Connecticut Books

Such a great novel. I will read it again, but this time slover and with notetaking.

this one is about a interracial couple in connecticut in the 1950's...ms petry manages to handle this story with a cool handle never allow it to become merely tabloid fodder..some of the other plots that were interesting was link's relationship with bill hod, who was practically his father and the butler who marries a promisculous heavy-set black women...

The Narrows was written in 1953. Amazing. Timeless love story of a Dartmouth grad of history who happens to be black and a rich married heiress who happens to be white. Their lives intersect one night in Harlem and continue down a dangerous road of love, passion, and retribution. The star of the book is Link Williams, a young man adopted at the age of eight by Abbie Crunch and the Major. When the Major dies, Link feels invisible and finds a new home in the Last Chance bar where Bill Hod becomes his surrogate father, teaching Link what it means to be a man, a black man.

He grows up strong and intelligent, but faltering in one area. The area of love. The woman that he chooses, the one he wants to marry unbeknownst to him is already married. Worst of all she is white. This breaks many hearts, the people who have loved him and taken care of him, Abbie Crunch, Weak Knees, Bill Hod, and the rest of the Last Chance patrons where Link is the heart and soul, all watch as he make this fatal mistake.

Phenomenal writing, literature, pure art without the sensationalism that is prevalent in our books today.

Great reference for a first-time overnight camper who won an award for beginning kayaking at Camp Starfish in NH this summer!

This is an excellent book for those yakers who are looking for an escape from motor boat laden waters. It is well illustrated and has helpful tips on where to put in and what to expect as you traverse the water ways.

we live in broad brook, connecticut and this is the first year we've had kayaks. in the early summer we met a woman on the scantic river near the somersville dam and she recommended this book. best tip of the year. there are so many great paddles in here that you'd never know about just by looking on a map. we'd been driving around, shooting in the dark, and mostly being disappointed by what we found. every paddle we've taken out of the book has been excellent. can't recommend it highly enough.

Philip Ginsburg has done it again! Like Poisoned Blood, I could hardly put this book down. Shadow of Death is an in-depth look at a series of murders and the investigations in New Hampshire and Vermont in the 1980s. As I read, I experienced the frustration and the urgency of the detectives and the profiler to catch the killer (or killers). Although the murders remain unsolved, it wasn't for lack of trying. Philip Ginsburg has done a remarkable job in relating the murders, and detailing the victims, the psychologist, and the detectives, to the point where you know them well. Truly one of the best books on a serial murder investigation.

I've reread this countless times. I have ties to the area and was amazed at how little public play this got while it was happening. I still need to know the answer of "who" but it is without a doubt one of the best true crime books ever written

When you first read this book you will probably think this is the best book ever written, I did! I live in New Hampshire and when I read it I was so entriged by the wording that it just pulled me into the book and I thought I was one of the FBI officers working on the case with them. If you like to read Supense Thriller and Murder books you will diffently want to add this book to your collect like I did. I hope you read this book, and enjoyed it as must as I did. Well, I actually know you will love it so much that you will log on to Amazon.com and order the book as fast you can! ....

This book, with a section for each month of the year, tells about Gladys Taber's Conneticut farm, Stillmeadow. In between Gladys's stories about the plants and animals of the farm, including her Abbyssinian, Amber, are delightful anecdotes about her first days on the farm when everything seemed to go wrong. She also shares her personal insights and opinions on the youth and political issues of that time. Some may argue that she only wrote about nature so much for profit, but, if read, this book puts a stop to that argument. No one who was in it just for profit could have written anything so loveingly about nature, let alone several books.

All in all, this book will truly make you appreciate nature in all of its forms, from wisteria to skunks and back again!

After listening to the news about all the hate and politics going on today,and the wholesale decline of morals in our society, this book is like a breath of fresh air. I read a chapter each evening and my sanity is restored. This is my fourth reading of it since I got it and am now looking to buy more of her books. I actually read her articles in "Family Magazine" (Butternut Wisdom) many years ago when I was a teenager and all the other girls were reading movie magazines. It is a real "feel good" book.

I love Gladys Taber's books.

In STILLMEADOW ROAD, Taber diaries life in her Connecticut farmhouse, circa 1960. Perhaps the charm of her books is in the simplicity of the life she describes. Perhaps it's in her delight in words as well as in her existence. Certainly it's in the phrasing she uses, the verbal portraits she paints of her life, her dogs, her friends. Here is warmth and love and charm in print. Here are simple vignettes to warm the reader's heart and challenge her to find the same delight in life wherever she may be.

"We have an appointment with winter," she writes in the beginning, "and we are ready. The wood is stacked with seasoned applewood and maple, the snow shovel leans at the back door, the shelves are jammed with supplies. When the first innocent flakes drift down, we put out more soot and fill the bird feeders. When the snow begins to come in all directions at once and the wind takes on a peculiar lonely cry, we pile more wood on the fire and hang the old iron soup kettle over it, browning the pot roast in diced salt pork and onion. As the blizzard increases, the old house seems to steady herself like a ship against a gale wind. . . Snow piles up against the windowpanes, sifts under the ancient sills, makes heaps of powdered pearl on the ancient oak floors. But the house is snug in the twilight of the snow and we sit by the fire and toast our toes feeling there is much to be said for winter after all."

Appreciation of life flows through these pages, sparkling with common sense and wisdom like wave-caps glistening in the sunlight of wise reasoning.

Of August she writes: "For after the vigorous growth of the spring and summer, nature comes to a pause, and the countryside has a dreamy look. We need to pause, too, in the midst of pickling and canning and freezing, and let the serenity of the season give us tranquility...It is time to sit quietly in the shade of the apple trees...There is more to living than the endless activities we all pursue. Most of us indeed seem to live on a wheel which revolves faster and faster but has no true destination...But since we have just so much time alloted to us, some of it should be spent in reflecting, and some in pursuits which have nothing to do with our daily lives...because life isn't a business; it is a precious gift."

Gladys Taber's legacy is a celebration of life as she chose to live it. Her books are gems of poetic but light prose with depth, perception and feeling. The shallow and pseudo-sophisticated reader may label her "sentimental" but there is nothing idealistic or shallow about her writing. She simply lives and appreciates a simpler life than most choose.

STILLMEADOW is a book you can put away when life interferes with your reading and it's interesting enough to pull you back, eager to take up where you left off.

I'm 12 years-old and I thought this story was very exciting. My older brother read it also, and he said it was great. It is about a fifteen-year-old boy who is eager to go to war. However, it ends up being the most horrifying life a young man could have. I would give six stars if I could. Since I can't, I'll write it down: six stars!

Joseph Plumb Martin is fifteen in 1775 when tensions between the American colonists and their British rulers erupt. He witnesses the organization and recruitment of a local military force, untrained and undersupplied. Martin hesitatingly enlists for the limit period of six months, required by the state militia. He sees combat at Gowanus Creek and is part of Washington's retreat to Manhattan Island. After colonial morale is lifted by Washington's surprise attack on the British at Trenton, Joseph re-enlists for the duration of the war and participates in the long, miserable winter march to and encampment at Valley Forge. Joseph remains in the Continental Army until the signing of the provisional peace treaty with the British in 1783. By this time he is twenty-two and has grown from a boy to a man.
This is an excellent choice of historical non-fiction for young adults for several reasons. First of all, the personal story, told in Martin's own strikingly honest words, is never embellished upon, and helps to focus an otherwise complex political story. Secondly, the American forces, often depicted in domestic versions of this war as having been invincibly heroic, are here described exactly as the poorly trained and undisciplined force that they initially were. Washington's losses and retreats from the British are diligently explained. Since Martin's military experience involved serving in several capacities, he is a good choice for a commentator. The author, who has received awards for his previous works on military history for young adults, does not shy away from the unpleasant news that Americans, confronted by a superior fighting force and often low on morale, walked away from battlefields once their enlistments were up and, in some cases, deserted. Moreover, he points out that, while Washington's army was starving at Valley Forge, the local citizenry had food in surplus and could have shared more with the soldiers, many of whom had no shoes that winter.
Heavily illustrated with reproductions of prints and paintings of the events discussed, this creative approach to an old subject highlights the subjectivity and propagandistic nature of "historical" art: The same series of events are depicted differently by various artists depending on their political affiliations. Murphy is careful to point out that elegant artistic renderings of American troops have very little in common with the crude reality of their service. A complete bibliography is provided as well as a useful time line. This book is highly recommended for grades six and up as well as for adults interested in an objective account of the American War for Independence.

I am 13 years old and i absolutly love this book, Murphy (the author) describes the American Revolution so clearly that u actually feel like you are in the story! This book is about a boy named Joseph who signs up to be in the Continental Army, he goes through hard times and good times as well! I would say any history fan would love this book!!!!

Christopher Brooks surely did his homework in writing 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: New York City: with northern New Jersey, southwestern Connecticut, and western Long Island. The details on the many hikes in the Tri State area are very helpful. One can easily trace around the suggested trails that Brooks provides. Also Brooks adds a little history to many of the recommended trails.

He gives equal emphasis to New Jersey, Connecticut, Long Island, and the Hudson Region. Also a comprehensive index is provided so the reader can easily distinguish flat hikes from vigorous climbs to ones to bring the children on. Every base is covered as this book is a fantastic guide for anyone looking to explore new hiking trails in the New York area.

You would think that a hike in New York City would take you from say Central Park to Battery Park along the sidewalks. To my surprise, the Brooks have found all of these hikes within a reasonable distance from the city. As a for instance, the Pelham Bay Park is 2,766 acres in size with 13 miles of shoreline. It's also reachable by public transport. (Take the #6 train followed by the Bx29 bus.) The hiking there is flat, shoreline and all that. Or there's Norvin Green where you'll need sturdy hiking shoes, and find multiple deep-water streams to cross in a 9.3 mile up and down trail. Other hikes include wildlife refuges, state forests, national recreation areas, swamps, mountains, rivers, waterfalls, ocean shores. You can get away from the concrete.

As a book, the layout makes it easy to find things. The overall maps lead you to the general area you may find interesting. The descriptions of each of the 60 hikes includes a description, a detailed map of each, elevation profile, and directions - usually by automobile and public transport. As the back cover says, If you live near NYC, get it.

This is a fine beginners guide to identifying the tracks you might find while hiking in New England, whether you're in an urban area or on a wilderness hike. While not comprehensive, you will find the more common animals from your environment -- 34 mammals (including mice, squirrels, rabbits, snakes, skunks, frogs and toads, fox, coyote, porcupine, raccoon, deer, moose and bear) and 9 birds (including grouse, crow, duck, owl, heron and eagle).

The book begins with a preface of enouragement followed by an introduction on how to use the book and where/how to look for tracks, continues with 2-page species entries, and concludes with a short suggested reading list and an index.

Entries are ordered roughly by size, and a 5-inch ruler is printed on the back cover. Each entry has a couple of descriptive paragraphs on the lefthand page and b&w line drawings of typical tracks on the right.

This little book is surprisingly informative and quite compact -- a perfect introductory book for kids or adults who are interested in the wildlife around them.

I use this book everytime I go hikin

Backroad Bicycling In Connecticut offers 32 rides suitable for cyclists of all abilities and ranging from a 4-mile trail through a coastal reserve to a two-day bike tour of 114 miles through scenic Connecticut. Organized into five regions (the Litchfield Hills; the North Country; the Quiet Corner; The Housatonic and Connecticut River Valleys; and the Shoreline - Greenwich to Stonington), Backroad Bicycling In Connecticut is an ideal, highly recommended planning guide suitable for beginners and with much of value for even experienced cyclists.

One of the best guide books out there. Thoughtful routes, great directions and tons of interesting information.

Black Roots in Southeastern Connecticut, 1650-1900, represents a milestone in the publishing of African-American genealogy. Authors Brown and Rose spent eight years gathering every shred of information they could find on approximately 2,000 African-American families who inhabited one or more of 26 counties in Southeastern Connecticut. Their sources consisted primarily of U.S. census records from 1790 through 1870 and secondarily on manumission records, deeds, probate records, diaries, church records, and military records. In particular, Brown and Rose have amassed an amazing amount of information on blacks who were living in an area that, on the eve of the Revolutionary War, had one of the largest slave populations in New England. The authors cite the specific source for each element appearing in their genealogical sketches. The brief introduction summarizes some of the challenges of investigating black roots, while the bibliography, name index, and subject index at the back of the volume make using the book quite easy.

Clearfield Company would like to express its appreciation to the New London County Historical Society, the publisher of these two books, for allowing us to make them available to our patrons.

this book is a must have for blacks aswell as Native americans in Rhode Island and Conneticut it has 90 % of what most people are looking for ancestors and concrete genealogy so if you find it get

Rowena Graham inherits the home and restaurant of her sister Claudia after Claudia’s apparent suicide, but isn’t convinced that her sister would have committed suicide. Claudia quickly leaves behind her old life as head librarian after remodeling the house that hadn’t been changed since they were children. Claudia goes to work in the upscale restaurant, wears her sister’s expensive designer clothes and shoes and drives her Mercedes.

Rowena’s relationship with Claudia had always been turbulent; Claudia was unpredictable, self-centered and often cruel. After Rowena discovers Claudia’s habit of videotaping her ... antics with a string of lovers, Rowena is even more suspicious that one of the lovers might have been involved in her death. Claudia’s former therapist, with whom she claimed she had been having an affair, takes an interest in Rowena but she is reluctant to pursue the relationship with him and somewhat suspicious of his motives.

As the secrets, lies and distortions of her family life gradually unravel, Rowena is even more disturbed with her sister and deceased, alcoholic mother. Rowena had been made to feel for years that she was the plain, ugly unsuccessful sister. Her mother lied to the children for years about the disappearance of their father after the divorce when Rowena was 7.

The book explores the devastating effects of FAE – Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. With the support of some wonderful friends, Rowena starts to get her life back on track and eventually solves the mystery of Claudia’s death. As in other books by Charlotte Vale Allen, you feel you know the characters so well that they have become part of your family, and you are reluctant to leave them behind when the book ends.

I recently discovered Charlotte Vale Allen by reading "Illusions", one of her older novels. I become so deeply meshed in the story that I literally wept at the end. I was emotionally drained and in a daze! She has a way of getting inside a woman's psyche. You know in your soul that she is an expert on the subjects about which she writes. "Claudia's Shadow" follows the theme that you just never really know a person, not even your own sister. I was captivated until the very end. I highly recommend her books. I'm working my way through all them. I've not been disappointed yet and I'm on my seventh one!