I received this email from Gretchen Gudefin about The Country of the Pointed Firs, which I am now reading. She wrote,
Anything by Sarah Orne Jewett (1849-1909) . As an up and coming writer at the turn of the 20thC, Willa Cather idolized Jewett who took her under her wing and mentored her. Cather even dedicated "O! Pioneers" to her. Jewett is best known ( and loved ) for her stories of the small seaport towns of Maine in the late 1800s where she was born and raised as were generations of her long family line. She populates her world with strong and endearing women both young and old, most of whom are carving out lives for themselves in what is a bit of a matriarchal society with the menfolk often out to sea. Charming, funny, often nostalgic and sentimental and some of the most gorgeous, poetic prose you will ever read. "Country of the Pointed Firs" is perhaps her best known, most beloved work and tells the story (in first person) of an author who leaves her village to travel "Down East" to a small island off the coast for inspiration and time to write…
Jewett’s work is deeply evocative of her time and place ( and may not have appeal outside of New England ) but I could not resist recommending her to you, with "Country of the Pointed Firs” being the probably the best introduction to her writing.
Above is the original vintage cover of the book which was published in the late 19th century. A few lines will help you to understand why I'm enjoying it…
We were standing where there was a fine view of the harbor and its long stretches of shore all covered by the great army of the pointed firs, darkly cloaked and standing as if they waited to embark. As we looked far seaward among the outer islands, the trees seemed to march seaward still, going steadily over the heights and down to the water's edge.
Reading a book that was written 120 years ago is a perfect way to hone one's time traveling skills. And now of course Maine, being practically a foreign country to me, is beckoning. 
I finished The Farm in a couple of days. The ending was sort of abrupt, but even so I did enjoy the story. I would never describe it as a remarkable achievement, but it was solid enough to keep me turning the pages. Book reviews are so subjective. I almost never find them reliable. Each person is really on their own when it comes to finding a good story to fit what they crave. Here is what I've read lately and what I've sampled.
I'm not sure where I'm headed next, but I am in no hurry to get there. I think I'll hang out in pointed fir country for awhile. If you start reading it I'll see you in Mrs. Todd's garden.
Hey Mary Ann:
I thought of you when I came across this book list. I know you’re always looking for interesting books to read. I’ve found a few on here. I’m going to check them out. Hope you enjoy it! Here’s the link:
http://www.publicationcoach.com/recommendedreadingchristmas2014/utm_source=aweber&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20141125
I highly recc Rachel Joyce’s “The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.” The sample got me hooked and I couldn’t put it down.
Looking at your list and am getting ready to make some selections. I recently read “Gold Finch”. I initially liked it, but towards the end, it became so tedious. Stuck with it because I had invested so much time and hoped it would improve. Wondering if anyone else felt the same way?
Off to request The Country of the Pointed Firs from the library. I lived in Southwest Harbor Maine for a year and a half as a child. It remains the most beautiful, idyllic place I’ve ever lived. That sweet little town was the perfect place for an adolescent child wanting more independence. I’ve been wanting to get back there and am thinking we should visit next summer, while my son is the same age I was when I lived there.
I was captured by the novel of Amy Brill “The movement of stars” about 24 year old Hannah, living in a quaker community in New England. Based on the life of Maria Mitchell (1818-1889) America’s first female astronomer who discoverd a planet. Facinating reading material !!
joan –
that’s the kindle app on my ipad. you can download samples of books to try and see if you like before buying. i do that A LOT as you can see from my screen. love that feature. it’s saved me plenty of dough.
It’s come a quite a revelation to me very recently that it really is quite subjective what qualifies as a good book. I don’t know why that is…I just assumed that if it’s an ebook I bought on the cheap that doesn’t have tons of glowing reviews, that it’s probably not good because it’s not on some bestseller list. But I’m learning that it’s not necessarily so.
I discovered this video yesterday about books, thought it appropriate for your book post –
http://wdea.am/all-about-the-books-mdi-high-school-video/?trackback=fbshare_mobile
I have never been to New England, and have been quite struck with wanting to visit Maine and Vermont too – particularly since reading about the Meleen and Charlotte’s farm getaway. It sounds quite magical.
I thoroughly enjoyed “The Country of the Pointed Firs”…so very charming. I especially enjoyed the preparation and eventual travel to the “gathering”…a real peek into rural life on an island all those many years ago. A friend loaned me the book which had a different cover than either you showed and was quite old. A real treasure. Amazing to hear that you have read it as well!
What’s up with the books with “sample” across the corners….are they not complete books? Are these eReaders? I don’t have one of those devices.
You’ve been busy with the books…I don’t know how you find the time.
This blog is fast becoming my book review site! Lots of good reads stacked up to relax with.
Just discovered this site which may be of interest to avid readers.
https://www.librarything.com/home
LibraryThing is an online service to help people catalog their books easily. You can access your catalog from anywhere—even on your mobile phone. Because everyone catalogs together, LibraryThing also connects people with the same books, comes up with suggestions for what to read next, and so forth.
You’ve got to take a vacation to the Maine Coast, Mary Ann. We spent a week on Bailey Island (within an hour or so of Portland, where we flew in) at this rental on a little cliff right above the ocean: http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p106396, and the next door house is also a great rental:http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p232029 We got groceries and bought books and pastries to go with our morning coffee in Brunswick, shopped in “prettiest little village in Maine” Wiscasset (gotta have a lobster roll at Red’s Eats), visited Pemaquid Light in Bristol and took some day trips to Camden and Rockport, but mostly stayed at the cottage and watched the ocean, where I sketched at a table in front of the windows looking out at the ocean and Ragged Island where Edna St. Vincent Millay spent many years. Summer can be foggy and buggy. We went in late September and it was glorious!