No comments about Spooky Massachusetts: Tales of Hauntings, Strange Happenings, and Other Local Lore (Spooky).

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.

No comments about New England Lighthouses: Maine to Long Island Sound (Lighthouse Series).

3 comments about The New Hampshire Gardener's Companion: An Insider's Guide to Gardening in the Granite State (Gardening Series).

1. The New Hampshire Gardener's Companion is the best practical gardening guide that I have ever read. It confirmed much of the knowledge that I've acquired in 23 years of trial and error gardening in the Granite State. Additionally, I picked up new information about organic gardening, native plants, and more. The book is a must for novices (you can save yourself time and money.) For the seasoned gardener your suspicions will be confirmed and some "holes" in your gardening data base could be filled in. This book should be sold in nurseries throughout the state.



2. This is the garden book you want if you live in N.H. It is the book you want if you live anywhere with a winter. I do not know the author but would love to hear him give a seminar.



3. Homeyer is targeting a small audience with this practical tome, but this may well be the best, if not the only, book of its kind. He gives plenty of practical advice for New Hampshire gardenders that I wish I had had years ago, such as how to grow peppers and eggplants and the futility of trying to grow celery.
   
   My one wish is that Homeyer had included more information about herbs. I was specifically hoping for some advice on lavender and what varieties are best for NH. Overall, though, this is a very useful book.

No comments about Fodor's New England, 28th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides).

2 comments about High Huts of the White Mountains, 2nd: Nature Walks, Natural History, and Day Hikes around the AMC's Mountain Hostels.

1. My dad and I love to go to AMC huts and this book is my bible. I read it all the time, and bring i t with me when going to huts. Just be warned, if you are hiking on the gulfside trail from Madison Springs Hut to Lakes of the Clouds hut, the book says 4.5 hours. WRONG. The correct time is 9.5 hours.



2. Well, I think it's the only book ever written about the AMC's high huts in the White Mountains. And it is quite informative and useful if you plan to do a lot of hut hikes. The maps and short hike info definitely enhanced my hut trip.

   But I would rather see something a little less blandly "official" and a little more "behind the scenes." I'd have appreciated more anecdotes about what goes on during those long summer days when the hut crews have spare time. I know that the crews famously play pranks on each other. And surely the advent of "co-ed" crews has resulted in some, eh, hanky panky? If there are such interesting stories, they are not in this book.

4 comments about Smith & Wesson (MA) (Images of America).

1. This paperback book gives a pictoral insight into the history and workings of the Smith & Wesson factory and the people who worked there. It is not a reference book as such that would contain details of specific guns, etc. But, it takes us through the history with pictures probably never before published from private collections allowing us to visualize an important part of our American history. Thank you for writing it.



2. The history that is shown and written about in the book is interesting. It is a window to what has happened in the past.



3. This is an excellent little book that exceeded my expectations. I bought it for the photos but found the text to be very nice reading and informative. But it's the pictures of the plant, advertisements, and the people that make the book. You can't help but pick out a person and sit for fives minutes wondering what their life was like working at S&W. There are a couple of individuals that worked there for forty years!
   
   Another thing that captures your thoughts is how free and different America was at the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries. It's amazing to see the rows and rows of revolvers and think about how there was no government intrusion into their ownership like there is today. And, Gasp!, look at the ladies with their S&W revolvers! What a contrast to today's society.
   
   This book is very well written with many many wonderful photographs. If you enjoy the history of firearms this book will delight you. Even if you are just interested in the times and how factories looked back then, no matter the product, you will find this book entertaining and worthy of reading.



4. . Interesting but not new information. Read the book in one night OK for someone just introduced to S&W. I expect more from Jinks

No comments about A New England Autumn.

3 comments about Stark Decency: German Prisoners of War in a New England Village.

1. This book describes in great detail the lives of German POW's living in a New Hampshire POW camp in the 1940's. It is well-documented, with interviews with former guards and work-crew formen. The former prisoners, guards and foremen have met for reunions at the site of the camp.

   I lived in the area and remember the POW camp.




2. Koop's chronicle gives us a picture of an oasis of amity in a world torn by war, in the unlikely location of a prisoner-of-war camp in the tiny town of Stark, New Hampshire, several miles north of Lancaster and Berlin. We see German captives being pleasantly surprised by the humane treatment of the American guards, who observed the letter and the spirit of the Geneva Convention, and we see the Americans learning that not all Germans were enthusiasts of Hitler's fanatical National Socialism -- far from it! There are disputes about the 'pulpwood quota' (German prisoners in Stark assisted the locals in their efforts at paper production) which led to a five-day strike, but also led to deeper understanding about the dignity of the captive workers. There are amusing tales of attempted escapes -- the most successful being that of a colourful character named Franz Bacher, a youthful Austrian artist who made it to New York City. There is an illuminating glimpse into the generosity of the townspeople of Stark toward the prisoners of war, from an enemy nation but sharing a common humanity. There are tales of collaboration at arduous tasks, and there is a record of the small acts of charity and levity which transfigured a potentially painful experience into the basis of camaderie and a future peace.

   One need not be a historian, or an ardent reader of history to appreciate Allen Koop's handsomely written book; one need only be a human being, possessed of sufficient imagination to place oneself in the shoes of a stranger in a strange land.




3. I continue to enjoy finding additional information about the time WW-II POWs were kept in this country. Often I've spoken with friends about this historic moment and seldom have I found anyone aware that this occurred. This particular work by Koop is another example of the literature available.
   I found his efforts to be worthwhile as yet another piece of the grander puzzle as to how this imprisonment took place. Without reviewing similar accounts from all the other some 400 U.S. camps, like the one at Stark, it is impossible to know if what took place in this camp was unique. I tend to think that while the details of each camp and its relationship with the surrounding community will be similar, I am sure there would also be differences. What I liked about Koop's book is the realization that people on each side of the fence that separated them, they were still people with similar desires and concerns, though the language may have been different. Each side learned from the other and came to realize that each may not have been getting the totally clear picture of their adversary. I assume this sort of thing happened elsewhere in this country-wide POW prison program. Like other works dealing with this POW experience, Koop's book should be included as a reading project in any modern history course.
   I believe the book's overall impact would be enhanced by more photographs but, understandably, these may not be available.

3 comments about 25 Bicycle Tours in the Lake Champlain Region: Scenic Tours in Vermont, New York, and Quebec.

1. Part of the outstanding "Backcountry Guide" series from The Countryman Press, 25 Bicycle Tours In The Lake Champlain Region: Scenic Tours In Vermont, New York, And Quebec offers wonderfully satisfying bike hikes through New York's Adirondacks, Vermont's Green Mountains, and the scenery and charms of Quebec's historic towns and villages. Including a wide range of lodging and dining options, cyclists can explore the southern tip of the lake in Whitehall, New York, to the quaint college town of Middlebury, Vermont. The various tours range from scenic and flat 10 mile loops to adventurous 82-mile rides through the easter Adirondacks. Whether for an afternoon's pleasant exercise or a weekend of high cycling adventure, 25 Bicycle Tours In The Lake Champlain Region is an enthusiastically recommended regional guide.



2. I used this book to take a six-day bike tour from Burlington, VT to Montreal, Quebec, and I had a great trip. The author's directions are so accurate that I was able to ride all the way to Montreal without consulting a map! The author recommended hotels that are conveniently located for cyclists and chose roads and bike paths that were scenic and generally had light traffic. This book is a valuable resource for any bicycle tourist!



3. If you are looking for a book with a wide variety of interconnected tours in the Lake Champlain Region, you cannot do much better than this one! From easy juants to planning 10 days around the Lake, it is a great resource. Really looking forward to doing some bike exploring in the region.