I still remember when I was surprised to learn that New Hampshire has a coast (in fact, I drove by it last summer) and for years I kept thinking Maine or Vermont must have been one of the original thirteen colonies (Maine was really part of Massachusetts and Vermont was apparently just Vermont). The colony was "discovered" by John Smith, five years after he founded the colony of Virginia, but originally the area was "discovered" by Martin Pring, who was looking for sassafras trees and a shortcut to Asia. Susan Whitehurst tells young readers about the first settlement in the Province of New Hampshire, the Algonquian Indians who already lived there, and the rocks that would end up giving the state the nickname "the Granite State."

In part because there is not that much history about the Colony of New Hampshire, in part because Massachusetts annexed it at one point, Whitehurst is able to spend time talking about how the colonists made their livings. She spends almost as much time talking about the French & Indian War as the American Revolution, and when she deals with the latter she keeps the focus on what New Hampshire had to do with it. The book ends with a glossary, time-line, and index, as well as some nice suggestions on what to see in New Hampshire today.

I was a supporter of Gary Hart in 1984. Susan Berry Casey was an organizer of his successful New Hampshire primary that year. When this book came out in 1986 I read it for that reason. I got far more than what I expected. Not only was it an incredibly detailed and exciting account of the primary, it was a step by step guide to community organizing that could be applied to just about anything from political causes to church gatherings. I have since started or assisted in the founding of several community action groups. Much of the credit for my enthusiam and practical skills comes from this book. It is worth looking for and buying if you can find it.

I read this book to my 3 year neice who had just recently been to her first dance class. She later mimicked what she had learned from the book - pointing her toes, first & second position, etc. All in all - a fun read with very nice pictures. My five year old nephew was also interested in the book.

I wish to thank all the readers that have reviewed my book! and amazon.com for the great service that provides for all of us. The making of this book was great fun and i would like to write something if I can. The art work has been done in a real ballet class,the children I have personnally hand picked in London UK and there was a great woman, exactly the same you can see painted as the teacher that for the love and passion for the art of ballet,with out any monetary compensation,held the class to allowed me to sketch and photograph the children.... thank you all Maria Teresa Meloni

The thing about this book that catches my attention is the illustrations. You feel what Rosie feels and you see what is happening so clearly. It is a great book and my daughter loves it.

Writer Cleo Grayson McCarthy is having trouble finding her muse on her latest work. Her friend Grace offers her cottage on Cameo Lake in New Hampshire to recharge her creative batteries. Now she is away from her husband and children and other distractions of everyday life. The lake is beautiful, and soon she is making progress on her book. Her neighbor across the lake catches her interest as well. His name is Ben Turner, and soon he and Cleo become friendly. Cleo's family comes to the lake for the weekend. She notices her husband Sean has pulled away from her, especially when he goes back home and leaves her with the kids. He has been getting more and more involved in work--or so he says. Eight years before, she experienced the pain of his infidelity, and she fears it is happening again. She sends her children to day camp, and in this time her friendship with Ben deepens. Secretive, wounded Ben slowly begins to open up.... The protagonists' professions are used beautifully in the narrative with ingenious references to prose and music composition. The lively first-person narrative eloquently tells the story of a woman slowly realizing that her life needs to change, and finding the courage to face grief, guilt, and pain in the change.

I'm a guy who up until now has always read nonfiction. However, I've recently discovered that if I'm going to read "make-believe" once in a while, how much I might enjoy reading novels by female authors. I'm finding out how much I can learn from them. . . especially the nuances of the authors' thought process, especially when falling in love. I would therefore like to recommend Cameo Lake, by Susan Wilson, mostly for men, who will learn just how a woman allows the budding romance to unfold. Most valuable, as I've said, are all the shades of gray that most men probably don't pick up on; for example, her understanding of shy people, pg 24. . . being excited initially with just being friends with Ben, pg 32. . . more of the same excitement on pg 68. . . her disappointment on pg 106 that he was too polite under special circumstances. . . admitting enjoying his nearness on pg 114. . . a white lie on pg 118. . . finding him increasingly attractive, pg 120. . . further, a different sort of man, pg 125. . . lots of nuanced revelations on pg 144, as her feelings for him begin to increase (lucky guy). . . resisting emotional urges, pg 191. . . agonizing over her feelings to the point of being sick, pg 196. . . "smitten with memory", pg 222. . . her own shyness revealed on pg 237. . . hey, it all adds up to a sweet and loving account of how a woman falls in love with a man. This is not a fluff book, although it is an easy read. And finally, a glance at the author's portrait on the back of the book shows all these nuances on her face, with soft eyes that penetrate deep.

This book definately threw me for a loop, but it was very worthwhile. I wasn't used to 3rd person perspective, and it was hard to adapt too. The first chapter was a bit slow, but once I started to get into it, I couldn't put the book down. I absolutely love romances, and this had it. It's just a wonderful novel, taking place at a wonderful place that you can fully image in your mind. You will never forget this book after you're done reading!

This is a wonderful book. Not only does it account for Susan's struggles as a girl making her way up to the top as a dyslexic actress, but it also describes dyslexic children, and how to help. This is a very informative book, with a delightful mix of a great biography and description.

I've been hooked on retellings of the Beauty/Beast tale for years. I hunt down, seek out and snap up anything that smacks of a retelling. That's why when I saw this title and read the blurb, I rushed to the checkout with this little book.

The ingredients were there--hero with facial deformity, lovely heroine who grows to love the ugly man with a heart of gold, an isolated setting. What was missing were really good heartfelt scenes between Alix and Lee (the B &B). I kept feeling that I was being cheated of the deepest moments of emotion--the passion of the beauty for the beast and vice versa. There is a certain coolness in the telling, like the wintry countryside, and it left me...wanting.

For hard-core B&B aficionados, I say you might as well read it, but don't expect everything to end lovely and beautifully with a HEA. Just enjoy another version of our fave tale.

BTW, if you haven't read Charlotte Vale Allen's NIGHT MAGIC, there's a wonderful B&B retelling with correlation to Phantom of the Opera. I believe it's still in print.

Mir

I have never been happier that I decided, to go beyond the circle of authors I normally read, to try someone new! Susan Wilson created a story so finely crafted it is truly a work of art. I could truly see Lee & Alix as real people,living a very unique story.After finishing this novel it makes you want to look for the "beauty" in people instead of the "beast"

The characters in this book are so real, so well-written, you will be taken in. I read this book in an obsessed and feverish 4 hours! I couldn't put it down for a second. I was completely surprised at Leland Crompton's personality. Someone so cruelly treated most of his life was delightful and like a breath of fresh air to me. Lee seemed to be a man made purely of feeling. I guess the reason why I absolutely fell in love with Leland's character is because there aren't many people like him. I am fortunate to know one. Someone with such a beautiful heart that it makes him seem even more beautiful outside than he already is. Is it really our appearance (the clothing and makeup) that makes us beautiful, or could it be our personality that brings out our true beauty? Time has a way of changing our appearance but our hearts will always be the same. If you fall in love (can you even call it that?) with someone only because of the way they look, I ask you this: when time takes their beauty away and all that is left is their personality - a personality that you may have always had trouble tolerating but put up with because of their physical appearance - what will you do? Their wealth and beauty, and the physical pleasure will not always be enough. Just something to think about. Something, I am sure, Alix didn't think of when she began her relationship with her previous lovers and with Mark. She realized it, but stayed with him because she had likely not been with better men and was herself somewhat shallow. She had always focused on appearance...until Leland. He showed her what true beauty is made of. :-) Read it! You won't be able to put it down, I promise.