Good books about Maine? (Portland, Bath: buy, living in, moving to)

[riley49]

I was wondering if anyone might have suggestions on books about Maine - anything - tourism, living in Maine, history, specific areas like Portland, etc. Thanks!

[lovemaine]

Downeastbooks.com has a large selection of Maine books. "Moving to Maine" by Victoria Doudera is an excellent source of info. if you're planning a move there.

[kodieson]

"Lost on a Mountain in Maine, The Don Fendler Story"

[shonner]

I have the "Moving to Maine" book and it's wonderful. We live in the Midwest and are absolutley desperate to move to Maine... Love the scenic beauty, the friendly people, the laid back lifestyle of the smaller towns, and winter! A friend once told me that Maine has two seasons - winter and the 4th of July! (sorry, I digress...)

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by holt4fam

"Moving to Maine" by Victoria Doudera is an excellent source of info. if you're planning a move there.

Seconded! That is a great, great book. I cannot recommend it enough.

Besides the usual travel guides, I've found that the kids' section in our local library has lots of great books on all 50 states. Besides lots of pictures, they give you a great overview of the state. Find an area that suits you, then you can dig deeper. But the kids' section is actually a great place to start.

[K-Luv]

I have just finished the Lobster Coast. It's about Maines' lobstermen, and fishing in general, but at least half the book deals with how Maine was settled (all the way back to 1604) and all the history with the state up until now. It is worth it just for that alone, but other notable tidbits include; the term 'from away' was coined by Scots-Irish settlers in the early 1700's, how Vactionland came about, how Maine's residents were the poorest in the country until 1970 and why Mainers are the way Mainers are. It also includes a lot of information about lobsters in general, like their mating rituals and migration habits.

Okay, so maybe that wasn't a good sell ( I have nothing to do with this book I swear), but prior to reading it I always thought of Maine as just another state, but now I find it one of the more interesting states in the union with a rich, varied, depressed and for almost two centuries a violent past.

[treeluvr]

Originally Posted by K-Luv

I have just finished the Lobster Coast. It's about Maines' lobstermen, and fishing in general, but at least half the book deals with how Maine was settled (all the way back to 1604) and all the history with the state up until now. It is worth it just for that alone, but other notable tidbits include; the term 'from away' was coined by Scots-Irish settlers in the early 1700's, how Vactionland came about, how Maine's residents were the poorest in the country until 1970 and why Mainers are the way Mainers are. It also includes a lot of information about lobsters in general, like their mating rituals and migration habits.

Okay, so maybe that wasn't a good sell ( I have nothing to do with this book I swear), but prior to reading it I always thought of Maine as just another state, but now I find it one of the more interesting states in the union with a rich, varied, depressed and for almost two centuries a violent past.

What are you doing up K-luv? Oops, what am I doing up???
Always love a good book recommendation, particularly one about Maine, and I like reading about history, in general. I will definately get "The Lobster Coast" and read it. I was interested to find that it was the Scots-Irish that coined the term "from away"-- My father's ancestry was Scots-Irish. (Does that mean I'm not so very "from away"?

[danpv]

For the photographer in you - or just to look at some nice images, one of my current favorites is:

"The Photographer's Guide to the Maine Coast" by David Middleton and Bruce Morrison; ISBN 0-88150-535-8. I'd post a link to it on Amazon but apparently that's against forum rules.

It's a small, affordable, softbound book that has helped keep me focused (no pun intended) on the prize - which is moving to Maine.

There are also more, larger format photo books on the Down East magazine site that would make great gifts to anyone you're trying to entice to move to Maine. I'd post a link to that too, but apparently....well, you know...

[Northern Maine Land Man]

For a historic perspective buy any book by Kenneth Roberts. Rabble in Arms is the story of our Revolutgion and it's based in Maine. The follow-up book is Northwest Passage. Boon Island is a tale of survival on a rock ledge off the coast of Maine.

You could spend the winter with Kenneth Roberts' books.

The Lively Lady - (Reminds one of Elcarim)
Captain Caution - (Reminds one of Forest Beekeeper)
Arundel
Oliver Wiswell
Lydia Bailey

That should take us to about May.

[elston]

I am reading a book entitled Exploring The Spirit of Maine: A Seekers Guide by Karen Wentworth Batignani. In it she presents the rich history of religous thought and expression in Maine, base on visiting a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional religious communities. So far I have read about the Bahai's; Northern Lights--The Metropolitian Community Church (Portland); the Swedengorgen churches in Portland and in Bath; The Unity Church of greater Portland (located in Windham) and the Hridaya Hermitage (Hindu) in Industry. The book reads like a travel book based on actual visits and interviews with current practioners and clergy. I am enjoying it very much and it raises my appreciation for the strong and somewhat unexpected Maine tradition of respect for diversity and openess to new ways of thinking believing and living.