New Hampshire Books

Compared to other trail guides I've read, the author of this book is obviously not writing from too much first hand information or did not fully research each ride before writing about them. I would recommend this book only as an overview of SOME of the trails in NH, but would not recommend that anyone head out on a new trail relying only on this book to get you back.

My wife & I bought this book last year to find some new rides close to our home. We finaly made it out to New Hampshire this past weekend and chose a ride listed as "Beginner" in the book. What the book called a nice ride, turned out to be nearly impassible single track riddled with boulders & roots,not to mention swamp & knee deep mudd. We spent the majority of the 12 mile ride actually walking our bikes. By the end of the trail, we were covered in mudd & exhausted. I can't imagine that the authors actually rode this trail before writting this book.

Be careful about buying this book used. There are incorrect printings which have the wrong chapters in the second (Brase and Brase) half. If the last chapter in your book is about "Probability", then you have the wrong copy. Make sure to ask the seller if the chapters in the last half of the book are "Chapter 2: Organizing Data; Chapter 3: Averages and Variation; Chapter 4: Correlation and Regression". If the last chapter is not right, then DON'T BUY THE BOOK!

Christopher Toy
Department of Mathematics
Southern New Hampshire University

why fall into the trap i did... why purchase a news article of someone's list of credits.. not much else just credits...

The Eastern Frontier: The Settlement of Northern New England, 1610-1763
A totally rambling and worthless account which has been written in a total historical vacuum. A discredit to the university that published it.

This book has lots of details about the region, but its advice about boots and backcountry hazards is, shall we say, incomplete. They imply that if you have strong ankles (I do) that you can wear "lightweight boots, somewhat more sturdy than sneakers" or even sneakers if your legs and ankles are strong. So I wore running shoes. The trails are rarely walkable paths but are more often "sight paths" between cairns across thousands of sharp and abrasive rocks- rougher than most trails I've encountered in the Rockies and Sierra Nevada. Sturdy boots are therefore a must, but this book does not say so. Regarding the backcountry hazards, not a word is found about the high winds. On the 2nd day of summer, we found ourselves on an exposed ridge with hurricane force winds, fog, and 34 degrees. In some places we had to crawl else the wind would knock us over. If you're blown off the ridge, the steep slopes and cliffs of the ravines are there to "greet" you as you take your final plunge. A revision of this book is urgently needed- one that will provide proper warnings about this very dangerous area and that will give better advice about boots and other gear.

Starbuck's interpretation of archaeological data at Canterbury Shaker Village is self-serving -- simplistic at best, and in fact, nothing new. His book is an effort to put a sensationalist spin on the archaeological evidence which he interprets as indicating that the Shakers were more "worldly" and materialistic than popularly thought. He all but states that the Shakers were a community of hypocrites.

In fact, the Shakers were not perfect, but the story is much more complex than Starbuck presents. No one ever denied that the Shakers were involved in dynamic commercial relations with the World - they were not self-sufficient and were not adverse to applying new technology to make their work more efficient. They were also, however, tempered by a very strong faith that called for moderation. They were human and balanced their lives as best they could.

But Starbuck jumps to immediate conclusions. In his self-centered analysis, he very briefly mentions that other theories have been brought forth to explain the archaeological evidence, but unfortunately, he immediately passes these off as "sentimental." To offer one of a number of examples, he blatantly fails to take into account that the Shakers, a celibate order, sustained their population by conversion, and, as a communal group, those entering the Shaker life brought all their worldly goods with them. In the spirit of economy and thrift, what else could be expected than that the Shakers would then put those goods to use and throw them away when they were through with them? They certainly would not have carted off and secretly buried the refuse that would make them appear more worldly to future archaeologists!

He would do well to consider the archaeological evidence in light of extensive historical documentation and other theories than his own.

This book is NOT helpful. It is poorly organized, full of typos, and not useful. I am returning it.
It's basically just a list of public campgrounds, with no information about location or real reviews, just a list of the amenities or facilities nearby.
Stick to the internet

The composition, quality and subject matter of the photographs chosen for this calendar were amatuerish. I am not a professional photographer and neither is the contributor of the photos on this calendar. New Hampshire is such a beautiful state, having spent much of my first 30 years there. This calendar falls far short of catching that beauty.