New Hampshire Books

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

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

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

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

I use this book everytime I go hikin

This book is NOT out of stock, as it has been reprinted in 1988 and remains avaliable from Whalesback Books. For orders, call 202/333-2182.

This is a reprint of a book originally published in the 1930s, which describes with great sophistication the architecture of the many 18th century homes that dot the Piscataqua River valley, primarily in Portsmouth. At the time it was written, many of these homes were still occupied by descendants of the original owners, whereas now they are owned by non-profit organizations and are open to the public. It is enormously rewarding to compare the black and white pictures in the book with the houses as they are today. It also contains an introductory essay that gives a superb explanation of the evolution of domestic architecture from America's earliest settlements through the 18th century. As the book explains, Portsmouth, along with Newburyport, Annapolis, and Charleston, are unique among historic American cities because they prospered in the 18th century only to decline thereafter, thereby allowing their wonderful examples of Georgian and Federal/Adam architecture to be preserved. By way of contrast, Boston, New York, and Philadelphia grew so rapidly in the 19th century that most of their examples of this type of home were lost to the wrecker's ball.

Ms. Klimasmith's At Home In The City is a wonderful work of scholarship. The author skillfully draws upon numerous perspectives of literary theory as well as cultural studies to explore the constructive nature (or relationship) between the individual and their environment as depicted in literature during the rapid development of the American city during the late 19th early 20th century.
Like a New Historicist the author draws on various sources from that time period. These sources include novels from authors such as, Hawthorne, Fern, Wharton, Crane, Gilman, Larsen, and James as well as articles from numerous periodicals of the period. Ms. Klimasmith also draws upon the work of social activists, such as Jacob Riis, and the architects of the American Landscape, such as Frederick Law Olmsted. The author reads these works in various combinations illustrating many themes, including, elements of architectural determinism, tensions between changing areas of domestic space, the modern development of culture as commodity, and of course the relationship that the individual shares with these developments.
The breadth of this work goes beyond what I have noted in this short review. The sources are extensive and the arguments are presented in an organized and interesting manner. I really like the way the author uses fiction to inform historical analysis. Anybody interested in American fiction or history, cultural studies, or literary criticism will like this book.

The book is a superior resource for any student of history and literature of the period. It provides detailed information about the trends and influence of urban life on 19th century families that migrated from rural areas to the city, and demonstrates also the effects of this migration on literary works of the period.
Ms Klimasmith has created a very interesting volume; a combination of historical data coupled with examples of texts by important authors of the period.

The Bones of the Earth is a treasure of historical stories unique to New England that could be lost without writers like Howard Mansfield to keep them alive. His thoughtful account of traditions, landmarks and history reminds us all to document our own stories for future generations. Mansfield's humor and sense of irony in showing the strange contrasts we often don't see makes this a delightful book to read.

Howard Mansfield's The Bones of the Earth will make you see your surroundings in a whole different way. At a time that much of humankind stands at the verge of forgetting who and where we are, this book reminds us to honor the oldest landmarks, the sticks and stones by which we know home.

This book is Historical information on both the area I grown up in and family bacvkground. I greatly enjojed not only ready this book, but found that being about to see many of the places and items mentioned in the bok added to my enjoyment. Please note that "Boy Captive of Old Deerfield" proceeds this and "Boys of the Border" follows this. All 3 are excellant and contain much interesting information on the settlement of Western Mass.

This is the first in a series that cronicles young Stephen's life in an early American, frontier town and capture by indians from Canada. The book was not only hard to put down because of continual actions, but I was always learning a little bet here and there about early colional life and Native American life.

The first chapter was a little tough getting used to some of the Olde English spelling an phrases. But soon I no longer noticed them at all. I would recommend this book to anyone from about 5th grade and up.

I won't spoil the ending, but do yourself a favor and order "The Boy Captive in Canada" at the same time because the story doesn't end in this book. It continues into the next.

We had the pleasure of meeting Ms Wall at our school when she came to do a reading of her book for us. It was a great tale with acurate historical events and places in NH. And the story was told in a way that the children actually got to "feel" what it was like to live in Matty's day and time, as well as the pressure of her circumstances of racial issues for that time.
I would Highly reccommend this book for older kids, as a great way to open up conversations about different things.

Ms. Wall does a beautiful job of sharing a piece of our American history in a way that draws you in and makes you feel like you are a part of it all.
I found this to be a wonderful story and a gentler way of introducing my daughter to the horrible subject of slavery. Somehow she makes it easier for a child to understand and yet does not sugar coat the facts.
This book has earned a place on my shelf with other classics like Catcher in the Rye and Tom Sawyer. Thank you Ms. Wall for this wonderful book. We look forward to the next one.

Yes, the story is excellent, if I do so say myself, but I don't recommend that anyone buy the iUniverse / Author's Guild edition. The photos didn't hold up well in the reproduction, and instead of "bleeding" off the edge of the paper they're set with a one-inch margin, so what was a 7x10 inch book comes out to magazine size.

Far better to buy a second-hand copy of the New Hampshire Publishing hardcover or softcover editor.

-- Dan Ford

I own this book in hardcover and I think it is great that it is available again in paperback. The author hikes through the White Mountains of New Hampshire and across into Maine. But more than a journal of his mini-expedition this is a glancing history of the Whites. Excellent! But the politically correct should take heed because the year is 1975 and the author among other things is a (gasp!) cigarette smoker. Let's hope that he has since reformed!

Good photographs taken along the way. Highly recommended.

This book has nice essays really, about the different regions of New hampshire. It won't replace a tour guide, but it gives you more of a feel about the people and places of the state. It is very well written and a nice book o read while relaxing This may give you more an an idea of where you may want to go than just a list of Inns and attractions.

This book is a very well written, easy to understand book. I live in NH and found this book to be quite handy in finding the out of the way locations that might not be found otherwise. This book is clearly written and very easy to understand. The directions are easy to follow and pretty accurate. All around great book to have if you want to see very nice areas of NH.

Very engaging reading about foreign students lives prior to their education here. It's a revealing look at what they brought with them in life experience compared to what they saw in the average American student. They contend with the clash between the beliefs and values of their upbringing and the shallow nature of the sheltered American student. A very well written, thoughful response to the blending of their prior experience, their expectations of study in the U.S. and the self discovery that results.

Enlighteningly refreshing look at American and specifically Ivy Legue culture. International students reflect on their lives abroad and their experiences in Dartmouth College and the surrounding New England community. The students and alumni that have contributed their short autobiographies to this compilation contemplate their diverse backgrounds and grapple with the American culture, to which they are compelled. Some of the stories are hilarious. Some are heartbreaking. But all are profound. The students take good aim at social and philosophical questions imposed by their new community and search for their identities in a place that canonizes monotony and conformity. This book can not be put down until it's finished.

So, I didn't read this book. I was fortunate enough to have had Dennis Littky as my principal in 1972-1975, prior to the time period of the story in this book. "Doc" was probably the most amazing educator that I've ever come across, and both of my parents are educators. What he did that was so amazing is to bring life into school! It was a hands-on approach to learning, and a lust for learning, that I can tell you is most rare!

So, I will be buying this book because I want to re-live those experiences, and learn from Doc all over again!

How previously successful principal Littky retired to a cabin in the Appalachian mountains and was persuaded to help revitalize failing Thayer High School, Winchester, N-H. He did well, but not everyone in town was happy; then the drama started. A fascinating account of one man trying to put into practice many of Ted Sizer's progressive ideas (see Horace's Compromise, Horace's School and Horace's Hope) and the resistance he ran into.

I couldn't put it down. Littky decided to take the challenge and try to put his ideas into practice. He was accused by some of using the school and its students as guinea-pigs for his "grand experiment" in psychological manipulation, his grab for power. Many disagreed with his ideas and his vision; some were persuaded, some were not, even after seeing what he had done with the school. People disagreed with what the "evidence" showed, or even what it was!

Susan Kammeraad-Campbell does a great job of taking us behind the scenes and observing how Littky went about convincing both turned-off students and cynical staff members to stay on, tune in and get involved. The task was monumental, and many had failed before him. Did Littky succeed? Many would say he did, but not all would agree.

Littky seems to have a gift for making learning and teaching fun. But it's not all about pedagogy or classroom techniques: it's also about building the right environment, both physically and emotionally. How does one set about practically breaking down the artificial walls erected between school "subjects"? How does one persuade teachers to go along with this plan and actually make it work? How does one set standards that require meaningful learning, and not just measure the amount of hours spent in school? And how does one persuade teachers and parents to support this venture? Well, here's the story of how Littky set about it. It also tells what happened when people disagreed with what he was doing, who disagreed with his "liberal ideas", people both in and out of the school. The story is an excellent reminder of just how much cooperation is required to make a school a success.

Although the book is obviously sympathetic to Littky, Susan Kammeraad-Campbell does try to get into the heads of those who opposed him. However, it seems she was not able to spend as much time with them or persuade them to talk to her to the extent that Littky and his supporters were, and they don't come out of the story very well. Campbell tries to answer the question, can a successful school story like Thayer's sustain itself after Littky leaves? Or is it always a matter of personalities? The afterwords by Campbell and by Littky himself try to answer these questions, but inevitably it seems Littky's personality was a powerful and vital ingredient in the mix.

As a postscript, here's a quote from Sizer's book "Horace's Hope": "During 1983, while I was writing Horace's Compromise, I accepted a number of speaking engagements with school people to test my ideas and the directions in which they might lead me. At the conclusion of one such gathering in Massachusetts, I was confronted by a smiling, balding, red-bearded, plaid-shirt-wearing character who bluntly said, 'You talk about it. We do it. You better get your butt up to my school.' He was Dennis Littky. I went to his school..." Thayer Junior/Senior High School was the first to join Sizer's Coalition of Essential Schools.