Author Bob Pike in his study where he wrote
Tall Trees, Tough Men more than 45 years ago.
Tall Trees, Tough Men more than 45 years ago.
When I moved to the Upper Connecticut River Valley for a new adventure, I hadn't done the math. Nor had I found the W.W. Norton letter about the official release date of Tall Trees, Tough Men - my dad's book whose research and writing occupied a goodly portion of my childhood.
April was simply the month in which he had been born. To be sure, the celebration of Patriot's Day in Massachusetts and Maine is part of New England's contribution to the American war effort that was the Revolution, and the 19th was a date we always celebrated. But honestly, I don't know what we did for April 1, 1967 when Norton published Dad's book.
My guess: Not much. School was in session and that meant the stern, nine-month persona of Dr. Robert E. Pike, foreign language department chair at Monmouth College in West Long Branch, NJ, was fully activated, right down to his academic uniform: a pair of Florsheim wing-tipped shoes, a white Arrow shirt, and a tailor-made suit from Rogers & Peet.
As the icy winter of 2012 lingered, the shipping boxes gave up interesting letters, including the one from Norton that heralded April 1 at the official pub date of a book now 45 years in print. I also found a letter from a Knopf editor who had wanted to buy the Tall Trees... manuscript, but I'll save that story for April 28.
Put a pin in that date. Scott Beck, proprietor of Boxcar & Caboose bookstore and cafe in St. Johnsbury, and I agreed on a 3 p.m. anniversary party that Saturday afternoon during the annual World Maple Festival (which he also steers).
BTW: The 10th buyer of Tall Trees... get a free, autographed copy of the 1999 edition of Spiked Boots: Sketches of the North Country.
In my spare time (!), I've launched a letter-writing campaign to track down Dad's original missives. One response so far came in from the daughter of a childhood pal who also grew up in Waterford, VT. Given Edna Joslin Blood's maiden name, I'm curious to find out if she ties into the family tree through marriage, as my Nathan Pike who helped found Waterford married Julia Joslin.
At the very least, I'm looking for two puzzle pieces.
Tom Scott of Rochester, NY, was looking for his missing pieces when he contacted me about a month ago for information about his great uncle, the first professional musician ever contracted to play the Convention Hall theater organ in Asbury Park, NJ.
Unknown to him, his second cousin was also searching for family ties. Click my latest post for Pike on the Park to read what happened with these two long-lost relatives.
That gratifying hook-up surfaced smack dab in the middle of my newest domestic drama. Within 24 hours of Scott Beck and I finalizing the April 28 details I was informed the house I'm renting from two New Jersey natives sold. I have to move out May 1.
Culling and sorting all the letters my father saved is on hold.
There's a bucket list of what I want to do in the Upper Connecticut River Valley as mud season dries out.
And before I have to unhook from my ISP.
How am I going to survive this detour in my move from the Jersey Shore to the North Woods?
April was simply the month in which he had been born. To be sure, the celebration of Patriot's Day in Massachusetts and Maine is part of New England's contribution to the American war effort that was the Revolution, and the 19th was a date we always celebrated. But honestly, I don't know what we did for April 1, 1967 when Norton published Dad's book.
My guess: Not much. School was in session and that meant the stern, nine-month persona of Dr. Robert E. Pike, foreign language department chair at Monmouth College in West Long Branch, NJ, was fully activated, right down to his academic uniform: a pair of Florsheim wing-tipped shoes, a white Arrow shirt, and a tailor-made suit from Rogers & Peet.
As the icy winter of 2012 lingered, the shipping boxes gave up interesting letters, including the one from Norton that heralded April 1 at the official pub date of a book now 45 years in print. I also found a letter from a Knopf editor who had wanted to buy the Tall Trees... manuscript, but I'll save that story for April 28.
Put a pin in that date. Scott Beck, proprietor of Boxcar & Caboose bookstore and cafe in St. Johnsbury, and I agreed on a 3 p.m. anniversary party that Saturday afternoon during the annual World Maple Festival (which he also steers).
BTW: The 10th buyer of Tall Trees... get a free, autographed copy of the 1999 edition of Spiked Boots: Sketches of the North Country.
In my spare time (!), I've launched a letter-writing campaign to track down Dad's original missives. One response so far came in from the daughter of a childhood pal who also grew up in Waterford, VT. Given Edna Joslin Blood's maiden name, I'm curious to find out if she ties into the family tree through marriage, as my Nathan Pike who helped found Waterford married Julia Joslin.
At the very least, I'm looking for two puzzle pieces.
Tom Scott of Rochester, NY, was looking for his missing pieces when he contacted me about a month ago for information about his great uncle, the first professional musician ever contracted to play the Convention Hall theater organ in Asbury Park, NJ.
Unknown to him, his second cousin was also searching for family ties. Click my latest post for Pike on the Park to read what happened with these two long-lost relatives.
That gratifying hook-up surfaced smack dab in the middle of my newest domestic drama. Within 24 hours of Scott Beck and I finalizing the April 28 details I was informed the house I'm renting from two New Jersey natives sold. I have to move out May 1.
Culling and sorting all the letters my father saved is on hold.
There's a bucket list of what I want to do in the Upper Connecticut River Valley as mud season dries out.
And before I have to unhook from my ISP.
How am I going to survive this detour in my move from the Jersey Shore to the North Woods?