After Frost, An Anthology of Poetry from New England  •  Henry Lyman  •  Robert Frost  •  Wallace Stevens LITERATURE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES A collection of poems from 30 of New England's most notable poets, with selections by Robert Frost, the granddaddy of New England poetry. Other featured poets include Elizabeth Bishop, Robert Lowell, Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, Wallace Stevens and Martin Espada. (USE52, $22.95)
Against the Tide, The Fate of the New England Fisherman  •  Richard Adams Carey NATURAL HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 381 PAGES To learn more about the crisis that faces the American fishing industry, Richard Adams Carey spent a year working alongside fishermen off the shores of Cape Cod. What resulted is this book, a portrait of a declining industry and depleted natural resources. It deals admirably with complicated issues of natural history and humanism, showing great respect for both the ocean and the fishermen that depend on it. (USE44, $13.00)
Angel in the Whirlwind, The American Triumph of the American Revolution  •  Benson Bobrick HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 560 PAGES A lively, narrative history of the American Revolution. In addition to providing an entertaining, detailed account of the Revolution's major battles and figures, Bobrick draws an informative portrait of colonial America. (USE168, $18.00)
Architecture After Richardson, Regionalism Before Modernism  •  Margaret Henderson Floyd ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1994 •  HARD COVER  • 546 PAGES An oversized scholarly study of American architects Longfellow, Alden and Harlow. Floyd draws parallels between their work in Boston and Pittsburgh in the period that spanned 1886 through 1920s. With 500 black-and-white photos, drawings and plans. (BOS20, $100.00)
Backroads of New England, Your Guide to New England's Most Scenic Backroad Adventures  •  Kim Knox Beckius GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 160 PAGES A driving tour guidebook to New England, featuring the history and photographs of the most picturesque routes in Cape Cod, Vermont, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, and Rhode Island. (USE371, $21.95)
Benedict Arnold, Revolutionary Hero: An American Warrior Reconsidered  •  James Kirby Martin HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 544 PAGES A revisionist biography of Benedict Arnold, focusing on the famous traitor's pre-treason accomplishments. (USE171, $22.00)
The Big Year, A Tale Of Man, Nature, And Fowl Obsession  •  Mark Obmascik NATURAL HISTORY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES Obmascik, himself an over-the-edge birder, recounts with glee and page-turning detail the race to see the most birds in North America in a year, a quest that has his three competitors on the road at a moments notice, heading out in the middle of the night, and combing the beaches. As he so winningly demonstrates, these people are driven. (BRD29, $14.00)
Bird News, Vagrants and Visitors on a Peculiar Island  •  E. Vernon Laux NATURAL HISTORY •  1999 •  HARD COVER  • 256 PAGES A bird's-eye natural history of Martha's Vineyard by a longtime resident -- and one of its most enthusiastic birders. Organized by season, this memoir by the editor of "Bird News" captures the life and lore of the Vineyard. (BRD07, $20.00)
The Birdwatcher's Companion to North American Birdlife  •  Christopher W. Leahy  •  Gordon Morrison NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 1072 PAGES A handsome, fully illustrated survey of the birds of North America, organized A to Z, covering birds, bird biology, conservation and birdwatching. Published in cooperation with the American Birding Association. (NAM21, $19.95)
Boston A to Z  •  Thomas H. O'Connor HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES An entertaining, informative, far-from-comprehensive history of Boston, imbued with its professor-resident-author's affection for the city. This is just one of O'Connor's many books about Boston. A popular teacher and Boston man-about-town, O'Connor is professor emeritus of history at Boston College. (BOS02, $14.95)
The Boston Irish, A Political History  •  Thomas O'Connor HISTORY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES In this balanced history, O'Connor traces the rise of the Irish political machine in Boston through profiles of its outsized and colorful leading politicians. (BOS22, $21.99)
Boston Map (Boston Unfolds)  •  VanDam MAP This convenient map of Boston has a clever "origami" fold to help the traveler refer to any location in the city without having to deal with an unwieldy and large piece of paper. (BOS09, $6.95)
Boston Then and Now, 59 Boston Sites Photographed in the Past and Present  •  Peter Vanderwarker HISTORY •  1983 •  PAPER  • 122 PAGES This intriguing portrait of Boston pairs archival photographs with 1980s shots by Vanderwarker from the same vantage. With accompanying text about the development of the city. (BOS15, $10.95)
Boston's Freedom Trail, A Souvenir Guide  •  Robert Booth  •  Shirley Moskow  •  Jack Frost GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER  • 86 PAGES A handy guide to Boston's historical sites, crammed with maps and photographs. (BOS05, $6.95)
Boston, A Topographical History, Third Enlarged Edition  •  Lawrence W. Kennedy  •  Walter Muir Whitehill HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 380 PAGES A classic history of Boston, told with a particular focus on urban planning. The authors explain how old and new commingle in the city from colonial present through modern times. In a new edition, updated to cover developments during the last 30 years. (BOS06, $17.50)
The Bostonians  •  Henry James LITERATURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 480 PAGES Henry James' satirical novel of the battle of the sexes is well worth (re)reading. In it, Basil, a Mississippi lawyer, and Olive, a Boston feminist, compete for the affections of the same woman. Set in 1870s Boston, it treats the questions facing American society at that time, particularly feminism. Originally published in 1886, it was one of the first American novels to deal with lesbianism. (BOS13, $20.00)
Cape Cod  •  Henry David Thoreau  •  Paul Theroux TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 319 PAGES In his signature style, Thoreau muses on the ocean and his surroundings, as he combs the beaches of Cape Cod. Though written nearly 150 years ago, his essay is a compelling, sardonic portrait of coastal Massachusetts, its human and natural history. Published posthumously, the book originated as a series of lectures, where (according to none other than Ralph Waldo Emerson) the audience "laughed till they cried." It takes as its form a diary, combining essay, travel, natural history and social commentary. (USE65, $14.00)
Cape Cod Map  •  Rand McNally Maps MAP A map of Cape Cod, including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Island, at a scale of 1:40,000. (USE68, $4.95)
Cape Cod Stories: Tales from Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard  •  John Miller  •  Tim Smith  •  Alice Hoffman ANTHOLOGY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES • COMING IN A collection of short stories set in and around Cape Cod, featuring the writing of such famous American writers as Herman Melville, Kurt Vonnegut, Sylvia Plath and John Cheever. Each story portrays this historic region in a distinct light, making it an enjoyable, eclectic view of coastal New England. (USE33, $14.95)
Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket: An Explorer's Guide  •  Kimberly Grant GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 512 PAGES A practical guide to the popular tourist destinations of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, compiled by a local photographer and writer. With detailed information on food and accommodations, as well as on nature, history and excursions (including whale watching), it is a comprehensive introduction to the region. With photographs and 19 maps. (USE105, $19.95)
Christopher Columbus and the Conquest of Paradise  •  Kirkpatrick Sale EXPLORATION •  2006 •  PAPER  • 464 PAGES A new edition of this wide-ranging and lucid portrait of the man and the legends surrounding him, originally published in 1990. Columbus is no hero in Kirkpatrick Sale's view but rather a sea-faring adventurer in search of glory, gold and god. (USA134, $19.95)
A Clearing in the Distance, Frederick Law Olmsted and America in the 19th Century  •  Witold Rybczynski BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2000 •  PAPER  • 480 PAGES With the possible exception of Robert Moses (see item NYC53), no one has had more impact on the New York City landscape than Frederick Law Olmsted. Two of his masterpieces, Central Park in Manhattan and Prospect Park in Brooklyn, still exert an extraordinary pull on New York City. This is the very well told story of their creator, a 19th-century renaissance man, whose midlife vision of the integration of broad vistas into the urban landscape is very much still with us. (NYC62, $15.95)
Cod, A Biography of a Fish that Changed the World  •  Mark Kurlansky NATURAL HISTORY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 294 PAGES A sparkling extended essay on the cod in the tradition of Lopez or McPhee, this marvelous book looks at the importance of the cod and the codfish industry over the centuries. It is an excellent, anecdotal economic history, throwing much light on the plight of the Grand Banks and fisheries in general. (OCE10, $15.00)
Collected Short Stories, Volume 4  •  W. Somerset Maugham LITERATURE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 464 PAGES Maugham can evoke turn-of-the-century colonial Asia like no other. This collection of stories features many set in Malaysia and other southeast Asian locales, including the well-known tale "The Letter." (SEA01, $17.00)
Common Ground, A Turbulent Decade in the Lives of Three American Families  •  J. Anthony Lukas HISTORY •  1986 •  PAPER  • 688 PAGES The Pulitzer Prize-winning study of racial tensions in Boston told from the perspectives of three families. This well-written history pays particular attention to the school integration and busing crisis of 1974. (BOS14, $18.95)
Compass Guide Boston  •  Patricia Harris GUIDEBOOK •  2001 •  PAPER  • 324 PAGES This wonderfully written handbook features outstanding color photography, good maps and in-depth information on the culture, history and attractions of Boston. It includes archival photographs, literary excerpts and practical travel information. (USE05, $21.00)
The Dante Club  •  Matthew Pearl LITERATURE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES Rarely has historical fiction, literary reference and murder mystery been fused so effortlessly. Pearl's novel, set in 1865 Boston, counts Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Oliver Wendell Holmes and James Russell Lowell among its cast of characters, and tells the gripping tale of a murderer drawing inspiration from Dante's "Divine Comedy." Much more than a costumed potboiler, the book is the surprisingly confident first effort by a young Dante scholar. (BOS12, $13.95)
Death of a Hornet and Other Cape Cod Essays  •  Robert Finch NATURAL HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES A collection of serene essays on the nature, wildlife, and inhabitants of Cape Cod by a keen observer and year-round resident. Finch's meditative collection includes essays on environmental and conservation issues, human nature, and stories from his personal life. (USE84, $15.95)
Eastern Backyard Birds  •  Raymond Leung  •  James Kavanaugh FIELD GUIDE •  2001 •  PLASTIC CARD This fold-out, laminated pocket guide illustrates almost 150 birds found on the eastern coast of the U.S. (USE229, $5.95)
The Encyclopedia of Colonial and Revolutionary America  •  John Mack Faragher REFERENCE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 484 PAGES An A-Z reference on the revolution featuring 1500 short entries covering the ideas, events and people of America from the early 1600s through nationhood. (USE162, $24.50)
The Enduring Shore: A History of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket  •  Paul Schneider HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 367 PAGES Starting with a discussion of the glacial formation of Cape Cod and its surrounding islands, this book covers the region's entire natural and human history, from the time of the Wampanoag Indians and the religious settlements of William Bradford, up to the present day. Author Paul Schneider, a native of Martha's Vineyard, takes a personal approach, collecting his information while traveling in a kayak among the sounds, bays and harbors of the Cape. (USE66, $17.00)
The Everything Guide to New England, Lodging, Restaurants, Beaches, and Must-See Attractions  •  Kim Knox Beckius GUIDEBOOK •  2002 •  PAPER  • 419 PAGES (USE372, $14.95)
Eyewitness Guide Boston  •  Eyewitness Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER  • 200 PAGES An exceptionally informative, visually entrancing guide to Boston with a chapter on places to visit farther afield. The compact guide includes excellent neighborhood maps, museum plans and innovative 3-D architectural renderings of key buildings. With select listings on places to eat, shop and sleep. (BOS10, $20.00)
A Field Guide to Wildflowers: Northeastern and North-Central North America  •  Roger Tory Peterson  •  Rosemary McKenna FIELD GUIDE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 420 PAGES The best-selling guide to wildflowers in the Peterson series, with illustrations by Roger Tory himself, revised and repackaged in a handsome paper edition. With drawings, some color illustrations, and short descriptions. It covers 1,293 species. (FG38, $19.00)
Founding Brothers, The Revolutionary Generation  •  Joseph J. Ellis HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES A riveting tale of Washington, Madison, Hamilton and especially of Jefferson and Adams. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, it's a fascinating glimpse into the early days of our country. (USE244, $14.95)
France and England in North America, Vol. 1  •  Francis Parkman HISTORY •  1983 •  HARD COVER  • 1504 PAGES Francis Parkman's monumental history. This is the first volume of the two volume series. (USE173, $45.00)
France and England in North America, Vol. 2  •  Francis Parkman HISTORY •  1983 •  HARD COVER  • 1620 PAGES Francis Parkman's monumental history. This is the second volume of the two volume series. (USE174, $45.00)
Good Will Hunting  •  Gus Van Sant 1997 •  DVD Matt Damon and Ben Affleck won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for this touching look at Boston, both the Ivy League world and the tougher streets of South Boston. Robin Williams won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the therapist who finally gets through to the troubled prodigy Will Hunting (Damon). (USE331, $19.99)
The House on Nauset Marsh  •  Wyman Richardson NATURAL HISTORY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES A Cape Cod classic, these leisurely essays on land, sea and wildlife were first published to acclaim in 1947. The author, a Boston physician and professor at the Harvard Medical School, found a tranquil refuge in his rustic farmhouse on Eastham's Nauset Marsh. The house, today surrounded by Cape Cod National Seashore, is still in the Richardson family. (USE83, $14.95)
In Season, A Natural History of the New England Year  •  Nona Bell Estrin  •  Charles W. Johnson NATURAL HISTORY •  2002 •  HARD COVER  • 288 PAGES A loosely organized, illustrated overview of New England and its wildlife as depicted in watercolor paintings and short essays. (USE299, $25.95)
In the Heart of the Sea, The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex  •  Nathaniel Philbrick HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 302 PAGES It's hard to go wrong with a seafaring tale of mythical beasts, cannibalism and sturdy 19th-century New Englanders. Phibrick, an amateur historian, does himself proud in this enthralling tale, recounting the true-life event that inspired Melville's "Moby Dick." He focuses on the aftermath and the history of Nantucket as much as the mighty whale in this history. (OCE47, $15.00)
Insight Compact Guide Cape Cod  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  1998 •  PAPER  • 74 PAGES A brief illustrated guide to Cape Cod, featuring 120 photos and excellent local maps. With a section on history and culture and in-depth coverage of 9 separate tours and excursions. (USE67, $8.95)
Insight Guide New England  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 419 PAGES This guide is noted for its wonderful photography, superb production and informative short essays. It is a thoroughly illustrated guide to the history, culture and nature of New England, complemented by over 70 pages of practical travel information. Now in its 7th edition, it features information on all the states, with a strong focus on Massachusetts. (USE38, $23.95)
Inventing the Charles River  •  Karl Haglund HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 512 PAGES An illustrated history of Boston's Charles River, a feat of civil engineering and a vital public space. (BOS24, $55.00)
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, A Companion Guide and History  •  Hilliard T. Goldfarb GUIDEBOOK •  1995 •  PAPER  • 152 PAGES A handbook to the museum and its collections, with a brief biography of Gardner and 100 color plates. (BOS03, $30.00)
John Adams  •  David McCullough BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2002 •  PAPER  • 751 PAGES The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "Truman" has turned to the Founding Fathers in putting together this best-selling biography. With his term as president sandwiched between George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, Adams has often gotten short shrift as a Founding Father. But in this expansive narrative, McCullough reveals him as a magnificent figure who helped shaped the nation. (USE201, $20.00)
Karen Brown's New England, Exceptional Places to Stay & Itineraries  •  Jack Bullard GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 296 PAGES A peronable, opinionated survey of inns, estates and other lodging of character, along with suggested itineraries and highlights of each region. (USE200, $19.95)
Kingbird Highway, The Story of a Natural Obsession That Got a Little Out of Hand  •  Kenn Kaufman BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2006 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES Kaufman's absorbing account of coming-of-age as a Wichita teenager on the road in 1973 with a summer's pay in his pocket and the goal of seeing as many birds as he could in a year. He tallied 671, impressive by any account and extraordinary if you count birds per buck. He did it all for $1,000. This cult classic was originally published in 1973. (BRD27, $14.00)
Ladies, Women, and Wenches: Choice and Constraint in Antebellum Charleston and Boston  •  Jane H. Pease  •  William H. Pease HISTORY •  1990 •  PAPER  • 218 PAGES This scholarly history juxtaposes the lives of women in pre-Civil War Boston and Charleston. (USS333, $25.00)
Literary Trail of Greater Boston  •  Susan Wilson GUIDEBOOK •  2000 •  PAPER  • 168 PAGES A gem for the literary-minded visitor, this handbook maps Boston's literary locales and suggests easy walking and driving tours in the vicinity. Whether you're a fan of the transcendentalists or the confessional poets, you'll find their birthplaces, residences, schools and haunts listed here. With much historical information and 80 photographs. (BOS04, $12.00)
The Loyalists: Revolution, Exile, Settlement  •  Christopher Moore HISTORY •  1984 •  PAPER  • 280 PAGES A good, general account of the Loyalist experience in the American Revolution. (USE172, $17.95)
Mammals of North America  •  Roland W. Kays  •  Don E. Wilson FIELD GUIDE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES A comprehensive guide by two noted mammalogists and featuring 108 color plates, illustrating 442 species. Range maps and descriptive text on ecology, habitat and behavior complement the wonderful paintings. (NAM11, $19.95)
Massachusetts EasyFinder  •  Rand McNally Maps MAP A laminated, fold-up map of Massachusetts at a scale of 1:530,000. (USE293, $7.95)
My Pamet, Cape Cod Chronicle  •  Tom Kane ANTHOLOGY •  1989 •  HARD COVER  • 472 PAGES From 1951 to 1988, journalist Tom Kane recorded the goings-on of small-town life in his column in Cape Cod's weekly newspapers. This book is a "best of" selection of almost 40 years of columns on life in Pamet (aka Truro). (USE82, $24.95)
Mystic River  •  Clint Eastwood 2003 •  DVD A haunting mystery which brings three childhood friends together as adults in a working-class Boston neighborhood after one of their daughters is murdered, one is the primary suspect, and one is the detective assigned to the case. With excellent performances by Tim Robbins, Sean Penn, Kevin Bacon and supporting actors Laura Linney, Marcia Gay Harden and Laurence Fishburne. (USE332, $27.95)
The Namesake  •  Jhumpa Lahiri LITERATURE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES An intricate and beautifully told tale by the author of Interpreter of Maladies. Lahiri follows the Ganguli family -- Ashoke, Ashima, and their son Gogol, named after the Russian author -- as they leave Calcutta and settle in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Now a feature film directed by Mira Nair of "Salaam Bombay!" and "Monsoon Wedding." (IDA292, $14.00)
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders  •  Lorus J. Milne FIELD GUIDE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 989 PAGES A survey of North America's less-loved creatures, organized taxonomically and featuring 700 full-color photographs. With extensive notes and detailed descriptions of 600 species of beetles, caterpillars, moths, bees, wasps, bugs, spiders, ants, termites and all the rest. (FG53, $19.95)
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America  •  National Geographic FIELD GUIDE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 502 PAGES From Alaska to Baja California, this field guide published by the National Geographic Society, now in its fifth edition (with tabs!), is the one to carry. Practical to use in the field, it has maps, illustrations and descriptions of the birds on facing pages. The scale of the maps changes with the range of the bird, which means you get a more detailed regional map for those birds with a restricted range. This fully revised fifth edition features nearly 700 color range maps, bigger and better than ever. (FG09, $24.00)
Native Universe, Voices of Indian America  •  Clifford E. Trafzer ANTHOLOGY •  2008 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES This anthology of personal and historical essays, as well as over 300 color illustrations of Native American art, is being published to accompany the opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C. It includes selections from several modern Native American writers, including Louise Erdrich and Sherman Alexie. (USA95, $22.00)
A New England Autumn  •  Ferenc Mate  •  Candace Mate NATURAL HISTORY •  2007 •  PAPER  • 160 PAGES Magnificent photographs of farmsteads, pastures, forests, wharves and villages from Maine to Connecticut are paired with the poetry and literature of Dickinson, Thoreau and Waldo Emerson in this pictorial celebration of season. With a 14-page section of maps and practical travel information. (USE337, $29.95)
New England Birds  •  Raymond Leung  •  James Kavanaugh FIELD GUIDE •  2001 •  PLASTIC CARD This laminated, fold-out guide gives illustrations of almost 150 commonly encountered birds of New England. It's pocket-sized for quick reference in the field. (USE232, $5.95)
Northeast US Southeast Canada Map  •  Marshall Penn-York Maps MAP A colorful map of the Great Lakes at a scale of 1:1,700,000. (GLK08, $3.95)
The Outermost House, A Year of Life on the Great Beach of Cape Cod  •  Henry Beston NATURAL HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 218 PAGES Henry Beston planned to spend only a few weeks in his new Cape Cod summer cottage, but fell in love with the nature of the region and remained, living there alone for a year. First published in 1928, these are his reflections on the sea, the weather and the animal life of the coast. The house is no longer there (it was swept out to sea in 1978), but this book remains a much-loved piece of the American nature writing tradition. (USE41, $14.00)
The Paper Chase  •  James Bridges 1973 •  DVD A first-year law student at Harvard (Timothy Bottoms) is inspired by his curmudgeonly professor (John Houseman), but his attempts to get in his good graces may be botched when he woos the professor's daughter. (USE333, $14.98)
Paul Revere and the World He Lived In  •  Esther Forbes BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1999 •  PAPER  • 528 PAGES An engaging, Pulitzer Prize-winning biography by novelist Forbes (author of the perennial favorite Johnny Tremain), originally published in 1942. (BOS17, $17.95)
The Perfect Storm, A True Story of Men Against the Sea  •  Sebastian Junger BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1998 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES A gripping, now-famous blow-by-blow account of a 1991 disaster at sea. Junger reconstructs the final hours of six men aboard a 72-foot swordfish boat in the North Atlantic, battling against a torrential storm. This talented journalist writes well of the sea and its many moods -- the perfect background for a greater appreciation of the life of a fisherman. (OCE06, $7.99)
Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians, Eastern and Central North America  •  Roger Conant FIELD GUIDE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 616 PAGES A comprehensive field guide to Eastern and Central North America for the herpetologically inclined. With range maps, detailed descriptions, photographs and drawings of 595 species and subspecies of snakes, turtles, lizards, frogs, toads, newts and salamanders. At the heart of the book are 50 color plates. (FG46, $21.00)
Picturing Old New England, Image and Memory  •  William H. Truettner  •  Roger B. Stein ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1999 •  HARD COVER  • 272 PAGES Art of the 19th to the mid- 20th century, evoking the small towns and coastal vistas of New England. (USE188, $70.00)
The Race to Save the Lord God Bird  •  Phillip Hoose NATURAL HISTORY •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 208 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) An engaging and well-researched history of the ivory-billed woodpecker, and the struggles surrounding its survival. It's a suspenseful and entertaining book about modern conservation and environmental issues for middle-school readers, featuring John James Audubon and others. The bird, only recently rediscovered, once ranged across the southeastern United States. With black-and-white photographs throughout. (BRD30, $21.00)
The Rascal King, The Life and Times of James Michael Curley  •  Jack Beatty BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2000 •  PAPER  • 592 PAGES Beatty, a contributor to the Atlantic, follows the climb of the notorious four-term Boston mayor (1874-1958) from Irish slums to political power in this full-length biography, originally published in 1992. Beatty weighs Curley's compassion, charisma and genius against his megalomania and two jail sentences. (BOS19, $22.50)
Recommended Country Inns New England, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont  •  Elizabeth Squier  •  Eleanor Berman GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 416 PAGES (USE373, $18.95)
Red Sox Century  •  Richard A. Johnson  •  Glenn Stout SPORT •  2004 •  PAPER  • 480 PAGES A gorgeously illustrated history of Boston's favorite baseball team, and favorite source of sorrow (they haven't won the World Series in more than 85 years!). (BBL14, $25.00)
Remember D-Day, Both Sides Tell Their Stories  •  Ronald J. Drez  •  David Eisenhower HISTORY •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 64 PAGES • YOUNG ADULTS An engaging and well-constructed history of the D-Day invasion for readers in grades 5 to 8, complete with anecdotes from soldiers, black-and-white photographs, plenty of historical information, and an introduction by David Eisenhower which paints a personal portrait of his grandfather, Dwight. (USA96, $17.95)
Return to Wild America, A Yearlong Search for the Continent's Natural Soul  •  Scott Weidensaul NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 416 PAGES Weidensaul follows in the footsteps conservation pioneers Roger Tory Peterson and James Fisher in this homage to their 1953 journey, modern travelogue and eye-opening report on wilderness in America. (USA123, $15.00)
The Rise of Silas Lapham  •  William Dean Howells LITERATURE •  1983 •  PAPER  • 368 PAGES A classic novel of the Gilded Age, where wealth and the Boston aristocracy collide as entrepreneur Silas Lapham attempts to translate his riches into social status by marrying off his daughters. Howells, a realist, explores the relationship between morality and money as Lapham can only find moral renewal through bankruptcy. Originally published in 1885. (BOS21, $15.00)
Rise to Rebellion  •  Jeff M. Shaara LITERATURE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 576 PAGES Shaara, a storyteller of note, here turns from the Civil War to the signature moments of the American Revolution -- as seen through the eyes of key figures. The book follows events and personalities from the 1770 Boston Massacre through the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Sam Adams, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, British general Thomas Gage provide diverse points of view, interwoven with portraits of Patrick Henry, Thomas Paine, Paul Revere, John Hancock and Thomas Jefferson and others. (USE287, $15.95)
Road Guide New England, Atlantic Northeast  •  Hallwag MAP A map of the Northeast, from the Chesapeake through all of New England and half of Nova Scotia, at a nice scale of 1:1,200,000. With a gazetteer, national parks, and more detailed insets of major cities. (USE58, $12.95)
Sails and Steam in the Mountains, A Maritime and Military History of Lake George and Lake Champlain  •  Russell Bellico HISTORY •  1992 •  PAPER  • 393 PAGES A well written account of the Battle of Valcour. (USE167, $25.00)
Shaker: Life, Work, and Art  •  June Sprigg RELIGION •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 278 PAGES An illustrated survey of Shaker society, architecture and design. (USE245, $19.98)
The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America  •  David Sibley FIELD GUIDE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 432 PAGES A compact, geographically-specific version of the Sibley Guide with all-new range maps, the same glorious illustrations and expanded, extremely valuable descriptions of each bird with status, habitat, range, voice and identifying marks. It includes 20 pages on the many and confusing species of wood warblers. This is the book we are now using. For birders living west of the Rockies, you'll want to use Sibley's "Birds of Western North America" (USW418). (USE262, $19.95)
The Sierra Club Guide to the Ancient Forests of the Northeast  •  Bruce Kershner  •  Robert T. Leverett GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 292 PAGES A handy guide to the old-growth forests of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Organized geographically, each forest gest a brief descritpion with highlights, driving directions and contact information. (USE336, $16.95)
Stolen Continents, 500 Years of Conquest and Resistance in the Americas  •  Ronald Wright HISTORY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 464 PAGES A powerful history of imperialism and resistance in the Americas, with a focus on the Aztec, Maya, Inca, Cherokee and Iroquois. Wright's illuminating account, told largely from the point of view of the losers, details the rapid collapse of cultures and societies in the Americas following the arrival of the Europeans in 1492. Wright draws on an impressive range of archival material in reconstructing this classic account, originally published in 1993. Wright is also the author of Time Among the Maya. (NAM20, $17.00)
A Studio of Her Own, Women Artists in Boston 1870-1940  •  Erica E. Hirshler ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 256 PAGES Published in conjunction with an MFA exhibit of the same name, this nicely ilustrated book considers the art and sphere of Boston-based women artists from the close of the Civil War to the beginning of World War II. Hirshler, a curator of American painting at the MFA, unearths some hitherto unknown greats and champions some forgotten pioneers. (BOS08, $40.00)
To See Every Bird On Earth: A Father, A Son, And A Lifelong Obsession  •  Dan Koeppel NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES Ostensibly about birds and birdwatching, this enormously appealing book is a memoir by a talented writer of his father, a father who happens to be in the elite cadre of major birders. Dan Koeppel chronicles his father's growing interest in birds in this enormously appealing memoir of a life devoted to birds. Richard is a member of an elite group who have tallied more than 7,000 species. Koeppel includes his own travels tagging along and brief profiles of other eccentric listers. (BRD28, $14.00)
Treasures of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston  •  Malcolm Rogers  •  Gilian Wohlauer ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1998 •  HARD COVER  • 320 PAGES A fully illustrated collection of masterpieces from the Museum of Fine Arts, organized thematically with captions and chapter introductions by a team of curators at the MFA. Featuring 280 full color reproductions. (USE241, $11.95)
The Verb to Bird, Sightings of an Avid Birder  •  Peter Cashwell NATURAL HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 269 PAGES A memoir of the birding life, its pleasures, obsessions and pitfalls. Based in the Carolinas (where he teaches English), Cashwell recounts in these essays the birds he's encountered, the why and wherefores of the birding life and some very entertaining anecdotes. Along the way, Cashwell traces his own development from casual novice to life lister (with a desire to see all the birds of North America). (BRD26, $14.95)
A Walk in the Woods  •  Bill Bryson TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 276 PAGES Bryson manages to combine biting satire with a certain warmth in all his books, and this one is no exception. He tackles (or tries to, anyway) the whole of the Appalachian trail, starting in Georgia. It's not only a very entertaining read, but a fond memoir and very evocative of some unusual locales. (USE01, $14.95)
Western New England Map  •  National Geographic MAP A regional map of New England, including Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. (USE40, $7.95)