About the Author

David S. Cook grew up in the town of Milo, Maine. As a paratrooper in the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division, he served a tour of duty in South Vietnam. A graduate of the University of Maine, Orono, with a Master's degree in liberal studies, the author chose to live in Maine and taught history at Winthrop High School, where he was chairman of the Social Studies Department. He has served as president of the Maine Archeological Society, and since retiring has been an adjunct faculty member at Central Maine Community College and the University of Maine at Farmington, continuing to research and explore the history and ecology of Maine and the Northeast. David Cook is also the author of the upcoming, "Into the Civil War With the 3rd Maine Infantry Regiment: From the Kennebec to the Virginia Peninsula" (Polar Bear & Company).

Reviews

"His is a name that should become familiar to every Registered Maine Guide pushing a canoe from the shore onto state waters in the state of Maine, by virtue of this classic work, now in its third edition. It should become known also to every canoeist in the state of Maine, who would be knowledgeable of those who went before and what they left behind ... Above the Gravel Bar is a book that should be tucked into a waterproof plastic ziplock bag and carried as a vital piece of equipment on any canoe (or kayak) plying the inland waters of Maine. It is also a vital resource for pre-trip planning. It is not limited to a reference book, however. The descriptions of the history of canoes, the native tribes, and of Maine's own rich history make the book a good read when sheltered up due to weather or at the end of a day amidst the smell of wood smoke in the fading light." --Joseph Connolly, Maine Wilderness Guide Organization
"[Above the Gravel Bar] was officially released ... at the tip of Fort Halifax Park, where the Sebasticook and the Kennebec rivers meet in their run to the sea. The site was chosen because it once was a major meeting place for Native Americans, at the confluence of two of the state's major river trails." --Doug Harlow, Kennebec Journal, Morning Sentinel
[Written] with a deep respect for how Maine's Native peoples once used their watercraft to traverse the state ... black-and-white maps illustrate this thoughtful chronicle, which delves deep into the history of individual routes. Above the Gravel Bar is not a travel guide per se, but rather gives itself over to the rich, scenery-capturing detail sure to intrigue armchair travelers and canoe connoisseurs. --Michael J. Carson, Midwest Book Review