Old Hundredth

In 49 brief essays, Gould captures the essence of life in the State o' Maine, especially in winter. Author of 23 books, among them Next Time Around and This Trifling Distinction, he has virtually cornered the market on Maine customs and folklore. He notes that natives have special ways of marking the seasons: fall arrives when the summer people leave; spring comes grudgingly between February and July 4; the woodchuck comes out in the middle of May. Gould writes entertainingly of the Mud Season, false spring and weather ""breeders,'' jury duty as a means of breaking the monotony of a Maine winter. There are reminiscences: popping apple seeds on a hot woodstove, taking the family cow to water, priming the kitchen pump. This collection of tales about people, animals and Maine weather will charm readers anywhere. Illustrations not seen by PW. (May)