books‘Covered Bridges of New Hampshire’ wins book award

“Covered Bridges of New Hampshire,” by Kim Varney Chandler of Hancock, was selected by the judges as the 2023 winner of Informational Nonfiction at the Independent Publishers of New England Book Awards.

IPNE serves as a collaborative educational and trade association for small and mid-size independent book publishers and authors in the six New England states; their yearly awards program recognizes publishers and authors for exemplary work. The IPNE judges provided the following feedback on “Covered Bridges of New Hampshire”: “The author of this compendium partnered with bridgewrights, timber framers, bridge engineers, historical societies, town offices, libraries, state and national organizations and community members to compile extensive histories of 60 covered bridges, 46 of which are over a century old. These historic bridges are with us today through the efforts of a small and determined community who both recognized their significance and honored their tradition. This book honors them, too.

This work is clear, comprehensive and easy to use; the writing is clean and crisp. A deeply researched, beautifully wrought volume that opens a window on the past. A fine reference that makes also for a good read. The judges note, too, that the book aims to be a definitive resource for the histories of these particular bridges, sometimes setting previous misconceptions straight.”

“Covered Bridges of New Hampshire” was honored with a New Hampshire Preservation Alliance Award for education, documentation and advocacy; the accompanying podcast placed second in the New Hampshire Press Association Awards. The book received honorable mention from the Foreword Indies and was chosen as book of the week by the New Hampshire State Library.