NEW HAMPSHIRE COLUMN BOOKS

by Eleanor O'Donnell

Basch, Marty. THE WHITE MOUNTAIN RIDE GUIDE, A BACK-ROAD AND TRAILSIDE COMPANION. Top of the World Communications. 1998. $12.95 ISBN 0-9646510-2-5
Basch, who lives in Intervale, brings his knowledge of the White Mountains and his love of bicycling to this guidebook. Descriptions of 40 bike rides for both road cyclists and mountain bikers include maps, driving directions, listings of White Mountain bike shops, and hints on bike safety.

BRIDGEWATER ADVOCATE VOLUME 2, NO. 1: A SAMPLER FROM A HUNDRED OLD HOME DAYS ON BRIDGEWATER, HILL, AND A FAMILY ALBUM OF REMEMBRANCES. Order from the Bridge-water Historical Society, Nancy Gray, Secretary/Treasurer, 773 River Road, Plymouth, N.H. 03264. 1998. $25.00, plus $3.50 shipping and handling.
Bridgewater has celebrated Old Home Day since its inception in 1899. This special issue of the Bridgewater Advocate summarizes a hundred years of Old Home Days, including local lore, and a family album of remembrances and Bridgewater activities.

Curren, Thomas. OLD HOME DAY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1899-1998. Order from Inherit New Hampshire, P.O. Box 268, Concord, N.H. 03302-0268. 1998. $5.00, plus $2.00 shipping and handling.
Old Home Week was initiated in 1899 by Governor Rollins to invigorate the state's economy. Celebrating the family reunion of a community has become a New Hampshire tradition. This booklet explains the origins of Old Home Day, how it was and is now celebrated, the ideals, the rituals, and a guide on how to organize the celebration of Old Home Day in your community.

DiFrancesco, Barbara L. HIS WINDOW ON THE WORLD: THE PISCATAQUA AND THE DAYS OF HOPLEY YEATON. Order from the Author, 701 5th Street, Tularosa, N.M. 88352. 1997. $19.95 ISBN 0-9660822-0-6
Hopley Yeaton, who was known as one of Portsmouth's best mariners, became the first commissioned officer of the Revenue Cutter Service, which later became the U.S. Coast Guard. This biography covers his years as a member of the Sons of Liberty, a New Hampshire militiaman, and a Second Lieutenant in the Continental Navy.

Fillion, Robert G. EAST HAVER-HILL IN THE 20TH CENTURY. Haverhill Heritage Books, P.O. Box 283, Woodsville, N.H. 03785-0283. 1998. $8.00
This booklet is Part 3 of the author's History of East Haverhill, N.H., and completes the work begun with From Number Six to the Oliverian, and East Haverhill Long Ago. Describes economic and social life in the small community during this century.

Gange, Jared. HIKER'S GUIDE TO THE MOUNTAINS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. Huntington Graphics. 1997. $13.95 ISBN 1-886064-04-0
This guidebook to 192 popular hikes, the majority of which are in the White Mountain National Forest, gives trail descriptions keyed to maps.

Goldsack, Bob. REMEMBERING BENSON'S WILD ANIMAL FARM, HUDSON, NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1927-1987. Midway Museum Publications, P.O. Box 6477, Nashua, N.H. 03063. 1998. $15.00 ISBN 1-880545-05-5
Nostalgia buffs will enjoy reading about Benson's Wild Animal Farm and Circus, which was founded in the 1920's by John T. Benson, an Englishman and dealer in exotic animals. On a Sunday, parents and eager children would travel on the Jungle Train from Boston to visit the farm. The train ride and admission to the farm were covered by a combination ticket. The train would be welcomed by a white robed figure sitting on a camel. Many historic photographs will bring back memories. The park, which later changed its name to the New England Playworld, closed in 1987.

Jesep, Paul Peter. ROCKINGHAM PARK, 1933-1969: A HISTORY OF POWER, GLAMOUR, AND GAMBLING. Published for the Lou and Lutza Smith Foundation. Order from Peter E. Randall, Publisher, Portsmouth Marine Society, P.O. Box 4726, Portsmouth, N.H. 03802. 1998. $25.00, plus $4.00 shipping and handling. ISBN 0-9144339-71-0
Lou Smith, founder of Rock-ingham Park, brought world class thoroughbred racing and legalized pari-mutuel gambling to New Hampshire. The track generated over 100 million dollars for the state's general fund. The revenue generated by the track is said to have been responsible for not getting a broadbased tax in New Hampshire. Governors and congressional delegations regularly visited the track, as did many celebrities and royalty. Lou and his wife, Lutza, gave millions of dollars to various charities in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, especially Cardinal Cush-ing's Catholic charities. This book brings to life the political and economic climate of that era.

Kisslinger, Susan. SO MANY FACES OF LOVE: TRUE STORIES AND THOUGHTFUL REFLECTIONS OF HOSPICE VOLUNTEERS, NURSES AND FAMILY MEMBERS. So Many Voices Press, P.O. Box 6506, Portsmouth, N.H. 03802-6506. 1998. $12.00 (Ordering directly from publisher); $12.95 from bookstores. ISBN 0-9664872-0-6
This book was created as a training tool for orienting hospice workers. It is written in the form of a play, which can be read aloud and discussed. Based on the true experiences of hospice workers and family members of dying patients, the scenes give the readers a better understanding of how to cope with their patients and help ease their final days.

Lantos, Steve. NEW HAMPSHIRE HANDBOOK. Moon Travel Handbooks. 1998. $18.95 ISBN 1-56691-111-7
If you want to know about New Hampshire, its geology, flora and fauna, history, politics, business, and its people, you'll find that information in this handbook. Other topics are outdoor recreation, accommodation and food, transportation, entertainment, and events. Descriptions of the regions, and special topics such as country and craft fairs, highland games, and moose country make this an interesting guidebook to the Granite State.

McKenzie, E.D. BOYS AT WAR, MEN AT PEACE: FORMER ENEMY COMBATANTS MEET TO REMEMBER AND RECONCILE. Vantage Press. 1998. $21.95 ISBN 0-533-12466-2
In 1944, a U.S. plane was shot down in a German village named Buback. Fifty-two years later the survivors of that crash were invited to a reunion and to participate in ceremonies of reconciliation. The Luftwaffe pilot, who shot down the plane, also attended the reunion. The crash ended the author's aerial combat duty, and he was imprisoned in the infamous Stalag Seventeen. In this memoir, McKenzie, former publications editor of the New Hampshire Archaeological Society, includes firsthand accounts by his comrades, and also some by his German adversaries.

Mirick, Steve. BIRDING THE NEW HAMPSHIRE SEACOAST. Audubon Society of New Hampshire, 3 Silk Farm Road, Concord, N.H. 03301. 1998. $3.50
Although the New Hampshire coastline is relatively short, there is a diversity of coastal habitat, and it offers many accessible locations for birding. This booklet describes some of the most popular areas along the seacoast to check on, and the birds to be found there.

Ottariano, Steven G. MEDICINAL HERBAL THERAPY: A PHAR-MACIST'S VIEWPOINT. Nicolin Fields Publishing, 2456 Lafayette Road, Portsmouth, N.H. 03801. 1998. $14.95 ISBN 0-9637077-6-0
Registered pharmacist, Steven Ottariano, of Londonderry, N.H., has written a handbook providing much needed information on the responsible use of herbal dietary supplements. This comprehensive work is a handy resource for the consumer, and will be of interest to physicians and pharmacists. He offers simple, effective treatments and backs up his advice with scientifically documented studies.

Rogers, Barbara Radcliffe, and Stillman Rogers. NEW HAMPSHIRE OFF THE BEATEN PATH. 3rd ed. Globe Pequot Press. 1998. $12.95 ISBN 0-7627-0193
This updated guide encourages readers to get off the interstate and explore New Hampshire off the beaten path. Arranged by regions, it includes historical and cultural information, detailed maps and driving directions, restaurants, and places to stay.

Thomas, Matthew E. HISTORY OF FREMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, OLD POPLIN, AN INDEPENDENT NEW ENGLAND REPUBLIC, 1764-1997. Order from Author, 225 South Road, Fremont, N.H. 03044. 1998. $32.00, plus $7.00 shipping & handling.
In 1886 it was suggested that someone write a history of Fremont. A comprehensive history of the town has now been written by Matthew E. Thomas. This tome covers topography, old place names, agriculture, social life, politics, religion, businesses, prominent citizens, town buildings, Fremont families, and other interesting historical information.

Violette, Alderic O. MERRIMACK COUNTY TELEPHONE COMPANY: THE FIRST 100 YEARS. MCT Telecom, 11 Kearsarge Avenue, Contoocook, N.H. 03229. 1997. $25.00, plus $2.75 shipping and handling. Dick Violette, with 50 years of service, has written a comprehensive history of the first hundred years of Merrimack County Telephone Company, a small independent telephone company situated in Contoocook. In 1928, the author's father-in-law, Elmer Bartlett, was manager, who was also called upon to be linesman, repairman, business office clerk and bill collector. The staff has expanded quite a bit since those days.