Gigi Georges

Downeast: Five Maine Girls and the Unseen Story of Rural America is written by Gigi Georges.
The book is a MPR - Maine Public’s All Books Considered Book Club Pick - to be discussed in December 2022.
The program is fantastic, as are all the book choices over the past 2 years.

Downeast is nonfiction, a narrative nonfiction.
The book includes an Author’s Note - a Map of Maine, highlighting Washington County - a very complete Table of Contents - a short Geography of the Region - a Prologue - 4 Parts with 23 Chapters - an Epilogue - an Afterword - Acknowledgements - Notes - Index - a Reading Group Guide.

“Nestled in Maine’s far east corner, Washington County sits an hour’s drive from the heart of famed and bustling Acadia National Park. Yet it is a world away. For Willow, Vivian, McKenna, Audrey and Josie - 5 teenage girls caught between tradition and transformation in this remote region - it is home.” (Book Jacket)

The Afterword details Ms Georges’ writing process and the Notes and Index Sections provide fascinating reading on their own.
This book is very timely, well-researched and compelling, interesting and engrossing - it is a very remarkable book. *****… (meer)

I grew up in a small Maine town and Washington County is my favorite part of Maine. In this book, Gigi Georges weaves a beautiful and emotional story of five girls over a four year period. These five young women are honest, insightful and wise beyond their years. I've seen their peers working in stores and restaurants when visiting Downeast. The blend of narrative, statistical information and family dynamics, coupled with insights from relatives, teachers, and others living in the area, all enhance this book. I'm not one for reading nonfiction, but this was a notable exception. It's the sort of book any public or school library should have on their shelves for it not only offers insights, but hope and a bunch of relatable experiences for teens no matter where they live.… (meer)