Twenty-five famous Mainers share humorous stories of everyday life in and about the state of Maine. It’s homegrown humor laced with folksy wisdom in the tradition of John Gould and Marshall Dodge. Mainers are born storytellers and they have perfected the art of telling a joke with Down East understatement. These wits recount tales of growing up and growing old in times when politics was more fun and Maine people seemed to know how to better cope with the demands of life and times on the rugged coast, the vast inland forest, and the places in-between.

The twenty-five contributors include well-recognized political names—Maine’s current governor, a senator, a former senator, and a former governor—so there’s a healthy dose of political stories mixed into the collection of wicked Maine wit. They are illuminating, bittersweet, and laugh-out-loud funny—and they capture the gritty, independent spirit Mainers are known for.