Maine Books

Great book and I would give it 5 stars except it has not been updated for several years. My husband really likes having this book. It is specific to Maine and courses are organized in regions of the state. I am sure he has played many courses he otherwise might not have known existed. It is handy to keep in the car for directions or phone numbers when wanting to call for tee times.

This guide has lots of useful, descriptive information about courses in Maine. Even has information ranking the average slope of golf courses, and tidbits on golf architects who built the courses and why they did certain things. Very helpful!

You know how it is, you'd like to try other courses, but which ones and where? How do they compare, what are the highlights and particularities of different courses? Ask two different people about a certain course and you'll get at least two differing answers.

Mr. Morrison's "Guide to Maine Golf Courses" provides information on all of the state's courses. All course descriptions have the same headings, making it a simple matter to compare one course to another. Before this book came out researching an unknown course required many phone calls and brochure deciphering (ugh!). Let's face it, a golf course's brochure is supposed to make its course look GREAT, whether or not it really is. This "Guide," however, tells it like it is.

While information regarding green fees and how much time it will take to play 18 holes is very useful, probably the most useful information is the "Course Description." Here the "Guide to Maine Golf Courses" really shines. Morrison doesn't make you read though anecdote after anecdote to glean a course's essential information, he comes right out and tells you what to expect from each course, even pointing out special features of particular holes. He tells you if a course is a well-sculpted design or your basic large lawn with trees and sand pits.

Other information included in each course's description include: Facilities available, Earliest Tee-off Time, Directions, Designer. This book deserves to be grass-stained and dog-eared, and kept somewhere in your golf bag.

Many people come to Cape Cod every summer, but so few know much about the cape. I'd recommend that if you're one of the many people who rent a Cape house in the summer... bring this book along with you. You'll love it and you'll see the Cape differently and perhaps... find yourself walking in the footsteps of Thoreau.

I live on Cape Cod and have been working my way through Thoreau's footsteps chapter by chapter - what a fun time and an absolutely fascinating read. Thank you Adam, you have captured the Cape in a way most visitors and locals only dream of experiencing.

By reading and using this book, not only you'll know each footsteps that Thoreau took in Cape Cod, but you'll discover his personal experience and the growth that took in Cape Cod. If you are living in Cape Cod, this book is a MUST HAVE book. You will be able to discover the beauty and richness of your land. And with this book, you can take a profound journey with Henry David Thoreau that will refresh and recreate your life. Buy this book and take a trip with Thoreau!

When Phil Conkling came out with the first edition of Islands in Time he more or less created a genre of Human Ecological writing that was actually of use to a wide audience. Mixing history, geology, ecology and geography with a healthy dose of the story-tellers whimsy the book has become something of a cult classic for many of us in the Archipelago. Unfortunately the second edition is a bit of a step backward. It's big. too big. The first edition fitted comfortably in a daypack -this seems aimed more at coffee tables. It's chatty, and I think that a rather savage editor would have worked wonders. We get a bit too much of the "and-then-Raven-gave-a-thump-as-she-ran-over-the-puffin" style of writing & it tends to distract us from some really good stories & the solid history/natural history that shone so clearly from the first edition. That being said, if you are only going to take one book with you Downeast & are going the whole way Downeast, and can't find the first edition, get this.

I'm just finishing my first read of this book, and all I want to do is go back to the beginning and read it all again. This book is filled with people, history, nature, fascinating anecdote, gorgeous prose, introspective rumination, and too much rich information to even begin to digest in one reading. Conkling is a scientist comfortable with an amazing array of subjects and he is also a humanist and pretty-nearly a poet. I have a tendency to fall into the bleeding-heart environmentalist category, and while not offending my sensibilities in the least (he loves nature with a passion), he opened my eyes to many valid coastal points of view among the lobstermen, fishermen, and others. I changed my mind about a number of things while reading his book and I love Maine even more as a result of reading it. Lovely, informative, fascinating book! I'm one of those English-major types and a writer, and Conkling has not only increased my respect for science but has shown me how beautifully the arts and sciences can blend in a thoughtful, productive, earth-changing way.

This is a beautiful book--I'm sorry to see that no one has commented on it yet. It gives a wealth of information about the geology, ecology, and ecosystem of coastal Maine, but even better, it's written in a style that often verges on the poetic. Can't recommend it highly enough.

I read this book while joining my students on a two week-long kayaking expedition along the coast of Maine. After our guide recommended the book and I couldn't put it down. A great read for a novice to the Maine coast who wants to get a good feel for the history and culture of the islands. Best when read while traveling from island to island! The author is a bit biased towards the state of Maine, as the reader will note is the opening chapter. However, after spending some time there, I can understand why! Enjoy!!!

Although less comprehensive than the McLane's definitive series, and less ecological than Phil Conkling's Islands In Time, Caldwell's book fills in a gap for the lay reader in introducing us to the early English settlements and exploration of coastal Maine. Written by someone with a clear love for cruising the Archipelago, one gets some nice vignettes of particular islands that leave one hungry for more. There are also many good stories here that are worth repeating, and some lovely pictures drawn from a variety of sources that capture different aspects of the coast. Caldwell is to be complemented on his cheerful breezy style that keeps one interested from start to finish, and makes on reach for the chart to see how one can follow his wake in summers to come. I find that I have accumulated several editions of Caldwell & make sure to keep them close to hand, at the college, at home, and on the boat.

What was one day to become the United States of America began with the first European explorers arriving on the islands off the Maine coast in their search for a passage to Cathay and East Indian wealth, and continuing with small European fishing boats arriving to ply the waters off the coast of Maine. In Islands Of Maine: Where America Really Began, the late newspaper columnist Bill Caldwell examines the original Mainers, the Native Americans. Then surveys the first European settlements, founded long before the colony at Jamestown or the arrival of the Mayflower Pilgrims. Rich in lively anecdotes, and ranging from Casco Bay to Penobscot Bay, Caldwell reveals the islands as the first settlers saw them and how these islands transformed into flourishing trade hubs, fishing harbors, and tourist destinations. From the Vikings of a thousand years ago down to life in the 1980s, Islands Of Maine is a fascinating, informative, enthusiastically recommended regional American history.

I finished JOURNEY OF THE EAGLE last night and was absolutely delighted. Gee, it was wonderful--the writing, the story, the characters, the pacing. Priscilla Maine got everything together in this one: the occasional lurch, the right sexual tension, etc. She had it all.

Maybe it's because historical romance is my favorite genre, but I like to think that even if I didn't know this author, I would have loved this book. Wow!

Danielle Alexander's life has suddenly turned upside down. On a wagon train trek to California to reunite Danielle with her fiancé, her father falls terminally ill and the journey is interrupted while she attempts unsuccessfully to nurse him back to health at an abandoned farm in the middle of Indian Territory. Add to that a motherless newborn half-breed baby boy dropped literally into her arms by a wise, ancient Indian chief, who wants her to be the baby's mother "just until" her fiancé comes to rescue her. Throw in, for good measure, a heady attraction to a handsome stranger named Joel Riley now making his fortune in the untamed west by providing lumber from his sawmill. Danielle certainly has her hands full, and her truant fiancé is the least of her problems. Priscilla Maine's delightful story is a vividly accurate picture of the American West just prior the War Between the States that will engage your emotions right from page one. Her characters are imminently likable, as they battle their growing feelings for each other and the tiny babe. The story is truly satisfying and memorable and will stay with you long after you've turned the last page. Priscilla Maine is definitely a writer to watch in historical romance! ~~ Review by Deb Crockett, author of historical romance NATCHEZ

A heart warming tale you won't be able to put aside. Danielle, a young lady left alone in the wilds of the New Americas, must learn to take joy where, and when, she finds it. She meets a man with many secrets and sees only boundaries that keep them from a love that could soar to great heights. However, before Danielle can experience this love, she must learn how to see with her heart and not be blinded from the truth. ~~ Reviewed by Kim Gaona

I too was a former student of Mr. Phippen, (high school in Syracuse, NY)- and he was the best - as is this fun and funny book. I have the advantage that I can imagine his voice narrating as I read. I'm looking forward to his next!

What a pleasure to read the book this summer while I was vacationing on Mount Desert Island. I hurried back to the bookstore to get another book by Mr. Pippen- Cheap Gossip- and was promptly informed by the cashier that he had been her High School English teacher! The book is a very "easy read" with the dryest humor. I had a similar upbringing as young An-dy in the book- working in a hotels and restaurants on Cape Cod, clamming with the parents, eating tons of fish, and waiting on the tourist population. This is surely a book that I will re-read each summer!

After reading reviews of Sanford Phippen's latest in the Boston Globe, I was excited to read his novel about being summer help at the Frenchman's Bay Manor. My mom was a college classmate of Phippen, and knew him then and we both recently finished this book. As Mum said, it's hard to tell where the truth stops and the fiction starts. The girls at FBM were quite a riot, and the descriptions of the guests a real hoot. As a former Kitchen Girl in the Mount Desert area a generation later, I remember waiting on the same people! Well, maybe not exactly. This book was laugh-out-loud funny in some parts, and in others, too true to be comic. My only disappointment was the ending that just sort of faded out. The first three summers at the Manor are my favorite- Hattie reminds me of many people! It makes me want to go driving around Sorrento and Winter Harbor, looking for evidence of the 3R's Remedial School for Rich Boys, and what might be left of the Manor1

Everyone loved this book, it was just perfect for someone learning the alphabet and loves lobsters and all that Maine had to offer

This delightful book will definitely appeal to young children learning their letters, but perhaps even moreso to people of all ages.

Lobster, of course, indicates Maine and so the author takes us through the entire alphabet with animals, places, or ideas associated with that state. On each page is a simple rhyme concerning the word starts with that letter. On the side of the page is more information, perhaps scientific or historical. I learned several things I did not know. The illustrations are not only beautiful, but technically accurate as well. One must really see this book to appreciate it.

Interestingly, at no time does it seem that the author had to reach to come up with a word for any given letter. Quick: what would you think of for the Letter U? Why the University of Maine, naturally -

The University of Maine starts with U Here, students called "Black Bears" dress in blue. A University is a place where big kids go to learn about everything they should know.

This concept could easily be used as a family game while vacationing. It almost makes me wish my children were younger and still traveled with us.

I heartily recommend this book and as a teacher I would like to see something just like it for each state in the Union.

We bought this book for our trip to Maine The whole family found interesting facts and wonderful pictures. There is text geared to mature people - like even some adults - and, of course, the simple alphabet for the tots. We learned things about Maine we never knew and we've been going there for more than decade. Heck - our relatives who LIVE there grabbed the book. After all - Maine is WAY more than just lobsters.

I'd recommend this children's book to any family interested in learning more about the great State of Maine. We plan on buying others in this series.

Found this book purely by chance in the school library and fell in love. Bought a copy immediately. I works best for those that have had training or experience in cooking but the selections are so balance there is a lot there for everyone. Each recipe had a difficulty indicator and if you want to experiment with even the most difficult ..then ... why not..go ahead..you will definitely learn something..and enjoy doing it.

Very nice book indeed. I love it.

This is an excellent reference for experts and beginners alike. The book starts with illustrations and explanations for the most basic elements of cooking.

Each recipe, and this is its best feature, tells you the degree of difficulty with one (simplest) to three chef hats (most difficult). It also tells you the preparation time and cooking time, so you know before you engage in a recipe, how much time it will take you. Last but not least, the recipes are superb! You really have to try them! I bought the book in (circa) 1986 and am looking for a new copy/print.

Book is beautiful, full color, but is more of an encyclopedia of french recipes than a standard cookbook. Recipes are not given enough detail and more suited for very experienced chefs. More of a reference work than something helpful. Instead, buy Jacques Pepin's "La Technique" for step by step instructions on how to make gourmet french recipes.

I have been a work study coordinator in Ohio for 19 years. This book outlined fresh new ideas for transition plans and gave specific guidelines for certain disabilities. I have retired and am now working again with transition in public high schools. This is similar to a college textbook. It is thorough and gives sample transition plans to examine. It does cover autism in one chapter. I highly recommend this book for special education teachers and transition specialists.

Elaine Krieg Amherst, Ohio

This book is a great resource for teachers who deal with high school transition of those with special needs. It provides scenarios and lots of reference information. Even though it is very lengthy and sometimes difficult to follow (side boxes of information on page), it is useful.

Excellent reference for caregivers, service providers and educators on transitioning young persons with disabilities into the work force.

This book is a charming gift for adults who like to garden, whether they live in Maine or not. The author has a special fondness for cats, and they appear in several of the beautiful illustrations in this book. Above average artwork, and the whole book has a lovingly crafted feel.
Highly recommended.

Wonderful illustrations for a charming journal of gardening which provides many tips for caring for plants as well as one's inner spirit.

I discovered this from a review in the Maine Sunday Telegram. I've tried nature journaling and so can really appreciate Krupinski's effort to document the birds and insects that visited her garden. The book goes beyond that, telling what she planted, and what she learned about pest control, care of roses and specific info on various plants and flowers.
Her artwork makes each page a delight with all the garden creatures (rabbits, bugs, butterflies, birds and cats) and lots of flowers.
The book would be particularly useful to anyone new to gardening in Maine, where the limited growing season and the thin topsoil present challenges.