Jim Babb had we worried in the first few chapters of his book, Fish Won’t Let Me Sleep, as he wrote about his obsession with Atlantic salmon, “the fish of 10,000 casts.” I know, I know. Atlantic salmon are so hard to catch that the common description is “the fish of 1,000 casts.” For Babb, […]
A subtitle on John Twomey’s interesting and informative book, Retiring To, Not From, reports that it includes, “Intimate details of life on a remote farm in Maine.” And that is certainly true. The level of detail about farming will be of interest to anyone who grows vegetables and fruit, but what intrigued me was John’s […]
The mail plane from the mainland hasn’t arrived for days, due to bad weather, and young Riley is getting very anxious, awaiting a birthday package from his grandmother. “If we lived on the mainland then I’d get to have a normal birthday,” he tells his Mom, “with a bunch of kids my age and presents […]
Lou Zambello’s new fly fishing guide is astonishing, covering 650 rivers and streams and 500 lakes and ponds throughout New England. As Lou notes in the introduction: “What is included are the best and most popular (not always the same thing) fisheries… (and) lesser known waters that we have fished.” The best part of the […]
The Secret Pool and The Secret Bay by Kimberly Ridley are cleverly written and beautifully illustrated books, with poetic stories that appeal to younger kids, factual sidebars for older kids, and additional information that is both interesting and informative. The Secret Pool, which won many awards, was published by Tilbury House in Thomaston in 2013. […]
Paul Doiron is an awesome story teller, and no more so than in his new novel, Widow-Maker. And all of his novels have a bit more interest for those of us who love the outdoors, because his main character, Mike Bowditch, is a Maine game warden. Somehow Paul, former editor of Down East magazine, has […]
Kevin Mannix was a very popular, out-going and personable weather man for more than 25 years on Channel 6 in Portland. So it was a very big surprise when he stepped up to tell his story of shame and depression. He first told the story in a TV 6 series which won wide acclaim, along […]
Barbara Winslow’s new book, Kittery Ghost, published by North Country Press, blends history with a fascinating tale involving a young boy, his blended family, the ghost of a Civil War officer, hidden treasures – well, you get the idea. This is a wonderful tale, and I particularly appreciated the way Barbara utilized the very real […]
Yes, I love hummingbirds. Linda and I are now up to about a couple dozen species, most of them seen in Texas and Arizona. We have only a single species in Maine, the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. So it won’t be a surprise when I tell you I also loved Linda P. Young’s children’s book, The Adventures […]
Ida LeClair’s new book (Oops, I mean Susan Poulin’s new book), The Sweet Life, published by Islandport Press in Yarmouth, is a humerous, insightful, and entertaining guide to love, marriage, and more. It’s easy to get Susan and Ida mixed up. Susan is the real person. Ida is on her-stage character. And Ida is […]
