Thanks to Stephen King, there are a lot of good books set in Maine.These are two of my favorites although looking at a list of them on Good Reads, there are many more.
Well, King's short stories can also be atrocious...see "The Cat from Hell"...but his trademark logorrhea curtailed in short fiction in a way it so obviously is not in novels. Most of the best King work I've read is certainly in short form...and Elizabeth Hand is certainly a more deft writer in nearly every way (even given such excellent King short fiction as "Mrs. Todd's Shortcut"), though I still need to read her novels.
THE FASTEST HOUND DOG IN THE STATE OF MAINE, a folktale retold by John Gould (and fetching some steep prices from speculators on Amazon), is my sentimental favorite. As a former New Hampshirean (the last of my three New England states), the availability of Maineiac lit was not slight.
In his book “On Writing”, Stephen King recounts his experience working for John Gould at the Lisbon Enterprise , a weekly newspaper that John Gould published. (Although, in the book, King does not know that it was the famous John Gould.)
How could I forget Cider House Rules! And I didn't realize Connolly set his books in Maine. How about The Country of Pointed Firs. Great shorts and I think Maine. Will go look.
I remember most fondly _The Beans of Egypt, Maine_. Your question provokes both the memory and my intent to read this one again. _Salem's Lot_ does not provoke me at all. In fact, IMHO, I think it is very much over-rated (along with almost everything else written by the cranky King).
Have to be Salem's Lot,I guess. I don't know many others I've read set there.
ReplyDeleteI've never been fond of King's novels (big fan of his short stories) but Dolores Claiborne hit all the right notes for me.
ReplyDeleteI guess SALEM;S LOT of all King's novels is my favorite. Can't really recall any other Maine books.
ReplyDeleteGeneration Loss by Elizabeth Hand. A murder mystery with a very flawed heroine set on an island off the Maine coast.
ReplyDeleteAnother book on my TBR pile. Must read it.
ReplyDeleteI agree Sandra. His short stories are much better-but then that's our thing.
Empire Falls was excellent.
ReplyDeleteWell, King's short stories can also be atrocious...see "The Cat from Hell"...but his trademark logorrhea curtailed in short fiction in a way it so obviously is not in novels. Most of the best King work I've read is certainly in short form...and Elizabeth Hand is certainly a more deft writer in nearly every way (even given such excellent King short fiction as "Mrs. Todd's Shortcut"), though I still need to read her novels.
ReplyDeleteTHE FASTEST HOUND DOG IN THE STATE OF MAINE, a folktale retold by John Gould (and fetching some steep prices from speculators on Amazon), is my sentimental favorite. As a former New Hampshirean (the last of my three New England states), the availability of Maineiac lit was not slight.
from http://www.platterland.com/hounddog.shtml
ReplyDeleteIn his book “On Writing”, Stephen King recounts his experience working for John Gould at the Lisbon Enterprise , a weekly newspaper that John Gould published. (Although, in the book, King does not know that it was the famous John Gould.)
EMPIRE FALLS. No Question. I like several of King's books and have also read almost everything by John Conolly, but EMPIRE FALLS is a special book.
ReplyDeleteCIDER HOUSE RULES
ReplyDeleteI'll go with a couple of John Connolly's books; BAD MEN and DARK HOLLOW.
ReplyDeleteAnother for SALEM'S LOT
ReplyDeleteHow could I forget Cider House Rules! And I didn't realize Connolly set his books in Maine.
ReplyDeleteHow about The Country of Pointed Firs. Great shorts and I think Maine. Will go look.
I can't think of anything I've read that took place in Maine.
ReplyDeleteI remember most fondly _The Beans of Egypt, Maine_. Your question provokes both the memory and my intent to read this one again. _Salem's Lot_ does not provoke me at all. In fact, IMHO, I think it is very much over-rated (along with almost everything else written by the cranky King).
ReplyDelete