SIGHTINGS - Kind Words

"A magnificent book.... You've caught the play of light and seasons, the faces, waters, the authentic pull of Maine superbly, page after page. The book makes me want to pack our bags and start north." —David McCullough

"What an absolutely exquisite book!" —William F. Buckley, Jr.

"If it is possible for one to truly capture the spirit and essence of the Maine coast, SIGHTINGS does so. Your work brings out the vibrant energy and unique nature of life on the Maine coast. The pictures are exceptional ... wonderful piece of work!" —Governor Angus S. King Jr.

"This is the best book I've seen capturing the character of Maine's working coast; it gave me goosebumps. The pictures are beautiful and really show the natural beauty that as a lobsterman I see every day but the average person never notices.Some of the pictures are of people and places I know well, and some are not, but all of them bring out the true character of the people and places they depict." —David Cousens, President, Maine Lobstermen's Association

"The islands and their people speak for themselves, but your feelings speak through them, too—a landscape meeting an emotional equivalent and combining to a greater eloquence." —Dick Miles, reader, Addison, Maine

"What a lovely book!" —Peter Matthiessen

"It is a real gem. The selection of photographs, combined with the spare but informative text, is moving for anyone who knows the Maine coast. And I am certain that many who do not will be led to explore it upon reading SIGHTINGS." —Hon. George Mitchell

"In the resplendent photographs contained in SIGHTINGS, Peter Ralston has amassed a sensitive and irresistible treasury of the magical scenes that visitors to Maine invariably seek and too rarely find.
"Ralston proves himself, beyond any other photographer of his time, to be the direct spiritual descendent of Winslow Homer in his loving and solemn response to the Maine coast and to the people who live in harmony alongside its austere beauty. The steel blue force of ocean and sky, the vitality of Maine light as it rises and declines in the endless mist, the random charm of weathered pastel hues that grace a lobster boat, a buoy, a wreath of seaweed, or a haunting sunset provide Ralston's camera with a poetic range of color. His work is a sincere and elegant testimony to the extraordinary beauty of Maine." —Daniel E. O'Leary, Director, Portland Museum of Art

"Needless to say, things are often extremely hectic in Washington. Each day brings unrelenting, exhaustive movement — office meetings, bill mark-ups, floor debates, votes, more meetings, phone calls, press conferences, and yes, more meetings. But when I first opened SIGHTINGS, everything stopped, except for the slow, steady turning of the pages. I was transfixed and transported. I could see the light refract off the clear, dark water, could smell the salty air of that living ocean mingling with the scent of the spruce trees, and could hear the whine of a lobster engine in the distance.
"This books takes the spectacular beauty of Maine's coastline, and the rugged nobility of its inhabitants, and sits it all there in your lap to marvel at. It's an extraordinary, vibrant visual record of life in all its robust forms along the unparalleled Maine Coast. Anyone seeking the solace of one of the last, best corners of America — or perhaps just exquisite photography — will find happy refuge in this big-hearted photographic journal. SIGHTINGS will grace any room or library, and it will be gracing my Senate office as soon as I can put it down. Thanks again, Peter, for this gorgeous book — it's a remarkable work." —Senator Olympia J. Snowe

"I want to cry at the beauty of the places you have captured, and cry out to any who will listen, to immerse themselves in these images, to feel the heat and the cold and the wind, to revel in the fragrances of sea and shore.
"This is a touching, powerful, and respectful book. Your images are richly evocative of what is so wonderful about our coast. I don't know how a reader who has never experienced it would find the book, but I cannot believe he or she could remain unmoved by it." —Jon Wilson, Publisher, Hope & WoodenBoat magazines

"Your photographs really capture the essence of the Maine Coast and the people who live there. I enjoyed your book enormously and will keep it nearby because it is the kind of book that one looks through again and again." —Mrs. W. Vincent Astor

"For anyone who knows the Maine coast, SIGHTINGS will bring much nostalgic pleasure. For those who have not seen it, SIGHTINGS will provide an irresistible lure." —David Rockefeller

"This is a truly masterful work that captures Maine's essence." —Secretary of Defense Bill Cohen

"The coast and its people have always been "my" people, "my coast". When I had to leave it (my mother died, and the house that had been in the family for almost fifty years was sold), the coast never left me. I moved to Maryland, along the Upper Eastern Shore — which is beautiful. It is flat, like the ocean — you can see, from the second floor of the house, as far as your eyes can take you. The storms roll across the bay, and invade the farm as they would rolling across the ocean...I wanted a REAL piece of Maine in my new house. So when I found Sightings, I found exactly what I needed, to feel grounded and not aliented. Thanks for the nice note and the special attention...I am glad you are getting such a positive response to the book. I am sure it is striking a similar chord in a lot of people like me, who, for one reason or another have been alienated from the coast, or for one reason or another, want to feel close to and a part of it...The work you have done, the way you see things and presented them to us, your viewers/readers is very powerful, special, and it makes Maine "available" to us. Thank you." —Jeanne Davis-Belasik, reader

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