Outsiders Inside Vermont: Three Centuries of Visitors' Viewpoints on the Green Mountain State

by T.D. Seymour Bassett

An overview of Vermont, as seen by over thirty distinguished men and women from all over the world, from colonial times until the 1960s. Writers include Samuel de Champlain, Horace Greeley, Henry D. Thoreau and Alistair Cooke. Visit vermonthistory.org for more information.

148 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1967

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for these types of collections, where you get to read historical tourist commentary from across the centuries. With a heavy dash of classic Vermonter humor, this collection does not disappoint. The writers span from the Colonial era through the mid-20th C. and include Samuel de Champlain, Horace Greeley, Henry David Thoreau, and Alistair Cooke. Opinions of Vermont range from fawning to castigation, with the general consensus improving a bit more each generation.

My personal favorite essays are the ones that comment on the people of Vermont -- especially those wild mountain-dwelling women who aren't afraid to drive cattle and wear pants. If you have a personal connection to Vermont, as I do, you'll find yourself smiling throughout much of the book.

"Outsiders Inside Vermont" is yet another great compilation put out by the Vermont Historical Society, and I hope you'll pick it up.