The New England Life of Cartoonist Bob Montana: Beyond the Archie Comic Strip Paperback – Illustrated, October 1, 2013

This book is best described as a 'love letter' to the town of Meredith, the folks who live/lived there, and of course Bob Montana and his family. If you're expecting some sort of 'warts 'n' all' exposé, forget it. This little volume is a pleasant, gentle, non-cynical, almost naive journey into lives and history of the Montana's, their friends and other denizens of what sounds almost like the sort of town you'd see in an Andy Hardy film. I have no complaints about this. In fact it makes for a pleasant change. I for one am sick of 'doom and gloom', and this book works toward reaffirming the belief that their are still folks out there with a positive and upbeat view of life, people, family and the communities in which they choose to reside and build a life.

Rather than a retrospective of the iconic Archie comics, this is really a book about how a good and decent man gives back to his community and enjoys the simple joys of small town America. Perhaps a bit too idealistic, but it makes you wonder if we can ever return to the golden age of innocence. We can only hope.

If you are like me you wanted to buy this book to find out more about Bob Montana's high school life. You wanted to know about the friends who became the Archie Characters such as Skinny Linehan who was Jughead, and Agatha Popoff who was Veronica. But hang on to your hats, this book as NO information about any of his high school friends. In fact, his high school years don’t even get a chapter, just a paragraph with in a chapter which says, “Bob regretted not being about the attend his senior year at Haverhill High” which is said to be Riverdale High. I just told you want the book said, so you don’t need to buy it. But, if you are interested in other parts of Bob Montana’s life, the book does a fair job on those matters, so I am giving it two stars. I am very disappointed and I wish I could return this book and get my money back.

A truly enjoyable read! Bob Montana was a man who lived life to the fullest, and Carol Lee Anderson manages to capture that aspect as she tells the story of his life. While he was very involved in the community, he brought many of the members of that community into his comic strips. You can visit the Lakes Region of New Hampshire with Archie as you enjoy reading this book.

I live in the same area of nh as Bob Montana and found the book was like watching your neighbors. great reading