Stone by Stone: The Magnificent History in New England's Stone Walls |
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Stone by Stone: The Magnificent History in New England's Stone Walls
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by Robert Thorson
Sales Rank: 315933
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Discount: 32 %
List Price: $14.95
$10.17
At Amazon
on 4-13-2008.
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Features
Cover Type: Paperback with 304 pages
Published by: Walker & Company March 1, 2004
Written in: English
ISBN 10 Number: 0802776876
ISBN 13 Number: 978-0802776877
Book Dimensions:
7.7 x 5.4 x 1 inches
Weighs: 10.4 ounces
From Publishers Weekly
"To know New England well, one must know its stone walls," writes the author of this authoritative paean to the structures he calls the "signatures of rural New England." There were once approximately 240,000 miles of stone walls in New England, and Thorson, a professor of geology and geophysics at the University of Connecticut, combines natural History and human History as he tells the story of the walls and how they were built. In his geo-archeological study, he begins by exploring how the stones, formed deep within the earth, were shaped and scattered by glaciation, buried under forest and soil buildup, brought to the surface after the New England pioneers cut down the trees and exposed the soil to frost heave, and tossed to the sides of their fields by early farmers clearing the land. He finds these tossed walls, which make up the majority of stone walls in New England, as aesthetically pleasing as the carefully constructed walls that came later. Every type of stone wall fascinates him. He extols their color, form and texture, the sounds they make, the shelter they provide for animals, their beauty as they disintegrate. As agriculture declined in the region, the walls were neglected, and today they are "almost as sad as they are simple," he says, for they are evidence of a lost Yankee culture. Now most of the walls have been abandoned, and their stones have become a cash crop to be sold and often carried far away from their original locations, which Thorson considers an "environmental tragedy." His book covers much technical material, but his enthusiasm for the subject brings it to life. Copious notes, extensive bibliography and an appendix with geologic time lines are included. Illus. not seen by PW.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
As Thorson writes in his introduction, "Abandoned stone walls are the signatures of rural New England." The only national fencing census, made in 1871, estimated that there were approximately 240,000 miles of these "signatures." In telling their story, Thorson (geology and geophysics, Univ. of Connecticut) weaves together cultural and environmental histories with geography and natural science. With explanations written for a general rather than an academic readership, the author describes how the size, shape, and color of stones indicate how and where they were formed. These stones, as a natural resource of New England, shaped the culture of the region, beginning with the soil movement that yielded the stones from the ground. The resulting walls created microclimates and supported plant life while delineating property boundaries of the small family farms. Thorson traces the growth and decline of the farms and discusses the technological changes that resulted in the transition from an agricultural to an industrial nation. The author knows his subject thoroughly and communicates his enthusiasm. His intriguing book is best suited to public libraries and essential for libraries in New England.
Denise Hamilton, Franklin Pierce Coll. Lib., Rindge, NH
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Reader Reviews
This review is from: Stone By Stone: The Magnificent History in New England's Stone Walls (Hardcover)
"The stone walls of New England stand guard against a future that seems to be coming too quickly. They urge us to slow down and to recall the past." This is only one of the many observations that Professor Thorson concludes his marvelous book with. I must admit that his final, summarizing chapter actually brought a tear to my eye - hardly to be expected from a book on geology and regional history mixed with, amongst other topics, some anthropology. In other words this book has enough of everything to satisfy every curiosity you might have about those tumbled down rows of stones found in just about every New England forest and suburb. A surprising wealth of information on numerous topics. Fascinating scientific and cultural and historical background - far more than one would ever expect to encounter considering the topic. And Professor Thorson's writing style is commendably clear and readable, with a poet's affection for his topic. Quite simply one of the best nonfiction books I think I have ever read (and I read quite a lot), for its perfect fusion of research, understanding and sentiment. Almost an answer to my prayers during so many long, wandering and wondering forest walks. I encourage you to read this book.
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Stone by Stone: The Magnificent History in New England's Stone Walls
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Price: $10.17
Updated on 4-13-2008.
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