1 comments about Maine & Me.

1. First off, I'm one of the "Nouveau Mainers" Elizabeth Peavey mentions in this collection of her essays. She is correct when she writes that most transplants to Maine embrace the state with a passion, and that many native Maine-ahs (as with most people anywhere, for that matter) will often overlook some amazing things to be found in their own back yard.
   
   I appreciated Elizabeth Peavey's desire to reconnect with a place she had once wanted to leave and to discover new things, starting from scratch in some respects.
   
   I remember reading a few of her stories in Down East Magazine and when I saw this compilation of her work at a book store in Bangor I picked it up right away. I enjoy her sprightly, inquisitive writing style and the stories in this collection are always interesting, often amusing, and also very concise, so regrettably a reader will breeze through this book rather quickly.
   
   This book may invoke a serious case of wanderlust among readers, and perhaps I shouldn't have read it in March when cabin fever is at an all time high!
   I enjoyed "Maine And Me" and I look forward to reading more of Elizabeth Peavey's adventures of discovery in the Pine Tree State.
   
   -Michael Alden
   www.newenglandimages.com

No comments about Maine Off the Beaten Path, 8th (Off the Beaten Path Series).

No comments about An Outdoor Family Guide to Acadia National Park (Outdoor Family Guides).

2 comments about Insiders' Guide to the Maine Coast, 2nd (Insiders' Guide Series).

1. INSIDERS' GUIDE TO THE MAINE COAST, 2ND EDITION is a great guide to the entire coast of Maine. It's also the perfect companion to INSIDERS' GUIDE TO PORTLAND, MAINE, and like the former book, contains descriptions of the Maine Mall and Bull Moose Music, both places where a guy can buy music to ask his girlfriend for a dance to and thus keep her happy. Like its Portland companion, this book provides other ideas on how a guy can keep his woman happy, such as numerous hiking, swimming, cycling, and boating areas where he can get in shape for her. Overall, you need to get this book and INSIDERS' GUIDE TO PORTLAND, MAINE together, along with the Fodor's and Frommer's guides to the Maine Coast- preferably all at once.



2. This book is organized not by area, but by sections on restaurants, accommodations, attractions, etc. As someone who is unfamiliar with the different towns in Maine, I had to consult the map each time I wanted to know where a particular attraction is located. I personally am more interested in a book organized by geographical area. It also pretty much entirely skips over the Blue Hill Peninsula, aside from a few paragraphs describing it. It offered no info on what to find there as far as places to stay, etc.

No comments about Frommer's Vermont, New Hampshire & Maine (Frommer's Complete).

2 comments about The Rangeley and Its Region: The Famous Boat and Lakes of Western Maine.

1. The Rangeley Lakes region of western Main is an area dominated by four big lakes and linked by streams. This lake system more resembles a series of inland seas than simple and connected freshwater lakes. Sporting camps and lodges became numerous and as tourists were able to access the area by carriage, train, and steamboat in ever larger numbers, a local economy evolved that included craftsmen, entrepreneurs, and guides. By the 1870s a double-ended, lightweight, shapely, swift boat was developed and favored by guides. "The Rangeley And Its Region: The Famous Boat And Lakes Of Western Maine" by Stephen A. Cole (director of natural resources and sustainable communities programs at the community development corporation Coastal Enterprises, Inc.) is the detailed and profusely illustrated history of the area along with the technological innovations and cultural changes associated with the distinctive boat included seas added to the thwarts fo keep the craft passenger centered, and a squaring of the stern to accommodate a motor. The hand-crafted Rangeley boat declined with the coming of post-World War II introduction of factory produced aluminum and fiberglass boats. Yet this unique craft continues to be seen plying the waters of the Rangeley Lakes. "The Rangeley And It Region" is a unique and highly recommended regional history that would make a welcome and popular addition to academic and community library collections.



2. This book is extremely interesting to anyone interested in the history of Western Maine or the Rangeley boat. I loved the old photos with their captions describing a charming time in Maine's history. As an amuture boat builder I found the information on the developement of the Rangeley boat and its builders helpful and informative.

No comments about River Guide: Maine, 4th (AMC River Guide Series).

2 comments about Frommer's Vermont, New Hampshire & Maine (Frommer's Complete).

1. Frommer's guidebook provides an excellent overview of the sights to see, things to do, and places to stay in the three Northern New England states of New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. The overviews are very accurate and provide a good description of the places, making the book an excellent way to decide where to go in the areas, and a good guidebook once you arrive.

   The biggest problem with the book is that there is not enough individual descriptions of each area. Chances are most tourists are not visiting several regions in all three states, but are choosing one or two to explore in-depth. For example, I went to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park in Maine, an area that was given around 20 pages of coverage. Therefore, more research on the specific areas you plan to visit will probably be necessary to help you get the absolute most out of your trip!




2. What's worse than a guide that doesn't know his way? A guide that leads you far up the wrong path. Imagine buying a map where the streets and roads led you into all the wrong places.
   
   According to the ad copy: "...avoid tourist traps. Frommer's Portable Guides help you make the right travel choices...Outspoken opinions on top attractions - what's worth your time and what's not...The best hotels and restaurants in every price range, with candid reviews...The expert guidance you need to take charge and travel with confidence."
   
   The haughty tone of this particular edition would make you think the author(s) were steeped in expert knowledge about the history and traditions of the long-standing established hotels and attractions in the region. And this illusion is effective until you arrive at more than one location expecting to find a rural paradise only to discover that it has become a gated community/housing development. So what do the authors actually know other than what they seem to have compiled from the hotel brochure you find at McDonald's? Not a whole heck of a lot.
   
   For several of the hotels reviewed in this "guide", the reviews were obviously at least two years out of date and completely unrepresentative, to the extent that there was an impression that the guide was protecting the interests of the establishment being described, or should I say, advertised. So, am I actually paying for a compendium of advertising?
   
   Any guide can draw a fine line between objective "candid review", favoritism and deceptive promotion. Many aspects of this guide fall into the last category. Someone's not doing their research, which is why a reader may actually pay for a book, or perhaps, someone is getting some money under the table. This guide is inaccurate and deceptive. Check their reviews at their Frommer's site on the Internet. Then check what's actually going on at sites like Tripadvisor or other travel forums. In this aspect, print is dead.

No comments about 50 Hikes in the Maine Mountains: Day Hikes and Overnights from the Rangeley Lakes to Baxter State Park, Third Edition.

No comments about Maine Trees & Wildflowers: An introduction to over 140 familiar species of trees, shrubs and wildflowers (Pocket Naturalist - Waterford Press).