Good NH Historical Fiction Recommendation

Jmo77011 · 07-25-2011, 06:34 AM

Yes! I third "Look to the Mountain". I was trying to remember the author but couldn't come up with the name. Great book!

tis · 07-25-2011, 07:14 AM

I fourth "Look to the Mountain". I was going to mention it but was trying to think of more Lakes Region books although didn't they cross Lake Winni? It has been YEARS since I read that.

CateP · 07-25-2011, 09:11 AM

I am starting my NH fiction library and bought the following books:

Look to the Mountain-Legrand Cannon
Not Without Peril-Nicholas Howe
Tracked in the Whites: A Mystery-Tom Eslick

That should be a good start.

Thanks all for the recommendations so far. VERY HELPFUL thread.

Jmo77011 · 07-25-2011, 09:38 AM

I'm going to go dig out my copy of "Look to the Mountain" this afternoon. I vaguely remember Sandwich being mentioned a bit? Maybe not...it's been a long time!

NickNH · 07-25-2011, 10:15 AM

Look to the Mountain definitely mentiopns Sandwich...alot of it is based in that area.

The following books by Anita Shreve are set in the same house on the NH Coast:

Fortune's Rocks
Seaglass
The Pilot's Wife
Body Surfing

And, her The Weight of Water is an interpretation of the actual murders on Smuttynose way back when....great read also.

ghfromaltonbay · 07-25-2011, 10:30 AM

Although it's not fiction, I would recommend "We Took to the Woods" by Louise Dickinson Rich. She was a school teacher who went to Maine on a vacation and stayed & married a Maine guide back in the 1930's. The location is on the Maine/NH border near Lake Umbagog. This book and its sequel were really riveting. Back then life was a lot more isolated in the winter and she wound up basically delivering her son alone. There are a lot of NH references, and the book really gives insight into life in the Northwoods back in the mid-20th century.

CateP · 07-25-2011, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghfromaltonbay

Although it's not fiction, I would recommend "We Took to the Woods" by Louise Dickinson Rich. She was a school teacher who went to Maine on a vacation and stayed & married a Maine guide back in the 1930's. The location is on the Maine/NH border near Lake Umbagog. This book and its sequel were really riveting. Back then life was a lot more isolated in the winter and she wound up basically delivering her son alone. There are a lot of NH references, and the book really gives insight into life in the Northwoods back in the mid-20th century.

I've had some of my best camping experiences on Lake Umbagog. Thanks for the recommendation.

tis · 07-25-2011, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickNH

Look to the Mountain definitely mentiopns Sandwich...alot of it is based in that area.

The following books by Anita Shreve are set in the same house on the NH Coast:

Fortune's Rocks
Seaglass
The Pilot's Wife
Body Surfing

And, her The Weight of Water is an interpretation of the actual murders on Smuttynose way back when....great read also.

I loved those! I especially remember Pilot's Wife and Fortune's Rocks so I must have really liked those. I don't know if I read Body Surfing. I don't remember that one.

CrawfordCentury · 07-25-2011, 01:32 PM

John Irving's "Prayer for Owen Meany" was set in Exeter. I believe he gave it the fictional name of Gravesend or some such. I was living in the area when I was reading it; used to look up from the page while reading on the bandstand or and see landmarks he was describing.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Great Stone Face" is a nice short story about a boy named Ernest who seeks inspiration from the Old Man of the Mtn.

For non-fiction, I love the writing of Howard Mansfield. He and his nature writer wife Sy Montgomery live in Hancock. Howard writes a lot about New England in popular historical memory. I recommend "Memory House" and "The Same Ax Twice"

NickNH · 07-25-2011, 02:17 PM

Quote:

I loved those! I especially remember Pilot's Wife and Fortune's Rocks so I must have really liked those. I don't know if I read Body Surfing. I don't remember that one.

I think Fortune's Rocks was my favorite of that series......Body Surfing was published in 2007.....

Island Girl · 07-25-2011, 08:12 PM

A book about Rattlesnake Island.... Really terrible... But intriguing bit of reading... Serpents living inside the island and attacking people!

CateP · 07-25-2011, 08:43 PM

Looks to me like the lakes region is in need of some good historical (or not) fiction. Perhaps some of you more prolific writers out there could take this on as a project?? Looks like there is an audience.

I'm thinking of a haunting...a story of an unsolved mystery that happened l-o-n-g ago. Maybe something was discovered under the lake by divers. (or children visiting for the summer). The CLUE!!

wolfegirl · 07-25-2011, 09:39 PM

I found this book a good read: Perfection to A Fault, a small murder in Ossippe NH, 1916. link is below to amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Perfection-Fau.../dp/0970551002

I think the bookstore at Durgin Stable 'mall' in Wolfeboro has a local interest section with many good titles.

-Marcia

Island Girl · 07-25-2011, 09:47 PM

A new children's book. Nicely done.... About kids getting lost on the witches. The author was in Wolfeboro last weekend, and had the same voice as William Hurt.

NickNH · 07-25-2011, 09:59 PM

Bayswater in Ctr Harbor (just moved to Heaths plaza near Keepsake) has a local interest section too......

CateP · 07-25-2011, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfegirl

I found this book a good read: Perfection to A Fault, a small murder in Ossippe NH, 1916. link is below to amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Perfection-Fau.../dp/0970551002

I think the bookstore at Durgin Stable 'mall' in Wolfeboro has a local interest section with many good titles.

-Marcia

I read some excerpts and got sucked in and had to get it. Thanks Marcia!

nj2nh · 07-30-2011, 06:08 PM

John Irving may have been bron in Exeter, NH, but he left long ago. I had him as a professor in college in Massachusetts right before he has his first big success.

Most of Jodi Piccoult's novels are set in NH, but her grasp of history is a little off. Her grasp of the law is way off.

I read the book about NH gold. Fun read.

Jmo77011 · 07-30-2011, 06:43 PM

He grew up here and went to school and college here, so in my book that makes him a "native" NH writer.

I did end up going back and reading "Look to the Mountain" again...thanks for the inspiration Cate! This is a great thread as I am always interested in what people are reading and getting reccomendations!

Rattlesnake Gal · 08-01-2011, 02:57 PM

Cindy Davis is worth a look. She is working on a series of mystery books set at Lake Winnipesaukee. I believe she told me that there would be five in all.

A Little Murder
ER nurse, Angie Deacon faces her first murder.

Winnipesaukee.com thread - New Book: A Little Murder!

Amazon Link for Paperback

Amazon Link for Kindle

The second book in the series, which I have, but haven't read yet is:

Play With Fire
Angie Deacon's boyfriend shot the star of the play, or did he?

Amazon Link for Paperback

Amazon Link for Kindle

Hair of the Dog
A barking dog means murder, and Angie Deacon's a suspect.

Amazon Link for Paperback

Amazon Link for Kindle

NickNH · 08-01-2011, 03:09 PM

I'm just finishing up the Perfection to a Fault book......thanks to whomever recommended it!!!

Alton Bay · 08-01-2011, 09:28 PM

The Governor's Lady by Thomas Head Raddall is an historical fiction book written about Gov. John Wentworth and his wife.
I haven't read it but it has been recommended by a dear friend who has lived in Wolfeboro for 87 years. If you check Amazon, there are copies out there :-)

tis · 08-02-2011, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alton Bay

The Governor's Lady by Thomas Head Raddall is an historical fiction book written about Gov. John Wentworth and his wife.
I haven't read it but it has been recommended by a dear friend who has lived in Wolfeboro for 87 years. If you check Amazon, there are copies out there :-)

Oh, I forgot about that book! I loved it! I might try to find it and read it again, I read it years ago!! THanks for the reminder.

CrawfordCentury · 08-02-2011, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tis

Oh, I forgot about that book! I loved it! I might try to find it and read it again, I read it years ago!! THanks for the reminder.

Those Wentworths were an interesting lot.

John W.'s uncle and gubernatorial predecessor, Benning, earlier scandalized Portsmouth society by marrying his 16 year old maid, Martha Hilton.

John later married his cousin Frances almost literally before her late husband's body was cold.

Bit o' trivia: Francestown - over by Peterborough - was named after Frances Wentworth.

ghfromaltonbay · 08-02-2011, 12:37 PM

For summer "mystery" reading, look at some novels by Rebecca James such as Storm's End, The House is Dark, and Tomorrow is Mine. "Rebecca James" was actually James Elward, an actor and writer, who appeared for many years in the Barnstomers' plays in Tamworth and spent summers for decades there. Jim lived in NYC and wrote for shows such as "Guiding Light" and "Dr. Kildare". He used a pseudonym and "The House is Dark" is a mystery involving a summer theater. He did write a few novels under his own name, and was commissioned to finish Helen Van Slyke's last novel, "Public Smiles, Private Tears" after her death. Jim also wrote several plays including "The Best of Friends" which was produced in London back in the 1970's. I especially remember him playing Oscar Madison in "The Odd Couple" at Tamworth opposite William Christopher (as Felix Unger). Yes, that's the same William Christopher who played Father Mulcahy in "MASH". Mr. Christopher was also a Barnstormer in his early career.

garysanfran · 10-06-2011, 07:36 PM

A very entertaining mystery set on the Lake around 1984. I related well to the description of The Mount, the local towns, islands, The Weirs, the way-of-life here, etc.

State · 10-09-2011, 02:26 PM

Nathaniel Hawthorne, who died in Plymouth, NH--we're approaching the sesquicentennial--has several short stories that are not surpassed set in the Granite State.

One example not yet mentioned is "The Ambitious Guest."

07-25-2011, 09:11 AM	#3
CateP Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Wolfeboro Posts: 868 Thanks: 584 Thanked 540 Times in 210 Posts	Three Books I Purchased I am starting my NH fiction library and bought the following books: Look to the Mountain-Legrand Cannon Not Without Peril-Nicholas Howe Tracked in the Whites: A Mystery-Tom Eslick That should be a good start. Thanks all for the recommendations so far. VERY HELPFUL thread.

07-25-2011, 09:38 AM	#4
Jmo77011 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 86 Thanks: 60 Thanked 21 Times in 19 Posts	Inspired me I'm going to go dig out my copy of "Look to the Mountain" this afternoon. I vaguely remember Sandwich being mentioned a bit? Maybe not...it's been a long time!

07-25-2011, 10:30 AM	#6
ghfromaltonbay Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Clifton, NJ, Alton Bay Posts: 829 Thanks: 255 Thanked 225 Times in 131 Posts	We Took to the Woods Although it's not fiction, I would recommend "We Took to the Woods" by Louise Dickinson Rich. She was a school teacher who went to Maine on a vacation and stayed & married a Maine guide back in the 1930's. The location is on the Maine/NH border near Lake Umbagog. This book and its sequel were really riveting. Back then life was a lot more isolated in the winter and she wound up basically delivering her son alone. There are a lot of NH references, and the book really gives insight into life in the Northwoods back in the mid-20th century.

07-25-2011, 01:32 PM	#9
CrawfordCentury Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somewhere betwixt Gonic and Chocorua Posts: 191 Thanks: 13 Thanked 30 Times in 21 Posts	John Irving's "Prayer for Owen Meany" was set in Exeter. I believe he gave it the fictional name of Gravesend or some such. I was living in the area when I was reading it; used to look up from the page while reading on the bandstand or and see landmarks he was describing. Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Great Stone Face" is a nice short story about a boy named Ernest who seeks inspiration from the Old Man of the Mtn. For non-fiction, I love the writing of Howard Mansfield. He and his nature writer wife Sy Montgomery live in Hancock. Howard writes a lot about New England in popular historical memory. I recommend "Memory House" and "The Same Ax Twice" __________________ Plant a garden. Heat with wood. And thank a veteran.

07-25-2011, 08:12 PM	#11
Island Girl Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Central MA Posts: 2,352 Thanks: 18 Thanked 535 Times in 179 Posts	Serpent Island A book about Rattlesnake Island.... Really terrible... But intriguing bit of reading... Serpents living inside the island and attacking people! __________________ Island Girl ....... Make Lemonade

07-25-2011, 06:34 AM	#1
Jmo77011 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 86 Thanks: 60 Thanked 21 Times in 19 Posts	Yes! I third "Look to the Mountain". I was trying to remember the author but couldn't come up with the name. Great book!

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KPW (08-02-2011)

07-25-2011, 07:14 AM	#2
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,769 Thanks: 755 Thanked 1,462 Times in 1,018 Posts	I fourth "Look to the Mountain". I was going to mention it but was trying to think of more Lakes Region books although didn't they cross Lake Winni? It has been YEARS since I read that.

07-25-2011, 10:15 AM	#5
NickNH Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 85 Thanks: 103 Thanked 14 Times in 11 Posts	Look to the Mountain definitely mentiopns Sandwich...alot of it is based in that area. The following books by Anita Shreve are set in the same house on the NH Coast: Fortune's Rocks Seaglass The Pilot's Wife Body Surfing And, her The Weight of Water is an interpretation of the actual murders on Smuttynose way back when....great read also.

The Following User Says Thank You to tis For This Useful Post:
NickNH (07-25-2011)

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CateP (07-25-2011)

07-25-2011, 08:43 PM	#12
CateP Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Wolfeboro Posts: 868 Thanks: 584 Thanked 540 Times in 210 Posts	What Lies Under the Lake Looks to me like the lakes region is in need of some good historical (or not) fiction. Perhaps some of you more prolific writers out there could take this on as a project?? Looks like there is an audience. I'm thinking of a haunting...a story of an unsolved mystery that happened l-o-n-g ago. Maybe something was discovered under the lake by divers. (or children visiting for the summer). The CLUE!!

07-25-2011, 09:39 PM	#13
wolfegirl Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Needham, MA, Wolfeboro, NH Posts: 31 Thanks: 26 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts	From the True Crime genre... I found this book a good read: Perfection to A Fault, a small murder in Ossippe NH, 1916. link is below to amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Perfection-Fau.../dp/0970551002 I think the bookstore at Durgin Stable 'mall' in Wolfeboro has a local interest section with many good titles. -Marcia

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CateP (07-25-2011)

07-25-2011, 09:47 PM	#14
Island Girl Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Central MA Posts: 2,352 Thanks: 18 Thanked 535 Times in 179 Posts	The Witches A new children's book. Nicely done.... About kids getting lost on the witches. The author was in Wolfeboro last weekend, and had the same voice as William Hurt. __________________ Island Girl ....... Make Lemonade

07-25-2011, 09:59 PM	#15
NickNH Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 85 Thanks: 103 Thanked 14 Times in 11 Posts	Bayswater in Ctr Harbor (just moved to Heaths plaza near Keepsake) has a local interest section too......

07-30-2011, 06:08 PM	#17
nj2nh Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 529 Thanks: 80 Thanked 47 Times in 27 Posts	John Irving may have been bron in Exeter, NH, but he left long ago. I had him as a professor in college in Massachusetts right before he has his first big success. Most of Jodi Piccoult's novels are set in NH, but her grasp of history is a little off. Her grasp of the law is way off. I read the book about NH gold. Fun read. __________________

07-30-2011, 06:43 PM	#18
Jmo77011 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 86 Thanks: 60 Thanked 21 Times in 19 Posts	He grew up here and went to school and college here, so in my book that makes him a "native" NH writer. I did end up going back and reading "Look to the Mountain" again...thanks for the inspiration Cate! This is a great thread as I am always interested in what people are reading and getting reccomendations!

08-01-2011, 02:57 PM	#19
Rattlesnake Gal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Central NH Posts: 5,252 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 1,451 Thanked 1,349 Times in 475 Posts	Cindy Davis - NH Author of Winnipesaukee Series Cindy Davis is worth a look. She is working on a series of mystery books set at Lake Winnipesaukee. I believe she told me that there would be five in all. A Little Murder ER nurse, Angie Deacon faces her first murder. Winnipesaukee.com thread - New Book: A Little Murder! Amazon Link for Paperback Amazon Link for Kindle The second book in the series, which I have, but haven't read yet is: Play With Fire Angie Deacon's boyfriend shot the star of the play, or did he? Amazon Link for Paperback Amazon Link for Kindle Hair of the Dog A barking dog means murder, and Angie Deacon's a suspect. Amazon Link for Paperback Amazon Link for Kindle

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CateP (08-02-2011)

08-01-2011, 03:09 PM	#20
NickNH Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 85 Thanks: 103 Thanked 14 Times in 11 Posts	I'm just finishing up the Perfection to a Fault book......thanks to whomever recommended it!!!

08-01-2011, 09:28 PM	#21
Alton Bay Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 188 Thanks: 73 Thanked 24 Times in 21 Posts	The Governor's Lady by Thomas Head Raddall is an historical fiction book written about Gov. John Wentworth and his wife. I haven't read it but it has been recommended by a dear friend who has lived in Wolfeboro for 87 years. If you check Amazon, there are copies out there :-)

08-02-2011, 12:37 PM	#24
ghfromaltonbay Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Clifton, NJ, Alton Bay Posts: 829 Thanks: 255 Thanked 225 Times in 131 Posts	Author with NH ties For summer "mystery" reading, look at some novels by Rebecca James such as Storm's End, The House is Dark, and Tomorrow is Mine. "Rebecca James" was actually James Elward, an actor and writer, who appeared for many years in the Barnstomers' plays in Tamworth and spent summers for decades there. Jim lived in NYC and wrote for shows such as "Guiding Light" and "Dr. Kildare". He used a pseudonym and "The House is Dark" is a mystery involving a summer theater. He did write a few novels under his own name, and was commissioned to finish Helen Van Slyke's last novel, "Public Smiles, Private Tears" after her death. Jim also wrote several plays including "The Best of Friends" which was produced in London back in the 1970's. I especially remember him playing Oscar Madison in "The Odd Couple" at Tamworth opposite William Christopher (as Felix Unger). Yes, that's the same William Christopher who played Father Mulcahy in "MASH". Mr. Christopher was also a Barnstormer in his early career. Last edited by ghfromaltonbay; 08-02-2011 at 12:38 PM. Reason: spelling

10-06-2011, 07:36 PM	#25
garysanfran Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: San Francisco/Meredith Posts: 1,578 Thanks: 675 Thanked 682 Times in 348 Posts	"Mystery on the Mount" by Spencer Charles... A very entertaining mystery set on the Lake around 1984. I related well to the description of The Mount, the local towns, islands, The Weirs, the way-of-life here, etc. __________________ Gary ~~~~_/) ~~~ ~~~~~~~~

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CateP (10-06-2011)

10-09-2011, 02:26 PM	#26
State Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Lakes Region Posts: 16 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Nathaniel Hawthorne, who died in Plymouth, NH--we're approaching the sesquicentennial--has several short stories that are not surpassed set in the Granite State. One example not yet mentioned is "The Ambitious Guest."