Summers at the Lake: Jon Stott Shares Cherished U.P. Memories

Many treasures are non-material-like a loving family or wonderful friends, like health and peace of mind, or like beautiful memories of special places and moments. Jon C. Stott relives the latter in his new book Summers at the Lake (Modern History Press, 2022).

Summers at the Lake
Image @ Modern History Press

In these autobiographical personal essays, Stott puts in words many golden memories of his lakeside life in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and those of his childhood days on Canada’s west coast. Each essay brings to life scenes of living in nature in all its purity and peace: paddling a canoe into sunrise on the longest day of the year, watching a child take her first kayak ride with her father, gazing at a bald eagle, riding air currents high above the lake, witnessing a hummingbird defend his feeder against intruders, and dodging campfire smoke while burning marshmallows and telling scary stories to wide-eyed kids.

In style, Stott’s essays read like prose poems. In mood, they bring together the romantic-the joy of simple, lakeside living in nature-and the reflective. And the two together also hold good therapeutic value. In his words:

These essays are meditations about the joys of simple lake side events and encounters with the world of nature.

Summers at the Lake is mainly inspired by two lakes that co-exist in the author’s mind and soul. First is Shawnigan Lake, on the west coast of Canada, where the author spent his childhood and early teen summers. Included in memories of those days are a few of the essays his father, Art Stott, a newspaper man, wrote about those years, i.e., 1940-1955. The second one is Crooked Lake, a small lake in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where the author has spent extended summers since 1985.

Sharon Brunner, of U.P. Book Review, praises Stott’s work for capturing the wonders of U.P. She notes, “In Summers at the Lake, much can be learned about life in the U.P. and its enjoyable places. You can explore the wonders of the U.P. while dipping your toes into the everyday experiences of life near Crooked Lake.”

Bob Rich, author of From Depression to Contentment, compares the therapeutic power of experiencing nature’s peace to that of reading Stott’s essays. He says that reading Summers at the Lake will give you the same benefits as meditating in lovely surroundings in peace and calmness.

Jon Stott’s Summers at the Lake is officially coming out in print on the 1st of May, 2022. For details and updates, follow www.ModernHistoryPress.com.

A Mouse Tail on Mackinac Island [HC]

978-1-61599-655-1
$29.95
In stock
1
Product Details
UPC: 978-1-61599-655-1
Brand: Modern History Press
Binding: Hardcover
Edition: 1st
Author: Summer Porter
Illustrator: Maggie Chambers
Pages: 38
Publication Date: 05/01/222

On a warm summer day in northern Michigan, a family of mice finds their way to Mackinac Island, the "jewel of the Great Lakes," to start a new life. Tag along and enter a world of whimsy in A Mouse Tail on Mackinac Island.

Join the family--Father Mouse, a lover of cheese; Mother Mouse, a singer of lullabies; Max Mouse, a collector of stamps and Millie and Maizy Mouse, sweet little babies--as they search for the perfect home. What adventures will they have? Where will they live? What dangers will they encounter? With vibrant illustrations and a charming story, A Mouse Tail on Mackinac Island will capture both your heart and imagination.

"Soon to become a Mackinac favorite - make way for this amusing and entertaining story. Whimsical illustrations, filled with recognizable details, engage the reader throughout this thoughtful book. Who wouldn't want to join the little Mouse family on an island adventure?" --Jennifer Powell, author and illustrator, What I Saw on Mackinac

"Maggie Chambers and Summer Porter have created a fun and colorful adventure of a family of mice all readers will enjoy - and, like a bite of island fudge, A Mouse Tail on Mackinac Island will prove very satisfying!" --Jim Bolone, co-author, The Dockporter

"Magnifying the little things in life, A Mouse Tail on Mackinac Island is a charming story told with an educational twist. Heartwarming characters, a unique setting and glorious imagery will make this book a family favorite and Mackinac Island staple." -- Kate Dupre, local artist and proprietor, Watercolor Cafe

"This charming children's book captures the essence of Mackinac Island. A classic 'tail' for people of all ages that will spark a sense of wonder for years to come." --Mayor Margaret Doud, city of Mackinac Island

Learn more at www.MouseTailOnMackinac.com

From Modern History Press

Save this product for later

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.