| A Short History of Portland Contributor(s): Levinsky, Allan (Author) |
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ISBN: 1933212438 ISBN-13: 9781933212432 Publisher: Commonwealth Editions OUR PRICE: $14.80 Product Type: Paperback Published: June 2014 Annotation: It was first part of the "Land of the Bad People" (Verrazanno's name for the Maine coast as he sailed past) and later named Falmouth. It was devastated by Indian attacks in the 17th century, British naval attacks in the 18th century, and a conflagration in the middle of the 19th century. Rising from the ashes each time, the city we now call Portland is today a most desirable address. In 2006, Frommer's recognized it as one of the twelve must-see destinations for world travelers, noting its fantastic mix of culture, education, and first-rate restaurants. No wonder Portland's motto is Resurgam: "I shall rise again." Like A Short History of Boston, which has become a steady backlist seller with over ten thousand copies in print since 2004, Levinsky's Short History of Portland features a tight narrative history from the city's founding in the 17th century to present day; a detailed chronology of this history; over one hundred black-andwhite illustrations; and two dozen profiles of notable Portland natives and residents, including: Edward Preble, a naval hero of the American Revolution and the 1803 war against the Barbary pirates Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the poet and linguist Elizabeth Oakes Smith, abolitionist and early champion of women's rights Joshua Chamberlain, Bowdoin College professor and hero of the Battle of Gettysburg Movie director John Ford |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - History | United States - State & Local - New England (ct, Ma, Me, Nh, Ri, Vt) |
| Dewey: 974.191 |
| LCCN: 2007044962 |
| Series: Short Histories |
| Physical Information: 0.32" H x 6.06" W x 8.96" (0.47 lbs) 128 pages |
| Themes: - Locality - Portland, Maine - Geographic Orientation - Maine - Cultural Region - New England |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Maine's largest city is celebrated in this concise narrative history, abundantly illustrated, with a lengthy and informative timeline of key events, and featuring two dozen biographical profiles of important Portland people. Who knew so many surprises could await a reader? Destroyed by four nations, birthplace to both national heroes and villains, burned, reborn, and still building anew in the twenty-first century, one of America's most surprising small cities comes to life in this bright, brisk history. -Rep. Herb Adams, historian and Maine State Legislator |
Contributor Bio(s): Levinsky, Allan: - Allan Levinsky, a Portland native, is a graduate of the University of Maine. He is the author of At Home with the General, about Maine's Civil War hero Joshua Chamberlain; A Short History of Portland; and The Night the Sky Turned Red, about the great Portland Fire of 1866. He works for the Maine Historical Society as a guide at the boyhood home of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and has served as a volunteer for other historical organizations in Maine. |