Author: Caperton Tissot, with portrait potographs by Mark Kurtz.
Publisher: Jay, New York : Graphics North
Year published: 2007
Citation: Tissot, Caperton, History between the lines : women's lives and Saranac Lake customs, Jay, New York : Graphics North, 2007. ISBN 978-0-9643542-9-4.
What it covers: This book traces Saranac Lake’s spirit of goodwill from mid- nineteenth century to the present. Sixteen individual stories, based on interviews, illustrate the important role women play in carrying on traditions that define the unusual character of a small mountain village. Both researched and anecdotal history, inserted in italicized paragraphs, fill out the history and place the stories in context. Footnotes, a bibliography and index provide follow-up information for the researcher. In the final chapter, Caperton shares her experience in researching, organizing and writing this book. She gives step-by-step "how-to" tips and encourages others to undertake similar projects in their own communities. A full set of portrait photographs by Mark Kurtz, as well as thirty more personal and archived photos, round out the text.
"If you want to know how passion and perseverance keep a town not only afloat but sailing into the future with a strong sense of its past, you’ll find the answers on these pages. The remarkable lesson of the women Ms. Tissot portrays is that they did not come from great power and high privilege, but they turned the power of their character to the task of making our lives as a community more than a little richer. In reading these stories, our lives as individuals become richer, as well."
Philip L. Gallos, author of Cure Cottages of Saranac Lake: Architecture and History of a Pioneer Health Resort
"Saranac Lake is that rare place in modern America, a living breathing small town. Caperton Tissot’s oral history teases out the threads that make up that tapestry, weaving the personal stories of some very unique women with fascinating bits of historical context. This isn’t just the story of one small town, but the story of how small, quiet contributions make all communities richer. The book is also a great model for other local and oral history projects.”
Brian Mann, Adirondack Bureau Chief, North Country Public Radio
"Caperton Tissot has demonstrated the important role community scholars can play in documentation of local history. Her profile of one group of women provides a path to follow in trying to understand local culture. Her tips for would-be historians remind us that there are plenty of other stories to record for posterity."
Jill Breit, Program Director, Traditional Arts in Upstate New York (TAUNY)
"...a fascinating undertaking, one I think will generate considerable interest in and around Saranac Lake."
Thomas Dublin, Professor of History and Co-director for the Historical Study of Women & Gender, State University of New York at Binghamton.
"Oral histories are one way of capturing the essence and personality of an era... [Tissot] successfully captures the social history of a small Adirondack community in the mid-twentieth century. A rich history of the Adirondack region and park exists; however, it is filled with great men and landscape. Tissot provides the much-needed answer to the question “What about the women?” Through oral interviews and other primary sources she recreates an era of Saranac Lake history that has not been well recorded."
Carli Schiffner, PhD, Professor of History, State University of New York, Canton
This book may be purchased at the Historic Saranac Lake Bookstore.
