Massachusetts Books

Here is a bit of truth in advertising...I met the author during one of her restaurant tours...at Darwin's in Cambridge. And I suggested visiting the Quebrada bakery (my favorite) a few miles away in Arlington. Both of these are described...lovingly and appropriately in the book.

But it was reading about the other breakfast places, and visiting a few, that has sold me on her writing and her choices. The stories about each restaurant's background, the delicious descriptions of equally delicious foods, and the general "take" on this kind of dining all give the book a refreshing optimism about one of life's true joys.

This book is a little gem of a guide, and I have relished each exploration of a previously unknown eatery.

Andrew Borsari has perfectly captured the spirit and beauty of Rockport. His photographs show the many moods of Rockport and its coastline. The most stunning photos are those of Thacher Island and its twin lighthouses, and of Rockport Harbor under stormy seas. His photo of the harbor during the Perfect Storm captures the frightening power and devastating fury of the storm. His images convey both the beauty and the courageous spirit of this unique New England town.

The Boston-by-itinerary approach of this book makes it easy for a visitor to become acquainted with this diverse city in small, logical doses. Harris and Lyon write with the conviction, and attention to detail, of those who know their territory well. Not just for romantic travelers but for anyone seeking entree to one of the country's most fascinating cities.

So what's guy living in Brooklyn have to say about the guidebook for Boston? Well, I have homes in both, and have lived in Boston on and off for decades, so I do have some familiarity with that city, thank you very much. Now, where in Hahvahd Yahd did I pahk my cah?

Seriously, even though I've lived in Boston for a long time it's still a city I don't feel very familiar with. Its complex street system is one thing I'll never master. It's the same feeling I have about Queens, NY, where I also lived for a while but never felt comfortable with. I guess it's because I prefer organized cities. (The small city I grew up in had just one main street, how nice and easy!)

Thankfully The Rough Guide to Boston is well organized and well written. I've read through two dozen guide books on the city and this is by far the best. The Fodor guide is too wordy and confusing, the Dummies guide too shallow and pretentious, the guide put out by the Hahvahd students totally indecipherable and inaccurate. This volume has the right balance between information and entertainment. It's concise yet complete, small yet immensely useful, and it's printed on nice paper so it'll last a good long time. The "24 things not to miss" are the best "best-of-Boston" list I've seen because it goes beyond the obvious popular tourist spots.

If you plan to visit Boston or go to school there, get this high-quality book.

Anthony Sammarco's Images of America, Roxbury, is a terrific book that documents the historical development and significance of Roxbury. It was very interesting to read about the political leaders (hence streets named for them now!) who shaped MA and the township of Roxbury. There's even a photo of the Tobin (AKA bridge!) family. Great fun reading for history buffs!

Many missionary memoirs are written to be inspirational. Many missionaries biographies lack the prose needed to capture the reader. This book is in neither category.

Ruth Hemenway wanted to dedicate her life to service, and in particular to service to the Chinese. She did so through the church only because it was a means to her end. She was often at odds with other missionaries because she had no desire to convert the Chinese to Christianity. She resented their bigotry in considering the Chinese inferior.

Hemenway's descriptive prose paints an intriguing picture of the rural Yangtze Valley and Chungking, their countrysides, their peoples, and the warring factions fighting to control these areas. Details of her practice provide insights into state of medicine at the time. The book is illustrated by Hemenway's own sketches and pictures.

If you are interested in intercultural studies, revolutionary China or missionary medicine, it is worth tracking down a copy of this book.

I stumbled across this book while in the library looking for something else and am overjoyed to have found it. Boston Harbor is a place full of legends and magic. Snow recounts the amazing stories he knows in a way that invites further exploration.

I have a suspicion that Sebastian Junger had this book open next to him when he was writing "The Perfect Storm." But there is one critical difference: Craig Moodie, in this work of fiction, paints his characters far more truly and originally than Mr. Junger did in his work of non-fiction. Anyone who has read Junger's book should read this one to see what life at the mercy of the sea is really like.

This is a reprint of Upham's two-volume book originally published in 1867. It is the definitive work on the witch hunt of 1692 and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in the Salem trials.

"This book offers a detailed and highly readable account of the Salem witchcraft affair of 1692. Its publication coincides with the tercentenary observance of the events that form one of the grimmest chapters in colonial American history. . . Part One, 'Salem Witchcraft History,' provides background information on the Puritan settlement of New England and documents the circumstances which led to the witch hunt of 1692. It identifies the conspirators who accused innocent people by working in collusion with the Puritan old guard authority. It then gives an account of the Andover phase of the witch hunt, with emphasis on the almost forgotten story of the fifty townspeople who were imprisoned for witchcraft in 1692. . . Part Two, 'The House of the Seven Gables,' briefly examines [Nathaniel] Hawthorne's treatment of the witchcraft events in which is ancestor [John Hathorne] had played such a central role. . . Part Three, 'Salem Witchcraft Genealogy,' gives biographies of the accusers and the accused during the latter phase of the Salem witchcraft affair. . . "