The Boston Globe has published a list of what they think are the 100 Essential New England Books. There are certainly a number on the list that I’ve read or certainly been meaning to read. I’d also be curious to see what determined their rankings. They left off one of my New England favorites, The Witch of Blackbird Pond. I have a feeling, I may come up with a few more, once I have a chance to mull it over.
What do you think?
I realize he wrote poetry, but how is Robert Frost not on this list in some form? I call shenanigans.
I hate to say it, but it’s one more thing that makes you say “no wonder people don’t buy the Globe.” Read the comments on the list
http://www.boston.com/community/forums.html?plckForumPage=ForumDiscussion&plckDiscussionId=Cat%3aArts+and+EntertainmentForum%3a9495Discussion%3a07f75dfd-91e2-4a57-b056-febb67b2cea7&plckCurrentPage=0, there are a lot of good suggestions there.
I’d add “Black Mass” for example, instead of two books about the no-longer-relevant James Michael Curley.
There’s also a YA gap, how about “Counting on Grace” by Elizabeth Winthrop (and I, too, love “The Witch of Blackbird Pond”).
More Mainiac titles: Jewett’s “The Country of the Pointed Firs” and “The Beans of Egypt, Maine” (Carolyn Chute seems to have fallen out of favor!), and “Blueberries for Sal” which I’ve always liked better than “Make way for ducklings.”
Also “The Shining” is way better than “Carrie.”
So let’s make our own list!!
Among the Globe commenters, I saw someone had mentioned Miss Rumphius, but I also really like Emily by Barbara Cooney about a young girl who befriends Emily Dickinson in Amherst, MA.
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