CRAIG TO WRITE TOWN HISTORY
3/16/12 -- Voters in the town of Stratham, N.H. voted last night to raise the funds to hire Craig to write a revised history of the Town of Stratham for its 300th anniversary in 2016.
Craig plans a very readable, anecdotal history, full of intersting and fun-to-read articles rather than the dull collectons of names and events that make up a traditional town history.
"All of those lists of information belong on the web where they can be updated as necessary," he said. "What I am going to produce is a book that's meant to be read...something that is fun to read."
Craig plans to complete the book for a June 2014 publication date. Hardcover and softcover editions are planned.
.
CRAIG FEATURED IN NEW GILLETTE CASE DOCUMENTARY
A new documentary film about the Gillette murder case called "North Woods Elegy: Incident at Big Moose Lake" features extensive interviews with Craig. Produced by Derek Taylor of Southern Connecticut University, it also features actors portraying Chester, Grace and other characters. It's accurate, very well done and a fine addition to the Gillette collection! Please go see it if you get the chance! You can take a look at the trailer for the film here.
CRAIG WRITING SCREENPLAY FOR MONADNOCK DOCUMENTARY
"Mondanock: The Mountain that Stands Alone" is the first documentary film about Mount Monadnock and is being produced by Rabbit Ear Films of Keene. Craig wrote the screenplay for the film based on his book Monadnock: More Than a Mountain. The flim is scheduled to be released in 2013, but until then you can take a look at our wonderful trailer here. Or check out the film's web page here.
Electric Chair Book in Paperback
Craig Brandon's 1999 book, The Electric Chair: An Unnatural American History, has been republished by McFarland & Company as a paperback with a brand new cover design, replacing the old, plain, red one.
MURDER IN THE ADIRONDACKS SELECTED FOR CAYUGA READS
"Murder in the Adirondacks," Craig's 1986 book about the Chester Gillette - Grace Brown murder case of 1906 was chosen by the readers of Cayuga County N.Y. as the "Cayuga Reads" selection for 2010.
Cayuga Reads is a pro-literacy group that selects a book by popular vote and its members then read the book and share their comments at public meetings.
The book was selected for Amsterdam Reads, a similar program in Amsterdam, N.Y. in 2009. Craig will make a presentation to Cayuga Reads in Auburn N.Y. in October 2010.
The book is about the true murder case that Theodore Dreiser used for his novel "An American Tragedy."
Listen to Craig talk about his books on Public Radio!
"The Exchange" New Hampshire Public Radio Dec, 8, 2010
Iowa Public Radio 1/25/11
New Hampshire Public Radio Oct. 21, 2010
Megalithia (Pumpelly Cave) on Mt. Monadnock
New Hampshire Public Radio: June 10, 2003
The Electric Chair
North Country Public Radio: March 16, 2006
The Gillette Case
The Five-Year Party Takes the Silver Prize in Education at Book of the Year Awards
ForeWord Reviews has named The Five-Year Party the silver prize winner in the education category for its 2010 Book of the Year awards.
Representing more than 350 publishers, the winners were selected from 1400 entries in 56 categories. These books are examples of independent publishing at its finest.
The winners were determined by a panel of librarians and booksellers selected from their readership. Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners, as well as Editor’s Choice Prizes for Fiction and Nonfiction were announced at a special program at the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans.
ForeWord's Book of the Year Awards program was created to spotlight distinctive books from independent publishers. What sets the awards apart from others is that final selections are made by real judges—working librarians and booksellers—based on their experiences with patrons and customers.
THE FIVE-YEAR PARTY
College tuition is increasing faster than gasoline or health care, but the quality of education is declining. For those who attend only for the five years of parties, education is optional. Students have the time of their lives while running up student loan debts that will take decades to pay off.
Based on five years of research and Craig's 12 years of experience at a party school in New England, it's written for parents who have no idea how little they are getting for their money. Half of the freshman class drops out before graduation and much of that tuition money goes for administrative salaries and buildings that have nothing to do with education. It takes six years for the average student to complete a four-year program.
After graduation, students who were promised high paying jobs are forced to take high school level jobs while paying off tens of thousands of dollars in college loans.
To read more about it, check out the Five Year Party page.
2/6/2013 - Craig's 2007 book about Mt. Monadnock helps connect property owners with the mountain's history in the Winter, 2013 issue of Forest Notes, published by the SPNHF. pg. 20
9/9/12 - "Good Night Irene," Craig's newest book, was the lead item in the Boston Globe's New England book news column today.
7/15/12 - Craig's newest book "Good Night Irene" is now available. Ask for it at your local bookshop, order it from Amazon or from the online bookstore at Surry Cottage Books. ! It's the story of the 2011 tropical storm that devastated three states. With three authors, three states and a dozen photographers, it was a complicated undertaking! Read more about it here.
2/22/12 - "Rumrunners: The Smugglers Who Quenched America's Thirst 1920-1933" has been sent out to pre-publication reviewers by Syracuse University Press, which is preparing it for publication. Craig has been working on this book since 2005!
12/15/11- Craig is writing the Wilmington, Brattleboro and Schoharie, chapters for the new book Good Night Irene, about the Aug. 28 tropical storm. It will be published by Surry Cottage Books in June.
11/25/11 US News and World Report's Debate Club feature invited Craig and 11 other higher ed experts to answer the question "Is a college degree still worth it?" You can read the results and cast a vote for me here.
11/3/11 A completely new and updated version of Craig's 1986 book Murder in the Adirondacks will be published in 2013. The new version adds information that Craig and others have gathered and will include some 70 new photos that have not been published in a century.
10/25/11 Craig will introduce the new documentary "North Woods Elegy: Incident at Big Moose Lake" about the Gillette case on 11/4/11 at Herkimer County Community College. Craig is interviewed throughout the film, which was directed and produced by Derek Taylor, a film professor at Southern Connecicut University. Don't miss it!
6/12/11 Craig has been appointed by the Town of Stratham, N.H. to rewrite the town's official history book for its 300th birthday in 2016.
5/1/11 Craig has been hired to write the script for the documentary film "Monadnock: The Mountain that Stands Alone" for the Rabbit Ears Films of Keene, N.H.
Craig on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer talking about The Five-Year Party Aug, 11, 2010
What, Me Study? Why so many colleges are education-free zones The Wall Street Journal review of The Five-Year Party Aug 9, 2010
Our colleges are less safe than you think - New Hampshire Union Leader Op-ed piece 9/6/10 (PDF)
CollegePlus! review of The Five Year Party Aug. 30, 2010
Fergus Cullen reviews The Five-Year Party in the New Hampshire Union Leader Nov. 20, 2010
Blog on Books Review of The Five-Year Party 8/14/10
Atlanta Journal Constitution Op-ed on Party Schools 9/15/10
Avoiding the party school trap - Forbes List of America's Best Colleges Aug. 11, 2010
Walt Gardner of Education Week reviews The Five-Year Party 8/13/10
1 County, 2 Americas -- Keene Sentinel July 24, 2010
10/6/09 Craig Interviewed about Mount Monadnock in the Boston Globe
"The Electric Chair" is featured in McFarland and Co.'s 2009 Holiday Catalog. Page 18. (PDF)
Nelson Mummers Play 2009 (PDF)
Op-Ed on Colleges that cover up Campus Crimes Keene Sentinel 1/17/10
Testimony to NH House Committee on Education 1/28/10