NEW HAMPSHIRE BOOKS COLUMN

by Eleanor O'Donnell

Aldrich, Roger H. THE IRON INDUSTRY IN FRANCONIA & SUGAR HILL, 1805-1860?. Order from the author, Hildex Farm, 627 State Highway 117, Sugar Hill, N.H. 03585-4227. 1996. $5.00, plus $1.50 shipping and handling.
Iron founding began in Franconia Notch and Sugar Hill in the early years of the nineteenth century. In this booklet, the author describes the workings of the New Hampshire Iron Foundry Company. Illustrated by pen and ink sketches depicting how the foundry may have looked, this work covers a little-known aspect of North Country history.

Alexander, Caroline. THE ENDURANCE: SHACKLETON'S LEGENDARY ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. Knopf. Published in association with the American Museum of Natural History. 1999. $29.95 ISBN 0-375-40403-1
New Hampshire author, Alexander, has written a fascinating account of the Shackleton expedition to the Antarctic. The ship, Endurance, was trapped in the ice, and later broke up, leaving the crew stranded on the floes for twenty months before they were rescued. Illustrated by the magnificent black and white photographs of expedition member, Frank Hurley, the book includes excerpts from the diaries of the survivors.

Atkins, Edith W. WALKING BACK THROUGH TIME: 50 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF WINCHESTER, N.H. Available from New Hampshire Historical Society Bookstore, 30 Park Street, Concord, N.H. 03301. 1997. $15.95
The historical sketches in this book were originally published in the Return of the Winchester Star. The author, former librarian of Richmond, served as president of the New Hampshire Library Association from 1960 to 1962. She organized the Winchester Historical Society in 1980.

Averill, Robert W. THE MOOSILAUKEE READER. Moose Country Press. 1999. ISBN 0-9642213-7-3 Vol. 1 $20.00; ISBN 0-9642213-8-1 Vol. 2 $20.00
The foreword to volume one describes this work as "a sampler of Moosilauke's literature; a survey of nineteenth and twentieth century prose responses to the mountain from writers of various backgrounds and interests and motivations." Included are extracts from William Little's History of Warren and Samuel Adams Drake's The Heart of the White Mountains, excerpts from The Dartmouth, Littleton Gazette, and the Concord Monitor, and writings by Jack Noon, J. Willcox Brown, and Floyd Ramsey. Flora and fauna, forest history, bird inhabitants, the Moosilauke Summit Camp, are just a few of the topics covered in this two volume set.

Bassett, Lynne Z., and Jack Larkin. NORTHERN COMFORT: NEW ENGLAND EARLY QUILTS. Rutledge Hill Press. 1998. $19.95 ISBN 1-55853-655-8
Illustrated with photographs of quilts from the collection in Old Sturbridge Village, this book celebrates the artistry of the early New England quilters. The textures, colors, and designs of remarkable pieces are examined, along with the New England women who made them. Quilters produced more quilted petticoats than bed quilts between 1767 and 1777. Excerpts from New Hampshire women's diaries describe quilting as an occupation of the summer months in the days before artificial light and an extensive bibliography.

Block, Adrienne Fried. AMY BEACH, PASSIONATE VICTORIAN: THE LIFE AND WORKS OF AN AMERICAN COMPOSER, 1867-1944. Oxford University Press. 1998 $45.00 ISBN 0195074084
Amy Beach, composer and pianist was born in Henniker, New Hampshire. She later moved to Boston, where she made her professional debut in 1884. After her marriage to Dr. Henry Beach, she concentrated on composing, rather than performing. Some of her work was composed while on her annual retreat at the MacDowell Colony. This interesting biography of America's first notable female composer describes her major works in some detail, and provides samples of the scores.

Brown, Janet and Roger. ELIZABETH ABBOT HAZELTINE, 1733-1834: REFLECTIONS OF A PIONEER LADY IN CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE. Order from the authors, Heritage Heights Retirement Community, 149 East Side Drive, Concord, N.H. 03301; Can also be purchased from New Hampshire Historical Society, 30 Park Street Concord, N.H. 03301. 1998. $9.95
Elizabeth Abbot Hazeltine was one hundred years and six months old when she died in 1834. Encouraged by their creative writing teacher, the authors researched her life and the social life of Concord at that time. This book, illustrated by pen and ink sketches, recreates the life and times of Elizabeth, her family, and friends.

Faust, Jeff. MOUNTAIN BIKE, NEW HAMPSHIRE; A GUIDE TO THE CLASSIC TRAILS. Menasha Ridge Press, 700 South 28th Street, Suite 206, Birmingham, AL 35233. 1998. $15.95 ISBN 0-89732-268-1
Much of New Hampshire's mountain biking is done on old unmaintained roads, suitable for jeeps and snowmobiles. Over 60 classic rides, including tours through the White Mountains and the Lakes Region, are described in this guide, which contains detailed trail maps, degrees of technical difficulty, special features of the scenery, descriptions of native flora and fauna, a glossary of mountain biking terms, and suggested reading.

Fielding, Robert Kent. THE UNSOLICITED CHRONICLEER: AN ACCOUNT OF THE GUNNISON MASSACRE, ITS CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES. Paradigm Publications, 44 Linden Street, Brookline, MA 02146. Or order directly from the author, PO Box 377, Higganum, CT 06441-0377. 1993. $20.00, plus $5.00 shipping and handling.
In 1853, President Franklin Pierce commissioned Goshen, New Hampshire native, John W. Gunnison, to survey a central route for a railroad from St. Louis. Gunnison, author of a history of the Mormons, believed that the best route for a national railroad lay through the southerly Mormon villages, via Las Vegas to California. The Gunnison expedition entered Utah territory just as the Indian War erupted, precipitated by Brigham Young's aggressive development of Mormon villages on Indian lands. Gunnison and his men were massacred. Dr. Fielding shows how the murder of the survey party led to the Massacre at Mountain Meadows, to the Utah Expedition, and a generation of conflict between the Mormons and the United States Government.

Hastings, Honey. NEW HAMPSHIRE DIVORCE HANDBOOK. Amoskeag Press, PO Box 711, Nashua, N.H. 03061-0711. Tele. (603) 886-0808. 1999. $19.00 ISBN 1-893421-00-7
This consumer's guide to the divorce process and applicable law in New Hampshire covers parenting issues, mediation, court procedures, custody, child support, alimony, property division, tax, and financial planning. Written in plain English with technical terms defined in an extensive glossary, it includes annotated book lists for children and adults. Hastings, who has a family law practice in Nashua, speaks regularly to lay and professional audiences on surviving divorce.

HISTORIC CEMETERIES OF HENNIKER, N.H.: A DETAILED RECORD OF GRAVESTONE INSCRIPTIONS. Order from Henniker Historical Society, PO Box 674, Henniker, N.H. 03242. Tele. (603) 428-6267. 1998. $32.50; an Index to the Gravestones, $3.00.
The main volume lists the inscriptions and dates engraved on each stone. Relationships are given if indicated. Maps of each cemetery with the location of each stone are included. The index booklet lists all persons alphabetically, giving birth and death dates, and the cemetery where each is found. A brief history of each cemetery is provided.

Holmes, Richard. CHESTER REVISITED: A HISTORY IN HONOR OF THE TOWN'S 275TH ANNIVERSARY. Published for Chester Historical Society by Peter E. Randall, Portsmouth. 1998. $55.00
A comprehensive history of the town, from the original proprietors to the present day. Chronicles the politics, town officers, churches, schools, agriculture, industry, wars, social life, and triumphs and tragedies of this rural community.

Hounsell, Janet McAllister, and Ruth Burnham Davis Horne. CONWAY, NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1765-1997. Peter E. Randall, Publisher. Order from Conway Historical Society, PO Box 1949, Conway, N.H. 03818. Can also be ordered through Conway Public Library. $35.00, plus $5.00 shipping & handling. ISBN 0-914339-77-X
Conway Through The Years and Whither, written by Ruth D. Horne, was published by the Conway Historical Society in 1963. This book has been revised, new pictures added, and information updated to 1997 by Janet McAllister Hounsell. Conway, which consists of seven distinct areas, was the first White Mountain township to be chartered, and has evolved from a farming community to a tourist, sports-oriented area.

IN PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. Video. New Hampshire Quality Outcomes Project, Parade Office Mall, Suite 40, 195 Hanover Street, Portsmouth, N.H. 03801. Tele. 1-800-660-4103. 1998. Contact Publisher for purchasing details.
Produced in documentary style by Eliza Hobson, this videotape tells the stories of two former residents of the Laconia State School. Their stories show how far New Hampshire has come since a federal judge in the late 1970s ordered the state to improve services for people with developmental disabilities. Family members recount experiences with the service system, and professionals discuss their ground-breaking effort to assess the quality of community-based services.

Lanza, Michael. NEW ENGLAND HIKING: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO MORE THAN 350 OF THE BEST HIKES IN NEW ENGLAND. Foghorn Press. 1997. $18.95
Arranged by state, each chapter contains a map indicating locations of trailheads. Detailed trail notes on each hike includes directions, accessibility, overall rating, level of difficulty, information on fees, regulations, maps, permits, and tips on finding the most scenic trails.

LaPorte, Richard H. THE ADVENTURES OF A BUSH PILOT. Order from author, RR 2, Box 128C, Newport, N.H. 03773. 1998. $19.95, plus $2.25 shipping and handling. ISBN 0-9658373-0-0
The author's sense of adventure and love of the outdoor life led him to become a bush pilot. His stories of hunting and fishing in northern Canada, hair-raising accounts of flying his 206 Cessna in the wilderness areas in severe weather conditions, landing his seaplane in remote areas, encountering grizzlies and rescuing lost hunters, will be enjoyed by armchair travellers.