1985 reprint (library binding); first published in 1953. (The 1956 third printing is pictured; the covers are similar.) Illustrations by F. Wenderoth Saunders, "with a new Introduction by the author." The fable of a Mainer who buys a dog and tries to take it home on the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad. Inscribed "Christmas 1987. Dick, dear -- Please enjoy this! (It makes me think of our good old Canal Line!) Lots of love, Leane." And there's a piece of paper tucked inside with "Merry Christmas and love from Santa Claus!" on one side, and "He uses scrap paper!" (with a cute sketch) on the other, both in red pen.

From The Writer's Almanac for October 22, 2004
It's the birthday of the humorist and columnist John Gould, born in Boston, Massachusetts (1908). He was an essayist and columnist who spent sixty years writing a weekly dispatch from his farm in Maine for the Christian Science Monitor. His column is believed to be the longest running column ever in a U.S. newspaper. He wrote about his neighbors and family, the three-tined fork, the origin of the molasses cookie, his father's bees, telephone solicitors, and the battle of Gettysburg.

He was the son of a railway postal clerk whose family moved to Maine when he was ten years old. He started contributing stories to local newspapers when he was still in elementary school. His first published story was about a cat who knew how to ring a doorbell. He always believed good stories were more important than facts, so he frequently retold local tall tales as though they were true. He once wrote about a man who kept a trout for a pet, trained it to live on land, and played games with it in his shack.

He wrote more than 30 books, including Farmer Takes a Wife (1945), a best-seller about his marriage to a city girl from Arlington, Massachusetts, and The Fastest Hound Dog in the State of Maine (1953) about his dog.

This Down East tall tale is really a short story -- the yarn itself has a full-page photo on every spread, and the rest of the book is front matter and annotation. But the notes are a riot, and I bet the ending was really naughty 53 years ago. (Pictured is the 1953 first edition.)

RELEASE NOTES:

Yale College reunions are this weekend (and next), so there are lots of alumni in town -- some with children in tow. Perfect time to leave some books on the shelves (against the far right wall as you come throught the door) at:

Koffee Too?
276 York Street (between Broadway & Wall Street)
New Haven, Connecticut, USA
(203) 787-9929
http://www.koffeetoo.com

Hours:
Mon-Fri 7 a.m.-midnight
Sat 8:30 a.m.-midnight
Sun 9 a.m.-midnight

Closes at 9 p.m. and off-season.

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