As the Crow Flies is a second collection of stories and reflections by Vinalhaven essayist Phil Crossman. The first, Away Happens, was acclaimed by Pulitzer Prize–winning critic Richard Eder as “having drawn out the human comedy of a place that is all face to face encounters,” and by readers as “the funniest book ever written about down east Maine.”
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Almost from the first page, you know you are in the presence of a fine writer, steeped in the grand tradition of Maine storytellers, poking good-natured fun at island culture and local characters. Crossman’s descriptive writing is masterful, pulling the reader into the story and embellishing it with spot-on adjectives and ever-so-slightly exaggerated metaphors. Whether he is skewering pretensions, exploring human relations, or reflecting upon the unique island culture of Vinalhaven, his voice is laced with irony and affection.
—Janann Sherman, author of No Place for a Woman: A Life of Senator Margaret Chase Smith
In a handful of essays at the end of this volume, Crossman adopts a deeply thoughtful, introspective approach to reflecting upon the evolution of his political loyalties, revealing his deeply held values and demonstrating his range as a serious and philosophical essayist.