Maine Books

I've always wanted to be one of those people who could kill a book in one day. I wanted to be able to say, "I just couldn't put it down!" Well folks - now I can!

"Catch of the Day" by Kristan Higgins is so much fun. It's not your typical, sappy romance novel. It's fun and enticing, and it really engages the reader. Higgins never stops pulling out the punches. She keeps you wondering what will happen next throughout, and she doesn't make you wait seven chapters to find out either. In addition, I've never laughed (or cried) outloud from a book before, but that's all changed after reading this. She's truly an amazing author, and I highly recommend this read.

Kristan Higgins is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. Her books take me on an emotional roller-coaster. Catch Of The Day is funny, sad, and romantic. Maggie's impossible crush on her priest is hilarious. After acknowledging that she needs to move on, Maggie goes on numerous blind dates that are disasters. With her family going through all sorts of changes and her sister having a perfect life, Maggie is desperate to find someone of her own. The silent Malone isn't your typical leading man, but he is very appealingly written. This book will make you laugh, cry, and want to read it again and again.

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This book was pretty predictable - so much that the cover shows a puppy, yet the character has an old dog. Geez, it's not looking good for the old dog is it? But it was still a quick and enjoyable read.

Kristan Higgins has just jumped to the top of my favorite authors list. Her writing is funny, moving, romantic and warm, and she has a fantastic voice. If you like romance stories that make you laugh and make your chest ache, grab this book. It's damn charming, and she's a great, very talented writer. Long may she go on writing!

After reading Fools Rush In and loving it, I couldn't wait to read this one. It's really good and fun to read. I look forward to reading Just One of the Guys. I hope it delivers.

I am a fan of true crime and pretty much won't read anything but. This book was one of the best I've ever read. And I have read tons by some of the best authors. Extremely well written and very easy to follow. You can feel the sincerity, passion and pain of the police, prosecutors, friends and family. Great insite into how police really do their job.

I work in law enforcment in a western state. I read a lot of true crime and am always intrigued by a book written about a case by its investigators. I was quite impressed with Finding Amy. Not only was the book well-written, but the case was truly an investigative miracle. I wish more investigations were run like this one was. It is so obvious that a higher authority had a hand in things and I found it refreshing that those involved recognized that. Where I am, we don't have a big problem with territorial agencies, thankfully. But, it is great that where it would it normally was a problem, those involved with the investigation were able to overcome that.

One question I was left with was what happened to Amy's stepfather? He stops being mentioned toward the end of the book and wasn't listed as one of the relatives at the trial or sentencing.

FINDING AMY, written by Deputy Chief Joseph Laughlin and mystery writer Kate Clark Flora, is the absorbing true-life story of the disappearance of Amy St. Laurent, a 25-year-old Pratt and Whitney employee who vanished while at a bar, The Pavilion, in the Old Port area of Portland. She accepted a ride home from another customer at the bar, and then disappeared, never to be seen again, until she was found buried in a shallow grave in the woods over six weeks later.

The book tells the story of the investigation, and it is especially effective because it intersperses journal entries by Chief Loughlin (then Lieutenant), in which he describes police procedure and how the detectives are focusing their search and why. The character development of these hard-working law-enforcement personnel is absorbing, because it shows how seriously they do take their work, and how personally it affects them.

This book should be read by all young women who think they "know it all". Frequently, they don't, and take chances which can be deadly. This was certainly the case for Amy St. Laurent. The book is a cautionary tale about how someone who looks perfectly innocent and seems to want to be helpful can have very deadly hidden qualities that emerge later on. It is well written and the organization is excellent as well.

You will definitely enjoy FINDING AMY if you are interested in the effects of true crime on both the family members and friends and the law-enforcement personnel who work these cases.

This book has no depth, no characters , and is poorly written. I was so tired of reading about the "whinning" police officers. We are tired, we have not slept, our families miss us, ect. We know that, we appreciate you and this book is about Amy St. Laurent. When writing a true crime novel stick with the facts it makes a much better read.

Amy St. Laurent had everything including a loving family, friends, a job that she loved, and a community behind her. One night while entertaining a male friend, Rubright, from Florida which she tried to explain that she wasn't interested in him as more than a friend at a bar where it all when went wrong. She chose the Jeffrey Russell Gorman, a ticking time bomb who was known to drug and rape his female victims. While the people concluded that Rubright's story that night was a bit preposterous but true, they came across Gorman who was truly the threat to poor sweet Amy. Her death was brutal and horrifying enough and she fought back. While I admire the police's detective work including driving down to Alabama from Maine when they could have flown and got there quicker, Amy's disappearance and murder occurred only weeks after the events of September 11, 2001 where flying airplanes became a common fear even for veteran police officers here. I recall the events of September 11, 2001 like everybody else and how that might have overshadowed the horrible crimes that occurred elsewhere than ground zero and pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. I had trouble with this book because I felt that two people writing about the same thing at the same time made me rush through it. I felt a lot of stuff was rehashed repeatedly. In the end, I read that a portion of the book's proceeds benefits a foundation in Amy's memory and if you ever travel to Cape Elizabeth, Maine, check out the lighthouse and the granite bench with her name on it.

Excellent book, very well written in the usual "Coogan" way, that is, skilfull, fluent and full of nice anecdotes. Gives an insightful portrait of one of Ireland's greatest men and my personal favourite. Eireann go brach!

An informative humanizing biography that provides a good picture of revolutionary Ireland. More photogrpahs would have made for 5 stars.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants an intense indepth study of Collins and Ireland of his time. This is easy to read and full of interesting information about the man and those around him. Collins was a genius who shaped the fate of modern Ireland and did so with an acute sense of how far he wcould go to achieve what he wanted.

It really makes me wonder how much better off Ireland would have been if he had not best lost so early in his life.

This is an extarodinary book about an extraordinary man. It is well wriiten, it is exciting and easy to read. It gives a wonderful insight into the life and times of Ireland during this remarkable time

Although the pages and the sophisticated writing style might intimidate one, if you stick to it and read the book to the end, you will NOT regret it. It was my first book in Irish History and I have learned so much from reading it. This book is amazing beyond words. If you buy it, you won't reget it.

I love this book! I could not put it down! I also can't wait to start trying her recipes, they sound delicious! I could almost taste the blueberry coffee cake as I was reading! I am on to "Dean and Berried"!

Delighted to discover this author, heroine and inn! The mysteries are well developed and the recipes are an extra treat. I hope there will be more than two!

I can't even finish it, it's so poorly written and so boring. I am so disappointed. I thought I had found a new author to read. Oh, well.

I just finished "Murder on the Rocks" and while I think this series has potential, the writing needs to be edited better.

1. Natalie frequently complains about how she is flat broke and unable to eat at restaurants. She runs out of groceries and ends up with nothing to eat but a peanut butter & jelly sandwich. However, she is constantly baking up huge batches of cookies and brownies to take to friends and neighbors around the island. Whenever she needs something out of the freezer, she is pawing through chuck roasts and bacon to find the fruit she needs. So is she broke and hungry or not?

2. When a guest at her inn is found dead, Natalie sneaks into his room (against direct police orders) and finds significant evidence that she then hides. When the police later suspect her of being the killer, Natalie is unable to show evidence pointing away from her, because she stole it from the crime scene. Is she really this stupid?

3. An intruder breaks in and clobbers Natalie. She doesn't bother to call the police immediately, instead just waits for them to show up the next day.

4. Natalie pretends to be someone she's not in order to obtain private information she has no right to, and opens and reads her guests' mail.

While the plot is presented as "Natalie is a suspect in a murder she didn't commit and tries to find the real killer" she is guilty of numerous counts of obstruction of justice and just plain stupidity. It was hard to swallow.

Natalie Barnes has decided to go for broke and trade her life saving for a Bed and Breakfast called the Grey Whale Inn on Cranberry Island in Maine. Soon the slimy Bernard Katz shows up and announces plans to change the whole inland into a mega resort which will include turning the Grey Whale into a parking lot. So no one is surprised when he is found dead, the only surprise is the who and why. Natalie just has to stay alive long enough to get the whole story out. Great start to a new series plus great recipes at the end of the book.

Oh, and someone needs to tell the author that you don't get knitting wool from a goat.

One of my three favorite books from my childhood. I have read reviews of how difficult this book is to understand or read by small children. Nonsense! I first read this book when I was 6 years old, one year after learning English and had no problem with it. I read it many times until my mother threw it away. I looked for it for a long time and finally found it 54 years after first reading it. I still love it.

This book is okay. I wouldn't read it more than twice. It was really boring till the end. Then it got good. I would recomend this book to kids from ages 9 - teens. Rebecca has a life that i would never want. She is so happy and bouncy. I don't like that. In my opinion, this is book is not very exciting. I was so glad when I finished it. Because then I could read a better book. It was kind of hard to follow, cause a lot of things were going on at once. I really think younger kids should read it. I don't think it deserves a classic. But that is just in my opinon. Read it if you would like. I just didn't like it. It was okay though. So good luck!

As I started to read this book I got a sense that it was not going to be the thrilling adventure that I usually look for in a book. This was okay because sometimes you need a book that can slow it down and you can relax with. I am sorry to report that this book was so slow it almost came to a stop. Although it is a story of a girl who moves from her farm home to a small town to live with her aunts nothing more exciting than Rebecca selling enough soap to get a lamp for some friends that aren't very well off happens. While it is a great thing to see family helping family to get an education, something more adventurous like a love interest, or a friend saving her best and most loved toy from the clutches of a wicked aunt could spice up a story. Maybe I am a reader who is not excited by someone learning to sew and this kind of book is your cup of tea but it is not mine. In my opinion the lack of substanance is almost suffocating and I will not be drowned by another reading of this book.

It was well worth the wait; my father called me "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" when I was a small girl. It is a warm and endearing story. I may have to get some more of the books in the series!

Rebecca has been my friend since I read her story in a cheap Whitman hardback when I was a little girl. A lively and creative 10-year-old girl is sent to her maiden aunts to receive a good education, but chafes under the restrictive yoke of her elder aunt. As Rebecca learns to channel her energies into positive action, she remains unquenched by her dour aunt and lends joy to both the younger aunt, but also the elderly Cobbs and her best friend, Emma Jane Perkins. The vocabulary in the story may be a bit high for younger readers as REBECCA was not actually written as a children's story; it was the best seller of the year 1904. There is a sequel, NEW CHRONICLES OF REBECCA, that is worth finding, with more adventures of Rebecca, the Simpson children, and even Emma Jane.

I really loved this book i loved the twisted and interisting lives of each caractor and how well the auther descriced wach of them. another thing i loved is how the auther descrided each and every thought of the caractor so well. one of the greatist and most compelling things the auter did is when he describes all the advntures that Homer has and the twinstng and turning adventures and the the auther does a good job in leading you on one way of thinking but at the end the end you find out that it was the rong way of thought and the twist that occures. and at the end how will the auther slowley and descriptlievely brings the story to a great close.....................................

The story is about Homer Winthrop, his mother and Roger, Homer's friend. The setting is in Maine, where their old house is located. The Winthrops return to Maine unexpectedly, from their home in Boston.
When they arrive, Homer goes to his old room which he thinks is special, because it still has some of his old stuff in it. Homer re-unites with Roger, a neighbor.
Roger tells Homer about a strange man who dresses up like an older person and wears a wig. They call him "Fake Man." As the story unfolds, Fake Man helps Homer find out about his dad, who had died when Homer was only two years old.. This is information that his mother would never talk to him about.
In the end, Homer and Roger find some old stuff belonging to Homer's dad. They use these things to make a tribute to his dad, since Homer now understands what actually happened.
I thought the book was interesting and would recommend it to my friends and anyone who reads this review.

This book was about a kid and he wanted to know about his Father, his mom will not tell him about him. So he and a new friend try to find him. When they are looking for info. they see some person sneeking around, so they think he Knows about his family some how.
I do recomend this book to someone. I really liked this book so I would think almost everybody my age would like it to! It would also be a good book for a teacher to read to his or her class. I thought it was a great book!

Following Fake Man is definitely an extremely entertaining book for kids. I think this is one of the best books I've read, if you ask me I would say Following Fake Man is a book filled with surprises and would fall under the Mystery category. Although it is a mystery book, it's filled with emotions that teach us how diverse everybody's life is. Following Fake Man certainly keeps your interest throughout the whole book, even in the beginning. It also shows the different point of views from all the characters that vividly put the image in your head. I would give this book 5 stars no matter how old I was, I suggest reading this great book if you haven't already.

Following Fake Man is an excellent book for kids to read. It has mystery, suspense, and great wording! It is a book where the main character tries to find his past. With help from a rambunctious friend, Homer is tracking and following clues from his past. While following fake man, Homer realizes that it doesn't matter what his past is about, it is what the present is about. Will he find fake man or is it all just a mix up? This is an ideal book for grades 5-8. This book is a MUST read!

I found Alice Trulock's biography on Joshua L. Chamberlain to be quite readable, well researched and well grounded. Considering the length of the book, Trulock's book read quite well for most readers of any level. Well, it may not be good as the one written by John Pullen but it definitely is superior to the one written by Edward Longacre. I put that in just for comparison purpose.

I think this biography may served as a good introduction to Chamberlain who's name have definitely reached near mythological level nowadays among Civil War readers thanks to Jeff Daniels and his role in that movie "Gettysburg". Of course, most readers would probably be disappointed that Jeff Daniel's portaryal of Chamberlain will not jive with Joshua Chamberlain of Trulock's book.

The biography covers all aspects of Chamberlain's life. The book does a good job covering Chamberlain's military career which proves to be the most important period of his life from which Chamberlain's life will be centered around until his death. I do wish to make a point here. He died at the age of 86, a very ripe old age and I doubt if his wounds he got from Petersburg really hasten his death, it may have cause him a lot of pain but even in modern days, most people don't live that long!

Overall, an very good biography on one of Union's more natural soldiers. A non-professional who performed better then most professional soldiers.

Chamerlain's heroism is similar to Teddy Roosevelt, Alvin York, and Audie Murphy who came behind him, but have been better publicized.

The difference is that his act of confidence, courage and decisiveness may have been the one that changed the outcome of the Civil War, the 1864 election and the future of America.

In The Hands of Providence is the story of Chamberlain's exemplary character before, during and after that momentum changing moment. All Americans should read and learn this story.

- Richard V. Battle - Author of The Four Letter Word That Builds Character

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was the epitome of the American citizen-soldier. Since the birth of the republic, American soldiers have left home and hearth to serve the nation and many of them have come home physically shattered and haunted by what they have seen while still others have not come home at all. Thrown into the breech, some of the citizen solders found they did not have the fortitude for what was asked of them while many others have excelled, performing better than graduates of West Point or Annapolis, America's most prestigious military academies. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was a citizen soldier who became a great hero of the Civil War, a man who met challenge after challenge and became a great leader of men and afterward, the course of his life was forever altered. An academically inclined young man, Chamberlain left Bowdin College and his studies and teaching in theology to accept a lieutenant colonel's commission in the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The modest young professor took part in most of the important battles of the North's Army of the Potomac. He was a participant in the Battle of Antietam, still the bloodiest single day in American history. Today, we can walk the battlefield off Sharpsburg Pike, in rural Maryland and see "Burnside's Bridge and the cornfields where so many men fell and get some small measure of what men like Chamberlain went through. We can also visit the battlefield at Fredericksburg and see the heights that he and his 20th Maine and the Union Army tried to take in bloody frontal assaults into the teeth of Confederate guns and under the pounding of their artillery on the hills. Today Chamberlain's comrades - as well as the fallen Confederate troops - are buried on the commanding heights they failed to take, one of the Civil War's bitter ironies. Colonel Chamberlain then immortalized himself at Gettysburg's Little Round Top where he anchored the Union left, repelling assault after assault and winning the day by leading a charge down the slope that broke the Rebel troops. He was given a general's star by General Grant at Petersburg and was honored to receive the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. His heroism and leadership qualities helped him win the Governorship of Maine no less than four times, after which he retired to the Presidency of Bowdin College, his alma mater. Alice Trulock who wrote this book, was not a professional writer and after her retirement from civic affairs, this book took her ten years of careful research, writing and rewriting to complete. She based her work on a great deal of new research and handles the account of infantry combat beautifully. Unfortunately, Trulock died before the book was released and so she wasn't able to accept the accolades that were due to her for such a well-written and moving biography of an emblematic Civil War figure.

The Duke of Wellington supposedly stated that it is impossible for a Christian to serve in the military. Too bad he wasn't around during the American Civil War! Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson from the South and Joshua Chamberlain and Otis Howard from the North are notable exceptions to Wellington's thesis.

Trulock has written what is the best account of the hero of Little Round Top and who personally oversaw the surrender of Confederate troops at Appamattox.

Among the important events in Chamberlain's life covered include:

1. Birth and Christian upbringing in rural Maine.
2. His days as a student and adminstrator at Bowdoin College.
3. His early Civil War service including the formation of the famous 20th Maine Regiment.
4. Fascinating accounts of his involvement in major Civil War battles: Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Petersburg, and other engagements.
5. The horrible wound suffered at Petersburg that eventually killed him some 50 years later.
6. His loving yet strained marriage to Frances Caroline Adams.
7. Postwar public service as President of Bowdoin College and Governor of Maine.

Reading the book was a joy - the narrative flowed smoothly while covering several details of a fascinating character. The author managed to keep the story from becoming too bogged down in dry detail without insulting the reader's intelligence. Oh, how I wish more biographies were written like this!

The book also contains excellent battle maps and numerous photographs of the main characters: Chamberlain, his wife, parents, sister and brothers, many Civil War officers, and other important people in Joshua Chamberlain's life.

All in all, an excellent and highly recommended read. Read and enjoy!

In the Hands of Providence is a very well researched look of the life of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. Alice Turlock presents a definitive biography of this modest professor from Bowden College, who met challenge after challenge to become one of the greatest leaders in Civil War history. Chamberlain had extraordinary observational and superb writing skills. His persistence at recording the historic events, which included his emotional reactions, gave Trulock's wonderful historic accounts for her book.
The book starts by giving us an in depth look at his obscure Christian upbringing in rural Maine, and follows his processes of becoming a great young man. He was an exceptional college student, receiving the praise of his instructors. He was also highly regarded by his neighbors and towns' folk alike. Many considered him to have the highest moral and ethical standard. He was so trusted and respected as a young man in his home town that an older business man of Maine, who was an acquaintance of Chamberlain's, entrusted him with the dealings of his estate.

While finishing his studies at Bowden, Chamberlain married his sweetheart Frances Caroline Adams. They had a very close and loving relationship. But during the war, the constant distance between them put a great deal of strain on their relationship. After graduation, he accepted a position as a professor at Bowden, and held that position for several years. Chamberlain maintained a very close relationship with his family, and he was especially close to his father in law George Adams.

When the war broke out in 1861, Chamberlain ask for a leave of absence from Bowden to enlist, but was turned down. Not to be left out of the war, he again applied for a sabbatical to study in Europe, and this time it was granted. He had no intentions on going to Europe, and instead immediately enlisted in the army as a lieutenant colonel, and never looked back. He played a huge role in the recruitment of the men for a regiment, which would later come to be known as the 20th Maine.

With no military experience, Chamberlain showed great promise in his leadership shills and military expertise. He became friends with his unit's commander, Colonial Ames, who became his tutor. According to Trulock, Chamberlain held a great deal of respect and admiration for Ames, and he gave Ames credit for his military success.

Trulock's description of Chamberlain's military life is extraordinary, and she supplies us with great details about the battles in which he was involved. At the battle of Antietam, Chamberlain was not directly involved in the fighting but was brought up in reserve the next day. Trulock gives a very vivid description of horror that Chamberlain witnessed upon arriving at the battlefield that day where 22,000 lay dead or wounded on the field. It was the bloodiest, one day battle in the Civil War.

Next, she transports us to the Fredericksburg, and the final assault by the North on Marye's Heights - the charge that involved the 20th of Maine. All the other divisions that day were either driven back, laid dead or wounded on the field. She describes tremendous courage that Chamberlain and his men showed as they made their charge on the now famous wall at Marye's Heights, the wall that was heavily guarded by Confederates. The division suffered great loses that late afternoon. They remained among the dead or wounded for 2 days and nights before the order was given to retreat.

The episode in history that Chamberlain is most remember for is the courage and heroism he displayed at the battle of Gettysburg. He was ordered to the top of a hill known as The Little Round Top where he was placed at the far left flank. There, Chamberlain was instructed to hold that position at all cost. The 20th Maine repelled assault after assault by the Confederates that day. When ammunition ran out, Chamberlain ordered a bayonet charge, an event that many historians say was the turning point of the Civil War.

Trulock also gives a very detailed account of the battle of Petersburg, where Chamberlain was horribly wounded. After hearing of his heroic actions during the battle, General Grant immediately promoted Chamberlain on the battlefield to Brigadier General. This was the only battlefield promotion ever issued by Grant. Somehow, Chamberlain survived his wound, due to the skilled surgery that was preformed on him that night and next day. Chamberlain's two close friends, Dr. Shaw and Dr. Townsend worked for hours repairing the damage inflicted by the mini ball. The wound he received that day would trouble him all of his life and required numerous surgery's to repair the damage.

His persistent heroism and outstanding leadership were the deciding factor when Grant chose Chamberlain to receive the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. He showed great respect for his fellow countrymen that day when he gave the order to his men to give a solders salute to the surrendering confederate men. His honorary actions that day were later critized by many people.

This book contains a lot of historic photos of Chamberlain's family, friends, fellow soldiers and numerous battle maps. The book also gives a great account of Chamberlain's life as Governor of Maine and President of Bowden College, but these accounts do not compare to the bravery and patriotic devotion that Chamberlain displayed during the Civil War. His actions made him a hero to his men, and the country he served.

Trulock has given us a great biography, not only one of the Civil War's greatest commanders, but one of the United States most distinguished citizens. The book flows very smoothly while covering details of battles that would interest even the most die hard Civil War enthusiast.

Finally, a book that does justice to an astonishing person. I highly recommend this book.

This first novel was good enough to keep me reading late into the night while my wife, usually the late reader, had gone to sleep. In fact, one night I stopped reading, turned out the lights and then tossed and turned for an hour trying to figure out where the novel was going (that's a compliment, not a criticism). The author, Terry Shaw, provides several misdirections that make you want to read the next chapter. I didn't see the ending coming--and that's how a good mystery should proceed. (I'm passing the novel on to my neighbors, who once lived in Maine.)

I can see Tom Seleck as editor John Quinn in a made-for-TV movie. I hope Terry is working on a sequel.

This is a fast paced, page turning first novel by an up and coming writer. From the first sentence to the very end Mr. Shaw keeps the readers attention. There are a few twists and turns to the tale, until you reach the end and find out who 'really done it'. And it wasn't the butler. I hope to read many more by Mr. Shaw in the future. This is a promising new author, with a bright future ahead.

Terry has the writing skills to create settings and scenes that welcome the reader to come right in. It's like being there as a witness to the crime. The prologue is a fine example of that. He brings you to the crime scene at the park with such force that the image of it stays throughout the book until the suspense of who-done-it finally surfaces. We have not heard the last of Terry Shaw.

This book is a great page-turner! I could not put it down once I started reading this novel. The author paints vivid scenes of a small-town murder mystery. This book definatly kept me wanting to read chapter after chapter, from begining to end. Read it!!

Shortly after submitting the first chapter of my novel in the Next Great Crime Writer Contest, I wondered just how good (or not so good) a former Gather.com contest winner's novel might be. When I learned that Terry Shaw's "The Way Life Should Be" had won the First Chapters Writing Competition, I decided to check it out. I requested a copy as a Christmas present from my wife and it was with great anticipation that I began reading Terry's novel the following day.

From the chilling prologue to the last page, I was very impressed with this book - having promptly forgotten I was reading a first-time published novel. Instead, I found myself drawn into this story about newspaper editor John Quinn and his search for the truth surrounding the murder of his childhood friend, Paul Stanwood.

Quinn, along with his wife and young son, has recently moved back to his hometown of Stone Harbor, Maine. The story begins with the mysterious murder of his friend in the bathhouse of a local park where gays have been known to hang out in search of some action. The local politics of the small town becomes blatantly apparent when Quinn realizes that very little is being done to track down Paul Stanwood's killer. This general apathy and lack of progress in the investigation thereby prompts Quinn to set out on his own to unravel the truth.

The most endearing qualities of this mystery novel are Shaw's keen skill at characterization and its solid story line. John Quinn is an intriguing protagonist with many layers to his personal and public persona. We see these layers stripped away piece by piece as Quinn struggles to come to grips with the loss of Paul and his struggle to find his killer amidst the allegations being made about his lifelong friend.

Quinn encounters a host of memorable characters throughout his one-man investigation including the arrogant police chief Al Sears, Paul Stanwood's grieving widow Lizzy, and her father-in-law Angus Stanwood. The story moves along smoothly with a lot of twists and turns, never failing to keep the reader engrossed and entertained.

After finishing "The Way Life Would Be," I felt that rare sensation one gets after reading a really good work of fiction. I was sorry to see it end and at the same time couldn't wait to read the author's next book. I also couldn't wait to contact Terry and tell him how much I enjoyed his first published novel. As an unpublished author, I felt inspired and motivated after witnessing firsthand how these writing competitions can yield such positive results.

To say that I recommend "The Way Life Should Be" is an understatement. You owe it to yourself to discover just how good this First Chapter's Writing Competition winning submission truly is!

Now I'm not saying this was a bad book. I actually read it in two days. However, with the title "courage on little round top" i was expecting a little more of the engagement on little round top. it wasn't until the very last chapter of the book that the engagement took place. if you really want to read about little round top i would say Shaara's Killer Angel's will do the trick. Again, a very good book just took a while to get to the actual "courage"

If you have read Michael Shaara's "The Killer Angels" and Stephen Crane's "The Red Badge of Courage" you have an excellent basis to read and enjoy Thomas Eishen's novel that combines some of the aspects of both. This book features Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, a prominent character in Shaara's novel, and Lt. Robert Wicker, who is only alluded to by Shaara.
Eishen's novel unfolds around the impending confrontation between these two men on July 2, 1863 on Little Round Top during the Battle of Gettysburg. Wicker, whose unit is the 15th Alabama, had fled the scene during a previous battle, and, like Private Henry Fleming in "The Red Badge of Courage" worries that he in fact may be a coward. Since many of the soldiers in his company are friends and relatives from back home in Alabama, his fear is that a repeat performance in battle will make him a laughingstock and he will become an embarrassment to his family members. Chamberlain, on the other hand, has to deal with his two well-intentioned but meddlesome brothers who are members of his staff.
Eishen does a fine job of relating the evolution of these events through dialogue fashioned for these characters. The run-up to the actual confrontation between Chamberlain and Wicker is an interesting perspective on the daily lives of the common soldier in camp and while on the march.
First time novelist Thomas Eishen has done a commendable job of describing these fast-paced events, and readers will find that the situation only alluded to in "The Killer Angels" takes on new meaning, and the characters involved come alive.

After seeing the Civil War epic Gettysburg (Widescreen Edition) when it was first released, I made a special trip cross-country to the battlefield and, like the author of COURAGE ON LITTLE ROUND TOP, stood at the monument to the 20th Maine at the left extremity of the Union line and paid silent tribute to Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and his regiment which waged there such a stalwart defense. In a contemporary world so lacking in heroes, I put the gallant Chamberlain on a modestly tall pedestal, an atypical action that even survived my subsequent reading of the man's biography, In the Hands of Providence: Joshua L. Chamberlain and the American Civil War.

Here, author Thomas Eishen strives to add a human side to the battle for Little Round Top on the second day of the Gettysburg collision by re-creating in novel format the thoughts, words, and actions of Chamberlain and one of his opponents, 2nd Lieutenant Robert Wicker of the 15th Alabama Regiment, as they may have occurred during the couple of days prior to and during the assault.

It was the fictionalization of the days prior that perhaps reduced this book in my estimation inasmuch as Chamberlain and his regiment are assigned their do-or-die position by brigade commander Col. Strong Vincent only on page 250 of this 289-page volume. So, if you're hoping for an exhaustive immersion in the struggle for the hill, forget it. Rather, the preceding pages are filled, much like GETTYSBURG the film, with protagonists' dialog and mental preoccupations that are, at best, plausible but unremarkable script-filler and, at worst, an inane look at men under arms as they swan about the countryside pre-battle. Moreover, I was singularly unimpressed with the very few maps accompanying the text. Indeed, the one showing the opposing lines on Little Round Top was not much bigger than a postage stamp and would've required the use of a magnifying glass had I cared to bother with it.

I'm at obvious odds with other 5-star reviews of COURAGE ON LITTLE ROUND TOP. Perhaps my expectations were too great. In any case, I wouldn't recommend spending the money for this title unless you're seeking a very light read for an airplane trip to Pennsylvania, in which case it's perfectly satisfactory.

The author credits Michael Shaara's "Killer Angels" as being responsible for the start of his interest in the Civil War. This novel is a piece of lightweight fluff which I find difficult to read because boredom sets in quickly. Most of the book is meaningless dialogue and character's thoughts which do little to inspire the reader.
As an avid Civil War buff who has read plenty of history, both primary and secondary source material, finds enough historical inaccuracies in this book to wonder how it ever managed to find a publisher. Characters wander around the novel with no good reason. Major historical figures make an appearance with little connection to the fictional characters and the true story of the battle on Little Round Top. The author takes forever to set the scene for that struggle and the reader has to struggle with boredom to ever reach that point in the novel.
I have visited the battlefield at Gettysburg many time since my first trip at the age of 2. I have walked the field many times in many years. Eishen may have made a visit to the monument to the 20th Maine, but I wonder if he climbed Little Round Top by the route of attack by the Alabama regiments.
I had expected more mention of the other units involved in this engagement and I was sadly disappointed.
As an aside, there are enough typos and mispellings throughout the book which make it even more annoying.

Thomas Eishen nails a good one. Gettysburg is perhaps the greatest single battle of the civil war in terms of how the war ended. Eishen does an excellent job in novel form to keep the reader's attention. Written similar to the style of Jeff Shaara, one will not have a hard time reading this one. It is not boring history. It is an easy and enjoyable read and will add knowledge to what you think you might know about Gettysburg. Buy it. Enjoy it.
C Park

This book keeps coming back with each generation. I read this book as a child and both my boys have read it as well. A well written account of a true life adventure providing suspense, adventure and thoughtfulness. A perfect summer read for young people, it's fairly short and they could get through it in an afternoon.

and now @# years later, I still love it! For any lover of the outdoors and for those of us that like to have "Survivor" weekends, it is a fun, quick read that encourages the question, "what would you do?".

By Keegan, a sixth grader in Maine

LOST ON A MOUNTAIN IN MAINE is one of the best books i have ever read. The begining of the book is clear of how every thing started. The mittle of the book told the problems on the mountain. This book has the zing that grasps you into reading more. Some parts of the book are dull but it fires back up and hooks you into reading more.

I liked the book. It was full of adventure and suspense. You never wanted to put it down. It is a true story.
Donn Fedler got lost in a mountain in Maine at the age of twelve. He starts back down the trail to go back to meet his father at the plateau and takes the wrong trail by accident because it was so foggy. At night he slept in hallow trees or on patches of moss. On his third day he looses his pants and meets a deer. On the fourth day he sees a bear and finds a blanket in an abandon cabin. Throughout the next two days he sees another bear and hears screech owls. Will Donn ever get home?
The type of reader who would like this book is someone who likes adventure stories. Anyone who has read the book Hatchet and liked it would like this book too.

Mt. Katahdin, at 5268 feet, is the northern terminus of the Appalachian trail and the tallest mountain in Maine. Though it's a much-climbed mountain at the center of the popular Baxter State Park, its wildness and danger should never be underestimated.

In 1939, twelve-year-old Donn Fendler was climbing Katahdin with a party including his father and brother. Reaching the summit with a friend ahead of the main party, he was cold and bored and decided to go back to meet his father. He lost the trail in fog, and spent a grueling nine days in rugged terrain on the north side of Katahdin before finding his way out to a hunting and fishing camp. The press was full of the search for young Donn and his rescue was celebrated with headlines, a parade, and a chance to meet the President of the United States.

Donn credited his Boy Scout training and his faith in God with bringing him through the ordeal. His shoes and then his feet were cut to shreds on the rough stone outcroppings; he was tormented by insects, frightened by a bear, tumbled in an icy river. His "dungarees" were impossible to walk in, once wet, and he lost them. He suffered from cold, hunger, loneliness and hallucinations. Toward the end of his ordeal Donn followed telephone wires and a stream, knowing that both would eventually lead him to what civilization there was in the great woods of Maine. Though he lost 16 pounds and was severely cut and bitten, he made a full recovery.

The boy's story, as told to James Egan, was published later in 1939 and has been a beloved family and school classic in Maine since that time. Fendler himself still visits schools and libraries to tell his story. Generations of Maine children have learned a lesson of courage, faith and will from Lost! on a Mountain in Maine. This audio presentation is engagingly read by another twelve-year-old, Amon Purinton. I recommend this story for family listening or reading.

Linda Bulger, 2008