Customer Reviews

Maine: The Pine Tree State from Prehistory to the Present

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This edited history of Maine is a true masterpiece that explores many facets of this history of the state. The examinations of the lives of Native-Americans, the Wabnaki and others, the role of the French in Acadia and other stories are brought to life here in a series of chronological essays, that are neither obscure nor inundated with academic jargon. The later essays examine the role of Maine in the abolition of slavery, the civil war and the economy. Others discuss Maine's freedom from Massachusetts and the settling of the countryside. Separate sections detailing `further reading' are sometimes helpful, although sometimes they merely direct the reader to hard to find primary sources. The diversity of the essays and the thought that went into them is a joy. The inclusion of numerous maps is also very helpful. A very interesting book, designed initially as a reader or textbook, it is much more than that. It is a scholarly attempt to write the history of Maine and the use of essays in this case does not take away from the general subject.

Seth J. Frantzman

Judd and his colleagues have produced the first full scholarly history of the State of Maine in almost a century. The book is really a series of integrated essays that focus on individual themes, such as pre-European history, statehood, industry and agriculture, tourism, and economics. The list of contributors is impressive. Most are faculty at Maine colleges and universities or are associated with cultural and historical institutions. The book is intended for use as a text; the breakdown of chapters along thematic lines allows a reader interested in a particular aspect of Maine history to focus on relevant topics. I recommend it for anyone who has an interest in Maine or New England history