Maine Books

I had Getman for labor law and that's why I bought this book. I'm passing it on to my sister who practice labor and employment law because I know she'll really enjoy it. It's a good book for someone who wants to get a picture of how unions work, internal politics and all, and the emotions involved in a labor strike. An objectiver look from an interesting guy who really knows this area of law.

Mr. Getman does a good of telling the local union's side of the strike at Internatioal Paper's Jay, Maine mill, however his lack of balance causes him to miss the point. I worked as a consultant at the Jay mill for a year prior to the strike and know all the main characters Mr. Getman describes. He has omitted some key relationships. For example the deep personal dislike between the mill manager and the local president was an important element in the strike. But more important Mr. Getman missed the point he was trying to make. While he concludes that International Paper, the international union, and the law betrayed Local 14, the fact is the real betrayers of Local 14 were the idealists who turned a local labor disput into a crusade. He is correct in that the strike bitterly divided the town of Jay and it is divided to this day. I hope every union official reads this book before they ask their members for a strike vote.

This is an insightful and readable account of an important strike. The local leadership did not go looking for this strike, International Paper did. What they did not count on was the innovative tactics of the workers, and their leadership and advisors, who inflicted a lot of pain on the company. When I lived in Maine, the paper companies got everything just they way they wanted it. When they said jump, everyone from the Governor to the media said how high? And if the paper companies wanted fewer restrictions from environmental laws, even the unions went along with it. But in 1987-8, workers in Jay stood up. And a lot of Mainers stood by them. The strike shook things up in the state. This book is a useful reminder that workers can stand up for what they believe in. They can fight and make a difference. By the way. In other countries, like France, it is illegal to bring in permanent replacement scabs. It should be here.

After my first reading of Bipolar Express, I knew I wanted to read it again. And I have. This collection of poems not only tells a story about living with a son who has Bipolar Disorder. It explores both the boundaries and the limitlessnes of love.

The author describes the impossible moments when there's nothing left to do to prevent waves of mania that lead to despair. And the risks of forgiveness.

Megan Webster has crafted these poems beautifully. Her precision and clarity remind me of the work of Sharon Olds; one of my favorite poets.
Thank you Megan for your courage, persistence, and wit.

I unfortunately do not spend much time reading poetry but the title attracted my interest. Living with a loved one who suffers from bipolar illness is not easy; insights into others thoughts and insights on the subject is welcome and useful, especially when distanced from the clinical black and white. Add the turbulent emotions of dealing with bipolar family members, and Megan Webster's chapter book of poems catches all the anguish, uncertainly, and hopeless feelings we have as caretakers. 'Bipolar Express' is a very well written, reassuring that we are not alone with our plethora feelings, and well...good therapeutic reading for an uncertain and difficult problem.

"Bipolar Express" is well written poetic account of how one goes on living and loving in the face of what appears hopeless, but is really the only choice when a loved one has few choices left. Manic-depressive illness, they now call is Bipolar. What is it like to live with someone who suffers this devastating illness? Unless it has happened to you, you cannot fully comprehend the terror, sadness, frustration and anger, the powerlessness, but you can get some idea of it from this book of poems. How do I know that? Someone I love suffers from the same illness.

In 27 poems, Megan Webster writes about loving more than one person with the illness, one of whom is a beloved son, and she does so with stark honesty, precision and grace. The poems are a firsthand account from birth to adulthood of the son and others with the illness. Though the ways she loves them and the knowledge she acquires over the years change, her attempts to help never cease. This is a beautiful, thoughtful story from a strong mind and a beautiful heart and well worth reading.

This is a must read book for those of you who like historical novels. It is about a ship that has wrecked on an island off the coast of Maine and how the crew survives. This book is written with the historical preciseness that Arundel and Northwest Passage are written with. This is one of the greatest historical novels

This is a solid story, well written. I am glad I read it and recommend it to others.

This book, while not one of Roberts's finest, is still a well-researched mini-masterpiece. It's depiction of real people in seemingly unreal conditions instead of themes on several levels works well for what it sets out to do.

The book deals with the first months of the Ford Presidency and almost everybody should know that those were his hardest days : to complete the passage form former to the new administration, the Nixon pardon, the mid-term elections.
These were all tasks difficult to handle and happened in a very strict period of time so that to judge President Ford one should have had - ar least - a stretch of one year. Instead Reeves, who narrates the first 6 months more or less, does not spare his most harsh judgement towards a person that all of a sudden found himself Vice-President and then President.
Almost inhuman.

Few people have the time or interest to read a book about the Ford administration and I am not necessarily proud to be one of them. To be fair to myself I read the book more because of the author then the subject. I must say that I was very pleased. Again what I liked was really not much about President Ford, but the humor and insight of the author. Let's face it, most of us have a rather negative view of good old Jerry, and this book pushes that perception even further. Page after page the author details out one dim witted move after another. It just seamed as though Ford was moving in a world with about 60% of the required IQ points to succeed. All the detail about the blunders and misstep's is done with almost comedic like timing and surprise. If I did not know better you would think this was a Moore or Franklin book. The author used the subject to the fullest in the comedy writings.

The good humor aside, you really do get a negative view of the Ford administration. Not necessarily because of what he did, but more because of what remarkably little he did do. The author stretched to detail out much of anything that Ford did except campaign trips and blanket approvals of Nixon policies that still seemed to be generated within the administration. The one nice consistent with this book and about every other book I have read about the Nixon administration is that this author disliked Al Haig. How this guy has rubbed every single person he has met the wrong way I will never know, but he is the poster child for "does not get along with others". Overall the book was full of humor and some interesting facts. It is a quick read and if for some reason you are looking for something on Ford this book will at least give you a smile if nothing else.

Reeves is a veteran political reporter whose excellent insights and smooth prose are guaranteed to provide a pleasant, educational read. Although Reeves portrays Ford as a dummy, he presents him as a well-meaning dummy. Thus his take can hardly be considered critical. Indeed, Reeves assigns Ford's every success to the latter's naivete combined with his unquestioning loyalty to party. Ford's rise to Minority Leader and eventually Vice President are based on the actions of others, and the estimates of elites that Ford will be inoffensive and controllable. Indeed, he portrays the President as a captive of his own administration, controlled by the Nixon holdovers and their strong ideas, from the ubiquitous Kissinger to the reluctantly deposed Haig. Reeves explains the Nixon pardon strictly in this context, as the innocent action of true party loyalist, not as a cynical payoff for services rendered, or even a cynical partisan f-k you to the country. For those interested in politics and Presidents, Reeves should be classed with Witcover and Germond, as a must read. For those who have a passing interest he should be taken as an excellent readable primer, if it's not all you need to know, it's most of it. A bargain at any price.

Really well done. Meticulous, hand-drawn charts. Very approachable style. Now if I can just find Volume II ...

This is a companion book to Don Johnson's Cruising Guide to Maine Vol I Kittery to Rockland. See my review under that title.

As a sailer planning a world cruise, I view this book as one of the best cruising books I have read because it touches so much on the cultures and people along the way rather than merely on the sailing aspects. I have only read volume one and am eagerly awiting volume two. If you are not a sailer, this is a superb armchair travel book. You will really feel you are meeting people all over the globe. Sue manages to convey the excitement, beauty, learning and sharing of a couple sailing around the world.

While the advice in this book is valid, anyone who is not profoundly Christ-centered may find themselves uncomfortable with the Bible references and Christian focus on every page. If you're looking for a secular goal-oriented book to motivate yourself with, I'd suggest checking out "The Power of Focus" by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Les Hewitt. (The Chicken Soup for the Soul series guys). Packed with information, yet humorous enough to keep you reading, it's twice this book without the preachy-ness! (and not at twice the price, either).

My friend has this book and I read it upon his recommendation. After reading this book, I came to Amazon.com to buy a copy for myself. I found it to be inspiring and a dare to discipline yourself! If you believe you are disciplined and don't need this book, my friend, let me tell you that you do need this book! This book will open your eyes! God Himself has inspired the writing of this book!

...to go to the next level in every area of my life. I receive the scripture references in this book. There are areas in my life that need DISCIPLINE and this book gives me spiritual and natural insight to realize it is the will of God for me to be disciplined, in order to have what the Word of God say I can have. I believe I have been called out of mediocracy into great exploits. Dare to Discipline Yourself is a great tool to use(read) continually which will set me on the right path, in Him. I give this book a five star rating. Eventhough, all topics may not be a challenge for me at this time, I believe I can read all to relay to someone else. Thank you for making available this priceless treasure.

A fast, easy read of some interesting "true cases" of ghosts, haunted houses, and possessed relics and antiques. I particularly enjoyed the tales of the terrifying fog of Jonesboro, the tragedy inside the haunted house in Dennysville, and tales surrounding the bad little water falls of Machias. The author also writes of the former Victorian-styled Robinson House in East Machias and "America's most famous ghost," Nelly Butler. My favorite was the creepy and fascinating curse of "The Mask of Bali," about the unfortunate mishaps that befall the owners of an imported carved wooden mask.

There's nothing I enjoy more than a book about true ghost experiences, especially when they're set in one specific area. This one has lots of Maine history, the stories are well written, and a couple of them (The Demon Family in particular) made my hair stand on end.
I really enjoyed this one. Excellent!

One of the best collections of ghost stories ever put together. It is a book that will actually send chills up your spine.

I read this book when it was first published, and recently purchased a copy for a friend. If you, like I, are interested in the Religious history of the United States I can highly recommend Fair, Clear, and Terrible: The Story of Shiloh Maine by Shirley Nelson. This is the kind of non-fiction work that would make a great movie. The author sets the tone right in the beginning of the book, with that whispered about "thing" in a family's past. The author shows how when the focus of one's faith is not God, but the preacher, something terrible usually will happen, and at Shiloh it did. This book is a good study in the cult of personality. I don't want to give too much away but will end in saying that Fair, Clear, and Terrible: The Story of Shiloh Maine by Shirley Nelson should be republished in paperback, it is that important of a book to those interested in the Religious history of the United States.

Shirley Nelson's _Fair, Clear, and Terrible: The Story of Shiloh_ is one of those rare history books that's plotted and executed more like a mystery novel than a documentary. Nelson, whose parents met at Shiloh, took an interest in the site at a young age, and thus grew up always in its shadow. Through the years she gathered as much information as she could, and reports on it all here. However, this isn't just a regurgitation of the facts. Nelson's family ties to the place give her, it would seem, a reason to write about it with more heart than most historians, coupled with a sardonic, not-quite-suppressed sarcasm that leaves the reader laughing on occasion. And when was the last time you laughed at a HISTORY book?

A wonderful piece of work. Highly recommended.

Shirley Nelson did a great deal of research for this wonderful book! She not only took her own family history, but dug into other sources to put together a complete and fair minded look into a fascinating piece of Americana. The pure faith that took believers to Shiloh comes through as well has the hardships and abuse they endured as they tried to please their leader, Frank Sanford. She did a great service to many who were still in the movement of their forefathers at the time the book was published. Many of the facts of the history of The Kingdom movement were hidden or glossed over so that present members did not understand what the true story was. This book started a lot of questioning of the leaders of the church and helped in bringing to light lies and half truths. I would highly recommend this book, not only to those interested in history, but also to those who are or have been in a cult. So many common threads run through cults. So many innocent people trying to live their faith while the doctrines they are taught to love more than their own families carries consequences down through many generations. Highly reommended reading! For more information on the history of Shiloh and The Kingdom movement see the website fwselijah.com.

The first time I herd this story was on Star Island in Main. This past Summer and it was read by a man named "Fred" The best story teller I have herd.

This book is best read with a Maine accent, and is a wonderful colloquial expression of the dry Down East humor. A fun book, and for me, a personal memory.

I own a first edition copy of this book, autographed by both the author and illustrator. It is, without a doubt, one of the funniest, most tongue-in-cheek works I have ever read. I doubt many people without a Maine background would appreciate fully some of the humor, but it is excellent nonetheless.

This book proved itself very useful for out weekend drive up the coast. Naturally, there are many places to stay or dine, but you can't list them all (in this "portable" book). However, we did need to purchase a Maine Highway Map for better directions. I wish I'd gotten the book BEFORE I made Hotel reservations!

I read a lot of travel books of all sizes, and I've traveled to Maine quite a bit. This little Frommer's guide is the best I've found for those who want an introduction to the Maine coast that they can carry around with them on their trip. On my first trip to Maine, I used it in tandem with a larger, more comprehensive book (Maine: An Explorer's Guide), which I consulted ahead of time and left at home because it was too cumbersome to carry around. (The larger book also tended to list lots of activities and places but lacked many of the pertinent details that are included in the Frommer's Guide.) The authors of the Frommer's Guide pack a lot of good information into a small volume, selecting their details carefully and reliably -- I found that all of their descriptions were on the mark, and all of their suggestions were well taken. (Without this book, for instance, I might have bypassed the spectacular Harpswell Peninsula.) You can't include everything in a little volume -- and for readers who want more, there are bigger, more comprehensive books out there. But I find myself returning again and again to this little guide every time I plan a trip to the Maine coast -- its focus is more on quality than quantity and it's extremely well organized, well written, and easy to use. It's also great at pinpointing places that are a little unusual and not overrun by tourists. Highly recommended!

This book is not quite as comprehensive as I had hoped. At approximately 200 pages, it tries to cover the most popular areas of the Maine coast. It does list prices and reviews hotels - perhaps the best feature of all. The print is also quite small in this little guide. It is indeed portable/pocket size, but you may need other guides to help supplement the information given in this book.