The authors of the highly successful The Maine House continue their quest to record and celebrate the authentic Maine houses of their childhoods—a Maine that is in danger of vanishing.
“The Maine House [shows] us the dignity and aching beauty, in preserving Maine’s quirky architectural past.”—Maine Homes by Down East
Spend any amount of time in Maine—a weekend, a summer, a lifetime—and its impression lasts forever. When The Maine House was published in 2021, the reception was astonishing. Over four printings and across the world, The Maine House sounded a rallying cry, summed up perfectly in one of dozens of reviews, that it “crafts a plea to preserve a living history belonging to individual, family, and state; a visual call to recognize these homey structures and others like them as ‘extraordinary gifts.’”
The Maine House II moves beyond the authors’ cri de coeur; they’re on a mission. Through 30 homes—inland, inshore, and on islands—Maura McEvoy, Basha Burwell, and Kathleen Hackett highlight the beauty and importance of preservation, restoration, thoughtful renovation, and low-impact living in the place they love the most.
From visionaries who saw home in a post-and-beam barn, a lighthouse, a former hotel, and a boat shed to families resolutely leaving generational homes largely untouched (some continuing to live off the grid) and still others honoring vernacular architecture by living with it in surprising ways, The Maine House II captures the myriad ways one can live in this singular place—in the present—while preserving the past and ensuring its future.
Includes Color Photographs
Praise
“The Maine House II captures in intimate photographs and words Maine homes filled with heart and history. . . the beauty that lies within these pages is the ultimate love letter to our rugged and wild state.”
—Decor Maine, Anna Mangum
“A new book honors Maine’s historic architecture—humble, saltwater-weathered, and quintessentially ‘Maine.’”
—Vogue, Lilah Ramzi
“In this second volume, twenty-five homes that highlight the beauty and importance of preservation are captured in breathtaking photography and touching storytelling.”
—New England Home, Jenna Talbott
“Evocatively photographed by Maura McEvoy, you can practically smell the salt air. Passed down over time yet remarkably unchanged, the preservation of these family retreats is poetic in scope."
—House & Home, Wendy Jacob
“Rich in photos and feeling, The Maine House II shows how the buildings we inhabit can be a beautiful expression of where we live.”
—Yankee Magazine
“30 houses across the Maine landscape, on islands, on the coast, and inland, that epitomize the vernacular architecture of the state. . . . The photographs are expansive and evocative. . . . these spaces speak to a way of life, a statewide aesthetic, and a time-loved sense of being.”
—Library Journal, Neal Wyatt
“Visit 25 lovingly preserved Maine homes in this second installment from Maura McEvoy, Basha Burwell, and Kathleen Hackett.”
—Better Homes & Gardens
“The authors, whose previous book “The Maine House” was a plea to love and preserve their state’s architecture, here turn to action, chronicling the historic preservation and renewal of 30 such houses, from farm to seashore.”
—Boston Globe, Kate Tuttle
“The 30 rustic cottages in this book are teeming with character and quirkiness. . . . Passed down over time yet remarkably unchanged, the preservation of these family retreats is poetic in scope.”
—House & Home, Wendy Jacob
