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I have a great deal of passion for Maine, which I hope is obvious in some of the things that I write about. Sometimes, passion can gain the upper hand and get the best of you, occasionally leaving you with egg on the face, or stepping in something worse.
The advent of blogging and the relative ease of putting up a blog site, in many ways, represent the digital equivalent of the bygone broadsheet, or political tract of the past, at least for some bloggers. These publications from the past covered a wide variety of subjects, including satire, politics, popular history and even poetry and the popular music of the day. These were precursors to what we know today as newspapers.
Newspapers no longer represent the sole source of news that they once did. Even 35 years ago, for a ten-year-old like me, reading the daily paper, particularly the morning sports, was part my morning ritual before school, with buttered toast, cereal and orange juice.
The art of journalism and the daily newspaper are in danger of becoming irrelevant or worse—ignored. Maine’s remaining dailies make me question why I bother with my morning 200 yard round trip to collect my newspaper. I stubbornly hang on, having just dropped the Lewiston Sun Journal, in favor of the Portland Press Herald (involving the old lesser of two evils coin flip), as well as subscribing to The Christian Science Monitor, which is mailed. Still, an occasional feature article, or commentary, or even the rare investigative piece reminds me why I fell in love with newspapers and have maintained an affinity for the printed page, for nearly four decades. I treasure The Monitor’s solid reporting, with its measured, take-a-step-back style of journalism. Even so, I need my morning fix of coffee and newsprint, served up local style. I don’t know what I’ll do if the Press Herald decides to lay off any more staff and waters down its product any more.
A nostalgic blast from Maine’s journalism past got delivered the other day, courtesy of the state’s Books by Mail program. I received John Cole’s classic, In Maine and have been thoroughly enjoying his essays, most written 30 years ago.
Cole, the renowned newspaperman and editor of first, The Brunswick Record, which later merged with Peter Cox’s Bath weekly, to become the Brunwick Times-Record, where Cole and Cox served as co-editors. Later, the two would start the Maine Times, which became the state’s last consistently solid alternative newspaper, given solely to hard news reporting.
For nearly a decade, Maine Times was the paper to read if you really wanted the scoop on the cutting edge news in the Pine Tree State. I remember seeking it out as a high school student and like a moth drawn to a flame, I devoured the latest investigative story on an aspect of my home state that I wasn’t going to read anywhere else. Pre-internet, publications like Maine Times is where you got your fix if you wanted unfiltered journalism with some bite.
Cole’s passion and zeal for Maine’s unique qualities comes throughout In Maine, whether he’s writing about fishing, which he loved, or skating across a sheet of ice on his beloved Merrymeeting Bay. For someone from away, Cole understood what made Maine (and still makes it) a unique place to visit, or call home.
Like John Gould before him, Cole grasped the culture and community peculiarities, which made him a perfect newspaperman. It’s interesting how these two men, both transplants, became spokesmen for their adopted home state.
If you’ve never taken the time to read Cole, I’d recommend the book of essays, or even a trek to the Maine State Library, at some point, to read through back issues of the Maine Times and reminisce about the days when print was king and newspapers and their writers, still mattered.
Showing posts with label Life in Maine; writers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Life in Maine; writers. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Saturday, June 09, 2007
A few more photos from Friday night
[Lara answering questions from the audience]
[Greeting her fans and signing copies of her book]
[Two writers talking craft]
[A photo snapped with the famous author]Friday night book event
[Books, Etc., A Great Local Bookstore]I haven’t been to an author’s event in quite some time. When I was finding my way as a writer, I was a regular at these events, hoping some kernel of wisdom would fall from the lips of that night’s author and would launch my sputtering writing career. Over time, I came to realize that success with my writing would only occur by practice, which meant to write at any opportunity I could find.
Once I published my own book, writer’s events became a chance to meet other writers and talk a bit about the craft and spend time with a group of peers, which is an opportunity that doesn’t always present itself.
Recently, I struck up a correspondence with a writer, who grew up in Maine, but now lives in the writing mecca of New York City. Lara Tupper, who hails from Boothbay, was giving a reading at one of Maine’s great local bookstores, Books Etc., on Exchange Street in Portland.
Having become a frequenter of MySpace, primarily to make some contacts and network, I had run across Lara and her book, A Thousand and One Nights, which is a fictional account of a young entertainer, just out of college, who lands a gig as an entertainer on a luxury cruise liner. The Maine connection immediately caught my eye and I inquired about having her endorse RiverVision Press’s latest book. Unfortunately, due to contractual issues, Lara wasn’t able to lend an endorsement for the book’s jacket, but she was gracious enough to offer a blurb on RiverVision’s behalf, to post via our website and/or use on any promotional material.
In a world of wannabes and poseurs, who pull rank and whose 15 minutes seem like an eternity, Lara came across as genuine and approachable, taking the time to call me and explain why she couldn’t endorse the book. This really showed her class and impressed me a great deal. When I received her email, announcing upcoming book events in Maine, I jotted the Friday night event in Portland on my calendar, with a commitment to be there, if at all possible.
In my new job, I find that I rarely get to Portland, after having spent a lot of time there over much of the past 15 years, with work, going out with my wife to movies, or cultural events, as well as being involved in a variety of activist organizations based in town.
It was nice walking around the Old Port, prior to the 7 pm reading, seeing the younger set, juggling and engaged in various performances in Tommy’s Park, listening to guitar players busking on the sidewalks, as well as sensing the palpable energy of the beginning of another Friday night of partying and merrymaking for many.
I arrived at Books Etc., just prior to 7 and chatted a bit with the bookstore staff. Always one of my favorite local bookstores, I had soured a bit on the store when I had some difficulty getting my own book into both the Portland and Falmouth stores. What I found out, only recently, is that I had been going through the wrong channels and all is now well between the store and RiverVision Press.
Lara was chatting with family and friends when I arrived. I introduced myself and she was very friendly and gracious, going out of her way to introduce me to her Mom, as well as other friends. While people occasionally leave Maine and acquire the traits and attitudes of their new home, it was obvious that Lara still possessed the ways of the Pine Tree State.
She spent about 20 minutes, or so, reading from the book, which sounds very interesting and should make for an interesting summer read and could very well end up being reviewed in the not-too-distant future, over at Write in Maine, as one of my summer beach books.
Always a sucker to know more about my favorite musicians, athletes and writers, I welcomed the question and answer time and Lara took a number of questions. One gentleman asked a couple of interesting questions, one in particular, which pertained to place and since she now lives “away,” did this negate her sense of Maine being home for her? Lara talked about people having a need to go away, to see other places, but she said that for her, this didn’t mean she had lost her sense that Maine is home, for her, which proves that you really can go home, again. The time she spent answering questions and talking to those in attendance revealed a very engaging writer, who really connects with her readers.
A Thousand and One Nights is somewhat autobiographical, in that Lara’s first job out of college was as a lounge singer on a cruise ship and she ended up doing this line of work for nearly 10 years. A Wesleyan grad, who did a MFA stint at Warren Wilson College, in North Carolina, she’s currently teaching writing at Rutgers University, in NYC and already planning a follow-up book to her successful debut novel. The new book will be historical fiction and will be based on the life of the wife of Paul Gauguin, which will be remarkably different than her first book and shows her obvious versatility as a writer.
I really enjoyed meeting Lara, hearing her read, as well as getting an autographed copy of One Thousand and One Nights, which is at the top of my “books to read” list for the summer.
Once I published my own book, writer’s events became a chance to meet other writers and talk a bit about the craft and spend time with a group of peers, which is an opportunity that doesn’t always present itself.
Recently, I struck up a correspondence with a writer, who grew up in Maine, but now lives in the writing mecca of New York City. Lara Tupper, who hails from Boothbay, was giving a reading at one of Maine’s great local bookstores, Books Etc., on Exchange Street in Portland.
Having become a frequenter of MySpace, primarily to make some contacts and network, I had run across Lara and her book, A Thousand and One Nights, which is a fictional account of a young entertainer, just out of college, who lands a gig as an entertainer on a luxury cruise liner. The Maine connection immediately caught my eye and I inquired about having her endorse RiverVision Press’s latest book. Unfortunately, due to contractual issues, Lara wasn’t able to lend an endorsement for the book’s jacket, but she was gracious enough to offer a blurb on RiverVision’s behalf, to post via our website and/or use on any promotional material.
In a world of wannabes and poseurs, who pull rank and whose 15 minutes seem like an eternity, Lara came across as genuine and approachable, taking the time to call me and explain why she couldn’t endorse the book. This really showed her class and impressed me a great deal. When I received her email, announcing upcoming book events in Maine, I jotted the Friday night event in Portland on my calendar, with a commitment to be there, if at all possible.
In my new job, I find that I rarely get to Portland, after having spent a lot of time there over much of the past 15 years, with work, going out with my wife to movies, or cultural events, as well as being involved in a variety of activist organizations based in town.
It was nice walking around the Old Port, prior to the 7 pm reading, seeing the younger set, juggling and engaged in various performances in Tommy’s Park, listening to guitar players busking on the sidewalks, as well as sensing the palpable energy of the beginning of another Friday night of partying and merrymaking for many.
I arrived at Books Etc., just prior to 7 and chatted a bit with the bookstore staff. Always one of my favorite local bookstores, I had soured a bit on the store when I had some difficulty getting my own book into both the Portland and Falmouth stores. What I found out, only recently, is that I had been going through the wrong channels and all is now well between the store and RiverVision Press.
Lara was chatting with family and friends when I arrived. I introduced myself and she was very friendly and gracious, going out of her way to introduce me to her Mom, as well as other friends. While people occasionally leave Maine and acquire the traits and attitudes of their new home, it was obvious that Lara still possessed the ways of the Pine Tree State.
She spent about 20 minutes, or so, reading from the book, which sounds very interesting and should make for an interesting summer read and could very well end up being reviewed in the not-too-distant future, over at Write in Maine, as one of my summer beach books.
Always a sucker to know more about my favorite musicians, athletes and writers, I welcomed the question and answer time and Lara took a number of questions. One gentleman asked a couple of interesting questions, one in particular, which pertained to place and since she now lives “away,” did this negate her sense of Maine being home for her? Lara talked about people having a need to go away, to see other places, but she said that for her, this didn’t mean she had lost her sense that Maine is home, for her, which proves that you really can go home, again. The time she spent answering questions and talking to those in attendance revealed a very engaging writer, who really connects with her readers.
A Thousand and One Nights is somewhat autobiographical, in that Lara’s first job out of college was as a lounge singer on a cruise ship and she ended up doing this line of work for nearly 10 years. A Wesleyan grad, who did a MFA stint at Warren Wilson College, in North Carolina, she’s currently teaching writing at Rutgers University, in NYC and already planning a follow-up book to her successful debut novel. The new book will be historical fiction and will be based on the life of the wife of Paul Gauguin, which will be remarkably different than her first book and shows her obvious versatility as a writer.
I really enjoyed meeting Lara, hearing her read, as well as getting an autographed copy of One Thousand and One Nights, which is at the top of my “books to read” list for the summer.
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