Stone by Stone: The Magnificent History in New England's Stone Walls

If you hike,walk or Sunday drive this book explains clearly what ALL those walls are about.Even debunks what you heard in grade school.l am up in Maine now and findng these ruins in the woods is oddly heartwarming now.

Since I returned "home" to Connecticut, I have become fascinated by the stone walls to be found everywhere here and throughout New England. I've been especially intrigued seeing the old walls running through the forests by the sides of highways. After just finishing Robert Thorson's interesting and clearly written book Stone By Stone, I realize my fascination and intrigue are well-founded.Dr. Thorson, a geology professor at the University of Connecticut, is recognized as New England's leading authority on the region's historic stone walls. In this book, he takes us far back in time to the earth's cooling, the continents' splitting apart and the glaciers' icy grip on the land to show how rocks and stones were formed. He brings us on a journey up through history to the present, showing why the time and tools were finally right in the early to mid-19th century to construct the tens of thousands of miles of stone walls found throughout New England.He explains why these walls are such a special feature of New England's history and New Englanders' sense of ourselves as people who belong to a distinct and distinctive place. And he argues eloquently for preserving these walls against those who are selling and plundering them, literally carting off stone walls that took decades to build simply to lend faux gravitas and authenticity to new construction in areas that are "stone-poor," as he puts it. As he says, archeology is being sacrificed to become mere architecture and, in the process, what should be viewed as sacred pieces of our heritage are being lost forever.Anyone interested in stone walls and in what makes New England the unique place it is should read this excellent book.

I had hoped for a more detailed description of the stone wall building that took place than how rocks got to be rocks and made their way to the surface and back again. There are so many different types of stonewalls in New England but this book only seemed to concentrate on the “thrown together “ walls surrounding pastures and the like. The intricate walls of some New England towns is not even discussed.

"The stone walls of New England stand guard against a futurethat seems to be coming too quickly. They urge us to slow downand to recall the past."This is only one of the many observations that Professor Thorsonconcludes his marvelous book with. I must admit that his final,summarizing chapter actually brought a tear to my eye - hardlyto be expected from a book on geology and regional historymixed with, amongst other topics, some anthropology.In other words this book has enough of everything to satisfyevery curiosity you might have about those tumbled down rowsof stones found in just about every New England forest andsuburb. A surprising wealth of information on numerous topics.Fascinating scientific and cultural and historical background -far more than one would ever expect to encounter consideringthe topic. And Professor Thorson's writing style is commendablyclear and readable, with a poet's affection for his topic.Quite simply one of the best nonfiction books I think I have everread (and I read quite a lot), for its perfect fusion of research, understanding and sentiment.Almost an answer to my prayers during so many long, wandering and wondering forest walks.I encourage you to read this book.

Just got a copy of this book for myself after reading a library copy and realizing I had to have a copy for myself. If you really want to get a feel for the sweep of time, geology, the love of stone not just as an "artifact' but as "scientific object" a particular "landform" born of glaciers a mile high and human hands seeing to plant a crop in a stony field. I love his "passion for rocks." This is a must-read if you are a true New Englander (whether you've ever lived here or not). I will cherish it for its poetry as much as for its prose. A thing well-written is a joy forever.

Nothing to dislike. Very interesting read!

The very best kind of popular science. It's direct, believable, and easy to read and enjoy. I moved here to New England about 14 years ago and I just bought this. It's given me a new way to look at the streetside and forest walls I pass every day on car and bike.

Our house that we had built 10 years ago is surrounded by a stone wall and I have always wondered how it came about. While it doesn't talk specifically about our property, it does answer where the stone walls in NH came from and it is so interesting to read. I am so glad he did the research and wrote this book, because I think we take these walls for granted by them just always being there. I appreciate them so much more now.