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Backroads of New England
Your Guide to New England's Most Scenic Backroad Adventures
By Kim Knox Beckius
Reviewed by Christine Landry
Appeared in The Food PaperÕs July 2005 e-newsletter
Part picture book, part travel guide, Backroads of New England:
Your Guide to New England's Most Scenic Backroad Adventures celebrates the
beauty and history of this part of the country through stories, photographs and
touring suggestions. Divided into chapters by state—Connecticut, Rhode
Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine—the book is
organized in a useful and informative manner, entirely attune to the needs of
the traveler. Chapters open by describing the state in general then clearly
outline instructions that take the reader through a carefully planned day trip,
complete with specific driving directions in sidebars and large maps to
accompany the text. Tours include such routes as New HampshireÕs
"Elephants, Donkeys, and Moose: The Great North Woods" and
"Lobster and Lighthouses: Maine's Southern Shore" to provide the
reader with a variety of different scenic trips. Full-page asides provide
additional interesting information, such as "The Second Colonization of
Connecticut" and "Why Do Leaves Change Color?"
A little large for the typical travel book, this won't slip easily
in a purse. But no matter, this book is intended for leisurely drives through
the countryside where its size isn't an issue. And while this is a book the
traveler will return to time and again, it is just as likely to hold an
esteemed spot on your coffee table. William H. Johnson's photography captures
New England in its vivid glory, with images of colorful autumns and bright-red
covered bridges. Modern color pictures are further complemented by
black-and-white pictures from the past, such as the image of Woodman's of Essex
where the fried clam was invented in 1916.
Author Kim Knox Beckius' appreciation of this part of the country is apparent in the descriptions of the area and careful construction of the book. So grab Backroads of New England, jump in your car, and get ready, because her love for New England is infectious.