When I reviewed the book “Old Tales of the Maine Woods” a couple of years ago, the first thought that came to mind was “Man, I wish I would have thought of that!” I’d been pondering ways to republish some of the old outdoor stories that deserved to be read by today’s generation of outdoor enthusiasts. Apparently, Steve Pinkham was thinking the same thing, and he put together a great collection of old Maine stories whose copyrights had expired and were all but lost in dust covered collections of libraries and museums.
Pinkham’s book introduced readers to some great literature. Not all of it was the top-notch writing, nor were all of the authors well known, but the stories (or at least the spirit behind them) were quite genuine and true to the period. They were great to read from both a sportsman’s and historian’s perspective.
In his new book, “More Old Tales of the Maine Woods”, Steve Pinkham introduces us to yet another collection of the old stories – this time almost 400 pages of them, which pick up where “Old Tales” left off.
You might be wondering where all of these stories come from. During research for his first book, “Mountains of Maine”, Pinkham continually ran across historical hunting and fishing stories that caught his interest. Over time, he collected over 20,000 articles and photos of the Maine woods, which led to his two “Old Tales” books. Most of the stories come from magazines, newspapers and books of the period.
Like the first book, “More Old Tales” is split up into seven different chapters, each focused on a particular area of the state. In “Old Tales”, Pinkham provided an introduction with some general information on each region. This time around, he opted instead to begin each chapter with a series of facts about the region in focus. Though perhaps not as effective as introductions go, it provides a different flavor than the first book.
If you like reading the history of the wilds of northern Maine, you’ll love “More Old Tales of the Maine Woods”. It highlights those great hunting and fishing stories that shaped the outdoor culture of the time. Remember the nature of writing back then, and the liberal interpretation of ‘facts’ that would put modern fiction writers to shame. Don’t believe every word you read in these old tales, but note the gems of historical fact throughout the stories that give great insight into a generation of outdoorsmen none of us could ever know.
“More Old Tales of the Maine Woods” is published by Merrimack Media and can be purchased online or in bookstores throughout Maine. Get a copy for camp – each chapter has a story or two that’ll make for great conversation.
Click here to read about the first book, “Old Tales of the Maine Woods”.
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