Books Reviewed in 2000
Here are the Book of the Month Selections
reviewed to-date in 2000. Interested in previous Book of the Month Selections? See our index by year since we started in 1997 or search on your own.
 November 2000: Tales from the Edge
of the Woods; Willem Lange; Paperback
Willem Lange has created one of the nicest
collections of stories of life in New England. This month in our Folklore
selection, we have included an excerpt about Favor Johnson, a Christmas tale. Please read
this brief excerpt and see if you agree with us......Mr. Lange is able to capture the
sights, sounds and smells of Vermont and New England. He presents a very honest picture of
everyday experiences and is able to sprinkle it with humor. As the reader, you feel
completely drawn into the scene....you can almost see the "old truck turning around
and disappearing into the night, a single red taillight glowing dimly through the
snow."
Treat yourself and buy this book to add to your
Vermont and New England collection. You might even want to purchase a few extras to give
as special gifts!
-- Dr. J
If you are interested in ordering this
book, it is available in our Country
Bookstore. Click on the link below to view more
descriptive information, pricing and/or order Tales from the Edge
of the Woods from the Amazon.com catalog or search on
your own.
October 2000: New Hampshire vs
Vermont: Sibling Rivalry Between the Twin States; Lisa Shaw; Paperback
 To all lovers of Vermont, this is a book for you. However, the
reader must possess a sense of humor to thoroughly enjoy this book. An understanding
of sarcasm wouldn't hurt either.
This book provided me with some interesting tidbits
about the Twin States. From actual historical facts to fascinating folklore, I
learned quite a bit.
For me, a fairly new person to the New England area,
it was intriguing to see the infamous rivalry between the two states. The book
included great quotes from famous people.
The author could have gone into further detail,
however, I think it would have lost it's personality.
--Erika M.
If you are interested in ordering this
book, it is available in our Country
Bookstore. Click on the link below to view more
descriptive information, pricing and/or New Hampshire vs Vermont: Sibling Rivalry Between the Twin States order from the Amazon.com catalog or search on your own.
September 2000: Vermont Covered Bridges Map and Guide by
Robert Hartnett and Ed Barna
 This illustrated map of Vermont shows the name and location of each of
Vermont's more than 100 covered bridges. Two dozen original watercolor illustrations of
covered bridges by Robert Hartnett, grace the map. The reverse side guide gives histories
of the bridges, as well as directions to help you find them. Also, drawings of the various
bridge truss frames are included.
We've used this map extensively while creating our
feature on the Covered Bridges of Vermont. The map is very detailed to help you locate the
bridges and beautifully illustrated. Nice to take along on your fall
foliage excursion or anytime when you are traveling through the Green Mountain State.
A bargain....
-- Dr. J
If you are interested in ordering this
book, it is available in our Country
Bookstore. Click on the link below to view more
descriptive information, pricing and/or Vermont Covered Bridges Map and Guide order from the Amazon.com catalog or search on your own.
August 2000: A
Day No Pigs Would Die, by Robert Newton Peck
 Robert Newton Peck's novel of a Vermont farm boyhood has become a
celebrated classic, captivating readers year after year with its quiet humor and poignant
drama. It is the timeless story of one Shaker boy, his beloved pet pig, and the joys and
hardships that mark his passage into manhood. The story is told in a unique and compelling
voice, one with all the unadorned power of a Shaker hymn.
A number of Amazon.com visitors have awarded this book a four
star rating overall.  Read what a couple have said:
So much more
than a kid's story , May 11, 2000
Reviewer: A reader from Pennsylvania
It's always a joy to "find" a treasure. This book is a treasure. It was 'loaned'
to me by my 12 year old daughter (almost 13, going on 35) after she had finished it for
her English class. She didn't like the ending. I did. This book is true in every sense of
the word. The actions and emotions and nuances are exactly Shaker and Vermont and
turn-of-the-century rural. Rob's life is quite similar to my life as a child 35 years ago
in rural Pennsylvania. I was born into a farm family and life, though hard, was really
good. Yes, even after my father died when I was nine. I had my grandparents there as it
was a multi-generational farm. Especially my grandfather who truly loved farming and
gifted me with that love. The values are as important today as they were in Rob's time or
in my time. Responsibility. Trust. Joy in a job well done and joy in the beauty of God's
wonderful world. The truths that quality (and wealth) is not in things, it is in each of
us, how we treat eachother, the largly unspoken respect given by family, friends and
neighbors, and that being tired from a hard day's work feels good inside and out. Even the
bumps and bruises. (Never get between an Angus cow and her calf, they can be as feisty as
any Holstein!) The language and flow is also true and easy. I will add this to my
collection and I will encourage my 16 year old son to read it and my toddler, when he's
ready. And we will all talk about it. --
If you are interested in ordering this
book, it is available in our Country
Bookstore. Click on the link below to view more
descriptive information, pricing and/or order A Day No Pigs Would
Die from the Amazon.com catalog or search on
your own.
June 2000: Adventure
Guide to Vermont, Second Edition, by Elizabeth L. Dugger
 Elizabeth Dugger, a long-time resident of Vermont, has created a concise,
well-written guide about information and activities in the state of Vermont. It is well
illustrated, knowledgeable in its details, and includes maps and website links for many
points of interest.
"She expertly guides travelers around the back
roads, through preserves and woodlands, and down pristine rivers. Dugger also points out
elegant inns and cozy bed and breakfasts, four-star restaurants and down-home eateries.
The text is peppered with helpful travel and safety tips, special notes for families and
handicapped travelers, and historical anecdotes."
If you're planning a trip to this area or if you
live in Vermont and want to get away for a weekend, you'll want to add this book to your
collection.
--Dr. J
If you are interested in ordering this
book, it is available in our Country
Bookstore. Click on the link below to view more
descriptive information, pricing and/or order Adventure Guide to Vermont from
the Amazon.com catalog or search on your own.
May 2000: In a
Vermont Kitchen: Foods Fresh from Farms, Forests, and Orchards by Amy Lyon, Lynne Andreen, and Dale
Coykendall
 This truly is a beautiful book with some great recipes. One of our
customers purchased this book and asked us to include it in a gourmet food gift basket for
a special friend. We were happy to accommodate her and are still hoping for a dinner
invitation from the gift recipient!
A number of Amazon.com visitors have awarded this
book a five star rating.  Read what a couple have said:
"I have always been suspect of cookbooks that
carry beautiful covers. Often the treats inside cannot live up to the magical picture the
eye is first drawn to. This book has forever changed that suspicion. From page one, I felt
wrapped-up in the honest, poetic style with which Amy Lyon has painted upon these pages.
Suddenly I was not in Ohio experimenting with a recipe, I was in a small farmhouse
smelling a robust meal that only Vermont could deliver. The recipes were easy enough for
me to follow, but I still felt like I had created my own masterpiece after I was
finished." --Elizabeth Boyd from Ohio
"The authors are creative geniuses when it
comes to food design. The food is tasty and fun. You can prepare great meals and learn a
lot in the process. If you like your friends, you'll send them a copy of this book."
--A reader from CT
So let us know what you think....we'll dress in our
best overalls and join you for dinner!
--Dr. J
If you are interested in ordering this
book, it is available in our Country
Bookstore. Click on the link below to view more
descriptive information, pricing and/or order In a Vermont
Kitchen: Foods Fresh from Farms, Forests, and Orchards from the Amazon.com catalog or search on
your own.
March 2000: Vermonters:
Oral Histories from Down Country to the Northeast Kingdom by Ron Strickland
 The synopsis from the book jacket gives a great
description of Ron Strickland's book.....one of our favorites.
"Ron Strickland has caught the essential Yankee
voice in these rich reminiscences. Warm, wonderfully entertaining accounts by a general
store proprietor, a basket weaver, a gravedigger, a town gadfly," and 34 others
reveal how time-honored traditions are carried on in spite of the inroads of the twentieth
century. As colorful as the state's autumn hues, and in the matter of opinions, as
obdurate as mountain granite, these recollections are accompanied by candid portraits.
First published in 1986, Vermonters is sure to delight a new generation of collectors of
Americana and any others who have succumbed to Vermont's rather flinty charm."
See our Vermont Folklore
selection for an excerpt from Ron Strickland's book: Vermonters -- Oral
Histories from Down Country to the Northeast Kingdom. We think this book truly
captures the spirit of Vermont.
--Dr. J
If you are interested in ordering this
book, it is available in our Country
Bookstore. Click on the link below to view more
descriptive information, pricing and/or order Vermonters: Oral Histories from Down Country to the Northeast Kindom from the Amazon.com
catalog or search on your own.
February 2000: Snowflake
Bentley by Jacqueline
Briggs Martin and Mary Azarian -- A Caldecott Medal
Book
 "As a seasoned primary teacher eager for a new slant on teaching the
traditional science unit on water, I was delighted to find Snowflake Bentley. Living in
Alaska, snow is about the best way to start. I quickly bought the book, impressed with the
illustrations and the sidebar full of detailed facts. My second graders enjoyed it and the
story line was more accessible to my first graders. Snowflakes will never be the same
again for them! They loved it and loved Bentley for his patience and curiosity for nature.
Additionally, they admired the parents of Bentley who spent most of their earnings on his
sought after camera for his famous study. Go out and buy it before the snow
melts!"
--Reviewed by a reader from Anchorage, Alaska
If you are interested in ordering this
book, it is available in our Country
Bookstore. Click on the link below to view more
descriptive information, pricing and/or order Snowflake Bentley from the Amazon.com
catalog or search on your own.
January 2000: Before
Life Hurries On by Sabra
Field and Jenepher Lingelbach
 "Simply put, the book, Before Life Hurries On, is an elegant,
stunningly beautiful marriage of poetry (Jenepher Lingelbach) and art (Sabra Field) that
celebrates life, nature and Vermont. It does this with spare lines that have profound
meaning. this is not just another good book by regional artists, it is a classic book with
meaning for anyone who loves rural people, their communities, the land they work and the
essence of nature which both surrounds and touches them. If there were more stars in
Amazon's rating system, this book would use them all up."
Reviewed by Richard Carbin from Barnard, Vermont
If you are interested in ordering this
book, it is available in our Country
Bookstore. Click on the link below to view more
descriptive information, pricing and/or order Before Life Hurries
On from
the Amazon.com catalog or search on your own.
If you would
like to review a Vermont book for us, send us email.
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