No comments about Guide to Sea Kayaking in Maine : The Best Day Trips and Tours from Casco Bay to Machias.

5 comments about Connecticut Icons: 50 Symbols of the Nutmeg State.

1. I bought this book as a gift for a Connecticut native who moved out of state for work and he said it is one of the best gifts he has ever received. This book makes a great gift for your friends who love Connecticut and now find themselves living elsewhere but still pining for Connecticut. It is also a nice way to introduce people to many of the charming sites in Connecticut.



2. "Connecticut Icons: 50 Symbols of the Nutmeg State" by Charles Monagan, provides a multi-angled window on the frugal beauty of this place of American origin, Connecticut, evoking its character, traits, and values. Each of the entries gives pithy portraits of sites, facts, and things, resonant with history and laden with a poetic meaning as well as the pragmatism of a people who like to make things work. Whether writing on the hot dog from Blackie's or a gaudy castle, an Italianate train tower in Waterbury or the wiffle ball born of Shelton plastics, roadways as cluttered as the Berlin Turnpike or as would-be pastoral as the Merritt Parkway, a Mounds bar from the Armenian ingenuity of Naugatuck or the Sperry top-sider concocted on the Long Island shores in 1937, amusement parks of yesteryear or white clam pizza, the Yale Bowl's football unheroics or the state capitol's misplaced golden dome, Monagan can turn the banality of the everyday into poetry and history. "Connecticut icons" conjures taken-for-granted foods, tools, greens, roadways, or buildings into signifying traits of deeper value, ethical qualities like "reliability," spareness, frugality, decorum, pride in labor, under-statement, exactitude. This is a splendid book, a work of character, insight and staunch beauty worthy of its subjects.
   
   Pondering "things most of us see but take for granted, that could take a closer look," Monagan graphs a deft "iconography" of place combining sensibility and research, humor, local color, and common sense. If Connecticut "sit[s] between Rhode Island clam chowder and Manhattan clam chowder without a chowder to call our own," there is much else to savor and praise. From witch hazel to tobacco sheds and steamed cheeseburgers and the Cornwall Bridge, "Connecticut Icons" is a work the great Walt Whitman would love and honor as bric-a-brac of the American sublime.
   
   There is a superb essay on Connecticut as ethos and place by the great American poet, Wallace Stevens, who spent the better part of his life in the insurance business and poetry vocation in Hartford, where he had migrated from Pennsylvania Bucks County. It is the best meditation I had ever read on what makes Connecticut abide as place, value, and style in some thrifty, pragmatic way. "It is a question of coming home to the American self in the sort of place in which it was formed," Stevens writes, affirming his ties to "an origin of hardihood, good faith and good will." I go back to it now and then, for inspiration and an overview of this "place of origin." In these bleak times, we need to be reminded of such values. Steven's essay is the only thing that comes close--though in a far less detailed and dated way-- to the under-stated beauty, joy, and insight of "Connecticut Icons."



3. A delightful compendium of Charles Monagan's Connecticut Magazine columns written over the years, his collection features some of Connecticut's most beloved sights. It also includes a few of Connecticut's own original inventions, such as Pez, Mounds Bar, The Colt .45, Wiffle Ball, The Top-Sider, Raggedy Ann, Silly Putty, The Sunfish, and Witch Hazel. It's a collection that will leave even those who have lived in Connecticut all of their lives saying, "Wow, I never knew that about Connecticut!" Monagan's prose is elegant, colorful and rich in detail, and each of the 50 essays is thoroughly enjoyable.
   
   The author takes us on a journey through a State that is vibrant in all of its natural offerings. His first stop is "that charming little archipelago off the Branford coast" - The Thimble Islands, one of which Monahan describes with characteristic eloquence: "a lone house sits possessively astride its rock like an insect on a bread crumb." His collection concludes with a look at Connecticut's lighthouses. He asks the reader, "Who isn't drawn to the image of the faithful, unwavering light flashing high above the crashing waves or through a gathering mist?" Who isn't indeed!
   
   Monagan artfully captures with vivid imagery the finer points of the Connecticut locales he has chosen to profile, including such interesting spots as The Sleeping Giant, Hammonasset Beach, Cornwall Bridge (a 137 year old covered bridge that spans the Housatonic River between Sharon and West Cornwall, Gillette Castle, and Castle Craig. He takes us along the Merritt Parkway and the Post Road, to the Waterbury Train Tower, to the Town Greens and the State Capitol, and shows us with luscious language what makes each attraction special in its own unique Connecticut kind of way.
   
   This book is a wonderful resource and great conversation starter. Every Nutmegger should have one on the coffee table!



4. I ordered this book for my husband, we now reside in California, so I thought he would enjoy it for Christmas. I also purchased one for my inlaws. When I received it I was very surprised at how samll this book is. It measures approx. 7 - 8 inches across the cover. I would have liked it more if it was a bigger book with larger pictures.



5. Actually this is the second copy of this book I purchased. The first copy my wife and I read, and then sent to friends and relatives in Florida.
   
   This past summer, we had relatives from the mid-west who visited and were impressed with New England and especially Connecticut, so we purchased another copy to send to them. It gives you a taste of Connecticut and leaves you looking for more. So hopefully they will come back to visit Connecticut again.

No comments about Boston's Freedom Trail, 8th: Trace the Path of American History (Boston's Freedom Trail).

2 comments about Backcountry Skiing Adventures: Vermont and New York: Classic Ski and Snowboard Tours in Vermont and New York.

1. A superbly presented compendium of two dozen classic ski and snowboard tours throughout the states of Vermont and New York, David Goodman's Backcountry Skiing Adventures offers the best routes, equipment and backcountry riding tips; topographic maps and photos for each tour; information on avalanche awareness, winter camping, gear, safety, and first aid. This absolutely user friendly outdoor guide is a "must" for anyone planning a skiing or snowboarding excursion in Vermont or New York. Also very highly recommended is the other title in this outstanding Appalachian Mountain Club "Backcountry Skiing Adventures" series: Classic Ski and Snowboard Tours in Maine and New Hampshire.



2. This is a great book if you are looking for a guide to some of the best cross country and telemark trails, however since i was looking for more of a downhill backcountry guide, this is not really what i was looking for, but it is still a very informative and well written book.

1 comments about Zagat 2007/08 Boston Restaurants (Zagatsurvey).

1. Zagat reviews are incredibly helpful for price range and getting a sense for what a restaurant's really like. This edition has maps in the back that are very helpful for finding a new destination, in addition to having cross-streets listed in each entry for ease of navigation.

No comments about Massachusetts Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities, & Other Offbeat Stuff (Curiosities Series).

No comments about Bicycling Southern New Hampshire.

No comments about Unto London: A Photographic Essay of Londons Street Performers.

2 comments about Tea in the City: London (Tea in the City).

1. Although I cancelled this book order when I found out it would not be published in time for my trip to London, IT CAME ANYWAY, WHILE I WAS IN LONDON. I decided to keep it when I found the hotel where I stayed and enjoyed tea, The Montague on the Gardens, in the list of recommended places to have tea. I have had tea in many London locations, but the chocolate tea at the Montague was outstanding.



2. We used this book on a recent trip to London. It is an excellent guide for planning afternoon tea and tea shopping.

5 comments about Traditions of Glastonbury: The Biblical Missing Years of Christ - Answered.

1. The Traditions of Glastonbury is a book that gets you to think. It speculates that Jesus spent years as a youngster in Britain with his uncle, Joseph of Arimathea, who was in the sea trading business. Although there is no concrete proof that Jesus was there, there is a long tradition that places Joseph there. It is also established fact that Glastonbury was the first Christian church built, outside of Jerusalem, after the ascension of Jesus. How did the church get there? Many mysteries of the Bible are shrouded in mystery. That doesn't make them untrue! Also, well documented and supported scholarly work does not necessarily make for historical truth. It only makes it more accepted. History has been altered and truth is many times concealed in speculation and tradition.



2. Jesus Christ's "lost years" are presented here primarily by tracking Joseph of Arimethea's travels to Cornwall and Wales. Joseph being Jesus' great-uncle on his mother's side, takes the boy Jesus with him on these travels after the death of Mary's husband, Joseph.

   The facts presented in this book are, perhaps, too weak to establish anything more than probability. However, any serious student of history will acknowledge that very little in our past can be substantiated completely. The further back one goes, the more tenuous and ethereal the facts become. Often, as in the existence of ancient Jericho or Troy, one has only a steady stream of probabilities to base a hypothesis on. It is the strength of those probabilities that determines the validity of any research. This book contains a great amount of probability. More probability, I should say, than proved the existence of Troy. And yet, Troy existed.




3. The silent years of Jesus between 12 and 30 and an examination of the historical records concerning Joseph of Arimathea the great uncle of Jesus as a provencial Roman Senator and metal merchant. It was rumored that he owned many of the merchant ships that came to England from Rome and Phoenicia to barter for metal and other goods. Did Jesus accompany his uncle to this isle of the west? Mr. Capt reveals that there is substantial evidence to support that he did.
   
   EXCERPT: One day a small boat, from one of the large merchant ships anchored in the Bristol Channel, tied up at the causeway of the Lake Village. A bearded man and a slim young boy in his early teens stepped ashore. They were no strangers to the villagers who crowded around to welcome them. The merchant had been coming by their village for many years, on his way to the lead mines of the Mendip Hills. It was known that he held a very important position in the powerful Roman government and carried the title "Nobilus Decurio". It was rumored that he owned many of the merchant ships that came to these Isle of the West, from Rome and Phoenicia, to barter for metal and other goods
   
   The auburn haired lad was also known. He had accompained His uncle on a prior visit, staying at the village and exploring the surrounding territory, while His uncle conducted his business at the nearby Mendip lead mines. But this time a woman, perhaps in her early thirties was with them. As the boy helped the woman ashore, the crew proceeded to unload various sized chests and sacks, obviously belonging to them. Accommodations were soon found and the baggage was carried to one of the tiny huts facing the estaury.
   
   In the weeks that followed, the merchant and the boy constructed a wattle hut, similar to those of the village, on a nearby island. The site they chose was at the base of a hill from which ran a spring of fresh water. Hawthorne and oak trees dotted the landscape. Small game and fish were in abundance and the marshy fertile shores promised bountiful crops. When the hut was finished, the woman and the boy moved from the village to their new home. The merchant and his men sailed away.
   
   Jesus and His mother, Mary, were alone . . .
   
   Excellent book...gets a top rating by all who read it.



4. I really liked this book. However, as someone stated below, there wasn't a formal bibliography and the author seemed to go off topic with additional information that was interesting but hard to follow sometimes. This book is a great place to start for someone new to the idea of Jesus in England. For somebody a bit more than a casual reader it's a good book to read, but you will need to really research Capt's references for more detailed information. Although Capt did an enormous amount of research for this book, it lacks scholarly professionalism and would not be a good reference.
   Overall I give it 4 of 5 stars -a great read, a very interesting topic, I learned a lot from it, and it peaked my interest for continued studies of the topic.



5. Raymond Capt is one of my favorite authors. He is a historian coupled with the certification of a respected archeologist. Mr. Capt has gone through painstaking efforts to seek out the truth. He is like a private investigator and he always gets his facts. A truly out of the box thinker produces great results.
   He has made a correlation between the Druids and the Ancient Hebrews and the building of Stonehenge. The modern day Druids do not know their roots but Mr. Capt connected the dots and his theories can provide proper ownership. The term for the plant, wandering Jew, is not far from the truth as the ancient Hebrews found their way to distant isle and they are the one of the early inhabitants of the British Isles. These people were God fearing people and their beliefs were evident in the early writings and pictographs of the Druids.
   If you are interested in a different view of history and are mindful that recorded history is not always acurate, then this is a perfect addition to your library. I highly recommend it.