Upcountry

The essays collected here, most of which first appeared in New England magazines, tell of Kimber's life on an old farm in Temple, Maine, where he and his wife, both former university teachers, settled 20 years ago. His subjects are simple country pleasures: the paucity of nocturnal social life, the amusing contrariness of his flock of sheep, the elegance of cross-country skiing, the deliciousness of homemade doughnuts, the joy of afternoon dips at the local pond. Kimber's style is lively and imaginative; place names like Tumbledown Mountain, Ironbound Pond and Debsconeag Deadwater seem magical as he describes hiking and fishing expeditions. Some of the essays are funny, others are poignant; all are imbued with fresh insights. (Sept.)