New Hampshire Books

I am an auctioneer so I found the title catching. I read the back cover notes and said, great, so my man is something of a bad guy. But then I read the book.
This is one of those stories about them bad, bad guys who come from outside the small community and try to grab locals' land by any means, preferably wicked means, and develop it. The old conspiracy theory, stupid even back when this one was written.
The underlying idea is that the only good use for land is agriculture, no matter how unproductive or unprofitable. Recreation of the wealthy is bad, bad, bad. I find that insulting to reason.
Credit must be given as to the original, roundabout way in which the outsider tries to grab poor, helpless, unhygienic farmers' land (hence the one star).
It bothered me in more ways than one, but (spoiler hint) I have to admit that I laughed my lungs out when our friend the anti-hero auctions out babies to couples unfit for legal adoption procedures.

absoute evil,this book will slowly but surely curdle your blood.dynamite from start to finish,with an ending you will not forget.

They only let me give it 5 stars, so that's what I'm giving it. There's no product description on this book right now, so from the back cover : "Harrowing tensions explode in a series of events that could happen anywhere, to anyone, just as they do to John Moore - whose days of freedom run out, who is stripped of his possessions, his courage, and his hopes, by the ominous presence of a stranger impossible to resist."

On the acres outside Harlowe that have been owned by several generations of Moores, John and Mim take care of his mother, raise their daughter and live life close to the land they love. One Thursday, when the local law, a one-man force, comes calling for donations to an auction to benefit the police, they laugh but donate. The Auctioneer is Perly Dunsmore, a worldly man who suddenly descends on quiet, sleepy Harlowe. As Thursday after Thursday passes, the requests for donations turn to demands and Harlowe's police force grows along with the power Dunsmore has over the town. What the townspeople end up giving goes far beyond the old furniture and rusty tools of the first auction. How far they have to be pushed before they fight back will shock you.

This book is truly a horror story and, if you begin by thinking this sort of thing could never happen, as you read, you'll be shocked at how easily it unfolds. The cover says "soon to be a major motion picture" - I don't think that ever happened, but it would make a great movie!

I read this book about a year or so ago, and I still get upset when I think about it. I know some people that are like the ones in that little town, That would just sit and let things happen to them. Perfect example is, the Middle East, where the people there have let evil (Alchaida,and the Taliban)come and slowly take over until they became the law that everyone feared. I urge you to read this book, you will never forget it!

Read this book, if you can find a copy. Buy a used copy, borrow it from someone, or obtain a copy of this book at your local library. It's a fairly fast read, and riveting. A novel, yes ... but you can't help but wonder, "Could it happen today? In the 21st Century?" I encourage high school English teachers to not only read this book, but find a way for their class to read it and discuss it. This book is (IMHO) a modern day classic. The implications, lessons, and warnings inherent in this story are applicable, even today ... decades after the story was set in a fictitious small town in New Hampshire in the late '60's. Topics that could be discussed and touched on are: bullies, extortion, and the expression: "All that is needed for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing." For a good scare that will leave you pondering human nature: READ THIS BOOK!

Morrissey, who gave us new ways to see things through song (listen to "Dance the Grizzly Bear" sometime) moves seamlessly from guitar to page. His novel emphasizes character development and setting; plot comes a long way last, but at the end I didn't care about that -- what I did care about was what would happen to his characters. Dare we hope for a sequel? It's hard to ask more of a novelist.

After seeing Bill Morrissey perform at a small club in New York, I couldn't wait to read his novel. What a time waster! Flat, one-dimensional characters with little to say in a town where nothing much happens. If there's a story line here, I missed it! Dialogue is inane, with an over-abundance of women who sigh, "Oh, Henry...," at the protagonist.

Bill Morrissey's first book is a lot like his songs, realistic , containing many readily identifiable characters. The story is autobiographical to a large extent and depicts the everyday struggles of life very well. Edson must have the highest per capita consumption of tobacco in the USA. Barely a page passes without someone buying, lighting, begging, trying to start or stop smoking a cigarette.

This is Bill Morrissey's first attempt at writing a book. He's been writing songs that go straight into the lonliness of contemporary America with great wit and magnificent turns of a phrase. Now, this book can take you deep into the heart of a man who needs the distance of a guitar and a few drinks to actually get closer to himself. Set in a dying New Hampshire mill town, EDSON plays itself out almost autobiographically. The characters were vibrant and distinct for a short book and the mise-en-scene could send you running for a bourbon. But the tender quality and underlying sense of hope prevails and in the end, you are left with wanting more, just like any Bill Morrissey song. Highly recommended.

I loved this book. Like Morrisey's carefully crafted songs, the books expands the low key events in a small New England mill town until they feel as important to the reader as they are to the characters. Those looking for high adventure or unlikely plot twists should look elsewhere; This book is for those who love a simple tale-well-told. I can't wait until he tosses his hat in again with another book.

Truly beautiful. Made me cry then smile. I have a 12-year golden retriever myself, and they are definitely a gift of joy and love

Very good book. Would recommend it to anyone

As a college student aspiring to work with animals, this is the kind of book that consistently validates and reinforces my chosen career path. Dr. Allen M. Schoen, veterinarian and founder of the Veterinary Institute for Therapeutic Alternatives in Connecticut, has put together here a delightful and even potentially life-saving collection of stories and advice for pet owners. He eases the reader into the book by beginning with a few stories of the more miraculous cases he has seen over the years. Included is the story of Megan, a stray golden retriever that came to him with what appeared to be a hopeless case of heartworm. He promised her that if she made it, he'd keep her, and make it she did, going on to provide miraculous healing powers of her own to numerous other animals Dr. Schoen has treated. Schoen also relates some stories of incidents from his younger life that inspired his decision to enter a career where he could help animals.

Part II, entitled "Bonding," explores the major ways in which relationships between animals and humans, animals and others of their kind, and even between animals of different species, are developed, maintained, and strengthened. Schoen focuses on four major elements - listening, touching, feeling, and letting go. For each of these topics Schoen has related a series of truly heartwarming tales.

Part III, which comprises about half the bulk of the book, is entitled "Healing" and takes on a slightly more scholarly air. Dr. Schoen has incorporated various methods of alternative healing into his practice for years, and uses things like acupuncture, herbal treatments, and homeopathic remedies in conjunction with standard Western medicine. And he gets results, as evidenced by the numerous examples he gives of such treatments succeeding where conventional Western treatments have failed. He begins by introducing us to acupuncture, explaining how he came to be convinced of its effectiveness, and following this with a section on the different ways in which acupuncture and acupressure can help your own pet. There are also diagrams showing a few of the major acupressure points that he feels all pet owners should know, with explanations of what stimulation of these various points will do.

Schoen next explores the world of herbal remedies, again explaining how he was introduced to these as alternative treatments and how they can work to help your pet should Western medicine fail. He includes a "Top Nine" list of herbal remedies every pet owner should be aware of, explaining what each herb does and how it works, and sharing example cases from his own experience. However, Schoen warns all pet owners to consult a veterinarian or herbal specialist before attempting to treat your pet yourself, as herbs can be harmful or even lethal if used improperly or in the wrong amounts.

Next Schoen includes a brief section on nutrition and diet. He details the basic nutritional needs of the average dog and cat, and includes helpful charts that show how much of certain nutrients animals should receive based on their body weight. Also included are a few of Schoen's own recommended recipes for balanced, home-prepared meals for your pet.

The final alternative healing method Schoen discusses is the use of homeopathic remedies. Similar in a way to inoculations, except for the fact that they are used to treat rather than prevent illnesses, homeopathic treatments rely on the use of heavily diluted samples of agents which, if encountered in large quantities, would actually cause the symptoms the patient is experiencing. For example, an allergic reaction to bee stings would be treated by crushing the bee, diluting the resulting pulp until only a trace amount of bee residue remains, and giving a few drops to the patient. Though such treatments remain the topic of heated debate, Schoen has repeatedly experienced success with these methods and provides numerous example stories to prove it.

Part IV, the final section of the book, is entitled "Teachings" and eases us back out of the book in much the same way we were drawn in - with a series of uplifting tales about the things animals can teach their humans and each other. Among these things are compassion, forgiveness, transformation, gratitude, sacrifice, and joy. One of my favorite tales was of a small stray cat named Daisy, adopted by a friend of Dr. Schoen's, who could not fully adjust to a life shared with humans until another cat was introduced to the household. The newcomer showed Daisy how to interact with their human companion and helped her overcome her confusion and fear. The very last story in the book takes us back to Megan, Schoen's golden retriever, in her final days at the age of fourteen. Schoen relates how, even in the process of dying, this very special dog continued to teach him valuable lessons about life.

This is a book any pet owner should read, particularly those with cats and dogs. However, any animal lover will find plenty of useful material here, as there are also stories of Schoen's experiences with horses, cows, rabbits, birds, and other animals - even a camel. The stories are thoroughly enjoyable, often downright amazing, and the insights and advice offered by Dr. Schoen are invaluable. An owner of five cats myself, the book brought to my attention numerous alternative veterinary treatments that I had now known about before. The writing is fluid, colorful, lively, and very friendly, and the book can easily be finished in a day or two. At the very end Schoen has included an appendix with contact information for various veterinary resources, and also a short list of recommended further reading. I recommend this book most highly to any pet owner, animal lover, aspiring veterinarian, and also to practicing veterinarians looking for additional treatment alternatives.

Dr. Schoen and Pam Proctor have written a remarkable tale of veterinary practice and the animals and people encountered along the way. Dr. Schoen relates his own path from traditional veterianry medicine to a mixed practice including alternative therapies for animals. His stories of healing will intrigue you to continue turning each page as you follow the lives of his extraordianry patients. Thank you Dr. Schoen and Pam Proctor. As a veterinary student I found this book extremely inspiring.

After reading this book I can think of so many people I'd like to send it to! I highly recommend it to anyone who has or loves animals. Some of the information in this book can save the lives of animal companions by showing the additional options available to heal health problems.

Though there are, apparently, those who would disagree, this book is terrible. I am giving it one star only because I can't give it zero. I did not finish the book, (mostly because it was too painful to read), but I feel that I still have the grounds to write the review that I am. While the summary of the book sounds to be quite entertaining and interesting, the contents of the book are quite the opposite. Do not be fooled by the words, "Enthralling Epic" on the cover. Enthralling in this case means, "boring." And Epic means, "long." The 410 pages of small font size and large amounts of useless dictation are less than exciting. More important events seem to "blend in" amongst the swarms of words, making it much more difficult to comprehend and sort out the vents as they unwind. While I am supportive of descriptive writing, the descriptive writing that this book contains is bland for the most part. And the dialog between characters between characters is unrealistic at best. If reading the dialog aloud you'll have the urge to start using a southern drawl even though the setting takes place in the early days of settlers in New Hampshire. It seems as though nothing ever happens and when it does, you don't notice.
All I can say is, you've been warned.

This author excellently portrays a young couple's beginnings & life adventures as the first pioneers to their area in the wilds of New Hampshire (as well as early American Township/village life in the 1700's) - and does it with a realism that places you in their lives.

This is one of our favorite books for reading every year or so. The kind that a family can read together & come away with a deep impression of honor & love & commitment. Of going on when times are rough & life hands out more than one expects.

It also portrays the personal challenge & core values of simple living, cut out with one's own two hands.

You will discover in it the 'Salt of the Earth' type of human beings that made our nation great. It is an excellent read for children & teens as a historical reference & character influence.

You will forget the sleeze of television & mass media for a while, & wonder why you tolerated it in the first place by the time you are finished.

This book, written in 1942, is the story of the settling of the North Country of New Hampshire. The mountain mentioned in the title is Mount Chicorua. It's the story of Whit and Melissa. Two young lovers from Kettleford Township (modern Bedford, New Hampshire), and continues up the Merrimac River to what's now Chicorua, New Hampshire. It goes from the 1750s to the 1770s and the American Revolution. It's a good book and I highly recommend it.

This is one of the most intriging books ever written about the hardships of pioneer life in the northern US. It is written in such a manner that it captures your attention right away and makes it almost impossible to put down. Imagine building your own home with nothing but an ax to cut the trees, debark them, notch them and measure with. No boards, so the floor is dirt, the door is made of hides and your nearest neighbor, if your lucky, is only 20 miles away! No roads or paths to follow. Just the sun and the top of a mountain on a clear day to find your way around. This story is about two young people Whit and Melissa who meet and marry in the town of Kettleford NH now Bedford NH and travel by birch bark canoe north to become the first settlers in the town of Tamworth NH. Too poor to purchase a piece of land in a settled township, they are forced to go north where Whit has to roam the wilderness in order to stake out 100 acres of land that will provide for their needs and then clear it and build his house within so much time in order to keep it and claim his cow that he will get for a bonus. If you ever wondered how the states were settled and what life was like when the wilderness was uninhabited, then this book is a must read. In fact, like no other book, I have read this one 5 times over the years. It never fails to intrigue me. I only wish there was a sequel to it.

This series has a promising premise -- naval fiction based on the viewpoint of a China trader turned privateer during the Revolutionary war. However, the promise never materializes, largely due to the truly appalling dialog. People in the mid-1700's might have written in that odd, stilted, formal vernacular, but I can't believe that it was ever spoken. Certainly no one ever stood on a quarterdeck and emitted any of the pompous speeches that Geoffrey Frost is guilty of, if only because the battle would be over by the time they finished. The net effect is that Frost comes across as a self-righteous unlikeable prig.

A reader will almost feel the waves washing over the ship during a hurricane, hear the roar of the broadsides, and mingle with the boarders in the sea battles in this realistic depiction of an American privateer prowling the Atlantic during the revolutionary war. And there is much more. The author does a very good job in describing the characters, especially Geoffrey Frost the captain of the Audacity. I found the dialogue very interesting. The crew speak in what might be called colonial New England and express a good deal of colonial horse sense. Every sea adventure buff will enjoy this one.

This is volume two in this series, which is set during the American Revolution and features a licensed privateer named Geoffrey Frost. It is every bit as exciting as volume one. Frost is a larger than life hero: learned, brave, and honorable. The sea battles are exciting and there's even a (peaceful) encounter with the explorer Cook.

This series seems to be more in the style of Hornblower than the Aubrey set. Its is well phrased but the characters and their relationships are very poorly defined. Plenty of exciting and well detailed naval action but occaisonal apparent inconsistencies or perhaps just confusing descriptions are annoying. This second book in the series will be my last to read. After O'Brian's skill with situations and people, this is thin stuff that a lot of action does not suffice to float.

With the presidential election right around the corner, Kaiji Kawaguchi's political manga makes it's timely arrival. The plot revolves around a young Japanese reporter and the Asian-American presidential candidate that it is his job to cover. While the art was very good, and the idea behind it was intriguing, I'm afraid I wasn't terribly immpressed with Kawaguchi-san's work. Perhaps it is a doubt as to whether a Nihon-jin can really understand the American political system, perhaps it is just that he hits too close to home. The story has potential, I'll say that much. I won't give up on it yet.

Having been born and raised in the Texas that Kawaguchi attempts to capture in his portrayal (done fairly well, IMHO, if a bit stereotyped), I think I can safely say that if Yamaoka really had walked into a Texas bar and given that pitch on gun control, he never would have walked back out again. Well, he would have, but only on a stretcher. Other than that, it's good book, and that ends on a cliffhanger, no less.

If you've read my review on the first volume of the "Eagle" saga, you know that I wasn't particularly impressed with it. Well, I have to say that this volume had me truly enthraled. Particularly the "debate" between Yamaguchi (? sorry I can't quite keep his name straight) and Albert "Noah." The whole buisiness of 'is it better to train the sheep or the sheepherders?' really had my attention. I found my self arguing with both men. I'm still not absolutely certain that this book is a keeper, but the fact that I was internally debating the characters is a good sign (for me, anyway) that this novel is going somewhere. So far, this has been the best novel in the series. I'm looking forward to reading more. I won't make any other comment than that - I have to read more of it before I can say yea or nay to it.

The mangaka (manga creator) of Eagle is Kaiji Kawaguchi, who is famous for his manga The Silent Service, which English language critics have called "reminiscent of Tom Clancy", because it utilized the rogue submarine premise of The Hunt for Red October. Eagle is a both a commentary on politics in modern America and a somewhat soap-operatic story of relationships. At the beginning of the story, reporter Takashi Jo is called to his boyhood home on Okinawa, a small island in the Japanese archipelago, to identify the body of his mother. While he is going through his mother's apartment, he notices that the picture of his father, an American soldier who he never knew, is missing from its customary place. Shortly after this, he learns that he has been assigned to go to America to cover the campaign of Kenneth Yamaoka, a Democratic senator from New York who has recently announced that he will campaign for the Democratic nomination for president. The reason for his selection is baffling to Takashi, and to his colleagues and superiors - he has never covered politics or international affairs, and he admits to himself that his articles were merely filler for the local editions of the paper he works for, the Maicho Shimbun.

Takashi learns, not long after arriving in America, that the reason for his selection was personal, not because of his professional qualifications. As a reporter, he has to struggle to maintain his objectivity in the face of ambivalent feelings about Senator Yamaoka, animosity from the Senator's wife Patricia, his love for the Senator's adopted daughter and press secretary, Rachel, and the shifting political currents around the charismatic senator. The first four volumes of Eagle (about 100 pages each) have been released both individually and as part of an omnibus edition which combines the four volumes into one paperback. Kawaguchi traces the senator's personal history, telling the story of his transformation from enlisted soldier to influential lawyer to politician, and reveals enough of the behind the scenes story and the public events - fundraisers, debates, and primaries - of Yamaoka's campaign to make the reader want to know more.

Kawaguchi's drawings are more realistic than those of most of the manga which have been translated and released in America; they couldn't be called superdeformed or kawaii (cute) by any stretch of the imagination. The artistic style goes well with the story and mood of this manga. I'm definitely hooked, and I can't wait to read the four forthcoming volumes of this series, to see what happens next.

This is one of those good stories that makes you wonder why you didn't come up with the idea yourself. 20 years after a religious cult commited mass suicide, some survivors are preparing a new mass suicide, and a woman who was rescued from the cult twenty years ago is in danger again.

The story is well structured and the characters likeable. It does lose its pace for a while in the last third of the book but it picks up again. Overall a good quick read.

I liked this book a lot. I liked the characters and how the plot developed. The reason for four stars instead of five, towards the end it did get a little slow. I hope these characters show up in another book.

Not as good as the last book - these characters were good but the premise was alittle strange. The whole "Luna-K" thing was not my cup of tea. I guess if you buy into the whole cult theme you would find this story enjoyable. Get this one at the library or the used bookstore!!

In New Mexico, young police officer Ian Campbell and other cops work the fatal car accident in which four people survive. Since the vehicle came from the Butler Divinity Mission, Ian and a veteran cop drive there to inform Reverend Michael Butler about the accident. However, no dogs or people are anywhere in what seems like a ghost town until they enter the chapel. They find a mass of dead people including Ian's newlywed wife social worker Anne, who worked closely with Reverend Michael.

Twenty-two years later, Ian takes a room in New Hampshire's Tranquillity Inn owned and managed by Kelly Stone, one of the four survivors of the Butler massacre. Ian fears for Kelly's life, as an unknown assailant is completing the mission of Reverend Butler by killing the survivors. Ian plans to insure this widow with a brilliant three-year-old daughter Jade lives. As he and Kelly fall in love, neither realizes that the serpent has entered Eden and will use Jade if necessary to complete the quest that includes Butler's daughter Luna-K better known to Ian as his beloved Kelly.

FOURTH VICTIM is an exhilarating romantic suspense that starts off with horrific Jones like suicides and murders, slows down to enable a relationship to form between the lead duo, and then goes full speed until the climatic confrontation. Ian is a terrific champion seeking revenge for the murder of his beloved Anne and feeling guilty as he falls in love again. Kelly is a fascinating protagonist hiding her tainted ancestry to protect Jade. Fans of taut thrillers will want to read Ian's efforts to keep the two females who have reawakened long thought comatose feelings safe.

Harriet Klausner

I used this book last weekend. The trail descriptions are very easy to follow, and the introductory write-ups make it easy to select appropriate trails for your skill/desired effort level.

Living in California, I don't get a chance to hike in New Hampshire as often as I would like. But when I do, I always take this lightweight guide along in my car and in the pack. The best part about the guide is that hikes are described in detail and directions to each trailhead are given in exhaustive detail. This is especially important for out-of-towners who aren't familiar with the back country roads. The authors have hiked each of the trails and they offer pithy comments on trail conditions, the possibility of seeing wildlife and other pertinent information.

There is a separate section on the magnificent Cosos Trail, the 200+ mile hike which runs from the border of NH to he Canadian border. My one slight criticism is the maps, which could be of better quality, but the text, route descriptions and ancillary material are of high quality. The descriptions of day hikes around Pinkham Notch are excellent!

This book is a font of information -- everything you need to know about hiking in New Hampshire! The hiking trails have been well-researched, and the author evaluates the difficulty of each trail. Makes a great gift for the adventurer in your family!

I read The Graveyard Gang, by James Duffy. This book is about a girl named Abby Abbot. She's a really rich kid and if she doesn't get what she wants, she'll throw a big fit. The school year ended and she got the chance to be friends with these three other girls, Sandy, Wilma, and Cathy. One day they all met in this one cemetery and decided to find a job, because they needed the money. Then these guys show up, one's name is Donald Jenkins, but he goes by "Bigmouth" and his friend that follows him around doesn't talk much, and his name is Steve.
I thought that this book was really boring. This book I think would fit the age group 10-12. The reason, is that when you're that young, you're thinking of making up a club for just you and your friends. This is a good book for anyone who likes clubs and mysteries. I have been a really big fan of Mr. Duffys' work for a very long time. So I was very disappointed that this book didn't turn out like I wanted it too. Overall, I thought that this book was suited for kids for ages 10-12. Since I didn't really like this book doesn't mean that I'm not going to stop reading his books, it just means that I probably won't read it again.

unlike most books that i have read - i really enjoyed this one.

The Graveyard Gang was one of the best books I have read. I would like to see more off James Duffy's books. The story was well laid out and keept you woundering.

The author's descriptions of the hikes and directions to the trailheads are very good. He also has done a good job narrowing down New Hampshire's many hikes to the 100 best but you need to supplement the book with a topographical map. A few times, distances were inaccurate and the elevation changes are misleading. Also, the photos could be better.

Living in California, I don't get a chance to hike in New Hampshire as often as I would like. But when I do, I always take this lightweight guide along in my car and in the pack. The best part about the guide is that hikes are described in detail and directions to each trailhead are given in exhaustive detail. This is especially important for out-of-towners who aren't familiar with the back country roads. The authors have hiked each of the trails and they offer pithy comments on trail conditions, the possibility of seeing wildlife and other pertinent information.

There is a separate section on the magnificent Cohos Trail, the 200+ mile hike which runs the length of the state. My one slight criticism is the photos, which could be of better quality, but the text, route descriptions and ancillary material are of high quality.

This is a fine book, with much to offer the novice and dedicated hiker alike. Pletcher's work offers guidance for hiking throughout the state of NH. He has somehow managed to narrow his analysis to 100 fine hikes, which promise adventure into all levels of hiking. While it in no way matches the depth of pure trail knowledge one finds in the AMC guide, it instead offers unique, intimate and eloquent analysis of 100 hikes. Each hike is highlighted with its own map, as well as a chart to graph elevation gains. Also, each trail's difficulty and length are assessed and special attractions unique to the hike are noted. Pletcher is clearly proficient in his knowledge of these trails and, more importantly, adept at putting that knowledge into compact summaries for the benefit of would-be hikers. A must addition to one's hiking library. Ernest M. Berube