Rhode Island Books

My family has its roots in Rhode Island since its original founding and I was born and raised in Newport. This compendium is stunning and well worth the purchase price.

This book, drawn from portraits in the Newport Art Museum's collection and those of local collectors, spans the history of New England portraiture from Gilbert Stuart to Andy Warhol. It is well produced and has dozens of great paintings of, by or owned by Newporters.

Any one interested in creating an education system that is child centered, flexible and interesting should read this book.
The Met, a public highschool in Providence, RI., is the focus of a 2 year study by the author that culminated in this book. This is a special place where real learning takes place and children are valued for their interests and their individualism.
It almost makes me want to go back to highschool or atleast move to Providence so that my children can go there. Thank you to the author, eliot Levine, and to everyone associated at the Met for being brave enough to go against the tide and create a school that will hopefully be the model for all schools in the future.

Pawtucket, Rhode Island, has a rich history. These authors have labored well in finding that history. Among other things, they have dug through old deeds and other documents to produce maps based on the description of the land holdings before 1800. With this book in hand, you can navigate the streets of present day Pawtucket and trace history.

Important to lovers of family history, particularily the Bucklin family, are the details of family and town life before 1750.

Another gift purchase, but I did look through it, wonderful pictures of Rhode Island. Purchased as a gift for a Rhode Islander who has moved away. Know she will love it.

This little state has as huge a heritage as most of its bigger brothers. A lot of important history went down here, and this book will tell your students about it.

The "Portrait of America" series is a wonderful introduction for pre-teens to the 50 states and to the places and events that shaped the history of the United States. This "Rhode Island" installment is particularly good. The book is broken down into sections like "History", "Culture", "Economy" etc., and each section is thoughtfully written and edited. The "History" section is especially good and is very inclusive.

This book, as well as the entire "Portrait of America" series, will prove to be a valuable teaching tool to all primary school educators.

The best type of book is one in which you completely lose yourself--where your emotions roller-coaster right along with the main character because you are somehow, magically, right next to him/her, experiencing it all. The best type of book is one in which over the course of the pages you grow to love the characters, be protective of them and want only the best for them. The best type of book is one in which you turn the last page smiling and more optimistic then when you started because you've been reminded: there `are' good people in the world, life works out...there is hope. The Possibilities of Sainthood is that type of book. I highly recommend it.

My father is an excellent author.

The true beauty of life is the way if ebbs and flows like a river, a tiny pebble in its path can take the water on a new glorious course and where it goes no one knows. In her sixth novel Ann Hood displays her magic touch for creating people and places that haunt the reader for a long time. I have noticed the melancholic tone in her books, the sad pangs and situations where people are hurt emotionally make up big chunks of her books but she doesn't forget to write in some hard earned salvation to their problems, that is also why I enjoy her novels.

The polluted town of East Essex, Rhode Island is a place that Josie Jericho Hunter calls home. A mother of two, teenage Maggie and young Kate, wife to a mall store manager Will, she cannot imagine her life in any other place, no matter how much more exotic. She lives near a polluter river by a soap making factory and her days pass by as she business herself cutting out the latest recipes for enchiladas from cooking magazines, tends to her children's finicky wants, plays the doting wife and mother, and visits her parents house that is near by. With her father's recent Alzheimer's and her mothers plans to sell her childhood home Josie is thrown in for a loop. Her comfort zone is being stripped away to expose an empty vacant lot that she will have to cushion and fill up on her own in order to fill the growing gap in her heart. Unexpectedly her sister Michaela returns home from the other coast, the hippy child with long hair and mismatched clothing, she brings back bitter memories of Josie's childhood as the usually independent sister is back with her secrets and no one knows why but they know that sometimes is brewing under her cool demeanor.

Josie starts to forget what makes her happy. She is lost in the world of pleasing others, trying to satisfy her husband and his wondering eyes, she slowly loses her magic over him when she gets mugged and no one believes her. Changed and saddened she forgets to pick up her kids form work, to cook dinner, she wonders around the town unable to help anyone and especially herself. Josie must also face the fact that her husband might no longer love her and what it means to her and her family. The ordeals she went though were an intense experience especially with her children involved. As past family secret are slowly starting to spill up, the water from the river starts rising above the banks and floods the city over. Together the family must gather the courage to help the flood victims and to patch up their own problems and for once to realize that people are more similar than different.

This book was so much more, the people and things going on made my head spin and made for an incredibly fast read, I couldn't tear myself away and read this in two sittings but few loose ends were untied and I wished that certain characters had more of a resolution. This said I am extremely pleased for having found this book as it was an enriching experience, an Ann Hood experience as I call it as she satisfies my blue tooth for heart churning tales.

- Kasia S.

This is a excellent book. Bought after recently buying a kayak. New to kayaking. The book made me want to go to the local lake right then and there. Very descriptive of ponds and lakes with maps. Wish it had a few more entrys. Although I do agree with the authors selection process.