“Old Maine Woman, Stories from The Coast to The County,” Book Signing

January 9th
Book Signing with Glenna Johnson Smith

Glenna Johnson Smith, author of “Old Maine Woman, Stories from The Coast to The County,” will sign copies of her book from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 9, at Nonesuch Books & Cards in South Portland. Smith, a Presque Isle resident and longtime columnist for Echoes magazine, writes with eloquence and humor about the complexities, absurdities and pleasures of everyday modern life, her childhood on the coast in the 1920s and 1930s, and the joys that old age brings. “Old Maine Woman” includes some of the best of Smith’s Echoes columns, as well as new material. Topics range from what it was like to grow up in a small-town post office, to her experiences as a first-year teacher, to what happens when the telephone man comes to call at her cluttered house. The book also includes a foreword by renowned Maine author and Smith fan Cathie Pelletier.

Born and raised in the Hancock County town of Ashville, Smith, 90, has since lived in Aroostook County for more than six decades. A former high school English teacher who retired in 1990, she has written and directed award-winning plays, led elder hostels and classes for senior citizens and conducted writing workshops. In addition to her work for Echoes, she also has been published in Yankee magazine; Maine Speaks: An Anthology of Maine Writers; Old Women’s Wisdom; and a number of other anthologies. She has won numerous awards for her work and civic contributions, including Presque Isle Citizen of the Year and an honorary doctorate from the University of Maine at Presque Isle.

For more information, contact the store at 799-2659. For more information about the book, go to www.islandportpress.com, email books@islandportpress.com or call 846-3344. Islandport Press is a Maine-based publisher of quality books about Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.