More enjoyable and educational than any anthology, Dr. Potholm's entertaining bibliography brings Maine's history and culture together into one delightful reading list. Maine: An Annotated Bibliography is a comprehensive 'who's who' of Maine literature with brief commentary on each entry. I particularly enjoyed checking off the titles of books I've already read or those I will definitely be reading in the future. Woman writers are impressively evident in the annotated lexicon of Maine stories, histories, and biographies. This delightful resource book is a joy to read for those who love Maine and a documentary for those who may know little about our beautiful state. Dr. Potholm succeeds in leading us to realize how the state's rugged beauty has inspired many talented writers over several centuries.

Juliana L'Heureux, www.mainewriter.com

“Potholm engages us in the modern history of Maine politics and convincingly shows how and why the political situation in the state is unique. Readers will enjoy his witty prose and interesting insights.”—

Micah Pawling, Bates College

“Professor Potholm mines rich and varied multidisciplinary works to lead readers on a historical journey through the ‘many Maines.’ The incisive and pointed commentaries enrich the volume with Potholm’s widely respected and keen perspectives that have shed light on history's hidden side for more than forty years. Only the Sage of Bowdoin could connect Sarah Palin to the Maine Political Tradition!”—

Greg Gallant, director, Margaret Chase Smith Library

“Every Maine researcher has had his or her share of boring times. Chris Potholm's Maine: An Annotated Bibliography lessens those times in numerous ways. He has organized Maine’s history into logical divisions and written concise and entertaining analysis of hundreds of publications, thus cutting down a researcher’s responsibility. His analysis is comprehensive, studied, and worthwhile. Some of his book descriptions had me laughing out loud. I think this book is a must for any Maine researcher whether they are from the left or the right, the North or the South.”—

Bill Green, Bill Green's Maine

I've just read Christian Potholm's latest book: "Maine, An Annotated Bibliography," published this year by Lexington Books. Chris, a long-time Bowdoin College professor, managed Bill Cohen's first campaign for Congress in 1972, a campaign that provided my first paid political job (as Bill's driver).
And I'm sure I don't have to tell you that Bill Cohen turned out to be one of those politicians who set aside partisanship to provide real leadership and work with other leaders of all political persuasions. Chris Potholm became, in the ensuing 40 years, the state's top pollster and political strategist. He's written many entertaining and enlightening books about Maine politics (for the record and full disclosure, my brother, sister and father, along with me, have been mentioned in some of those books).
Chris's new book is an anthology of various written works that bring the history of Maine -- economic and political -- to life. The book also includes Chris's insights on each work -- some of which are hilarious.
Many of the works listed in Chris's book recount times I experienced firsthand, the good old political days. I was comforted by a Ben Ames Williams quote, from Fraternity Village, at the front of Chris's book: "A thing gone, but well remembered, is not lost." Indeed.

George Smith, Kennebec Journal

Potholm (Bowdoin College), author of This Splendid Game (CH, Dec'03, 41-2474) and Maine (CH, Apr'06, 43-4951), frequently goes beyond his own specialty in the political realm to address the social and literary aspects of Maine in annotated bibliographic entries on articles, books, book chapters, films, and some websites - all enlivened by observational introductions. He addresses ethnicity; the psychology of place; economics; fictional works (carefully designated as such); and noted personalities, especially women, of this extensive, frontier-minded state. Political luminaries include Margaret Chase Smith, Edmund Muskie, William Cohen, George Mitchell, and Joshua Chamberlain. The author's pride in his school is apparent in his specific identification of Bowdoin authors; indeed, Bowdoin was the source of many of Maine's leaders. Black-and-white illustrations nicely break up the text, although an index would be useful.
Both rhapsodic about the scenery and realistic about the common claustrophobia caused by winter, along with the rampant use of drugs in isolated rural areas, Potholm is unperturbed about giving his own personal political background and opinions. The axioms listed in a separate chapter are all ones he developed. He duly notes works influenced by or written in Maine by Sarah Orne Jewett, Kenneth Roberts, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Henry David Thoreau....Potholm recognizes that this work is not comprehensive and expresses the hope of expanding it in future editions; he welcomes comments from readers. No other recently published bibliography is available on the Pine Tree State's politics and culture. This volume complements the Maine Historical Society's Maine Memory Networkhttp://www.mainememory.net/ (CH, Dec'05, 43-2426); James Henderson's edited Maine 2002http://people.maine.com/publius/almanac/encycweb/htm/enintrox.htm; and works such as Neil Rolde's Maine in the World (2009) and Michelle Souliere's Strange Maine (2010). Summing Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-level undergraduates; general readers.

Choice Reviews