow moving mystery set in the mountain town of Androscoggin, Maine. The photographer for the weekly newspaper is found dead in a remote area of town and nobody seems to think it is suspicious, except the local editor, Jack McMurrow. The story moves very slowly and only picks up speed as it approaches the conclusion, and the conclusion leaves many honest questions about the plausibility of how the mystery is finally solved. Gerry Boyle started his career as a police beat reporter, and it shows. His writing style is that of a reporter and not a novelist. His novel is filled with 'filler' that fails to contribute to the story line and only succeeds in adding to the page count of the novel. If you pass on this novel you won't miss anything.

Good characterizations, particularly the average hardworking (and not so hardworking) citizens. Jack McMurrow just can't leave things be. Waiting for book #6. I'm a little prejudiced because I'm the author's brother. :)

While reading this book, I absolutely could not figure out what in the world was going on. It was confusing because you are reading about all these different characters and strange things going on, BUT I was truly impressed by the writing ability of Linda Hall because its all neatly connected at the end for a satisfying conclusion. Not my favorite of her books, but its worth reading if you like her style, and I absolutely believe it takes talent to write this kind of story.

Easy and light reading. Characters were very interesting and the plot unfolded well.

Island of Refuge is a subtly drawn together story of a rag-tag group of down-and-outers coming together in an abandoned church on Lamb's Island, a rocky, wind-blown patch off the coast of Maine. Lamb's Island is very much off the beaten path with only one way on and off the island. You have to really want to be there to get there. The living is plain and hard, close to the land and the ocean.

The aimlessly wandering, searching souls arrive one at a time and find shelter and peace until the death of a young mother shakes the island refuge and reawakens the pain of the loss of another young woman twenty years earlier. With the stoicism inherent in the islanders, life continues as normal, but with suspicion towards the group of church-dwellers who have wounds enough that need to heal.

With delicate intricacy, Hall has interwoven the lives of the characters from the island, the mainland and Canada. Very well done. I had a hard time laying aside this well-plotted mystery, so full of expression.

This was one of the best books I have read in quite some time. I enjoy christian fiction, but get tired of some of the sugary- sweet dialog and how everything is just a little too perfect in the end. Linda's books are really true-to-life and they have a good message too. I have read Margret's Peace and Katheryn's Secret (both excellent books), but Island of Refuge is my favorite. It keeps you guessing right up until the end.

Lamb's Island, Maine is a small community of close-knit people who watch out for one another. In the abandoned church on the island lives an unusual mix of people who are escaping from society for one reason or another. When one of them turns up murdered, they all fall suspect. Is it Jeremiah, running from his old life as a minister, or Peter, escaping a murder charge? Colin seems to have a dark secret in his past as well, and Philip does not appear honest to anyone, except the wife and daughter that he has abandoned in the old church. As Hall weaves this tale of suspense, you will be enthralled with the twists and turns that it takes. Every time I thought that I had it figured out, something new would crop up, like a nosy ferryman, an upscale dress designer, or a strange rowboat parked on the sand. Hall has once again shown that she is a master of the suspense novel. You will not be able to put it down.

Carolyn Chute can write, no doubt about that. With rich, spicy, earthy prose she brings to life her rural Maine setting and a whole town full of characters in this third novel.

The setting is the same as for her first two books: Egypt, a small town on the edge of the woods in western Maine, a place where impoverished natives and rich folks "from away" live side by side, but seperate existences.

The characters in this 695-page novel include most of the population, with emphasis on LLoyd Barington, of working-class/farming stock, Forest Johnson, Jr., whose backhoe and 'dozing business employs many of the town's poorest, and Gwen Curry, whose horrid mother proves that money and Connecticut gentility are no proof against cruelty.

The plot, well, here the novel runs into trouble. There is no plot, so to speak. While her characters do cross paths with one another, there is no unifying progression of events- except the slow generalized denigration of a rural way of life. That, it turns out, is Chute's point. "Merry Men" is a documentation of hard times getting harder, of the corporate mindset grinding down the individual.

Not that all her Maine folk are saints, although Lloyd Barrington comes close. Forest Johnson, Jr., for instance, takes advantage of his employees' desperation at every opportunity.

As the book opens, Forest has called out the constable on a bitter winter night. A prank -the fifth in as few days. "Forest, Jr.'s frozen breath bunches and bounces around his face so now there's no face. When his face reappears, it's just this dark sovereignty of eyes behind steel-rimmed glasses and a fierce close shave." Faced with the constable's impotence, Forest vows to lie in wait and kill the merry prankster.

The book then jumps back 30 years, although this is not apparent unless you glance at the top margin of the page. We meet Lloyd Barrington, age 8 3/4, fat, earnest, sensitive, a writer of poetry, a lover of shade trees. This lengthy section is breezy, humorous, affectionate and deeply touching.

Lloyd's mother has died. He lives with his taciturn, incomprehensible father, Edmund, and a houseful of uncles, including Unk Walty, who cooks fabulous meals for them all, unless he's absorbed in one of his papier mache projects, like his masterpiece - lifesized reproductions of all the local women Edmund has slept with, seated around a table dressed in beautiful last-century costumes.

At night Lloyd sneaks out of bed and flits around town in his Super Tree Man costume. "A fat boy by day, maybe so. But tonight and many nights to come, he's a thing of glory." Lloyd plants baby maples. "If they make it, in thirty years, the fat lady's yard will be in deep cool splendorous shade."

Next we meet Gwen Curry on the day her father, Dr. Curry, has died. Gwen is a fearful, lonely child, her mind flickering between the awful events following her father's death and jagged memories of her short life with Phoebe, her mother. Every night Phoebe sings under the grate to Gwen's bedroom. A few times her father had remonstrated. "So Phoebe sang louder. Show tunes. Pop tunes. Rock and Roll. Television jingles. And once a shattery tinkling splat! A glass thrown into the sink."

Chute's portrait of manic cruelty and bewildered child is heart rending. Yet when Grandma packs them off to Connecticutt that's the last we see of Gwen for hundreds of pages.

In between there are numerous vignettes - Forest Johnson, Jr., fires an illiterate man and Forest's dissolute son returns from California bringing a grandson who's soon embroiled in family strife. The Soules, Lloyd's wife's people, lose their family farm to the bank. A young Soule falls in love with a middle-aged cousin of Lloyd's, a man on parole, suffering from clinical depression. They marry and as the husband loses his job, she becomes pregnant. Many of these stories end badly; some Chute simply abandons. Each absorbs the reader; none are fully resolved.

Finally Gwen Curry comes back, a rich, very rich, widow of an industrialist, a symbol of all the things gone wrong in Egypt. Her attaction to Lloyd, educated former hippie, man of all work, crusader, prankster, is instant. He is more ambivalent.

How Chute resolves this final conflict adds to the reader's frustration. Such magnificent writing, so often leading nowhere. And towards the end, Chute cannot resist long preachy passages explaining what's wrong with America even though she just spent 500 pages showing us. But Chute is worth reading for the breadth and beauty of her language and characters - even if you turn the last page and throw the book across the room.

Living in a small Maine town, I can attest to the veracity of Chute's vision. The characters are well-realized. Many scenes are breath-takingly well-written. Two problems with the novel: (1) It would be better without Chute's sermons about the grotesque evils of hunting & corporate America. (2) It would be a great novel with a different ending. The final act of the protagonist, Lloyd Barrington, is uncharacteristically & gratuitously cruel. That Chute had to change her protagonist's personality shows that she did not know how to end this wonderful, sprawling novel.

Carolyn Chute has an amazing talent at bringing to life the very heart and soul of her characters. This book exemplified that ability. Being from the same part of Maine of which she writes, I can identify strongly with these characters. Reading this book thrust me back in time to my youth in Maine---I was overwhelmed with nostalgia simply because Mrs. Chute wrote so well and was able to breathe life into her story. The characters of this novel were Maine personified. Anyone who grew up in Maine can understand what I mean---it wasn't like reading a novel, but rather was like actually being there and experiencing it. Thank you, Carolyn, for treating me to a part of my life I had previously thought forgotten and past.

Just as "Ulysses" was derided at it's debut, so has this book been. And just like "Ulysses" is now celebrated as a masterpiece of the millenium, so this book will be. Carolyn Chute, with only four titles in print, is the undisputed heavyweight champeen woman writer of the world. If you love Hemingway's wry just under the surface populism, you will love Chute. In fact, if you only read one book in your life, make it this one!

Chute's cyclonic novel absolutely captivated me and revealed a world within the state in which I live, but one that will always exist outside of mine as an "outer-stater". The characters, their struggles and disappointments were utterly realized. However, I have a problem with Lloyd's final "Robin Hood" act. For nearly 700 pages, Chute gave us an utterly endearing and sensitive character in Lloyd Barrington, one who NEVER hurt anyone and only acted against faceless corporations. For him to act so contrary to that nature was unfounded, no matter the economic status of an individual. Any feedback?

Genre: Historical Autobiography - Nonfiction

Title: PRIEST: A Tale of Repressed Identity

Author: Maurice C. Fillion

Haunted by indecisions Maurice C. Fillion takes us on a historical trip through the 1920's and 30's.

As a lad, Maurice was anything but a `good' boy. When one conjures an image associated with a priest, an altar boy, an obedient child, an overall `good kid' image automatically comes to mind. Although not a `bad' kid growing up, Maurice had his fair share of mischievous deeds.

`Priest' shows us a man struggling to come to a decision for his future, a man who appeases others yet never once falters to make his `mood' known to his peers and superiors while studying for the Catholic priesthood.

Segregated from a world he feels an inclination to join at times, Maurice begins to have his doubts about becoming a priest. Seeking God's help to show him the right path, he finally comes to a decision with a surprise twist at the end.

Although I was born in 1958, Fillion's ability to bring his era to life, absorbed and educated me in the hardships people endured during the depression; the ways of life back then, the struggles to place food on the table because of the lack of jobs, the various cultural differences within a community and reactions to one another, and a brief glimpse into a Quebec French heritage.

I found "Priest" to be an excellent read of one's historical background. But more than that I came to realize one need not have a famous background to enjoy their life's struggles and achievements. Lea Schizas - AllBooks Reviewer

Interesting memoir of Maurice Fillion which begins in Berlin, NH. He tells us how he became interested and joined the seminary at a very young age and then as time passed, doubted his calling. Read about his inner thoughts, and actions in a life closed off from the outside world.

Very interesting autobiographical account of a firstborn son of Catholic parents. Dutifully indulging his mother's wish, Maurice enters seminary, receives ordination as a priest, performs his first Mass, then quits. Why says a lot about the nature of the call to ministry. Seminarians everywhere would do well to read it.

This memoir will leave you reflecting upon your own life...with a bit of hope. It's a great read for anyone who has experienced that often painful battle between one's internal passions and the external forces that shape our environment. Above all, it is an insightful look back at a life that is unique enough to capture the interest of readers from all walks of life, yet universal enough to capture the human experience. Its truest test: it has been read, then passed on to a friend, then passed on to another friend, and so on...

I know the author and, based on his speaking on related material in my course on Spirituality, was one of the people encouraging him in writing this book. I highly recommend it, from several angles:

1) the writing: the structure and writing is engaging as a narrative -- the story, especially once it describes his entry into the educational system towards becoming a priest, is very compelling and "carries" the reader along!

2) the balance between description and commentary/analysis: the author exercises effective restraint when he engages in the latter. There's no excess in editorializing; the telling of the events is powerful and revealing in its own right. However, when he does interject commentary, it's with a striking mix of insight and perspective, and often also very wry!

3) description of Franco-American life and community in New England (Berlin, NH) pre-WWII: this is an added bonus, worth mentioning as it will be of special interest to some readers.

4) most of all, for the account of powerful struggles along the path of his becoming a priest, remembered and reviewed now with such clarity... so many turns and twists with which, as a young boy and then still young man, he had to grapple! The depth of those same experiences is likely what contributes to the special insight and perspective conveyed now in this book. I found myself thinking of the Jungian concept of "individuation" as I read this book -- how within this model our full development hinges on our integration of life experience and self, including returning to what has been earlier repressed. How many of us can take on that challenge? What a privilege to see the fruits of this process in this book!

Started off beautifully written, but characters a bit too one dimensional--more characters and less boatmaking description would've been better in my opinion. Ends with a cop-out court drama that just became too unbearable to finish. I really wanted to like this book but felt the ending was disappointing. Court cases: ho-hum. I could watch Matlock or read John Grisham if I needed another dose of courtroom climax. But the writing is superb and unique, thus he gets 3 stars...a writer to watch and who I believe will increase in talent and skill.

I agree with the earlier reviews. Beautifully written, a very well woven plot line, and the exquisite simplicity of true "Downeaster" philosophy and ethics.

My only minor complaint is that while his descriptive passages are beautiful, I sometimes got the feeling that he was "trying too hard" and heading a little toward "verbal gymnastics".
As I said, this is only a "minor" point.

Well worth reading, and a phenomenal first novel by a gifted writer. I will be awaiting his next effort.

Norman G. Gautreau's debut novel Sea Room takes place during and after the devastation of World War II. The Dupuys are simple family living on the Maine seacoast must bid farewell Gil Dupuy, a passionate young man who enlists to serve his country, while his wife, son, and parents pull together on the home front. Sea Room is very highly recommended as an engaging and original story of bitter truths, hanging on despite increasingly harsh conditions, and holding on to hope and dreams in the wake of despair.

This was one of the most interesting books I have read, and
I read a lot. We are taken into a Maine seafaring family and
share their secrets, loves,prayers and sit at the table for meals. The descriptions of the townspeople, friends, family and
others is so complete that you feel that you know them well.
Of special interest to boating enthusiasts (which I am not) but
exceptionally well written by Mr. Gauthreau in his debut novel.
See for yourself!

The cover is so beautiful, it gives you an idea that this book is above the ordinary, and it is!

It's a story about 3 generations (the Dupuy's) of a fishing family who live and work on the coast of Maine. When Pearl Harbor is bombed, everything changes for the family. Gil leaves for the war and the family is left to wait and pray for his return.

The writing is beautiful as it describes the landscape, the sea, and each member of the family. They all are vividly portrayed and come to life.

If made into a movie, it would be comparable to "Snow Falling on Cedars". It would be a great movie and is a book well worth anyone's time.

A Year of Mornings: 3191 Miles Apart is a photographic collaboration between Maria Alexandra Vettese (Portland, Maine) and Stephanie Congdon Barnes (Portland, Oregon). The two met online and discovered that each had interests in crafts and a passion for simplicity in images. After a series of discussions, they embarked upon a year-long project in December 2006, in which each agreed to take a photo every morning for a year and then post that photo onto a shared blog. (http://3191.visualblogging.com)
They uploaded photographs that are posted as diptychs, and time after time had uncanny resemblances. On certain days, I wondered if the two discussed what to photograph--such as subjects, angles, etc. For example, the first set of images were both of eggs. There were also diptychs in which comparisons of colors were made--like green grass with a white ladder compared to a pair of green socks with a white embroidered design. Not all of them have such obvious comparisons, but still make for interesting diptychs.
I do have some complaints about the book. First, the paper that it is printed on dulls the colors, and I would've liked to see these images in their true colors, not a muted representation. Second, I wish that they would have showed all of the images from that year instead of just selections, and much larger than thumbnail sizes.
Overall, I think that the idea of the collaboration, as well as the content displayed on the website, was a fantastic idea that was poorly represented in the form of a book. Perhaps it would have been better left as a digital project.

I really loved gazing at these gorgeous photos in the "year of mornings" blog. Though it contains the same beautiful photos, I thought the layout of this book was a bit of a letdown. It could've been put together in a more aesthetically pleasing way, which was surprising, since it's a book of photos. All in all, it's still very nice.

Love this book!!! Have been visiting their blog for more then one year. Always love their photos and life style. Finally it's in print! Love it love it love it!

Full disclosure: this is a book by a friend. But that said, I honestly find it lovely. I'm a book in hand person, not ready yet to go only for screen images so I was glad this book (based on a popular web site) was created. I received my copy during a difficult time and I found great comfort and distraction in the peaceful images. Both photographers have a fresh outlook and wonderful hand at simplicity and nuance. I got ideas about room decoration, hand made crafts while at the same time basic reminders of the cycles of life. This is a book I will return to for quiet times and times when I need creative inspiration. My only wish was that the book was a larger format.

In December 2006, Maria Alexandra Vettese and Stephanie Congdon Barnes each happened to take a photo in the morning and upload it to Flickr. Noticing the coincidence of the common theme, the two women agreed to an artistic partnership: for the full calendar year of 2007, each woman took a photo every day before 10 a.m. and posted it to a blog called 3191. Because they live respectively in Portland, Maine and Portland, Oregon, they have only met in person twice.

Now 236 of the pictures appear in A Year of Mornings: 3191 Miles Apart. The commonplace subjects, arranged in date-paired diptychs, weave a quiet spell of daily life. Jam on bread, braided hair, a cloud-filled sky, each beautifully composed in both senses of the word. Often there's a surprising correlation between the two pictures, either of subject or of layout. They capture the best aspects of morning: peace, renewal, the pleasure of small quiet things. They are little marvels of thoughtful observation.

Five stars for a book that expresses keen artistic vision and a true 21st century partnership. Vettese and Barnes are now collaborating on daily evening photos, which can be seen on their blog 3191 A Year of Evenings. Visit and enjoy.

Linda Bulger, 2008

I found Pat Nyhan's Zig Zag to be an eye opening read. Having my parent's direct me into the career path of teaching in 1970, I always wondered what else I could be doing. I was inspired by Nyhan's varied experiences, travels and search for that perfect fit of career and family time. I would definately recommend this book to any women in search of herself.

In this thoughtful, absorbing memoir, Nyhan recalls her irrepressible hunger to know the world and the striving, idealistic Dutch/Irish ancestors whose example fueled her determination to reach beyond the conventional clean-house-and-mommyhood aspirations of 1950's women to pursue her own destiny. She skillfully interweaves the turbulent political events of the past fifty years with her own many-angled career path and its ambitions, disappointments, and triumphs. Although Nyhan encounters sexual harassment and discrimination along the way, she remains acutely aware of the privileges that her education, class, and race provided as she reflects on the societal changes that allowed more options for women. Along the way she builds a loving family, travels the world, and finds rewarding work as a journalist and teacher who made a difference in many lives. As Nyhan makes peace with the balancing act that is modern life, her entertaining tale helps readers to do so, too --to seek work they love and to exploit every opportunity to love what they do.

This book is an esential tool for any educator in a women's studies program as well as a "must read" for any women's book club.
What makes this book so essential is that Ms. Nyhan's interesting and varied life experiences are placed in our minds against a rich historical background which enables the reader to understand the time and its challenges for women more completely.

In this engaging, well-written book, Pat Nyhan looks back on her life in an era of historic changes that tranformed the social system she'd grown up in. Its serial format makes the book a pleasure to read and reread as Nyhan takes you along on her zigzag journey with great stories, vivid descriptions, and witty, memorable images of people encountered along the way. Sprinkled throughout are informative references to news and events that marked the changing times. This book has broad appeal, not only to the working woman. The thinker, writer, traveler, and former child in all of us will enjoy the thoughtful observations and reflections in this big little book.

Zig Zag A Working Woman's Life In Changing Times by Pat Nylan is a must read if you are a female raised in the 1940s and 1950s, a time when you were encouraged to continue your education and work only until you reached the goal of homemaker.

If you are from a younger generation, you will find it interesting to compare where you are now and how the experiences of previous generations affect your expectation/goals.

Pat relates her personal experiences while also reminding us how the political and social climate affect our perception of who we are and what we can become.

Fascinating true story...I attended art school where one of the abductees, Jim was a teacher of computer arts. His colleagues teased him about the "abductions" but also believed him as he is a very down-to-earth, sincere person, and one that does not seek the spotlight. There wasn't much to gain monetarily by telling the story, plus all involved opened themselves to ridicule by skeptics. There is no reason for me to believe that what they experienced was fake, or hallucinated. I also sat in on some UFO classes Ray Fowler taught from his home. He also is very believable and has done extensive research on the UFO/abduction phenomenon, and has had some bizarre experiences of his own!!

Ray Fowler, a prominent UFO Investigator, does an A-plus job in this investigative documentation of a UFO abduction involving four men. As a UFO investigator, this book kept me up all night with the lights on! Where were you, Fox Mulder?

This book is a condensation of a 10-volume 702-page research report the author completed on the abduction of 4 men, a pair of twins and two friends, during a camping trip on the Allagash Waterway of Maine. In his preface, the author invites the reader to consider the evidence presented as a juror would, and to answer for themselves, "Are UFO abductions real?"

The evidence presented, in addition to background material on the four men, is primarily transcripts of hynosis sessions conducted by hypnotherapist, Tony Constantino. These sessions were held approx 12 years after the Allagash trip. Until these sessions, the four believed that they had experienced only a CEI (Close Encounter of the 1st Kind, visual sighting). However, "bleed through" memories and vivid nightmares led one of the participants to seek help.

The book includes illustrations drawn by the participants after hypnosis (all are artists) and an excellent introduction in Chapter 12 to Dr. Thomas E. Bullard's two volume work, UFO Abductions: The Measure of a Mystery. The common elements of the abduction experience are discussed in relation to the Allagash Four.

Although the idea that human beings are involuntarily being used a guinea pigs by some alien race(s) is, at some primal level, terrifying and leads many people to reject the phenomenon without consideration, the evidence presented here may lead the reader to a different conclusion.

Usual solid Fowler UFO story. Once again Ray puts in a fully credible tale of alien abduction. How can five people be wrong? - Consistent but independent evidence five times over cannot be questioned. A must for anyone, not just Ufologists.

It has been some years since I read this but I count it as one of the best written and researched books in my own extensive personal library. Fowler does not simply ask the reader to believe him;he presents the evidence collected-admitedlly it's anecdotal and hypnotic regression, but there is other corrobarative evidence as well-and asks if a jury could convict someone of a kidnapping on the basis of this evidence. Read the account and see if you don't agree.