4 comments about Time and Tide: A Walk Through Nantucket (Crown Journeys).

1. I'm one of the author's three sons, so I won't pretend to be unbiased. But listen, this book is great, empirically speaking. Dad light-heartedly provides a fun and fascinating window into the small island so many of us love.



2. Frank Conroy speaks from the heart. Nantucket Island has gone through some dramatic changes in
   the last 30 years, most not for the better. For some of us that still live here, it`s wonderful to be able to read and remember those times when the Island felt like a place of sanctuary from all else. The stories give the reader the felling that the Grey Lady`s Skirt has been torn but her sole has not been touched.
   Thank you Mr. Conroy
   A Chef from the Rock



3. I just started this book this morning and am almost done. It made me nostalgic for my old home, the way it used to be, yes, but for those of us who have had to leave Nantucket for one reason or another, it will always be a wonderful place. Reading it I feel like I am on a wonderful visit home. It's one of those books you don't want to end but at the same time can't put down!



4. Quite coincidentally, the second consecutive book I've read by an author with the last name of Conroy, the first the overstuffed The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy. This is one of a series of slim books on the micro-geography of famous places:
   
   Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg (Crown Journeys)
   Washington Schlepped Here: Walking in the Nation's Capital (Crown Journeys)
   
   that I've read and reviewed that are not exhaustive or encyclopedic, but instead personal and intimate.
   
   Conroy describes the small and shrinking (literally and figuratively) Nantucket Island on which he has spent some time as a near-native year-round resident, and where he still owns property.

2 comments about Fodor's New England, 28th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides).

1. I took this 28th Edition with me on my August 10-day tour through Boston, New Hampshire & Maine. I also had with me: Frommer'sVermont, New Hampshire and Maine, However, hands down, Fodor's is the better of the two.
   
   Do note, that both Fodor's and Frommer's target those who have some jingle in their pockets. Thus, if you are a student/backpacker/struggling worker/stock trader who specialized in Bear Stearns, you might want to consider getting Lonely Planet 2008. In Fodor's you will find very few restaurants (under $20) and fewer accommodations (under $80).
   
   This guide starts out with Boston, the jewel of New England's cities. There is an ample seventy plus pages to get you around this great city. As the guide states, "bring your walking shoes," for much of Boston exists to be explored by foot. Throughout Fodor's when you see a "Fodor's Choice" next to a restaurant, hotel or site, do yourself a favor and take time to imbibe. I found Fodor's recommendations in New Hampshire and Maine to be "right on" and the writing was as informative as it was engaging.
   
   Where this guide falters is with its maps (or lack of). There are no city maps for many of the most important cities. In fact outside of the four cities of Boston, Concord, Providence, Newport and Portland, there are no other city maps. This means you are on your own, and most of the time it is not easy find where the restaurants, hotels and sites are. It baffles me why would a quality guide skimp on something as important as maps? Duh.
   
   Wait, the worse blunder is the total absence of anything that can help you understand the culture, customs, the people and politics of New England. AND, there is NO mention of history! I mean, New England does have a serious history, right Fodor's? I mean, does the birthplace of the nation ring a bell?
   
   Wow this could have been a five star guide if they (editors/writer) coulda/woulda done it right. But, even with these significant shortcomings Fodor's still is a useful and reliable guide. Strongly recommended



2. FODOR'S NEW ENGLAND, 28TH EDITION is a great guide to all of the New England states. From the shoreline of Southern Connecticut to the northernmost tip of Maine, this book has it all, including recreation, dining, nightlife, and shopping. Sure, it manages to miss some great independent music stores, and includes nothing on each area's radio stations, but overall, it's a wonderful book that complements various INSIDERS' GUIDES perfectly.

5 comments about The Great Hurricane: 1938.

1. "The Great Hurricane: 1938" is a slight work but well positioned to be an antidote for the repeated bouts of hysteria being promoted by the global warming kooks about the allegedly increasing power or numbers of hurricanes. It is pitched at about the same level as the global warming panicmongering -- slightly above supermarket tabloid.
   
   The increasing power of Atlantic storms is all a hoax, but the power of great ocean storms was already real. Truly monstrous tropical storms don't often get much farther north than Cape Hatteras, either moving inland and petering out or veering northeast to die in the empty Atlantic.
   
   But every few decades it happens. Cherie Burns gives a superficial analysis of the September 1938 storm, which seems to have been hemmed in between high pressure systems, which did not allow it to turn east or west. Her discussion about why it accelerated -- it may have been the fastest moving Atlantic hurricane ever recorded -- is almost meaningless.
   
   Her theme is that, in the conditions of 1938, the storm approached unheralded -- also the theme of Erik Larson's much more substantial book about the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, "Isaac's Storm."
   
   Burns manages to ignore the Galveston storm, apparently because it would devalue hers. The Galveston storm killed 10 times as many people. So she compares it to the San Francisco earthquake and fire, not too cogently. Nor does she mention the great Labor Day storm of 1935, which killed about as many people in Florida as the `38 storm did in Long Island, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
   
   The bulk of the best part of Burns' account comprises the accounts of several people who lived through the storm. These are either recalled decades later or, in fewer cases, based on accounts set down contemporaneously.
   
   Burns comments that, considering the damage it did, the `38 storm failed to impress itself on the public consciousness, possibly because most eyes were turned to Europe, where Chamberlain and Daladier were selling out the Czechs that week.
   
   The storm certainly has been forgotten by the locals. When the next one hits, the devastation will be far worse -- even if warning comes in good time -- just because so many more people will be in harm's way, with no way to get out.
   
   I happened to be on Long Island in 1985 when a strong storm -- but not nearly as strong as the 1938 blow -- hit the eastern end. While in 1938, electric power was restored within a week, despite a comparatively thin infrastructure, in 1985 some areas went without power for three weeks.
   
   It's got nothing to do with the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and everything to do with short memories.



2. I hate books like this. The author didn't have enough faith in her story-telling ability to simply tell a great story instead of pretending that it was worse than it was. It was a terrible hurricane, yes. It was not, however, the worst hurricane ever. The reader can tell that she did some research on hurricanes in general, yet she makes not a single mention of the 1900 Galveston hurricane in which over 6000 people perished. It is impossible for her not to know about Galveston; in fact, I have an ungenerous hunch that she modeled this book after Isaac's Storm, Erik Larsen's account of the Galveston hurricane. Minor quibble: Her insistence on giving the storm a catchy name, "GH38", is grating.
   
   On the plus side, I did like the way she connected the storm to the great Depression on one side and World War II on the other.



3. What lessons do we learn from ferocious weather? This planet is our home and our playground and it's easy to forget that we're at the mercy of the elements -- until Mother Nature throws us a hard ball like the Great Hurricane of 1938. Thundering into Long Island, Connecticut and Rhode Island, this great storm devastated homes, farms and commercial areas. Hundreds of thousands of trees were blown down, transportation and essential services were disrupted, and seven hundred people lost their lives.
   
   Author Cherie Adams sets the scene: 1938 is poised between the Great Depression and the start of World War II. The front-page stories are focusing on the annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland region by the Third Reich. Weather prediction is slow and unreliable, so nobody worries that the inside pages of the newspaper are predicting high winds and heavy rain.
   
   The eastern coastal regions are enjoying the last weeks of nice weather along the shore. In comes the hurricane, with an exceptional forward speed of 60 miles per hour. Whatever difference warning might have made, there is no warning and the winds, rain and solstice-swelled storm surge wreck everything in their path.
   
   Adams' weather scenes are vivid and her statistics at the end are quite awesome. Her sources are letters, newspaper stories and other written reports, as well as whatever eyewitness accounts are available so long after the event. She presents the human side of the disaster in strobe-like jumps from one "character" to another, never developing any of them fully so that they blur into a confusion. Some stand out--the wedding party, the schoolboy in a new suit, the cameo appearance of actress Katharine Hepburn--but most are like too many snapshots of strangers in someone's old album.
   
   I'm not sure what I wanted from this book. A better understanding of life in 1938? Meteorological context? Most of all, probably, insight into the strength of character that helps individuals survive a cataclysmic loss. I came away feeling that I would have done better to re-read Sebastian Junger's "The Perfect Storm," or even--reaching back to 1977--"Condominium" by John D. McDonald. Or the best idea of all, one might find the original stories, articles, memoirs, and read them in the writers' own words.
   
   I listened to an unabridged audio presentation of this book so did not have the benefit of any maps or photos, of which I understand from other reviewers there were too few. The book shows intensive research and the writing is effective, though the organization is not what I would have preferred. Three stars.
   
   Linda Bulger, 2008



4. I took this book on vacation in Maine to read it at the beach. I know there were a lot of errors (typos too), but I enjoyed it anyway. It was light reading while relaxing in the sun by the water and being thankful I wasn't in my hometown, Warwick, Rhode Island, back then. The American Experience DVD on the 38 Hurricane is an excellent follow-up.



5. On Wednesday September 21, 1938 the Great Hurricane hit eastern Long Island, Providence, and the New England states. Fishing fleets were destroyed along with houses and 700 people. The tide was high under a full moon. Fifty-foot waves hit the shore so hard that it registered on a seismograph in Alaska. Cherie Burns reconstructed this even from newspaper reports, survivor testimony, and archival sources. Is such a disaster possible again? Yes, but weather forecasting should give a warning (p.6). A mature hurricane is the most powerful event on earth. But GH38 seems to have been censored from memories (p.3). It was the strongest and most destructive storm to ever hit New England. The 15 chapters tell the story of the people who experienced this natural disaster. There is an Index but no Table of Contents. "GH38's loss of lives and property damage total exceeded San Francisco's earthquake and fire of 1906 and Chicago's fire of 1871" (p.212).
   
   The Great Depression affected people's lives with wide-spread unemployment. New England textile mills suffered from competition in the South. Chapter 2 describes the times. [I think that "Yankee trait" (p.19) of restraint and lack of ostentation goes back a few centuries to the Puritans.] Watching storms was a pleasurable pastime (p.21). Accurate predictions can reduce the loss of life (Chapter 3). Chapter 4 and 5 tell of people's lives at that time. The Great Gale of 1815 destroyed every tree on Napatree Point (p.46). Some heeded the signs of bad weather (pp.48-49). A red sky in the morning is a warning. There had been only two major hurricanes during 300 years (p.54). High winds announced the arrival of the storm (p.57). GH38 struck eastern Long Island at 3PM then swiftly moved to hit the mainland. The rainfall measured 10 to 17 inches over the next several hours (Chapter 8). This super tropical storm quickly intensified (p.75). The storm surge of sea water killed most people (p.76).
   
   Chapter 9 tells of people's activities during the high water and winds. So does Chapters 10 through 12. Chapter 13 describes the flood and destruction that hit Providence. Downed power and telephone lines isolated people. Flood waters spread everywhere, like a menace in a horror-film (p.163). Fallen trees blocked roads and sidewalks, flying debris caused injuries. The fire in New London Connecticut was visible in Providence (p.173). The fast-moving hurricane departed as quickly as it arrived (Chapter 14). The newspapers reported the death and destruction (pp.179-180). Chapter 15 has more stories from the survivors. Some bodies were found weeks later, some were never found (p.191). Many died from exposure (p.197). Hundreds of millions of trees were uprooted (pp.201-202). 9,000 homes and buildings were totally destroyed, 15,000 were damaged (p.205). Fishing communities were nearly wiped out (p.206). The Weather Bureau was criticized for its failure to report the hurricane (p.207). GH38 wasn't big news for most of the country (p.208). The Weather Bureau improved its forecasts (p.212). Homeowner's insurance was rare (p.213), many lost homes were never replaced. [Could the forgetfulness of this disaster be explained by a need to keep tourists coming?]

No comments about Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide, 2nd: AMC Guide to Hiking Mt. Monadnock, Mt. Cardigan, and the Lakes Region (AMC Hiking Guide Series).

5 comments about The New England Clam Shack Cookbook: Favorite Recipes from Clam Shacks, Lobster Pounds & Chowder Houses.

1. If you are going to new England this summer, be sure to take along this book. It's a combination of tour guide, restaurant guide and beach read. Following the clam shack trail provides a perfect itinerary for the trip. I can't say that I ate in all of the places suggested, but enough of them to recognize that Ms. Dojny knows what she's talking about. This stuff is the perfect summer food. (and cheap!)

   You'll also find the edit informative and fun. I recommend it highly. Hope that she does New Jersey next.




2. One year before I moved to Maine, I was visiting a friend in Yarmouth and we went for seafood at Harraseeket Lunch and Lobster. I was hooked! The meal consisted of 2 lobsters, fries and fresh native corn. The place was also packed, itself a tribute to the popularity of the food served there. The fried clams are dipped in batter which the people 'from away' aka tourists, seem to prefer. You can also purchase fresh shellfish for the home clambake or lobster boil.

   I am a SCUBA diver and the cove near Two Lights Lobster Shack is a great place at high tide. And no dive could be complete without a lobster roll from the Lobster Shack. In fact, the opening and closing dates for this establishment are announced in the local paper...sure signs of the arrival of spring or fall.

   Clam shacks are 'real' seafood restaurants. They aren't fancy but the food is outstanding. Brooke Dojny has captured the essence of this New England cuisine and provides a wonderful insight to this uniquely Yankee culinary tradition. Lest you think that this book is only about seafood, there are chapters about chicken, sides and desserts. After all, what's a seafood dinner without a good cole slaw?

   Ms. Dojny also covers in detail the differences and preferences of various regions within New England. For instance, Maine folks prefer chowder made with soft-shell clams and milk(with a little cream for a thicker base) while in Massachusetts, hard-shell clams called quahogs are used along with milk and flour for thickening. Southern New England features clear or red chowders with hard-shell clams and tomatoes. Mainers consider it heresy to serve 'that red stuff' and you won't find it unless you make it yourself.

   Chowders aside, the book is easy to read and a wealth of information about New England. Did I say that the recipes are great too? There is even a recipe for Whoopie Pies!! No cook in this region is without a recipe for them and if you haven't tried one, buy the book or stop by Harraseeket Lunch and Lobster for a scrumptious treat!

   In short, buy the book! That way you won't have to wait until spring to enjoy this delicious fare.




3. Great, fun book for those of us who know and love New England clam shacks. It's fun to read and to look at, brings it all back to you about what fun those places are, and what a vanishing breed, and if you care to make some of the recipes, why they're there as well. Excellent book, in every aspect, and would be a fun gift book or memorabilia from travels to New England. Just love it. Very light-hearted content and lovely visual presentation, but informative as well. Nothing boring here.



4. Just what you might expect. Buttery cholesterol laden food that almost everyone loves! 'They' now tell us now it might kill you, but what the heck? It is a review of reicpes from many roadside eateries in coastal New England. I find much of it repetitive, after all, how many ways are there to deep fry a clam?
   If you love this vacation food, it is fun. As a cookbook, it is very limited.
   DOC



5. This is a great book. So far, we have made the clam chowder from the Seahorse Tavern, and it was superb. Just like the clear chowder I grew up eating. However, aside from two Connecticut restaurants, the author virtually skips over the whole state. There are so many excellent clam shacks and seafood places in CT, and I'm hoping the 2nd edition (set to come out in May 2008) will include more recipes from my former home state. But other than that, no complaints. In addition to great recipes, the book is a lot of fun to read through. The author includes lots of fun facts and anecdotes.

3 comments about Little Women (Great Illustrated Classics).

1. Louisa May Alcott wrote many books, but "Little Women" retains a special place in the heart of American literature. Her warmly realistic stories, sense of comedy and tragedy, and insights into human nature make the romance, humor and sweet stories of "Little Women" come alive.
   
   The four March girls -- practical Meg, rambunctious Jo, sweet Beth and childish artist Amy -- live in genteel poverty with their mother Marmee; their father is away in the Civil War. Despite having little money, the girls keep their spirits up with writing, gardening, homemade plays, and the occasional romp with wealthier pals. Their pal, "poor little rich boy" Laurie, joins in and becomes their adoptive brother, as the girls deal with Meg's first romance, Beth's life-threatening illness, and fears for their father's safety.
   
   The second half of the book opens with Meg's wedding (if not to the man of her dreams, then to the man she loves). Things rapidly go awry after the wedding, when Laurie admits his true feelings to Jo -- only to be rejected. Distraught, he leaves; Amy also leaves on a trip to Europe with a picky old relative. Despite the deterioration of Beth's health, Jo makes her way into a job as a governess, seeking to put her treasured writing into print -- and finds her destiny as well.
   
   There's a clearly autobiographical tone to "Little Women." Not surprising -- the March girls really are like the girls next door. Alcott wrote them with flaws and strengths, and their misadventures -- like Amy's embarrassing problem with her huge lobster -- have the feeling of authenticity. How much of it is real? A passage late in the book portrays Alcott -- in the form of Jo -- "scribbling" down the book itself, and getting it published because it feels so real and true.
   
   Sure, usually classics are hard to read. But "Little Women" is mainly daunting because of its length; the actual stories flow nicely and smoothly. Don't think it's just a book for teenage girls, either -- adults and boys can appreciate it as well. There's something for everyone: drama, romance, humor, sad and happy endings alike.
   
   Alcott's writing itself is nicely detailed. While certain items are no longer in common use (what IS a charabanc anyway?), Alcott's stories themselves seem very fresh and could easily be seen in a modern home. And as nauseating as "heartwarming" stories sometimes are, these definitely qualify. Sometimes, especially in the beginning, Alcott is a bit too preachy and hamhanded. But her touch becomes defter as she writes on.
   
   Jo is the quintessential tomboy, and the best character in the book: rough, gawky, fun-loving, impulsive, with a love of literature and a mouth that is slightly too big. Meg's love of luxury adds a flaw to the "perfect little homemaker" image, and Beth just avoids being shown as too saintly. Amy is an annoying little brat throughout much of the first half of the book, but by her teens she's almost as good as Jo.
   
   "Little Women" is one of those rare classic novels that is still relevant, funny, fresh and heartbreaking today. Louisa May Alcott's best-known novel is a magnificent achievement.



2. My nine-year-old daughter loves this book, but I just want people to be aware that this book is a "specially adapted version by Lucia Monfried." It has 238 pages of fairly large type with illustrations added. I just saw that another version of the book (most likely the original) has 464 pages! Just wanted you to be aware and purchase the book that's right for you.



3. I bought this book for my 10 year old daughter & she loves it. Fast shipping - so we didn't have to wait to long.

5 comments about Journey Around Boston From A to Z (Journey Series).

1. It seems a bit strange to use an alphabet book format for middle schoolers, but the idea is well-executed in this nicely illustrated guide to Boston. The book begins with an undetailed map of the Boston vicinity, continues with a paragraph of introduction, and then moves on to the alphabet. Each letter gets a full page and has an alliterative title with a few explanatory sentences and some related factoids. For example, "M" is entitled "Minutemen made ready at a moment's notice"; text describes the events in Lexington and Concord on April 18, 1775; watercolor pictures show the Minuteman statue in Lexington and the Old North Bridge in Concord; factoids tell us that British soldiers were called "regulars" and that the midnight riders (Paul Revere, William Dawes and Samuel Prescott) called out "The regulars are out! The regulars are out!" as they rode through the night. End pages depict an alphabet of objects other than those seen in the book, such as Magnolia for "M".

   With nice art and layout, this book imparts quite a few interesting facts about Boston, though one thinks it might have benefitted from an overarching coherence with which to motivate the more sophisticated young readers at which it is purportedly aimed.




2. JOURNEY AROUND BOSTON is another title in the series created by author, artist and one time teacher Martha Zschock. Zschock was a third grade teacher at the time she wrote the book. As a teacher she has the respects both the natural curiosity and intelligence of children. A mallard, a duck often associated with the city thanks to Robert McCloskey's immortal MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS, leads visitors on a tour of Boston and the vicinity. Her book includes the familiar tourist attractions as well as lesser known and perhaps even ignored places in Boston. It serves as a wonderful introduction to Boston and its illustrious history.

   This book is a must for any family with young visitors coming to the city of Boston. It will also be of interest to the children of Boston who wish to learn a bit about the city and its history.




3. I discovered this book while doing a search for travel guides
   to Boston. I was surprised when this book popped up 2nd in the
   list, but since I collect children's illustrated books, I had to
   take a look, and found it to be absolutely wonderful. I do have
   to admit that it certainly would be for the very top end of the
   picture book gang, not those just learning their ABC's. But so
   what. It is wonderfully informative with beautiful illustrations.
   
   Whenever I run into an ABC book, I first look to the X's to see
   how the author handles that. I am pleased that this author
   did not feel compelled to use X's in the beginning of the words.
   Her X's became "Extraordinary Exhibits excite viewers." That is
   so much better than yet another xylophone.
   
   Perhaps my favorite page was "Y": Yarns have been spun at Ye Olde Union Oyster House for Years". The page was so compelling, I made special effort to get to the Oyster House though it wasn't
   on my original agenda.
   
   Besides a very attractive architectural illustration of the Oyster House, there is an insert that shows some of regional foods such as Boston Baked Beans and Boston Cream Pie. Below the
   pictures is a short paragraph about the pictures. In this case
   there is information about baked beans and why they were so popular with the Pilgrims. Below that is a wavy line (as there is on each page) with another bit of information, this time about
   lobster which is usually available in the waters close by.
   
   In September I am going to Cape Code and her A to Z book on
   Cape Cod will be part of my planning. I hope she keeps this
   wonderful series going, and if she branches out into Europe -
   so much the better! If you are reading this, Martha, I am going
   to London in the Spring next year and Venice in the fall, just
   in case you are looking for your next subject.
   
   Highly recommended.



4. A wonderful book to see Boston and find out about Boston. I would recommend this to anyone (adults and children) about to visit Boston. I am looking forward to buying more books by this author and illustrator.



5. I love Boston. I really do. This beautiful, progressive city known for being an academic, cultural and historical mecca is brilliantly presented in this delightful book.
   
   This book will take readers alphabetically through the city that has long established itself as the Cradle of Amerian History. The alphabet format is good and effective as readers will more easily remember the sites in and around Boston. The map of the Boston area is also a good idea and an excellent added touch.
   
   Using alliterative sentences is another good mnemonic device; readers will readily make associations with the places they are reading about in this delightful book about Boston. Readers also get text with chronicled detailed history about the places and historical events that took place in the Boston area. The lovely illustrations and rich history will delight readers of all ages. I highly recommend this one.

5 comments about Mistress Bradstreet: The Untold Life of America's First Poet.

1. I both admired and enjoyed Mistress Bradstreet. I hadn't read Anne Bradsteet's poems since my American lit class as an undergraduate. Now I am inspired to go back and read her again. But even more important, I feel like I finally have a rich historical and personal context for her writings. I have great confidence in the book because the depth and breadth of research is so evident. (Unlike College Professor, I am willing to accept the small "fictions" of situation that breathe life into otherwise well-documented facts.) At the same time, the book is so engagingly written -- a truly delightful read. And I have to say that's even more of a compliment because I have never been drawn to that period of history on either side of the Atlantic, except for despising Oliver Cromwell for stabling his horses in Winchester Cathedral! Now I certainly have a much better understanding of our American heritage and a rekindled interest in learning more. My compliments and thanks to Charlotte Gordon.



2. I'm finding "Mistress Bradstreet" an absolutely fascinating read. Charlotte Gordon's book about the first American poet's life, which includes background on her roots in England, give me an entirely new perspective on the Puritans and their roll in helping to shape America. It should be required reading for children studying our history even if it would stretch their vocabularies. The literary "meat" within these pages is reward enough for the fact that there aren't any pictures. The mental pictures are vivid. I look forward to reading Bradstreet's poems next.



3. Gordon delves into the complicated inner life of Bradstreet, making her accessible and inspirational to the contemporary reader. Too many biographies are dull and utterly unreadable but Gordon's book is lively and totally absorbing. She balances the facts and conjectured parts of Bradstreet's life with skill and sensitivity. Highly recommended.



4. This is a wonderful moving story of life in the early 1600's a story of survival, building communities and government, losing loved ones and new ones being born and new arrivals from Overseas. Most important it is a true story based on facts, you will not be able to put it down!!!!



5. The other reviews are correct in that this is an engaging biography, but the condenscension the the Puritans are treated with made me give up reading it in frustration. Today's stereotypes of men in particular, and Puritans in general are all over this book and it is a shame. While the author expresses appreciation for what people like Anne Bradstreet accomplished, she seems to also completely miss the point with statements like, "Anne may have been one of the few to hope that she would not be on this first exploratory mission ashore. However, it soon became clear that her father expected her, her mother, and her three younger sisters to climb down into the tiny skiff that lay tossing up and down in the waves. None of them could swim. But in Anne's world, a good daughter was, by definition, someone who obeyed her parents without question, and so she had little choice but to sweep her sisters along and guide them over the rails of the ship." How else were they supposed to get off the ship?? And conditions being what they were during sea travel in that time, she was probably only too thankful to be among the first to go ashore! Two pages later we are subjected to this, "New England was far from being the 'empty' land that the English proclaimed it to be in order to assert their rights. In fact, this "desert," as the Puritans called it, had been cleared for centuries by the Massachusetts, the tribe that dominated the bay region." "Desert" is a word used in the Bible to denote a wilderness, which New England, however many Indians there were, certainly was to a group of people that had just left Europe with cities hundreds of years old all over it.
   To give a broader and more balanced view of the Puritans I highly recommend two books, "The Valley of Vision" a wonderful collection of Puritan prayers that will make you wonder where all the arrogance went, and "The Puritans as They Really Were" by Leland Ryken which explains some of the perceived arrogance they are so often attributed with today. There were certainly arrogant and corrupt Puritans (Salem Witch Trials anybody?), but even there it may surprise people to learn that many of the leading Puritans of the day were absolutely appalled at what happened in Salem. All of this to say, it is exasperating to read another book towing the academic party line on the Puritans combined with little cultural and historical context, and I don't recommend it.
   Rebekah

1 comments about 50 Hikes in Connecticut: Hikes and Walks from the Berkshires to the Coast, Fifth Edition.

1. I think that this book is a good beginning for anyone who enjoys hiking but doesn't know many places to go in CT. Once you get to know the different areas, this book falls short in the sense that there are many more hikes in CT than 50. This would make a nice gift for someone.

1 comments about Haunted Connecticut: Ghosts And Strange Phenomena of the Constitution State (Haunted).

1. Haunted Connecticut is another in Stackpole's wonderfully entertaining series of regional books on hauntings, this time featuring the Constitution State, Connecticut. Connecticut was our nation's fifth state and with its early colonial history it boasts a very rich tradition of ghost tales. The book is written by Cheri Revai who also penned "Haunted Massachusetts" and "Haunted New York". Revai takes readers on a tour throughout Connecticut for over fifty tales that span from the era of the early settlers right through modern day.
   
   There is the "Curse of Dudley Town" where the Dudley family seemed horribly cursed by death an all manner of misfortunes including Indian attacks, suicides, epidemics, and madness and has long been the source of unexplained noises and apparitions. Union Cemetery in Eastern CT has headstones which date to the 1600's and is known most for the White Lady who appears to motorists along Route 59, even leaving a dent in the pick-up truck of a fireman who struck the specter.
   
   While we are all familiar with the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow in New York , the town of Canton boasts its own headless ghost. It is thought to be that of a French soldier who was carrying a month's pay to French soldiers in Saratoga when he disappeared after stopping for the evening at the Hosford Tavern in 1777. When the tavern burned down a hundred years ago a headless skeleton was found leading to speculation that perhaps the tavern owner killed the soldier and stole the gold and silver.
   
   Another well known spot for ghost enthusiasts is the historic Pettibone Tavern, first built in 1780. When owner John Pettibone caught his wife in the arms of a secret lover he killed them both, cutting off his wife's head. Today, the ghost of his wife Abigail is said to haunt the Tavern which is still in use. A cold chill is felt by women in the ladies room which is where Abigail was killed and lights turn on by themselves after the tavern has been closed for the night.
   
   Revai's book also takes a look at Connecticut 's lesser known, but still haunting witch trials and takes readers on tour of other haunted, historical sites such as the Nathan Hale homestead and Old State Hall.
   
   Because of their historical significance and age, ghost stories of the New England states are always the most quaint and intriguing. Revai completes her book with an exhaustive list of book, magazine, and internet sources. Not only excellent in terms of entertainment, but Haunted Connecticut also provides valuable historical information.
   
   Reviewed by Tim Janson