Here is a sample of the new books we have added to the Vermont Research Collection recently.

Suddenly You Are Nobody: Vermont Refugees Tell Their Stories, by Jared Gange

Author Jared Gagne presents the stories of thirty refugees and immigrants from seventeen countries who now live in Vermont. He writes, “The goal of this book is to show, by relating the life stories of individuals who have experienced profound loss and extreme hardship, that starting over in a foreign land, through determination and hard work, it is possible to achieve a measure of success and happiness.” The stories include historical context, photos of home countries, and portraits.

Skiing with Henry Knox: A Personal Journey Along Vermont’s Catamount Trail, by Sam Brakeley

This book tells the story of two long winter journeys that took place almost 250 years apart but over similar terrain. One is the story of Henry Knox, a soldier in the Continental Army who trekked from Boston to Fort Ticonderoga and back in 1775. The other is the author’s account of his end-to-end skiing expedition on the Catamount Trail in 2015.

The Unlikely Farmer: Biography of a Vermont Hill Farmer, by George Kempton

George Kempton and his wife Patty started farming in the Northeast Kingdom town of Peacham in 1962. George uses transcriptions from the journals Patty kept, augmented with his memories and commentary, to tell the story of the farm family’s life.

The Land of Milk and Honey: A History of Beekeeping in Vermont, by Bill Mares and Ross Conrad

Bill Mares and Ross Conrad’s book charts the long history of Vermont beekeeping and honey production from the early 1800s to the present, and looks ahead to future challenges. Drawing on a wide variety of sources including interviews and archival material, the book chronicles the challenges, innovations, successes and personalities of Vermont beekeeping. It includes many illustrations and a list of all the bee books published in Vermont or written by Vermonters from 1836 to 2018.