The Americana Series Monthly Challenge – May 2020: Maine

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The Americana Series Monthly Challenge – May 2020: Maine

1bhabeck
Mai 1, 2020, 4:11 pm

Each month, we will visit a different state in the United States of America for the Monthly Reading Challenge in the Mystery & Suspense Extra! Group. This month, we journey to Maine.

The Americana Series Monthly Challenge – May 2020: Maine


History

Maine is the northernmost state in the northeastern United States. Its capital is Augusta and its largest city is Portland. Maine is ranked 39th in area at 35,385 square miles (91,646km square) and is the 32nd in population with approximately 1.3 million residents as of 2019 (it is 38th in terms of density). There is no definitive explanation for the state's name but the most likely origin is that the name was given by early explorers after the former province of Maine in France.

The original inhabitants of the territory that is now Maine were Algonquian-speaking Wabanaki peoples who following the American Revolution mostly adapted to living in Iroquois-inspired settlements. European contact with the Maine area started around 1200 AD when Norwegians interacted with the native Penobscot Indians.

The first European settlement in Maine was in 1604 on Saint Croix Island, led by French explorer Pierre Dugua and whose party included Samuel de Champlain another notable explorer of the region. The English settled in Maine at the Popham Colony in 1607 – the same year as the settlement in Jamestown Virginia.

The Maine territory was much fought over by the French, English and allied natives during the 17th and early 18th centuries. American and British forces contended for control of Maine during both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, with the British occupying eastern Maine during both conflicts. Maine became the 23rd state on March 15, 1820 as part of the Missouri Compromise.

Urban development in Maine is primarily in Kennebec County, just east of Augusta. The Greater Portland metropolitan area is the most densely populated are with nearly 40% of Maine’s population. This area spans three counties and includes many farms and wooded areas. The state has experienced a very slow rate of population growth since the 1990 census at just 0.57%. Modest growth has been seen in the southern coastal counties; the northern, more rural areas of the state continue to lose population.

Maine’s diverse economy includes agriculture, commercial fishing, industrial, transportation, and tourism. Maine’s agricultural output includes poultry, eggs, dairy products, cattle, wild blueberries, apples, maple syrup and maple sugar. Commercial fishing consists primarily of lobster but both oysters and seaweed have been on the rise. Industrial output consists mainly of paper and lumber/wood products and naval shipbuilding.

Geography


Maine is bordered by only one US state: New Hampshire to the southwest. To the south and east is the Atlantic Ocean and to the north and northeast is New Brunswick, a province of Canada. To the northwest is the Canadian province of Quebec. Maine is both the northernmost state in New England and is also the largest, accounting for almost half of the region’s entire land area. Maine is the easternmost state in the US both in its extreme points - the town of Lubec is the easternmost organized settlement in the US.

Maine has almost 230 miles (400 km) of coastline (and 3,500 miles (5,600 km) of tidal coastline). There are jagged rocks and cliffs and many bays and inlets. It is said that the coastline has so many deep harbors, that it could provide anchorage for all the Navy fleets in the world. Inland are lakes, rivers, forests, and mountains. The visual contrast of forested slopes sweeping down to the sea (referred to as a "drowned coast") was summed up by American Poet, Edna St Vincent Millay in "Renascence":
All I could see from where I stood
Was three long mountains and a wood;
I turned and looked the other way,
And saw three islands in a bay.



Fun Facts

Maine is the least densely-populated US state east of the Mississippi River.

Maine is called the "Pine Tree State" – a full 83% of its total land is forested and/or unclaimed, the most forest cover of any US state.

In Wilton, there’s a cannery that imports and cans only dandelion greens.

Maine is the only state in the United States whose name is only one syllable.

Approximately 40 million pounds (near 90%) of the nation’s lobster supply is caught off the coast of Maine.

Maine produces 99% of all the blueberries in the country, making it the single largest producer of blueberries in the US.

Acadia National Park is the second most visited national park in the US.

90% of the country’s toothpick supply is produced in Maine.

Acadia National Park’s Cadillac Mountain is the highest point on the East Coast. Named for explorer Antoine Laumet de la Mothe, sieur de Cadillac (for whom the car company is also named) – Cadillac Mountain is 1,530 feet tall and from October through March, is the first place to experience sunrise in the US.

The official state insect of Maine is the honeybee. The state has a rich beekeeping culture, and even has a non-profit organization, the Maine Beekeepers Association, which was founded in 1976 to promote understanding of the insect’s importance.

Maine has many quirky museums, including the telephone museum in Ellsworth, the Maine Coast Sardine History Museum in Jonesport, the Umbrella Cover Museum in Portland, and perhaps most famously, the International Cryptozoology Museum (also in Portland), dedicated to the study of “hidden” or “unknown” animals like Yetis, Bigfoot and Lake Monsters..


The Maine Coon Cat, the official state cat of Maine, is the largest domestic cat breed – and with their think, layered fur coats, they’re perfectly adapted for Maine’s snowy winters.


Notable Residents


Senator Margaret Chase Smith stood up in the Senate and gave the famous Declaration of Conscience speech, speaking out against the McCarthy era. Senator Smith was the first female presidential candidate, running for office in 1964.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was considered the most influential poet of his day. The writer was born in Portland, Maine on February 2, 1807. His most popular works include "The Courtship of Miles Standish," "Evangeline" and "Hiawatha."

Stephen King, an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense and fantasy novels was born in Maine in 1947 and still lives in the state. King has sold more than 350 million copies of his books, many of which have been adapted into films, television series, miniseries and comic books. He has published 61 novels, including seven under the pen name Richard Bachman, and six non-fiction books. He has written approximately 200 short stores, most of which have been published in book collections. King’s wife, Tabitha, and son, Joe Hill, are also authors.

Other well-known people from Maine include Actors: Patrick Dempsey, Judd Nelson, Anna Kendrick; Politicians: Nelson Rockefeller, Edwin Muskie, Hannibal Hamlin; Directors/Screenwriters: David E. Kelly and John Ford.

In honor of MAINE, read a Mystery/Suspense book (any sub-genre will do!) that satisfies one or more of the following:

• A Mystery/Suspense book with "Blue," "Cat," "Water," or "King" in the title or has a tree on the cover or the book's title is one syllable;

• A Mystery/Suspense book in which a character is an explorer or lives in a sparsely populated area or the story takes place in the New England area of the United States;

• A Mystery/Suspense book where the author's initials (EITHER the first OR last) can be found in MAINE.


Happy Reading ❤

2bhabeck
Bearbeitet: Mai 20, 2020, 1:33 am

Brenda's May 2020 Americana Challenge - Maine
3 of 3 Complete


In honor of MAINE, read a Mystery/Suspense book (any sub-genre will do!) that satisfies one or more of the following:

• A Mystery/Suspense book with "Blue," "Cat," "Water," or "King" in the title or has a tree on the cover or the book's title is one syllable;
The Calling of the Grave by Simon Beckett; tree; 5/17/20; 4 stars



• A Mystery/Suspense book in which a character is an explorer or lives in a sparsely populated area or the story takes place in the New England area of the United States;
Glory in Death by J. D. Robb; takes place in New York; 5/4/20; 4 stars

• A Mystery/Suspense book where the author's initials (EITHER the first OR last) can be found in MAINE.
Gone with the Ghost by Erin McCarthy; 5/6/20; 3 stars

3Carol420
Bearbeitet: Mai 10, 2020, 10:46 am



Carol Makes Friends in Maine - Hope they don't eat me.
📌 - ★

3/3
📌 1. A Mystery/Suspense book with "Blue," "Cat," "Water," or "King" in the title or has a tree on the cover or the book's title is one syllable;
The neighbor - Dean Koontz - 3.5★


📌2. A Mystery/Suspense book in which a character is an explorer or lives in a sparsely populated area or the story takes place in the New England area of the United States;
Eight Perfect Murders - Peter Swanson - 5★ (They all take place in New England states & the store is in (Massachusetts)

📌3. A Mystery/Suspense book where the author's initials (EITHER the first OR last) can be found in MAINE.
Cut & Run - Madeleine Urban - 3★ M

4bhabeck
Bearbeitet: Mai 1, 2020, 4:54 pm

>3 Carol420: no worries. Maine Coons are amazing cats. I had 2 of them and they were the best

If you get a chance, check out Bobby Flay's posts with his cats - Nacho Flay and Stella Flay. Here's one from his instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/B8aESfPJb12/

5Sergeirocks
Bearbeitet: Mai 16, 2020, 3:31 pm

This could be a tough month...

1. 3 May 2020 - The Overnight Kidnapper - Andrea Camilleri 4★s (Author's initial in 'MAINE')
2. 16 May 2020 - Into the Blue - Robert Goddard 4.5★s ('Blue' in the title)

6Olivermagnus
Bearbeitet: Mai 2, 2020, 9:09 am



Lynda an Oliver's Maine Challenge

In honor of MAINE, read a Mystery/Suspense book (any sub-genre will do!) that satisfies one or more of the following:

• A Mystery/Suspense book with "Blue," "Cat," "Water," or "King" in the title or has a tree on the cover or the book's title is one syllable;

• A Mystery/Suspense book in which a character is an explorer or lives in a sparsely populated area or the story takes place in the New England area of the United States;

• A Mystery/Suspense book where the author's initials (EITHER the first OR last) can be found in MAINE.

7Carol420
Bearbeitet: Mai 2, 2020, 10:11 am

>6 Olivermagnus: Nice! Oliver says his feet are getting wet and the "Moosemobile" doesn't have any seat belts.

8gaylebutz
Mai 2, 2020, 12:57 pm

I'm going to read Strangers by Mary Anna Evans. All the author's initials are in Maine.

9Andrew-theQM
Mai 3, 2020, 7:56 pm

Andrew’s Maine Challenge

• A Mystery/Suspense book with "Blue," "Cat," "Water," or "King" in the title or has a tree on the cover or the book's title is one syllable;

• A Mystery/Suspense book in which a character is an explorer or lives in a sparsely populated area or the story takes place in the New England area of the United States;

• A Mystery/Suspense book where the author's initials (EITHER the first OR last) can be found in MAINE.

10Carol420
Bearbeitet: Mai 10, 2020, 10:50 am



I'm all done! Now don't wake me up!:)

11Sergeirocks
Mai 10, 2020, 11:55 am

I want a Maine Coon cat - they're so cool...

12bhabeck
Mai 10, 2020, 5:41 pm

>11 Sergeirocks: they’re awesome cats

13bhabeck
Mai 10, 2020, 8:29 pm

>10 Carol420: well done!

14Carol420
Mai 10, 2020, 8:53 pm

>13 bhabeck: Thank you.

15gaylebutz
Mai 19, 2020, 5:45 pm

All the author's initials are in Maine. Do I get an extra point for that?

Strangers by Mary Anna Evans
3.5 ★
While arranging a historic preservation project at a St. Augustine bed-and-breakfast, Faye Longchamp and her husband Joe Wolf Mantooth investigate the murder of an employee's abusive boyfriend.

There were several storylines in this book. One was about an assistant to the bed-and-breakfast owners who went missing and her abusive boyfriend was found dead. Another was a murder of a young actress that occurred at the bed-and-breakfast in the 1920s. The last was about a priest in the 1500s that left a diary of the events and difficulties of his day. It was all interesting until the last part of the book where something happened that seemed implausible. That was disappointing but later some interesting things happened to compensate. Overall, a good, solid story.

16bhabeck
Mai 20, 2020, 1:33 am

Done!

17Carol420
Bearbeitet: Mai 20, 2020, 7:25 am

>16 bhabeck:



Good job!

18bhabeck
Mai 20, 2020, 3:10 pm

>15 gaylebutz: nice! Especially when there weren't that many letters to work with. You always seem to find the "multi-qualifiers"

19jguidry
Mai 25, 2020, 10:53 pm

Jaret's Trip to Maine to see a real "fall":
(1/3 completed)

• A Mystery/Suspense book with "Blue," "Cat," "Water," or "King" in the title or has a tree on the cover or the book's title is one syllable;

• A Mystery/Suspense book in which a character is an explorer or lives in a sparsely populated area or the story takes place in the New England area of the United States;

Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 5 stars 5/1/2020 first initial is in mAine

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