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Health & Fitness

Patton's Mini-Book Tour

Thomas "Tip" O'Neill, former Speaker of the U.S. House, once said, "All politics is local." By that he meant that whatever happens in local politics also takes place on a grander scale nationally. Sort of the same thing happens in the book publishing world.  Well-known authors go on national book tours to promote their books through public appearances  and television interviews. If O'Neill's maxim holds true for books, then local authors, such as yours truly, have mini-book tours that take them to nearby bookstores, libraries, and book clubs.

And, indeed, that is the case. I have a series of personal appearances scheduled at which I will read from and discuss my new book Outtastatahs: Newcomers' Adventures in New Hampshire. On Monday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. I will appear at the River Run Bookstore in Portsmouth with Rebecca Rule, well known Granite State humorist, storyteller, and author, as well as Brendan Smith, author of The Flatlander Chronicles.

The next night, Tuesday, Nov. 5, I will be at the North Hampton Public Library from 7 to 8 p.m. to talk about my book and answer questions.  Nine days later, on Thursday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m., I will speak at the Water Street Bookstore in Exeter.  On Saturday, Dec. 7, I will be signing books at the Holiday Shopping Event scheduled for the Hampton Lane Library by the Friends of Lane Library.

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Other appearances are in the works for the Rye Public Library, the Hampton Falls Public Library, and a speaking engagement at The Hampton Lane Library.

In a way, I'm sorry to have finished writing Outtastatahs because I keep encountering quirky new stories about New Hampshire that I'd like to have included in the book. For example, I'm curious about the relative lack of street signs in the Granite State.

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When my wife and I are driving at night on two-lane roads in rural areas of Rockingham County, we have a hard time finding our way. Oh sure, the cross streets are marked, but no signs tell us what road we are on. We can travel mile after mile in the gloom of night without seeing state signs identifying the number of the road we are traveling or its name. I'm guessing infamous Yankee thrift is responsible. It would cost too much to provide two signs at a crossing telling the names of both roads that are intersecting.

Somewhat the same thing happened when I recently had the occasion to distribute flyers door-to-door in Hampton. A lot of street signs were missing, making my ability to get where I wanted to go more difficult. So, my wife and I asked a long-time, Hampton town official why so many street signs were gone.

His answer supported the "New Hampshire is thrifty " hypothesis. He said that many signs are stolen, and, other than raiding undergraduate dormitory rooms to get them back (hah! hah! He didn't really say that.), they are very expensive to replace.

In addition, he continued, "Some people don't want to have the street signs in their neighborhoods replaced. They know where they live. So do their friends. And they don't want other people to know."

Really, that's what he said. And he was serious. Only in New Hampshire.

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