The best of Maine's contemporary authors celebrate their state in poetry, fiction, and essays that comprise a lively sampler as varied as the state that inspired it. A treasury of works --many previously unpublished--it includes Philip Booth, Franklin Burroughs, Carolyn Chute, Robert Creeley, Amy Clampitt, George Garrett, Susan Kenney, Cathie Pelletier, and 32 others.

Wesley McNair is a kind of Chekhov of American poetry." --Ted Kooser, Pulitzer Prize winner and Poet Laureate Wesley McNair offers a full vision of human life, both its hardships and its rich possibilities. Opening with poems about growing up with family conflict in a New England of broken farms and towns, McNair explores the limits of personal wishes and American dreams. Here too are haunting encounters with ghost selves, the dead, and the gangsters in old movies; the poignant hopefulness of comb-overs; and a transcendent series of lyrics that celebrate self-acceptance and the spiritual dimension of "life on the ground."

Here Carolyn Chute, Stephen King, Bill Roorbach, Richard Russo, Monica Wood, and nine other stellar Maine writers prove that the state is a superb source of inspiration for fiction. They capture Maine's atmospheric landscape, sharply defined seasons — and an assortment of unforgettable characters. Originally published as Contemporary Maine Fiction, the paperback edition bears a new title. Selected by Maine's premier anthologist, this is truly the best fiction you'll find in Maine today.

Proponents of the new regional history understand that regional identities are constructed and contested, multifarious and not monolithic, that they involve questions of dominance and power, and that their nature is inherently political. In this lively new book, writing in the spirit of these understandings, Kent Ryden engagingly examines works of American regional writing to show us how literary partisans of place create and recreate, attack and defend, argue over and dramatize the meaning and identity of their regions in the pages of their books. Cleverly drawing upon mathematical models that complement his ideas and focusing on both classic and contemporary literary regionalists, Ryden demonstrates that regionalism, in the cultural sense, retains a great deal of power as a framework for literary interpretation. For New England he examines such writers as Robert Frost and Hayden Carruth, Mary E. Wilkins Freeman and Edith Wharton, and Carolyn Chute and Russell Banks to demonstrate that today’s regionalists inspire closer, more democratic readings of life and landscape. For the West and South, he describes Wallace Stegner’s and William Faulkner’s use of region to, respectively, exclude and evade or confront and indict. For the Midwest, he focuses on C. J. Hribal, William Least Heat-Moon, Paul Gruchow, and others to demonstrate that midwesterners continually construct the past anew from the materials at hand, filling the seemingly empty midlands with history and significance. Ryden reveals that there are many Wests, many New Englands, many Souths, and many Midwests, all raising similar issues about the cultural politics of region and place. Writing with appealing freshness and a sense of adventure, he shows us that place, and the stories that emerge from and define place, can be a source of subversive energy that blunts the homogenizing force of region, inscribing marginal places and people back onto the imaginative surface of the landscape when we read it on a place-by-place, landscape-by-landscape, book-by-book basis.

"Wesley McNair is a kind of Chekhov of American poetry."--Ted Kooser, Pulitzer Prize winner and Poet Laureate Here are two Wesley McNair's poetry collections in one volume. The Town of No and My Brother Running blend sorrow and humor to create unforgettable portraits of people, places, and rural New England life.

Discover Maine with Moon Travel Guides! Explore the best of Maine's spruce-studded mountains, classic shoreline villages, and rugged character with Moon Maine. Inside you'll find: Strategic itineraries for any budget and timeline, whether you're craving fall foliage, winter sports, spring markets, or summer beaches, ranging from a ten-day road trip through the whole state, to a week exploring the coast Detailed maps and handy reference photos throughout Curated advice for history buffs, foodies, beach-goers, outdoor adventurers, and more Must-see attractions and off-beat ideas for making the most of your trip: Hike or bike through lush timberland forests, ski the slopes at Sugarloaf, or canoe down the Allagash. Sample wild blueberries, farmstead cheeses, and preserves from roadside farmers markets, find the best beachfront lobster shack, or mingle with locals over a "chowdah suppah." Discover maritime history in a traditional fishing village, or hit the galleries, museums, and performing arts centers in Portland. Watch the boats sway in a quiet harbor, unwind on a sandy pocket beach, or immerse yourself in the secluded wilderness of Acadia National Park Honest advice from Maine native Hilary Nangle on when to go, where to eat, and where to stay, from luxury hotels and historic inns to budget campgrounds Recommendations for getting there and getting around by plane, car, train, or bus Thorough background on the culture, environment, wildlife, and history With Moon's local insight, diverse activities, and expert tips on experiencing the best of Maine, you can plan your trip your way! Hitting the road? Try Moon New England Road Trip. If you're headed north, try Moon Nova Scotia, New Brunswick & Prince Edward Island or Moon Montréal & Québec City.

Its hooves were supposedly a cure for epilepsy; it is the mascot of the Seattle Mariners baseball team and the clothing company Abercrombie & Fitch; and its meat is a delicacy. The moose is a fascinating but elusive animal of the north, and its little-known natural history is the focus of Kevin Jackson’s engaging new book. Moose explains moose’s biological history and describes its natural environments around the world, including Canada, New England, Alaska, and Scandinavia, where the moose is the national animal of Sweden and Norway. Jackson considers why the moose is really an elk and an elk is a wapiti, and he also looks at the controversy behind the naming of the Irish Elk. Moose explores the animal’s role in human history since the Stone Age, including the “alces” in Julius Caesar’s history of the Gallic Wars and its influence on figures such as poet Ted Hughes and Theodore Roosevelt and his Bull Moose Party. The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, a 150-foot statue being built in Sweden, and colorful moose lore all appear in this wide-ranging study, making this an essential read for naturalists and moose lovers alike.

When Sarah Palin says it, all of America hears it. In the few years since Americans met Sarah Palin, her every word has been chronicled, analyzed, celebrated, and yes, infamously disparaged. Regardless of your party affiliation, it's impossible to deny her influence on American politics and the dialogue her ideas have generated. Author Matt Lewis has gathered some of Palin's most memorable remarks, reminding us that whether you consider her a rogue or a patriot, her words reveal a genuine love for America. Endorsements: If you learned everything you knew about American politics from Matt Lewis, you'd be in pretty good shape. I should know, since I practically do. ?Tucker Carlson, Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Daily Caller Matt Lewis is a conservative provocateur and has an easy way of making complicated issues understandable and leaving the DC jargon off the table. Matt's projects always make you think, reflect and act. ?Governor Rick Perry, 47th Governor of Texas Sarah Palin is one of the most important conservative leaders in America -- and Matt Lewis is one of my favorite writers. Every conservative ought to have a copy of the Quotable Rogue in their personal library -- if for no other reason than to refute the distortions and lies constantly hurled at Palin by her detractors. ?Ken Blackwell, former Ohio Secretary of State, senior fellow at the Family Research Council For all the accolades heaped on Mr. Obama for his soaring rhetoric and brilliant, professorial oratory, it's hard to deny that Sarah Palin is one of the most quotable leaders of the 21st century. The Quotable Rogue brings that into stunning clarity. And it's not because she's controversial -- it's because she's usually just right. ?S.E. Cupp, political columnist and culture critic, author of Losing Our Religion: The Liberal Media’s Attack on Christianity As you'll see in Matt's book, the reason for Sarah Palin's popularity is that she speaks in a blunt fashion and exposes truths that the politically correct job-protecting elites are fearful of. She is a far wiser woman than Katie Couric. ?Andrew Breitbart, Breitbart.com, author of Righteous Indignation Sarah Palin drives the left crazy and makes many of the Republicans who collaborated with Democrats to destroy our fiscal wellbeing duck and cover. Matt Lewis captures, through Sarah Palin's own words, her wit, wisdom, and basic sense that America remains the last best hope for mankind. ?Erick Erickson, Editor-in-Chief of RedState.com Steadfast in her beliefs and fearless in her demeanor, Sarah Palin has become a leading voice in today’s conservative movement and has inspired a new generation of activists. This book of quotes captures the independent spirit of Palin and is a great resource for all of us who are ‘going rogue’ alongside her. ?Teri Christoph, co-founder, Smart Girl Politics A book like this one is absolutely essential in a world where the media refuses to quote Gov. Palin without liberal doses of snark, vitriol, and hyperbole. It's refreshing to see straight quotes in print so that readers can make up their own minds. ?Adam Brickley, founder, "Draft Sarah Palin for Vice President"

Collecting advice, quotes, essays, and observations from hundreds of famous actors and highly regarded acting teachers, The Quotable Actor covers a wide range of topics on the art and history of acting. Entertaining, instructive, and informative, it is organized into specific, easy-to-search categories, such as "On Why We Act"; "On Auditioning"; "On Struggling and Building a Career"; and "On Gender Differences and Aging in the Biz." From art and technique to business and lifestyle, entries include fascinating anecdotes and advice from some of the greatest actors in history: Marlon Brando commenting on the rehearsal process Meryl Streep’s advice on building a character Al Pacino recalling what it was like to be a starving young artist Beauty tips from some of Hollywood’s leading ladies Recollections of horrible auditions from A-list stars Musings from Jack Nicholson, Edwin Booth, and many others Additional contributors include Constantin Stanislavski, Daniel Day-Lewis, Ellen Burstyn, Julie Andrews, Paul Newman, and Peter O’Toole—providing insights into the actor’s craft that are equally useful to young actors just starting out and accomplished professionals looking for inspiration in the words of peers.