Vermont Books

Though I never thought of Vermont's role in the war against the South, except related to their Heavy Artillery, the price was right and I bought it on Amazon. When I finally opened it to read, I found a really good treatment of Grant's Overland Campaign, with excerpts from Vermonter's letters about ferocious combat, horrendous casualties, hot and dusty forced marches and night marches - all that can make you feel some of what it was like to be involved. I recommend this even for Sons of Confederate Veterans like myself! There is little of the usual propaganda about who was justified, and the author's writing is very pleasing.

I did not quite know what to expect from this book considering it was published by a non-academic press and written by a political bureaucrat, but I was pleasantly surprised by its quality. Battered Stars is well written and informative, adding a new fresh perspective to an over-studied portion of the Civil War. I have read over a hundred Civil War books and I have seen many second rate efforts by non-professionals, but Battered Stars is highly recommended. My only wish is that Coffin had used professional footnotes to show exactly where his quotes were coming from, but most sources are nonetheless clear.

A powerful historical account of Vermont's role in the Civil War, The Battered Stars: One State's Civil War Ordeal During Grant's Overland Campaign by American Civil War historian and expert Howard Coffin (himself a sixth generation Vermonter with four ancestors who served with the Vermont regiments in the Overland Campaign) is founded on a wealth of primary sources and archival materials, including wartime letters, diaries, and newspaper accounts. The state of Vermont paid a toll in blood from the strife of the war, and the brutal battles are explored in detail as well as the resolve of those who stayed at home and did their best to keep the wheels turning. A welcome and much appreciated contribution to the growing field of Civil War Studies, The Battered Stars is a powerful, fascinating account highly recommended for civil war buffs, as well as anyone native to Vermont who wants to immerse themselves in the gripping saga of a watershed time of civil war.

Howard Coffin has established himself as the premier authority on Vermont and the Civil War. He has exhaustively researched Vermont's historical records including countless letters and diaries from the actual participants. He allows them to directly share their personal, heroic, sorrowful and inspiring stories and insights. It is difficult today to appreciate the pain and suffering which was brought home to every Vermont family during this Campaign. Mr. Coffin does honor to their memories and has provided a valuable research source for those interested in this period.

In the Preface, the author, Howard Coffin, states "I doubt that any northern states suffered more sever losses during a limited period of time than did Vermont during the Overland Campaign." Page 20 notes "In the great eastern battles of the last spring and early summer of 1864, no northern state, certainly on a per capita basis, would pay a higher price than little Vermont." The Vermont Brigade was unique it that it had been formed entirely of the regiments from a single state.

Coffin provides an excellent narrative of the brigade's combat experiences in the battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, North Anna River and Cold Harbor in the Army of the Potomac's 40 day Overland Campaign. Here, the Vermonters suffered distortional high casualties. For example, in defending the Wilderness crossroads "The killed and wounded of the Vermont Brigade numbered 1200" as they "suffered one-tenth the entire loss of Grant's army in killed and wounded in the Wilderness." Extensive use of soldier's letters and diaries greatly adds to the narratives with family correspondence giving insight into wartime life in small-town Vermont. Most interesting is Chapter Eight's account of the treatment of the wounded in hastily organized field hospitals and later treatment at Fredericksburg and in Vermont.

The narrative of fighting in the trenches at Cold Harbor is most fascinating. The author states "The Confederate victory (Cold Harbor) had been the most one-sided of the war." There were no big attacks but rather "day by day the killing went on while night by night, the works were dug deeper and became more complex." WWI Trench warfare was reminiscent of this campaign and with only a change in army names and location, Cold Harbor would describe a 1917 battle on the Western Front. The text contains a brief but interesting account of Grant's evacuation from Cold Harbor, the crossing of the James River and the initiation of the siege of Petersburg, Virginia.

Finally, the text deals with Vermont's substantial combat losses and the post war Vermont public reaction to the Civil War. The total loss of the state of Vermont in the Overland Campaign approached 3000 men. "Among the fallen were some of the bravest and best."

As prominent Civil War historian James McPherson states on the book's dust jacket, "This is Civil War history at its best."

I grew up in Castleton Vermont, where this story is set. I never realized that it was so well-known, I always thought it was only a locally known book, but it's a story that's always been dear to my heart. If we could all learn to sing the song of the river, the whole world could be as beautiful as our little town.

This book made me laugh and made me cry. It also did something that very few books have done before, it gave me hope. The book demonstrates how a love of honesty and beauty affect the lives of different people in different ways. It never falters or leaves the reader hanging. The best read in a long time!

I read this book when I was eight and it was one of my favorites--something magical and yet so real about this blue cat and its quest. Yet it was The River's Song that was the most compelling part of the book for me...the need to find one's own song, to create beauty in one's life and work, not directly to seek riches and power. I would credit it as one of the influences in my choosing writing children's books as a career. Over 60 published books later, I am stilll happily trying to sing my own song. Thank you dear spirit of Catherine Coblentz for your gentle guide to living. This book is a treasure for those who find it.

I read this book in 4th grade. The reading level is about 5-7th grade, not for babies or toddlers. The plot of the book is based on a number of items in the Metropolitan Museum of Art which all hale from a town in Vermont called Castleton. One of them is hand-woven carpet with a blue cat depicted on it. Another is a pewter teapot. Around these artifacts and the small amounts of information that could be gleaned on their history, the author has built a charming tale of a blue kitten in search of a home. Since he was born under a blue moon, the kitten can only find a home and a hearth in the house of a human who knows (or can be taught) the River's Song. The River's Song is the Song of Creation, of the making of beautiful things. The kitten encounters many inhabitants of Castletown in his quest and finds them falling under the dark spell of Arunah Hyde, whose whole interest is speed and wealth. The kitten himself nearly falls under the same spell, but escapes at the last minute. His quest seems doomed to fail, however, until he crosses the path of a lonely, ugly girl. This is a book that does not deserve to be out of print. It could easily be used in the classroom as a lesson in early American culture and history, but is also a just a very enjoyable and moving read.

I read this book as a child and still love it at 60. The book speaks about what it means to be an authentic human being through a parable about a special kitten who must find his way in the world on his own and triumphs over loss, disappointment, and exploitation to find self-realization. "'Sing your own song,' said the River, 'sing well.'" It is never too late to sing your own song, if your heart will let you. How the cat learned to do this is worth learning at any age. Now this is how I interpret what goes on in the story in today's vocabulary, not how the author puts it, but my point is the book is just as relevant today as when originally written. The experiences of this cat will hit home with all too many people today, both children and adults. The book is beautifully written by Catherine Coblentz, a lady who by the way spearheaded the establishment of the Cleveland Park branch of the D.C. Library, where there are etched glass drawings from the book. If kids today would buy in to a book like this and Wordsworth's Happy Warrior, they would have a better chance of growing up whole.

Helen Husher does a great job writing about the nature of the horse and her descriptions of horse behavior will bring a thrill to all riders who will recognize their own experiences with lesson horses and barn life. I really enjoyed this book and wish I could ride at such a barn.

What more is there to say? This is a book that operates, both for the writer and the reader, on a number of different levels at once. Through her depiction of her relationship with the horse, Prince, you felt you saw into the author and into human relationships as a whole. Yet, if you are a horse lover just looking for that kind of story, you find that here as well.

This was my first Husher book after having her name recommended to me more than a few times. It definitely won't be my last.

Bravo!

A former Vermonter, I received this book for Christmas. I've been around horses quite a bit, although I'm no expert. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Husher is full of insight into herself and horses. She has fun with unique phraseology throughout the book, and I laughed aloud several times. I was having fun reading, but also learning. You hear a lot about that "special relationship" between horses and people, especially in fiction works. This is the first time that I've heard about communicating with horses from a real world person who claims no special expertise. In fact, she is quite humble. It was fun to hear her insights into horse psychology. I'm sure the horsey set will enjoy this more than those with no interest in horses. But if you've never been around a horse and would like to, or are just plain curious about what they're really like, you'd enjoy this book.

A wonderful book for anyone with even a remote interest in the world of horses. I originally bought this book for my girlfriend who has two horses herself, but I ended up reading the book myself before I had a chance to give it to her.

On one level this is familiar turf. Cowboys, schoolgirls, whispering trainers, jockeys ... everyone has a story about communicating with a horse. What sets Husher's apart is her increasing growth as a wordsmith. She has blossomed into one of Vermont's finest writers, and fine writing always trumps well-trod subject material.
"Conversations With a Prince" is loaded with fine characters--most equine, some human. Husher is not afraid to put herself under scrutiny as well, and my guess is that she learned a great deal about herself in the writing of this book. She knows she's a little off the deep end on this subject, but that's exactly where she wants to be. She's a playful writer who is not afraid to take chances. As a result, she is never boring.
She's at her very best when she gets right into the mind of the horse, such as by explaining how vulnerable horses are to their riders who sit in the one blind spot where an ancient tiger might attack. This, in turn, explains how one horse, Bones, became addicted to the symbiotic company of a dog who would patrol the perimeter on "tiger alert." Who knows if this is a correct interpretation of what's going on in a horse's mind? The point is, Husher's treatment is so well done that the reader never questions the believability.
You will enjoy "Conversations with a Prince" whether or not you are a horse person. If you are a horse person, however, you will just enjoy it more.

I purchased this cookbook after borrowing from the local library about 5 years ago. EVERY recipe i have ever made from this is excellent and always receives many compliments. Especially love Nicole's bowl cake, peanut butter choc. chunk cookies, Maya's Cole Slaw and Blueberry Coffee cake. The stories are really great and i would love to go to river run someday. I will agree with another reviewer these are not the most healthly recipes and you probably shouldn't eat them everyday, but for special occasions you can't beat it, One of my favorite cookbooks.

Interesting concept. Surround down home Southern recipes with photos and snippets from far northern daily life. Studs Turkel in a deep south kitchen. It works. While you're shelling crawfish or cleaning catfish you're oddly receiving a debriefing on the Plainfield, Vermont road foreman's 4AM struggle with last night's snowstorm. It kind of adds a northern spice to the catfish souffle. My cooking fool sister in New Jersey, to whom I sent this cookbook as partial thanks for helping our parents get through their deep end game, tells me that the five or so recipes she's whipped up have all worked spectacularly. She and her family of five REALLY like the catfish massaged into their breakfast. So do I. But I just have to drive ten miles to get it served up for me. Location! Location!

This is the first cokbook I have read cover-to-cover...recipes, philosophy, little stories of the town and the people who live in Plainfield, Vermont. I loved it all. But the best thing about the book is the recipes. We have made the barbeque sauce and dry rub, barbeque chicken and soup, the Really Big biscuits (twice!), shaken potatoes, granola, the blueberry pancakes, summer salad and Russian tea. (Nashvillians call this elixir "Tea Punch.") Catfish Jambalaya is simmering on the stove at this very moment. Every thing we have made has been wonderful. A couple of things separate this cookbook from others: 1. The portions are enormous, allowing for ample leftovers, even with our family of two adults and two teenagers. 2. Many of the recipes use the leftovers. (BBQ chicken becomes the basis for BBQ chicken and rice soup, for instance.) 3. The story of Plainfield and its townspeople--from the artists to the aging hippies to the gas company guys to the cops--is woven in to the book. The authors treat the readers as if they are stopping in for a meal and might like to be a little up to date on the other folks who are eating with them. 4. The food is plain, easy-to-make and serve. It is flavorful, not pretentious, quite a bit like receiving a beloved family recipe as a gift. So, if you are hankering for some hush puppies, Coca-Cola cake or some pulled pork (and who isn't?), this will become a special cookbook in your collection.

The only thing that is wrong with this cookbook is that I didn't take a copy with me to school. Now I can't make the best food in the world. The best idea ever was catfish for breakfast. I can't count the number of times I go to River Run and order catfish with eggs, homes, and toast. Its so good I am never sick of it. The cookbook is a great sample of the inginuity and genius of the recipie authors. I ate at River Run two days ago and I'm already missing it. The only reason I go home is to eat at River Run. Its really that good.

.... Why would you want to buy this book? Because it is southern hospitality at its best; never mind that the restaurant is in Vermont. As a Yankee who migrated to the south over 30 years ago, I enjoyed reading this cookbook, trying many of the recipes (everything seems accurate so far), and vicariously participating in the social pleasantries that are an everyday part of southern life. You do feel as though you know both the proprietors and the customers of this wonderful eating establishment...they are real people. I see that as a plus. And despite it's social orientation, it is first and foremost a cookbook. One word of warning: the recipes are full of buttermilk, sugar, crawfish, soup beans, and red meat. If you're wanting to lower your cholesterol, this probably will not meet your needs. However, if you like great comfort food and don't like to eat alone, this cookbook might be just what you're looking for.

"... a great pleasure to read, even if you're not looking for a place to stay. You can feel the authors were bent on romance... not just filling up the book. Accommodations are described in charming detail, also meals, with the occasional recipe. If you contemplate a getaway in new England, this is the book to take along." Travel Writer Marketletter

"[The] captivating prose invokes the spirit and visual appeal of the places described. [The book] provides perfect fodder for couples [and is] an indispensable planning assistant." About.com

"Where to eat, where to stay and what to do are covered. The Foulkes also throw in tidbits such as tasty regional recipes, a bit of poetry by Emerson and a love letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne." Chicago Daily Herald

This is far more comprehensive than other books in this area -- it's well written and the layout made it easy and a pleasure to read. The recipes and maps made it practical and much more interesting than a typical travel book.

A selection of recommended inns, delightful restaurants, resorts, festivals, the best places to stroll together under the stars or have a secluded champagne picnic - the most romantic places. This book visits special spots in in Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont. Each place has been carefully selected, making sure that it offers something special - in-room fireplaces, four-poster beds, Jacuzzis, enchanting gardens, five-star cuisine.

This book really gets you into the mindset of what it would be like to be a child on a farm. It's written in a style which makes me feel I'm being told this story by a friend of mine who knows the main character: Ian. Ian, his older brother Ray and his mother and father have a farm in Vermont where they raise milk cows. Stray voltage occurs when the electricity jumps from the power lines. When this happens on the farm, the water the cows drink constantly contains stray voltage. Because of this, the cows avoid drinking water, which means that they produce less milk, since milk is 90% water. Ian's mother wants to sell the farm and move, but his father still wants to wait, in hopes of things getting better. The mother gets so frustrated with the stray voltage that she leaves, giving neither of her two sons any warning. She left only a few months before Christmas, providing Ian with a kitten as a early Christmas present. Ian does not get along with his brother or his father. He's afraid of his father, because he's so big and strong, and his brother Ray doesn't treat him well. His mother was his only friend, and she left. His only connection to her a short letter from her here and there. This is a story of Ian's struggle to cope with the change and a story of his growth. At first he couldn't understand why his mother left, then he wondered why she left him there. He felt she didn't want him, but realized later it wasn't because of him. This is a story about learning, understanding and making the best of your situation.

If you know a boy ... have a boy ... who "doesn't like to read", read him this one. You will love it and he will be pulled into Ian's world immediately. Besides, is there a better way to turn on a non-reader than to read aloud. Do it. Then give your copy to a sixth grade teacher so he/she can read it aloud to many kids every year.

Ian has known nothing other than the dairy farm for his eleven years of life. He doesn't seem to be a farm kid--his mother always acted as a buffer between he and his father--but the chores, the cows, and the routines have become a comfort zone for Ian. When his father decides to sell their cows, Ian is surprised at how much he is against it. But ever since the ice storm broke power lines, stray voltage has plagued their farm, and the cows are sick because of the extra electricity. The farm is also suffering because Ian's mother has left. Suddenly there is one less person to help with chores or keep things clean in the house. Ian struggles with missing his mother, and finding his place on the farm without her. School saves Ian, and his teacher often provides the comfort he needs.

The emotions in this book are real and powerful--the reader is drawn into Ian's world, and can't help feeling the same things Ian is feeling. Ian's character also feasibly develops through the course of the book, and we see him change from event to event. Other characters do not suffer development at Ian's expense, though. Doyle creates each person with the same care as she does Ian. Farm kids--old and young--will be able to identify with many things in this book. Reader should know that there is undisguised swearing in the book, but it fits the scenes and characters and discussion. Overall, this book didn't disappoint me!

In language that shimmers, like the ice storm so beautifully described in it, this book brings to life some very real boys, aged 11 and 17, who live on a farm in Vermont, and grow up by doing tangible things like cleaning out the barn, playing basketball, making maple syrup, doing homework, and by having relationships with the people around them that are rich, warm, but often painful. Dad is difficult, Mom is distant(read that gone), and you can just about cut the tension created in this little world of thinking adolescents. These are people who are living and growing by doing and thinking, not standing and watching.
The best things about this book are the fact that the writer treats both her characters and readers with the greatest of respect, never talking down to them, the plot really charges to a climax, and the writing is just so..good. A great book either to read yourself(parent) or get for that child who you'd like to get interested in good writing.

The author brilliantly draws the reader, adult or child into the world of her subjects. Her phrasing and pace blend the reader's initial distant feelings with the actions and events that occur. Dramatic events, a storm and a fire stand out in this respect, are so carefully enacted that the reader's own sensations mirror those of the characters. Such writing and feeling must be born of personal experience shaped by considerable artistic skill. A remarkable work for a new novelist!

This is a wonderful book and if you are familiar with backcountry anywhere you can appreciate it. I had a racoon in my chimney which was gotten rid of useing moth balls. Years a go we had an "outhouse" three sides canvas and the fourth open to the elements. We had no neighbors. We came up one weekend to find that a porcupine had eaten part of the seat. We were much more careful after that.

This was my first adventure into the world of author Michael Tougias and I haven't looked back. I admit, the title is what prompted me to pick this book up since I'd not yet had the pleasure of reading anything by this author. I sat down to read and was up until 2am finishing the last page. It'll have you laughing right out loud! I felt as if I were there sharing in all the antics of Mike and his friends through his delightful descriptions. This is one of those books I'll go back and read again and again.

Michael Tougias's latest book, There's a Porcupine in My Outhouse, is a well-written, humorous account of some his adventures (and misadventures) surrounding his rustic camp in northern Vermont. Tougias bought the small A-frame when he was only 22 years old. Over the years, with the outdoors world as his teacher, he learns to live with nature, rather than by asserting dominance and control over it. Middle-aged suburbanites, such as myself, will readily see aspects of their own youthful development in Tougias's stories.

Don't expect the eloquence and introspection of a Thoreau. Tougias's style is light and very engaging. Also, as a bonus, the book is filled with great recommendations for further reading about naturalists and mountain men. The pages turn very quickly, which is unfortunate, since there are only 160 of them, including lots of porcupine filler. I found myself wanting more after the tales came to a rather abrupt ending. Further development of the three characters might have added to the tales. Overall, I enjoyed the book immensely.

After putting my three year old to bed for the night, I collapsed into my favorite chair, picked up "There's a Porcupine in My Outhouse", and found myself welcoming the morning sun with a smile on my face, memories my own misadventures, and thoughts of childhood friends. A thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining book. Michael Tougias has the uncanny nack of combining an extensive knowlege of the outdoors along with Wit and heart of a great storyteller. I found myself longing for my own special place, and to share adventures with Michael, Boomer, and Cogs as they learn about the great outdoors and themselves. I will return to this book over and over to share their stories.

Michael Tougias, a well-respected outdoor writer, has written a wonderful book about his growth from a young novice outdoorsman to a competent expert. "There's A Porcupine in My Outhouse" is funny portrait of one man's experience learning about the natural world. After I finally stopped laughing, I realized that I had even learned a lot in the process of reading his book.

The Vermont resort area of Tucker Peak is the setting used by Archer Mayor in this installment of his long running and enjoyable series featuring Joe Gunther. Tucker Peak is typical Vermont. For natives it is a fun place to work and a place to party all night. To outsiders, it seems a little too much on the rustic side and needs work. But the economies of places like Tucker Peak are changing, just like almost everything in life, and the owners think they have a new plan to rev up the resort and cash in. But their plan is being stopped by a group of radical environmentalists that want the resort to remain the way it has been and not create a further strain on the environment.

Joe Gunther now heads the newly created Vermont Bureau of Investigation and for once, his personal life is relatively stable. This allows Archer Mayor to focus more on the story and less on character development as Joe Gunther and his team becomes embroiled in theft, murder and corporate politics on the mountain.

Initially Joe and his team are called in by the local sheriff, Snuffy Dawson. Sheriff Dawson has his hand full with the daily protests of the environmental group. In addition, there has been a string of home burglaries with the latest involving a VIP by the name of William Manning. Along with his abrasive and condescending personality, Mr. Manning has the clout to get the governor personally involved. Mr. Manning believes that one of the sheriff's deputies who happens to moonlight for a second income as security on the mountain is in on the robbery and he does not want the local Sheriff's department involved in investigating the case. While Sheriff Dawson resents the implication that the deputy can't do the job or that he can't solve the robbery, he is understaffed and needs all the help he can get.

Joe agrees and takes Willy Kunkle out to meet Mr. Manning. Before too long, they see what kind of arrogant human being Mr. Manning is and become interested in the case. Soon, the trail will lead to more burglaries and death on the mountain, while the radical environmental group begins to sabotage the resort. The action comes fast and furious rising to a very strong conclusion, as the case breaks open during a blizzard on the mountain.

This is a very enjoyable book and Mr. Mayor has brought back all the characters from earlier in the series. Some old events are rehashed and psychological issues are dealt with, so if you have not had the pleasure of reading earlier books in this series, I would suggest you do so, before reading this work. While the action is considerable, there is little psychological development of the characters in this novel. They read like old friends who have been through a lot and while they are working, for once their personal lives are relatively stable. No doubt, emotional turmoil is coming, but after the last several novels, it is very nice to see these characters in a more action oriented environment with less personal strain.

Though Vermont's TUCKER PEAK is popular in a small way by the ski crowd, the owners of the resort know they must expand or declare bankruptcy. The announced plan quickly runs into an environmental nightmare as protesters arrive to stop any further development of the pristine mountain.

At about the same, a series of crippling robberies push the TUCKER PEAK ownership closer to shutting down the ski lodge. However, the state knows the importance of tourist money especially from the ski industry. So when the local law enforcement asks for help, the Vermont Bureau of Investigation sends its best, Joe Gunther, to investigate the felons. Joe quickly determines the identity of the thief, but the individual is missing and his girlfriend murdered. Joe concludes that several of the environmentalists could not care less about hugging a tree let alone a mountaintop as they have something else in mind that could kill the dedicated police officer.

TUCKER PEAK is a hard-boiled detective story with the added twist that it occurs on an isolated Vermont mountain. The who-done-it is solved rapidly and easily only to lead to another who-done-it and several why-done-its. Joe feels out of place in this backdrop, as he seems more like an inner city blue collar cop, but that adds layers of personality to the tale as Archer Mayor has done in his previous Gunther novels. This is another winning story in a series in which all the novels are worth reading.

Harriet Klausner

When I first picked this up in the store, it was great to get my hands on it. I was waiting for it for so long to come out and to read it, that I thought that I was going insane. I live in Brattleboro myself, and the places that Mayor tells about are places that I go to all the time. It was much better then "The Marble Mask" which was not as well done because it didn't take place back in Brattleboro. Though, I was happy with the end, and the re-uniting of the characters. I would have liked to see Gunther return to the Brattleboro Police Department or have J.P Tyler and Ron come up to VBI. But this was a great book, and I recomend it to anyone who wants a good piece of reading.

Archer Mayor is like a master artistic puzzle builder. He takes a little bit here, a little bit there, weaves this into that, and what starts out as a seemingly straightforward and relatively innocuous (if crime can be innocuous) crime ends up being a complex labyrinth of events, motives, characters, and decisions that lead inexorably toward the climax and resolution. A mark of a good mystery writer is that the reader is left wondering almost until the last page, but when the answer comes, the reader says, "Of course, it fits perfectly! I should have seen that!" Mayor is one of the best at accomplishing this difficult objective. This skill also lends a sense of reality to his stories that few other mystery writers attain. That is, the complexity of his work shows how much each of us, our lives, our work, our unthinking reactions are intertwined with others - how, for example, in this story, a harmless ad for a watch on E-bay leads to the destruction of human life and paradoxically allows series regulars Kunkle and Sammie discover their need for each other. Tucker Peak is not for mystery readers who want a simple story unfettered by reality solved in 22 minutes (not counting commercials). It is an immensely satisfying read for those who not only want to escape the banality of daily life for a few hours of fiction-more-real-than-real, but who appreciate an intellectual and emotional challenge in the process.

I have been reading the Joe Gunther books ever since I started Ragman's Memory, and have read all of the books in the series. Being from Vermont, I can relate to the location that the books are featured in. I have also had the liberty of meeting Archer Mayor at a signing.
Tucker Peak is the latest book in his Joe Gunther series, set at a fictional Ski resort in southern Vermont. There, a series of robberies and crime have occured, bringing Joe and his southern VT VBI team into the picture. They begin with a simple robbery case, and end up with a homoside one, reaveling that there is much more to the book than what meets the eye. Even from the last portion of the book, Mayor gives no indication of who is guilty and who is innocent.
Mayor sets the setting, characters and plot beautifully, capturing the image that is just so close to reality that some authors struggle with. Because he is also a Vermonter, he has the chance to research for his books easily.
He sets Tucker Peak very well, exposing the 'true' Vermont. Tucker Peak is a fictional ski resort, but it is real enough so that I can invision skiing down it's slopes. The towns, roads, cities and area are all familier to me, and that makes the book so much better.

As a frequent tourist to the Green Mountain State, I found this book to be a fantastic collection of all the reasons I continue to come back year after year. Gorgeous, stunning photography of the four best reasons to visit Vermont - summer, winter, spring and fall. Not to be overlooked, though, is the captivating and conversational prose by Vermont Life Editor, Tom Slayton. He effortlessly puts into words the many feelings the state's beauty evokes. A fantastic book to add to any collection of New England or photography books.

Here in a single volume is one of the best collections of beautiful photographs of Vermont I have as yet examined. They were taken by Vermont Life magazine's contributing photographers, with a crisp and eloquent text provided by Tom Slayton. Technically, I guess, this would be called a "coffee table book" and indeed that is where it resides in my home, except when I pore through it again (which I do each day) or when a family member or guest does so. The reproduced art (which such great photography truly is) is organized logically and appropriately according to the four seasons. Many persons who have never visited Vermont perhaps think of it in association with the poetry of Robert Frost. There are many other locales elsewhere in New England (notably in northwest Connecticut and throughout New Hampshire and Maine) could just as easily provide images which Frost's poetry evokes. For me, however, there is a texture and there are certain nuances to Vermont ("A State of Nature") which are unique. They are captured vividly in the stunning photographs provided in this volume.

Pretend that you have arrived in the state and have retained Slayton as your tour guide. "Take us to your favorite places. Help us to understand why you are so fond of each place. In other words, introduce us to Vermont at its best." In essence, that is what this volume does. The initial impact is so great, so enjoyable, that you will wish to return again and again. A magnificent volume such as this enables you to do so. Those who share my passion for Vermont are urged to subscribe to Vermont Life magazine. Also, to purchase Richard W. Brown's The Soul of Vermont.

Vermont Life magazine has been featuring striking photographs of the natural beauty of this New England state for more than fifty years. The best of those images have been assembled in The Beauty Of Vermont and enhanced with an informative, reader friendly text by Tom Slayton as the reader is treated to Vermont's Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter landscapes and charm. The Beauty Of Vermont is a lovely book for browsing and will provide both inspiration and motivation for family trips and personal sojourns to see and explore more of Vermont's natural beauty and folksy charm.

Vermont Life has chosen such a stunning series of photographs to showcase the state's best asset- nature through its four glorious seasons- that you'll feel as though you're on a mini vacation every time you open the book. The photographs rival any found in National Geographic or Sierra Club publications, and the accompanying text- written by Vermont Life's long time editor-in-chief- richly but succinctly describes the state's geography and people, as well as the ongoing push and pull between man and nature. For people (like myself) who have already fallen in love with the state, the book is a coffee table treasure.. but for those who aren't quite sure what the hype is about, it may be a bit too "rah, rah Vermont."

This is a great book! It's just a shame that they forgot to mention The Barnstead Inn in Manchester Center! It is located in the center of town and sits back from the road just enough to help you forget that you are anywhere near town. Like I said the book is great! But do yourself a favor and do not miss this true piece of Vermont. The trips in the book are great and I have taken several of them!

I have used this book so much that it is highlighted on almost every page with the stops we've made while driving the roads of Vermont. In addition to the fourteen most popular drives the book offers interesting sidetrips with such detailed description, you can't resist the urge to check them all out.

I highly recommend this book whether you are a traveller or a resident of this beautiful state. The guide offers many historical, funny, and informative facts.

This is the second edition of the original guidebook and while I didn't read the original one, I can say that this book was very handy to have when my wife and I toured Vermont. T The Schellers are very entertaining people who obviously have a sense of humor and they also have a good sense of what is interesting to visit and what isnt'. They also must have done a lot of driving. We tried out two of the drives they suggested and were amazed at all the things there were to discover along the way, not to mention the physical beauty of Vermont. Even looking at a map I doubt we would have discovered these drives on our own. We tried out some of their "finds" which I'd say were places we never would have found on our own and they made our trip truly special. The book is an amazing collection of information that covers history, hours of operation, interesting little tidbits and so on. Definitely worth the money.

My wife and I recently toured vermont by car and we were very glad to have this book. It made the trip a unique and memorable experience. We were able to find lots of little places that we never would have discovered without it, and met people "off the path" that were genuinely glad to see us. I strongly recommend this book to anyone planning to drive through vermont, even if it's only a short trip. Great book and very funny in places, too!