Great stories of Christmas in the Allagash

Christmas in the very remote Allagash Wilderness Waterway was a challenge, and I loved the stories that Tim Caverly shared with us in his book, Tis the Season In Maine, co-authored by Frank Manzo Jr. Just getting family members to Tim’s Allagash cabin was a challenge.

Tim tells us, in the preface, that this book “of my family’s experiences of Christmas through the ages… is intended to be read before the gift giving holiday. It is our desire that the memoirs found in this anthology will stimulate recollection and discussion among your family and friends… remembrances that will serve to keep traditions alive and perhaps inspire new customs to progress through time; so that loved ones are encouraged to join for every holiday.”

Well, your book definitely brought back some great Christmas memories for me, Tim, from searching the woods for a perfect tree to trying to stay awake on Christmas Eve to hear Santa arrive (I never succeeded). Our family now gathers on Christmas day at our Mount Vernon home, a very special time.

Tim may stimulate your memories at the end of some of his stories, where he posts a blank page with a question, such as “Memories of Christmas when I was a younger child.” You are encouraged to write your own story.

Tim does start us out with Christmas stories when he was young, before he got to the Allagash. He has written 8 books and I really admire him for his work with and commitment to children. Through their “New England Reads” literacy project, Tim and Frank have provided 234 Powerpoint programs for 8,000 students. They have also donated over 1750 Allagash Tails books to 146 New England schools.

Please get this book now, before Christmas, and enjoy Tim’s Christmas stories as you remember your own.

 

George Smith

About George Smith

George stepped down at the end of 2010 after 18 years as the executive director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine to write full time. He writes a weekly editorial page column in the Kennebec Journal and Waterville Morning Sentinel, a weekly travel column in those same newspapers (with his wife Linda), monthly columns in The Maine Sportsman magazine, two outdoor news blogs (one on his website, georgesmithmaine.com, and one on the website of the Bangor Daily News), and special columns for many publications and newsletters. Islandport Press published a book of George's favorite columns, "A Life Lived Outdoors" in 2014. In 2014, George also won a Maine Press Association award for writing the state's bet sports blog. In 2016, Down East Books published George's book, Maine Sporting Camps, and Islandport Press published George and his wife Linda's travel book, Take It From ME, about their favorite Maine inns and restaurants.