A Bibliophile’s Guide to Portland, Maine By Karen Wojcik Berner
Thank you so
much for having me here today, Jencey.
In my latest
novel, “Until My Soul Gets It Right (The Bibliophiles: Book Two),” Catherine
Elbert cannot stand living one more day on her family’s farm in Burkesville,
Wisconsin. Watching a PBS travelogue, she becomes intrigued with Maine, with
its lighthouses and rugged coastline, so different from the Midwest. She
eventually settles on Peaks Island, off the coast of Portland.
Portland is
such a great city, steeped in history and funky enough to have a vibrant arts
community. Elizabeth Strout, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the wonderful
“Olive Kitteridge” was born here, not to mention publishing juggernaut Stephen
King. Besides, who doesn’t love reasonably priced lobster?
Being a
bibliophile myself, I always visit any literary landmarks or novel points of
interest. Here are a few in and around Portland.
The
Wadsworth-Longfellow House. Smack in the middle of downtown Portland at 489
Congress Street, is the childhood home of the legendary nineteenth-century poet
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, which is still filled with original furnishings and
family memorabilia. Longfellow is one of the most famous American poets, having
written such pieces as “Paul Revere’s Ride,” “Christmas Bells,” and “The
Children’s Hour.” As a matter of fact, his poem is why the holiday shop
Catherine works at in Portland is called Christmas Bells.
The rock
near Portland Head Light. I know it sounds strange, but if you visit the most
famous lighthouse in Maine and the iconic image of the area, Portland Head
Light, there is a large, flat rock with a plaque behind it. Longfellow was
friends with the lighthouse keepers and was said to visit often. This is your
chance to sit and view what Longfellow may have when he was conceptualizing his
famous poem, “The Lighthouse.”
Brown
Library. Housing a collection that dates from the sixteenth through
twenty-first centuries, Brown Library is known for its comprehensive documents
of Maine and New England history. Located behind the Wadsworth-Longfellow
House, it has an extensive collection of nineteenth-century newspapers, as well
as the John S.H. Fogg Autograph Collection, which includes signatures from
Revolutionary War generals, kings and queens, and literary figures.
Longfellow
Books. Describing itself as “fiercely independent,” this bookstore, located at
One Monument Way, holds author events featuring everyone from New York Times
best-sellers to local Maine authors. It even has a Classics Book Club, just
like the one my characters belong to in my series, the Bibliophiles.
Have you
ever been to Maine? What is your favorite literary hangout?
Comments
Post a Comment