New bookstore in town!

For all you book lovers, here is some good news! There is a new bookstore in downtown Portland, and it’s beautiful. Sherman’s Books and Stationery has come to town, just opening in the Old Port on Exchange Street. It’s a visual treat inside – not only lots of attractive and appealing books, but lovely items to go with them. I was there on Earth Day (April 22) and a lot of earthy and green items caught my eye. There is a huge children’s area. Many of the books are reasonably priced.

Sherman books

Sherman’s Books was founded by Bill Sherman in 1886 in Bar Harbor. (They advertise themselves as “Maine’s oldest bookstore.”) There are stores in Camden, Freeport, and Bar Harbor. And now Portland! Lucky us. It’s so nice to see another Maine business come to our area.

For more information see www.shermans.com

and

https://www.facebook.com/ShermansBooks

 

National Poetry Month

In honor of National Poetry Month (April), I would like to honor poets who write books – not of poetry, but prose. These are some of my favorite books. I just read Simon Armitage’s Walking home : a poet’s journey. Published in 2013, this book details his walk along the Pennine Way in England, which is much like America’s Appalachian Trail. Armitage exchanges room and board at various venues for reading his poems, to a variety of audiences, including appreciative, at times. Not only did I learn about this trail, but I enjoyed Armitage’s wit and honesty about himself.

England - Lanteglos Church

This book brought to mind another wonderful book, by Baron Wormser, The Road washes out in spring: a poet’s memoir of living off the grid. Baron Wormser was the Poet Laureate of Maine in 2000, and at the time of his book, lived in Madison, Maine, where he was a librarian for the local school district. Anyone who lives rural in Maine (and experiences mud season) will appreciate and enjoy this book.

So, here’s to poets everywhere, especially those who write prose!