FARMINGTON – Devaney, Doak & Garrett Booksellers will host a Chester Greenwood Day book signing with Maine author Laurie Apgar Chandler from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7. Chandler’s memoir, Upwards, is the story of her summer 2015 journey across New England’s Northern Forest Canoe Trail, alone in a small canoe. The 740-mile NFCT follows traditional native travel routes from the Adirondacks to northern Maine, passing through the Rangeley Lakes, Flagstaff, Moosehead, and the Allagash along the way. Thru-paddlers like Chandler face 150 miles of upstream travel and many long portages. Upwards weaves the beauty and drama of nature, history, and wildlife into an old-fashioned adventure tale complete with thrilling whitewater and even escaped convicts.
“Laurie’s writing is inspiring,” a recent reader shared, “and invokes the true passion of the water, wilderness, and human spirit. When our world seems bleak at times, Laurie’s adventure, her faith coupled by friendships both new and old…have restored my belief that there is still good in our world. I loved the sense of small town America. The hospitality to a weary traveler. Communities taking care of strangers or, better yet, strangers looking out for strangers. I loved this book!”
“This will be my debut event in Farmington and my first Chester Greenwood Day!” said the enthusiastic author. This annual celebration honors the 15-year-old from Farmington who crafted the very first pair of earmuffs from wire, beaver fur, and cloth. At the age of nineteen, Greenwood patented his invention and the rest is history.
DDG Booksellers, owned by Kenny Brechner and located at 193 Broadway St., has been Farmington’s independent bookstore for almost three decades.
“We’re thrilled to have Laurie join us to share Upwards with our customers on Chester Greenwood Day,” Brechner explained, “particularly because all DDG’s book sales that day will benefit our local school libraries.”
