Maine Books

This book is an absorbing journey into the rhythym of life for a New England farming family in the early 1900's. Rich in detail of everyday life, and rich in characterization, this book allows the reader to enjoy watching the central character's lives unfold. The only flaw is that Carroll falls into stereotyping at times, which can make the characters seem a bit less believable. Nonetheless, reading this book gives you a sense of fullness in the family's conection with the earth, and a sense of the peace enjoyed by humble people living honest lives.

Although born in New Hampshire, Gladys Carroll spent most of her life in Maine (Berwick). Life in rural Maine communities was her major theme in her novels. In this book, her first, she writes about the Shaws, a farm family, and their trials and tribulations over the course of a year in the early 1920s. Her characters are well drawn and come to life.

She is often compared to Sarah Orne Jewett and Mary E. Wilkins, other Maine writers, but a better comparison would be to Mary Ellen Chase, a Maine novelist who is contemporary to Carroll and who also used similar settings to explore comparable themes. As late as the 1960s (I don't know about now), a play based on AS THE EARTH TURNS was performed every summer in Berwick. It was her most popular book, widely translated into other languages.

I have read this book as part of a seminar being conducted by the Maine Humanities Council and Margaret Chase Smith Library. We will discuss the book at our April 1999 meeting. What a delight to read about people during the time of the early 20s, and people who still exist in parts of Maine today. Some things never change, thank God . Most Maine-iacs can relate to the life of the Shaw family and no doubt can link to people in a certain place. I understand that the book was made into a movie by Warner Bros. in 1934. I wonder if it is available in a video?

This novel is a soothing and comforting story of farm family in Maine. The main character is Jen Shaw, a young woman lving with her family in a small community during the 1920's, I think.

This book is the Waltons meet Ethan Frome, depicting a year in the life of a family that more and more face the modern world of air planes, college educations, and city life.

The characaters are sympathetic, strong and human. The chronicle of farm living's chores, rituals, and tasks are fascinating.

This is one of my favorite books. I have re-read it many times and always find something new to admire about it. Mrs. Carroll knows this life and it shows-her characters really live on the page. Jen Shaw and especially her father Mark are beautifully drawn. Mark may seem almost emotionless, but one comes to understand that he loves his children and farm too deeply to express by mere words. This is a way of life that may no longer exist, but I'm so glad that it was chronicled. Mrs. Carroll was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for "ATET" but lost to Pearl Buck's "The Good Earth". Her books are all written from her heart about the Maine she knew so well, and are worth checking out if you can find them. Youll be glad you did.

Before Benedict Arnold turned traitor, he was a highly-regarded officer in the American Army. Having risen to the rank of colonel, he had caught the eye of George Washington. Arnold was having a significant role in the defense of the northern boundaries of the rebellious colonies to keep British forces from invading from Canada.

Washington selected Arnold to lead part of American forces on an invasion of Canada to remove this threat of British invasion and possibly bring the British possession over to the American side. General Montgomery was to lead the other major part of the American forces. Montgomery would go up the Hudson for an attack on fortified Quebec. Arnold was to lead his force through Maine mainly along the Kennebec River to meet up with Montgomery for the attack.

Arnold did eventually meet up with Montgomery, but not before an arduous trek through the Maine wilderness which weakened and demoralized his men. The delay in reaching Quebec also upset the timing of the planned attack. By the time the American forces joined together, the British were able to repulse the assault on Quebec. They had learned of the advance of the American forces and strengthened the defenses of the city.

The invasion of Quebec was disastrous, though not fatal to the American cause. Montgomery was killed in the assault. Arnold's reputation suffered, so it wasn't long before he went over to the British.

Author of three previous books on the American Revolutionary War, the independent scholar Lefkowitz relates this major, though failed, episode in the Revolutionary War in an engrossing manner that never flags despite its detail as the details are colorful as well as informative. In many cases, the details are revealing as well with respect to Arnold's attributes and character. Readers of popular history could not find a better account of the Arnold expedition and especially the maneuvering leading up to the attack on Quebec and the attack itself. Welcome too is the series of 10 maps such readers can refer to to follow the tale.

I purchased this book with a "Ho hum, another book purporting to offer something new on the Arnold expedition." I was pleasantly surprised in that Lefkowitz has written probably the best complete book on the expedition's march and subsequent battle for Quebec. What was "new" was that the author's end notes were excellent, and his discussions of controversial points were most welcome.

The parts focusing on Arnold were not expressly germane to a book about Arnold's Army, but they did not detract excessively. I would have wanted more on the life of the American soldiers while prisoners of the British and the details of their return, but primary sources on this part of the story are few.

The author lists many references, but only about two dozen would supply probably 99 percent of the information available on the expedition. Actually, this is a story that an historian almost can get his arms around just by reading Kenneth Roberts's, "March To Quebec", at least for the journals by the expedition members. Coupling that with Justin Smith's "Arnold's March From Cambridge To Quebec", and one pretty well covers the ground.

So why this volume? Well, because it brings all of the above together, weeding out the myth (like Aaron Burr's Indian Mistress) and resolving conflicts and discrepancies in source writings. A good example of this is the story by Francis Nichols who maintained that a drunken British sailor fired the cannon that killed Montgomery although Nichols was not there and evidently based his account on heresay. Another is Morgan's comment in a letter he wrote to Henry Lee of finding the second barricade undefended that was probably a fabrication in whole or in part. Another is the discussion of "Dog Lane", a name for the path Arnold used for his approach to the lower town that was apparently added in the nineteenth century.

Probably very little will be added to the story through further research in future years as the vast majority of primary sources are already known (and they are very few.) Once in a while a little is added when a letter is found like that written by my Great-great-great-grandfather James Dougherty who was in Smith's company, captured at Quebec and immediately on being paroled, broke parole and joined Washington to fight on until 1783. Whether or not Lefkowitz's book will someday be considered the definitive work I leave up to future generations, but it will come close.

Benedict Arnold is viewed by most as simply a traitor to the American Revolution, but in fact he was one of the most complex and intriguing people in history. "Benedict Arnold's Army: The 1775 American Invasion of Canada During the Revolutionary War" follows the traitor's exploits before his infamous act, focusing on his invasion of Canada. He was dubbed the "American Hannibal" by his contemporaries due to his amazing exploits and acts during his less infamous time on the side of the Americans. "Benedict Arnold's Army: The 1775 American Invasion of Canada During the Revolutionary War" is highly recommended to American History shelves and anyone who would want to learn more about this enigmatic figure of American history.

Ever since reading "Arundel" by Kenneth Roberts in the ninth grade, I have been fascinated by the story of Arnold's expedition up the Kennebec and down the Chaudiere to Quebec. When I heard about this book I eagerly sought it out and got into it. I must pay tribute to the research and historical descriptions of Mr. Lefkowitz. What was most bothersome, however, was the plethora of typos, omitted dates, words left out, and other evidences of a badly-edited work. One of the most irritating things was the consistent misspelling of one of the key geographic sites in the whole story, Lake Megantic. With one or two exceptions this was always spelled "Magentic" in the book. I would say that Mr. Lefkowitz wrote a fine book but was ill served by his publisher.

Author Arthur Lefkowitz's account of Benedict Arnold's army marching through the Maine wilderness to attack the city of Quebec during the waning months of 1775 may very well be the definitive account of this expedition. For those, me included, who would not fit the definition of a historian this book may go into a little more detail than what may interest you. Nevertheless, the book will be worth your time. Many of those who accompanied Arnold on this trip included veterans of the Battle of Bunker Hill in June of 1775. Several who took part on this harrowing trip were called gentleman volunteers. Among them was a smallish man who distinguished himself well named Aaron Burr. The plan of attack was for General Philip Schuyler who was to first attack Montreal from Fort Ticonderoga while Arnold and his men traveled to Quebec through Maine. Schuyler became sick along the way and had to return, and he was replaced by General Richard Montgomery. Arnold and his men suffered on their trek by having to deal with numerous hardships such as portaging their way around numerous waterfalls, insufficient food, freezing weather, and traveling through swamps. There was some question whether Arnold would defer to Montgomery's authority when they joined forces in Quebec, but the two got along fine. With several soldiers' enlistments due to expire with the arrival of the new year and several attempts to get British Governor Guy Carleton to surrender the two generals combined their attack on Quebec on December 31st in a snowstorm. Although Montgomery was killed and Arnold took a musket ball below the knee and the effort to take Quebec failed this experience provided valuable training experience that went into winning American independence. This book is a valuable addition to Revolutionary War literature.

An excellent blend of history and technical information, perfect for the flytier interested in learning how Stevens tied her patterns. There is a nice series of plates showing examples of confirmed Stevens patterns, along with their recipes. The book contains many excellent photographs of flies tied by Stevens herself and of other items of historical interest. Reading this book is a lot like walking through a museum. The Hilyards have really done their homework.

I bought this as a gift. Nice history of Carrie Stevens, The Gray Ghost and Upper Dam. It's a nice history lesson.

This is a superlative book on a par with The Art of the Salmon Fly by J.Bates. It has many beautiful photos of the streamers, well laid out and functionally depicted. The first half of the book tells in detail what was happening in the Rangely Lakes region and is a wonderful vingette of the real history of the lakes. The second half concentrates on the flies and tying. With photos of highest quality and fine desciptions, this is a book that will last. The tie-in to Joe Bates was, for me, a treat as he lived in my town and I visited him on several occassions. This was just the book I was lookng for on streamers. It has a look of substance, great directions, and clear recipies. If you are a serious fly fisherman, or want to be this book belongs on your shelf. There is a lot of junk out there on modern fly fishing, this book is a huge contrast. I am amazed by the amount of research that went into it;it is no wonder that it took fifteen years to compile. If you are like me, and want a book that shows high quality text and graphics and patterns that are legendary and useful , buy this book without hesitation. I read it the first day it came.Good job by this father and son team.

I was unable to put this book down until I had read the entire contents. It is a historical treasure, rich in information and photographs that will be greatly appreciated by any fly fisherman. The color photographic and printing quality is excellent. A significant portion of the book is filled with details on the Stevens streamer fly patterns and the specific information for a fly tyer to create them. A great combination of fly fishing history and a fly tying "cook book". I plan to buy a number of additional copies for gifts to fishing friends.

This is an odd book. Playboy of the month for June, 1997, Carrie Stevens had distinctive flame-red hair and firm, natural breasts. However, in the three years since then, she appears to have gone downhill in the looks department, and moved to an alternative career as a fisherwoman. This is quite odd, as Playmates usually attempt a career in acting or, in the modern era, as 'goddesses of the web'. Carrie's decision to take such a drastic career move is surely evidence of a strong personality, one which separates her from the traditionally airheaded view of Playmates. Nice one, Carrie!

This book is about Jack. The author,Elvira Woodruff,has read the book and admiring the book. This book i great. If you lke mystery books you will like this book. I like this book because it gives you the picture that you can see it in your head. Jack is sleeping in his bed when a ghostly figure was at the end of his bed! Jack found out that he was livivg but the ghost was not.The ghost name was Nathaniel Witherspoon than it said "you're the exactly the kind of boy I need" Jake woke up he found himself in a 150 secret of a ship wreck that clamed many lives including young Nataniel Witherspoons.

Moving from Iowa to Maine would be a devistating blow to me, as it was for ten year old Jack Carlton. Who is viseted by a ghost by the name of Nathaniel. And With the help of the Nathaniel Jack unravles a great mystery of time wich is 150 years old.

The Ghost of Lizard light is about little ghosts. I really like this story becaouse it is funny and sad becaouse the half grown up kide uses his own brother you probly wont late your kids read tis book. But you should ander stand that it is trying totell your kids not to play with stuff laying on the on the ground and not to pick up green glowing things. And to listen to you so I would recommend that you give this book five stars because it is so great and theirs know dout about it. So please give it five stars.

This book is one of the best books i have read. I read it to my classmates and nthey all liked it. They asked me to do this so i am! Like I said It is a great book.

I am in fourth grade and I got the Ghost of Lizard Light out from my library. I wondered how scary it would be. It was just scary enough to make me want to keep reading, but not so scary that I had nightmares. The ghost is really good and I liked that he haunted the lighthouse. I also liked Ned the lizard. I would reccomend this book to any kids who love a good ghost story. I'm going to try the author's mummy book next. Jon in Bridgewater, N.J.

This book is one of those lazy saturday reads, where you lay outside in a hammock and dream of how to live more simply. This book inspires you to live such a life. However, the inspiration comes from wishing that you could have a life in Maine, free from some of the encumberances of the world around you. Sadly, the reality is that most of us don't have the luxury of living a simple life, confined to our mortgages, buying food from the grocery down the street, and wishing that we weren't caught up in the corporate shackle of consumerism just to live. Most people can't affort property on the coastline, and certainly can't afford to live more simply -- their location, poverty, hand-to-mouth daily struggle leaves them no time to wish for a simpler life. Simply because living more simply sometimes takes money to do so. All in all, a thoughtful book and an inspiration to try...

This book is beautiful. It is well-written, and the author put a lot of careful thought into his work.

This book has much to say about simplicity and wanting less and getting more for the effort. This is one of those books that everyone should read. Especially all of us who live in industrialized nations and take simple skills and ways for granted.

This book makes you realize that sometimes buying things costs more than you bargain for and you may just be better off doing some things for yourself.

I also like the analogy of working a job you hate just for money as prostitution.

The book was not as beautiful as the experience. The first time I went I left a feather and stones and couldn't bear to leave, subsequent visits were as powerful but in the way a life is crafted, one builing upon another. Bill is superlative. The book is good but needs to be taken in small portions, savored,it added to my experience. Building a yurt should be done by any awake human. Bill's the only authentic one I know of-the rest, shallow imitations, posers, pretenders, charlatans and just plain not it. Even though I'm sure they are earnest folks.

I didn't go looking for this book. It simply fell into place. Literally. While I was browsing in the satellite branch of my local public library for books about business this volume fell on my head. It had been left precariously on top of the shelf.
Aesthetics appeal to me, to the cover was intriguing. I skipped the book about where mobile and wireless technology is taking society and immediately checked out A Handmade Life.
It is a beautifully presented book. The photographs of an idyllic life in Maine are appealingly presented. The text proposes a way of life that, even here on the paradisical edge of the Pacific Ocean, on the edge of the world, even, it is hard not to yearn for. And maybe that is true value of the book. It awakened a hankering in me for a more naieve way. Strangely it also help me make a number of business choices I had been faced with. Appropriate considering there is a side-bar in the book:

"Borrow from cultures old and new
And with our imaginations

Blend those borrowings
To Create new ways to live
That are simpler, gentler
More generous and beautiful."

Is that my cell-phone ringing?

It's funny how even a quick browsing of this book tells you it has integrity. It's some combination of the artful layout, the paper quality, and of course the author's inspiration living-the-talk life. A Handmade Life evokes a simple but deep way to live. I should confess, however, that I haven't read the whole book, but I love it anyway and keep it on my desk by computer, sipping it now and again like a wine brewed for inspiration. It's a reminder to slow down, focus more on craft than result and quality more than quantity.

Another one in this genre is The Hand-Sculpted House.

I read this book twice last year before visiting The Keeper's House. Now that I've been to their fantastic inn, I'm reading it again. It's a great way to revisit and remember the wonderful times we had there. The recipes at the end of each chapter are very good--I've made several of them. I highly recommend this book (and the Inn!) to anyone with a sense of adventure and romance.

I read this book as an ex-innkeeper and found it quite enjoyable. Jeffrey Burke does reveal himself as somewhat of a "crabby" person and I kept wondering what his wife thought of each episode. I suspect she is the easy-going wife/innkeeper. I do think the book should be put into quality paperback and it would then have a great audience among inn guests and innkeepers. I would definitely recommend it to friends.

As a former guest of The Keeper's House, I found reading about the history of the inn extremely interesting. Jeff and Judi seem to be among the few who were willing to take a chance and open this very unusual inn. No wonder the guests described in this book are as fascinating as the innkeepers.

This book chronicles the establishment, by Jeffrey Burke and his wife, of an the Keeper's House Inn, next to an old lighthouse in Maine on Isle au Haut, seven miles off the coast, with the only link to *civilization* being the daily mail boat.

With no experience and little money, the Burkes took a giant leap of faith when they decided to open this establishment. The book details many of the obstacles they had to overcome and how they dealt with them.

It is such an interesting story of ingenuity, especially how they managed to get water (having a well pounded, not drilled); survived without any electricity (except for a generator that was only sufficient for running the mini sewage-treatment facility); used a 60-year old gas-powered refrigerator; and painted the 796 windowpanes in the inn and lighthouse.

The vignettes about the guests and some of the local characters were both amusing and insightful.

Each of the 21 chapters ends with one of the inn's recipes and the book is illustrated with delightful engravings by a Maine artist. I really enjoyed this book and have bought it several times to give as a gift.

What a lovely, sweet book! I flew through it, enjoying every minute of it and wishing there were more! I agree with a previous reviewer that it should be published in quality paperback. I also would love to see a sequel from the author that goes into more depth and detail about their life as innkeepers in such a unique setting. I'm sure there are many more funny and heartwarming anecdotes about guests, as well as more trials and tribulations about their choice and experience of this life. It is my desire for greater depth that lead me to give it four rather than five stars. The recipes seem great (I have not tried any yet), although Judi sure seems to have a penchant for sour cream! Read this book and enjoy an armchair vacation!

Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie is a well-written piece of historical fiction based on Abbie Burgess' own accounts and other historical sources. This information is provided in the note by the authors at the beginning of the book. All incidences appear to be very representative of the life of the time depicted. Abbie's character is developed well. The reader is able to see that Abbie is a strong young girl who does not want to let her family, especially her father, down. She faces the conflict of person vs. self and also person vs. nature is evident in the book. The theme evident in the book is bravery and strength. Abbie had to be brave to keep the lights lit. She needed the strength to overcome her fears and to live up to her father's expectations. The illustrations were beautiful watercolors that set the mood of the story.

Found this book recommended in
Great Books for Girls: More Than 600 Books to Inspire Today's Girls and Tomorrow's Women

This story is about a real girl who rises to meet a challenge that would frighten any adult. My kindergartner now holds this book near/dear as she sees it as a model of courage/bravery to aspire to. Even more exciting is that this story is based upon a real event in a real girl's life.

This book gives you an idea of what it was like to operate a lighthouse in the mid 1800's. Sure doesn't sound fun. In that sense the book is very educational, and it give hero status to a deserving individual that most people have never heard of. The only real flaw it has is in the format of its printing. I can't tell where one paragraph starts and another ends, so if I were trying to narrate this thing I would have a hard time knowing where to stop and start as far as the vocal intonation goes. I also think the introduction gives away the whole story on the first page, so it should really be put at the end of the book.

I remember watching this book on Reading Rainbow when I was little and I had to have it. I got the Audio casatte and Loved it I recommmed this book to anyone! Highy!!

Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie is a well-written piece of historical fiction based on Abbie Burgess' own accounts and other historical sources. This information is provided in the note by the authors at the beginning of the book. All incidences appear to be very representative of the life of the time depicted. Abbie's character is developed well. The reader is able to see that Abbie is a strong young girl who does not want to let her family, especially her father, down. She faces the conflict of person vs. self and also person vs. nature is evident in the book. The theme evident in the book is bravery and strength. Abbie had to be brave to keep the lights lit. She needed the strength to overcome her fears and to live up to her father's expectations. The illustrations were beautiful watercolors that set the mood of the story.

Boyle's career as a journalist is evident in his novels. The Jack McMorrow tales are as gripping as any crime thrillers out there 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."

Disaffected journalist Jack McMorrow, formerly of The New York Times, takes a job as court reporter for the Maine Kennebec Observer. But, unwilling to report the docket as supplied by the local district attorney, McMorrow runs a story about Donna Marchant, an abused woman, and the boyfriend the system seems unwilling to protect her from.

Threatened by the drunken boyfriend and the angry D.A. and warned off by the paper's staid editor, McMorrow finds himself getting more personally involved with Donna Marchant than his longtime girlfriend Roxanne appreciates. When Marchant is murdered, her thuggish boyfriend is the natural suspect but McMorrow isn't satisfied. And soon, he too is a suspect - and the focus of some dangerous thugs.

Boyle supplies plenty of action and a view of the seamy as well as the serene side of rural Maine life.

Once again I was drawn into the world of Jack McMorrow, journalist-turned-detective. And once again, I was struck by how I could so much come to care about a character enmired in a plot for which I cared so little. In this latest whodunnit, McMorrow again has us trudging around Maine in search of justice in a sea of lowlifes at times so two-dimensional as to be almost laughable. One cannot help but like the McMorrow character, though, whose love for nature, plain truth, good beer, dependable friends, and the written word is exceeded only, perhaps, by his taste for confrontation. The plot, however, is like a joke with a long-winded set-up and a punchline that does not pay off. It was a page-turner and I was going nuts in my attempt to solve the mystery as I read. But all of the chapters that precede the last are but a distraction and in no way drive the story. It was like searching all over the house for your keys and then realizing you had them in your hand. It doesn't all come together the way, I think, mysteries of more calibur do. Our author sets us up in the beginning and releases us in the end but uses all the intervening pages to follow his stream of thought on the subject of birds, romantic relationships, and rednecks. Maybe he thinks we won't mind because he's thrown in a house-fire and a kidnapping here and there. And by the way, I'm pretty sure this is the 3rd time our hero is abducted in as many novels. It's enough already with the abductions. Plus, the end had me, at least, a little disappointed with McMorrow's zeal for the truth because he basically winds up perpetuating a lie at the expense of another man's freedom. And even though this was done with the intention to protect another, I found it morally questionable and disagree that it was necessary. Lastly, as our author ages, too, the McMorrow character seems increasingly conservative and dull. At the end of the first book we were left expecting an end to his relationship with the redoubtable Roxanne. I was hoping for a new woman per story a la Mike Hammer. Would I read another McMorrow mystery? Will my girlfriend once again mock me for my loyalty to the series that so often disappoints me? 'Maybe' to the former question and an undeniably 'yes' to the latter.

I think that this is a great book. I am from a big city and am used to sarcasm. McMorrow takes sarcasm to its limit. Sometimes I can't stop laughing at the things he says. The action in this books just does not stop, either. I couldn't put the book down. I had to know what was going t happen next.

Boyle's evocative writing style draws the reader into the desperate lives of the denizens of small town Maine. In this, his third Jack McMorrow mystery, the dispirited former NY Times reporter, becomes intrigued by a domestic abuse victim after she shocks the district court by baring her scars before the judge. McMorrow's search for the woman behind the news story brings him in conflict with a powerful and manipulative district attorney. The intriguing young victim is found dead and McMorrow is tormented by the fear that his attention led to her death. As in his earlier novels, Jack McMorrow tangles with local thugs, who torch his house and beat him mercilessly. His faithful girlfriend, Roxanne, returns but is shaken by McMorrow's apparent attraction to the hapless people of the Maine the tourists never see. Gerry Boyle's masterful prose and insightful depiction of his characters make this Jack McMorrow series a must read for mystery fans

Am very disturbed not to have received this book as yet. Please, I don't understand what the delay iis. This author was on television in June describing her life. Can you hurry so I can have it soon? Thanks

If you live on an island, the coast or anywhere near a lighthouse you can really appreciate this book. Connie writes with a charm that warms our soul, enlightens our spirit and gives us inspiration
in a day and age where we need to slow down...HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!!

Although I have had this book since 1986 when it was first published, I recently read it for the first time. I met Connie Small when she was living in Foxwell Senior Citizens complex in Kittery, Maine. She was a neighbor to my grandmother and I enjoyed meeting her. I enjoyed reading about her first hand accounts of her many experiences in lighthouse keeping. I would very much like to know if she is still alive. It would seem unlikely since she would be 100, but I do know she was still living in 1998. If anyone has information about her, please email me, I would love to write her a note.

An autobiographical account of life keeping lights on the Maine coast, the author born in 1901 grew up in Lubec, Maine, married a man who went into the Lighthouse service, together they served at several light stations for decades: At Channel Light in Lubec Channel, at Avery Rock in Machias Bay, at Sequin Island at the mouth of the Kennebec River, at Dochet Island in the St. Croix River, and at the light in New Castle, N.H. Retired and later widowed, she wrote her experiences and is now known as an authority on lightkeeping on the Maine Coast. She currently lives in Portsmouth, N.H.

This is a thoroughly delightful book about a way of life that has almost become extinct, but which the memories and lessons are preserved to our great edification. -DMM

This book is loaded with charm. Highly recommend it.

"Limerock" is a very good collection of short stories. Most of the stories are set in Maine. One ("Ride") is set in Philadelphia.

The stories show the conflict between locals and "summer people"; between wealthy people and poor; between black people and white; between old and young; between gay and straight. Some stories show the difficulties of aging or illness.

I agree with the previous reviewer who praised "Detour". It's a great story about a childless man who tries to protect a little girl from her unstable family members.

"Uncle Cub at Paradise Fair" is very funny at times. The behavior of some of the characters is so appalling that it's also darkly funny.

"The Tip" is an affecting story showing the same event from two different points of view. It probably should seem corny or preachy, but the author manages to avoid those pitfalls.

You might be surprised how much tension there can be in a story set in Maine (particulary since they lack supernatural elements). "The Best in the World", "Detour", "A Clock in San Diego", and "Holly Point" stand out in my mind as tense stories.

The book is a nicely-designed trade paperback. My first copy was missing four pages. My next copy was fine, though.

I enjoyed the book. Hopefully it will be followed by an anthology of fantasy and suspense stories. I'd also like to read another of the author's suspense novels.

"Limerock" is a very good collection of short stories. Most of the stories are set in Maine. One ("Ride") is set in Philadelphia.

The stories show the conflict between locals and "summer people"; between wealthy people and poor; between black people and white; between old and young; between gay and straight. Some show the difficulties of aging or illness.

I agree with the previous reviewer that praised "Detour". It's a great story about a sterile man (?) who tries to protect a little girl from her unstable family members.

"Uncle Cub at Paradise Fair" is very funny at times. The behavior of some of the characters is so appalling that it's also darkly funny.

"The Tip" is an effecting story showing the same event from two points of view. It probably should seem corny or preachy, but the author manages to avoid those pitfalls.

You might be surprised how much tension there can be in a story set in Maine (particulary since they lack supernatural elements). "The Best in the World", "Detour", "A Clock in San Diego", and "Holly Point" stand out in my mind as tense stories.

I enjoyed the book. Hopefully it will be followed by an anthology of fantasy and suspense stories. I'd also like to read another of the author's suspense novels.

Rarely does a collection of short stories come along in which each one of them is a gem! Fahy has captured the essence of ordinary life in Maine with extraordinarily brilliant glimpses into places and personalities. "Detour" is a masterpiece. "Limerock" should be in the collection of everyone who appreciates great literature.

A welcome departure from Fahy's usual scary tales, Limerock explores a Maine many don't know exists. Carefully and clearly drawn, the characters, (and I do mean "characters") portray the struggle, tension and distrust between the Maine natives and the "out-a-staters". An eye opening and enjoyable read.

Reading Limerock is like taking a vacation to Maine, but instead of eating lobster dinners and walking on the beaches, this time you get invited into people's home. No, more like this: You marry into the family and move in. You start spending Friday nights at the Grange Hall dance, Saturday at BEANO. You drink coffee sombraroes with the cousins, drink tea with a good aunt, put up with the Connecticut people next door, watch the old barn on the hill slowly collapsing . . . and can't seem to get enough of it. Want to know what Maine is like? Read this wonderful book.