Good NH Historical Fiction Recommendation

[CateP]

I am looking for some recommendations for a good book that takes place in NH and is historical fiction. (I like to be entertained by a good story while learning something). It could be non-fiction too, but not too dense. (it's summer afterall)

Thanks in advance for your title recommendations.

[Argie's Wife]

Payton Place by Grace Metalious
Cell by Stephen King
Our Town by Thornton Wilder (hated that book when I was in high school - now I love it...)

Then there's some great NH authors:
Robert Frost
Dr. Suess (probably not what you had in mind - but a brilliant man!) (I can recite Green Eggs and Ham from cover to cover from memory!)
Dan Brown (The DaVinci Code)
J.D. Salinger

[beaner]

More NH authors worth checking out:

Jodi Picoult
Lisa Gardner

[skprbob]

Any/all of the above are excellent titles and authors and would be highly recommended.

Mark Twain spent time in Dublin, NH so I suppose he could qualify as a NH author.

In the area of "pulp fiction" there's "Mystery on the Mount" and "Nazi Gold in New Hampshire" which are set around the Lake and involve the Mt. Washington.

Finally, there's "Revenge of the Elegant Lady" - possibly the worst written story I've ever had the pleasure to read. Set on the Lake and so bad it should be read by everyone!

[MDoug]

Try John Irving's Last Night in Twisted River

[john60ri]

Anything by Willa Cather. She lived and wrote in Jaffrey NH for many years, and chose to be buried in Jaffrey near Monadnock.

[Jonas Pilot]

Three centuries on Winnipesaukee.

Paul Blaisdale.

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/...ead.php?t=1194

For some excerpts.

Great read.

[CateP]

I'm not really interested in NH authors specifically, but stories that take place in NH. Or historical adventure stories of early settlers. That kind of stuff.

But thanks for the list of NH authors.

[Jmo77011]

"Last Night in Twisted River" by John Irving is a beautiful book. Any of his books have connections to NH, and they are all good reads!

I love historical fiction. Phillipa Gregory and Karleen Koen are two of my favorites that come to mind (no connection to NH, though).

[Jonas Pilot]

More Yankee Yarns, Alton H. Blackington, Dodd, Mead and Co., New York, 1956.

Contents

Heroic Escapes, Captains and Cannibals, Unexpected Finds, The Man With the Hole in His Head, Rindge House Mystery, and more.

This is a fun read.

[tis]

Barbara Delinsky wrote "Lake News". It is light fun reading.

[Jonas Pilot]

Spooky New England, Tales of hauntings, strange happenings, and other local lore.

S. E. Schlosser

[Sunrise Point]

Cate,

I second the recommendation of Peyton Place and anything by John Irving (NH author). A group of friends here read Peyton Place about 3 summers ago and LOVED it. It's not great literature, but was an absolute scandal and blockbuster when it was written. It is supposedly based in Gilmanton, NH.

If you like to hike, a great non-fiction read is: Not Without Peril: 150 Years of Misadventure in the Presidential Range by Nicholas Howe.

I am looking forward to reading the some of the other books recommended by forum members.

[Jonas Pilot]

I second , Not Without Peril.

[Paugus Bay Resident]

Wow, nobody's put in a plug for Fritz Wetherbee? Non fiction for sure but great reads. I still treasure my Fritz bobble-head.

Every story in every one of my books has a New Hampshire connection. These are the stories you hear each evening on WMUR-TV’s “New Hampshire Chronicle.”

Good stuff. These books have historical stories and humorous stories and stories about places and things. Also there are stories about me and my “nutso” family.


The Speak N’Hampsha CD could come in handy too

http://www.fritzwetherbee.com/Fred_Wetherbee/store.html

[tis]

Henry Maxfield who still lives in Wolfeboro, wrote "Another Spring". I am trying to think of books that take place locally. Still thinking……

Another one: Waiting for William; letters from Wolfeboro, NH by Jacqueling Rogers Cleary. I found this a little slow but historical.

[SteveA]

from the NH.gov website. It's an extensive list.

http://www.nh.gov/nhsl/nhbooks/fiction.html

Non-Fiction but a wonderful read is the story of General John Stark, of "Live Free or Die" fame. The whole quote from John Stark was, "Live Free or Die, for death is not the worst of evils" The whole quote wouldn't fit on the license plates.

http://www.amazon.com/John-Stark-Mav...owViewpoints=1

[trfour]

Some of Mondays line up.

There have been multiple Big Foot sightings in NH over the years. It turns out the Granite State is home to a number of legendary creatures. Sean McDonald goes in search of some of the most talked about, rarely seen, and extremely shy residents of our state.

Read more: http://www.wmur.com/chronicle/286230...#ixzz1T4D4EhTU

I had a Big Foot that really loved Bar-b-Q'ed veggies that used to visit at the camp on Paugus Bay. He nodded off after dinner on my deck one late afternoon when an cold front and heavy snowstorm came through.
I found him the next early morning in a state of hibernation and took a picture of him. He was very shy, and didn't like his picture taken, so this is one of two that I got.
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...7218&ppuser=83

Terry
__________________________________________________ ___

[Jonas Pilot]

More New Hampshire Folk Tales

Gore, Effie K. & Eva A. Speare
(privately printed, 1936)

I loved reading this!

As you can tell, I'm a fan of older writers.

[jeffatsquam]

I can Third not without peril

the best story about the earliest settlers of this area is
" look to the mountains" by La grand Cannon

I also very much enjoyed "high sheriff" a story about the Carroll county sheriff in the 1920"s and thirty's

[mg2107]

Look To The Mountain by Legrand Cannon. Its about early settlers at the foot of Mt. Chocoura. Good tale. I'm sure most of the local librarys have it . If not Amazon does.

[CARDER LANE]

This book by Judson Hale is a great read. He is/was the editor of Yankee magazine.

[Jmo77011]

Yes! I third "Look to the Mountain". I was trying to remember the author but couldn't come up with the name. Great book!

[tis]

I fourth "Look to the Mountain". I was going to mention it but was trying to think of more Lakes Region books although didn't they cross Lake Winni? It has been YEARS since I read that.

[CateP]

I am starting my NH fiction library and bought the following books:

Look to the Mountain-Legrand Cannon
Not Without Peril-Nicholas Howe
Tracked in the Whites: A Mystery-Tom Eslick

That should be a good start.

Thanks all for the recommendations so far. VERY HELPFUL thread.

[Jmo77011]

I'm going to go dig out my copy of "Look to the Mountain" this afternoon. I vaguely remember Sandwich being mentioned a bit? Maybe not...it's been a long time!

[NickNH]

Look to the Mountain definitely mentiopns Sandwich...alot of it is based in that area.

The following books by Anita Shreve are set in the same house on the NH Coast:

Fortune's Rocks
Seaglass
The Pilot's Wife
Body Surfing

And, her The Weight of Water is an interpretation of the actual murders on Smuttynose way back when....great read also.

[ghfromaltonbay]

Although it's not fiction, I would recommend "We Took to the Woods" by Louise Dickinson Rich. She was a school teacher who went to Maine on a vacation and stayed & married a Maine guide back in the 1930's. The location is on the Maine/NH border near Lake Umbagog. This book and its sequel were really riveting. Back then life was a lot more isolated in the winter and she wound up basically delivering her son alone. There are a lot of NH references, and the book really gives insight into life in the Northwoods back in the mid-20th century.

[CateP]

Originally Posted by ghfromaltonbay

Although it's not fiction, I would recommend "We Took to the Woods" by Louise Dickinson Rich. She was a school teacher who went to Maine on a vacation and stayed & married a Maine guide back in the 1930's. The location is on the Maine/NH border near Lake Umbagog. This book and its sequel were really riveting. Back then life was a lot more isolated in the winter and she wound up basically delivering her son alone. There are a lot of NH references, and the book really gives insight into life in the Northwoods back in the mid-20th century.

I've had some of my best camping experiences on Lake Umbagog. Thanks for the recommendation.

[tis]

Originally Posted by NickNH

Look to the Mountain definitely mentiopns Sandwich...alot of it is based in that area.

The following books by Anita Shreve are set in the same house on the NH Coast:

Fortune's Rocks
Seaglass
The Pilot's Wife
Body Surfing

And, her The Weight of Water is an interpretation of the actual murders on Smuttynose way back when....great read also.

I loved those! I especially remember Pilot's Wife and Fortune's Rocks so I must have really liked those. I don't know if I read Body Surfing. I don't remember that one.

[CrawfordCentury]

John Irving's "Prayer for Owen Meany" was set in Exeter. I believe he gave it the fictional name of Gravesend or some such. I was living in the area when I was reading it; used to look up from the page while reading on the bandstand or and see landmarks he was describing.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Great Stone Face" is a nice short story about a boy named Ernest who seeks inspiration from the Old Man of the Mtn.

For non-fiction, I love the writing of Howard Mansfield. He and his nature writer wife Sy Montgomery live in Hancock. Howard writes a lot about New England in popular historical memory. I recommend "Memory House" and "The Same Ax Twice"

[NickNH]

I loved those! I especially remember Pilot's Wife and Fortune's Rocks so I must have really liked those. I don't know if I read Body Surfing. I don't remember that one.

I think Fortune's Rocks was my favorite of that series......Body Surfing was published in 2007.....

[Island Girl]

A book about Rattlesnake Island.... Really terrible... But intriguing bit of reading... Serpents living inside the island and attacking people!

[CateP]

Looks to me like the lakes region is in need of some good historical (or not) fiction. Perhaps some of you more prolific writers out there could take this on as a project?? Looks like there is an audience.

I'm thinking of a haunting...a story of an unsolved mystery that happened l-o-n-g ago. Maybe something was discovered under the lake by divers. (or children visiting for the summer). The CLUE!!

[wolfegirl]

I found this book a good read: Perfection to A Fault, a small murder in Ossippe NH, 1916. link is below to amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Perfection-Fau.../dp/0970551002

I think the bookstore at Durgin Stable 'mall' in Wolfeboro has a local interest section with many good titles.

-Marcia

[Island Girl]

A new children's book. Nicely done.... About kids getting lost on the witches. The author was in Wolfeboro last weekend, and had the same voice as William Hurt.

[NickNH]

Bayswater in Ctr Harbor (just moved to Heaths plaza near Keepsake) has a local interest section too......

[CateP]

Originally Posted by wolfegirl

I found this book a good read: Perfection to A Fault, a small murder in Ossippe NH, 1916. link is below to amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Perfection-Fau.../dp/0970551002

I think the bookstore at Durgin Stable 'mall' in Wolfeboro has a local interest section with many good titles.

-Marcia

I read some excerpts and got sucked in and had to get it. Thanks Marcia!

[nj2nh]

John Irving may have been bron in Exeter, NH, but he left long ago. I had him as a professor in college in Massachusetts right before he has his first big success.

Most of Jodi Piccoult's novels are set in NH, but her grasp of history is a little off. Her grasp of the law is way off.

I read the book about NH gold. Fun read.

[Jmo77011]

He grew up here and went to school and college here, so in my book that makes him a "native" NH writer.

I did end up going back and reading "Look to the Mountain" again...thanks for the inspiration Cate! This is a great thread as I am always interested in what people are reading and getting reccomendations!

[Rattlesnake Gal]

Cindy Davis is worth a look. She is working on a series of mystery books set at Lake Winnipesaukee. I believe she told me that there would be five in all.


A Little Murder
ER nurse, Angie Deacon faces her first murder.

Winnipesaukee.com thread - New Book: A Little Murder!

Amazon Link for Paperback

Amazon Link for Kindle

The second book in the series, which I have, but haven't read yet is:


Play With Fire
Angie Deacon's boyfriend shot the star of the play, or did he?

Amazon Link for Paperback

Amazon Link for Kindle


Hair of the Dog
A barking dog means murder, and Angie Deacon's a suspect.

Amazon Link for Paperback

Amazon Link for Kindle

[NickNH]

I'm just finishing up the Perfection to a Fault book......thanks to whomever recommended it!!!

[Alton Bay]

The Governor's Lady by Thomas Head Raddall is an historical fiction book written about Gov. John Wentworth and his wife.
I haven't read it but it has been recommended by a dear friend who has lived in Wolfeboro for 87 years. If you check Amazon, there are copies out there :-)

[tis]

Originally Posted by Alton Bay

The Governor's Lady by Thomas Head Raddall is an historical fiction book written about Gov. John Wentworth and his wife.
I haven't read it but it has been recommended by a dear friend who has lived in Wolfeboro for 87 years. If you check Amazon, there are copies out there :-)

Oh, I forgot about that book! I loved it! I might try to find it and read it again, I read it years ago!! THanks for the reminder.

[CrawfordCentury]

Originally Posted by tis

Oh, I forgot about that book! I loved it! I might try to find it and read it again, I read it years ago!! THanks for the reminder.

Those Wentworths were an interesting lot.

John W.'s uncle and gubernatorial predecessor, Benning, earlier scandalized Portsmouth society by marrying his 16 year old maid, Martha Hilton.

John later married his cousin Frances almost literally before her late husband's body was cold.

Bit o' trivia: Francestown - over by Peterborough - was named after Frances Wentworth.

[ghfromaltonbay]

For summer "mystery" reading, look at some novels by Rebecca James such as Storm's End, The House is Dark, and Tomorrow is Mine. "Rebecca James" was actually James Elward, an actor and writer, who appeared for many years in the Barnstomers' plays in Tamworth and spent summers for decades there. Jim lived in NYC and wrote for shows such as "Guiding Light" and "Dr. Kildare". He used a pseudonym and "The House is Dark" is a mystery involving a summer theater. He did write a few novels under his own name, and was commissioned to finish Helen Van Slyke's last novel, "Public Smiles, Private Tears" after her death. Jim also wrote several plays including "The Best of Friends" which was produced in London back in the 1970's. I especially remember him playing Oscar Madison in "The Odd Couple" at Tamworth opposite William Christopher (as Felix Unger). Yes, that's the same William Christopher who played Father Mulcahy in "MASH". Mr. Christopher was also a Barnstormer in his early career.

[garysanfran]

A very entertaining mystery set on the Lake around 1984. I related well to the description of The Mount, the local towns, islands, The Weirs, the way-of-life here, etc.

[State]

Nathaniel Hawthorne, who died in Plymouth, NH--we're approaching the sesquicentennial--has several short stories that are not surpassed set in the Granite State.

One example not yet mentioned is "The Ambitious Guest."