THE CIVIL WAR LETTERS OF CAPT. JOHN FRANKLIN GODFREY, by Candace Sawyer and Laura Orcutt, 90 pages, illustrated, $15 (available from the Bangor Historical Society).

It has been a good year for Civil War buffs and enthusiasts across the Pine Tree State.

Nationally, the movie “Gettysburg” tantalized audiences with its in-depth portrayal of the epic battle of the war between the states. With its special concentration on the role of Maine’s own Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain in not only the outcome of that famous Pennsylvania battle, but also the war itself, “Gettysburg” captured the hearts and the imaginations of all of us who are proud of our Down East heritage.

And when Bangor Daily News sports editor Robert L. Haskell unveiled his touching historical novel, “Yankee Warrior,” this fall, Mainers again stood proud as Brownville native Walter Morrill, another Gettysburg hero, came to life.

The recently released “The Civil War Letters of Capt. John Franklin Godfrey” caps off a fine season, if you will, of the best and the brightest our grand old state had to offer during a time in American history which saw the Union teeter on the abyss of national disaster.

This book contains the surviving Civil War letters of Capt. Godfrey, son of famous Bangor Judge John Edwards Godfrey and represents the fourth account in print of the Godfrey family exploits.

The judge’s famous “The Journals of John Edwards Godfrey, Bangor, Maine, 1863-1884,” is considered by most area historians to be the finest account of Bangor recorded during that time period.

These letters, edited and published by the judge’s granddaughters, Candace Sawyer and Laura Orcutt, offer readers a rare glimpse into the day-to-day life of a soldier, one that encompasses danger, intrigue, and bravery in such a manner that the war itself becomes personal, painful, and dreadfully real at the turn of each page.

Those who pay special attention to the wonders of this period will take note of the development of a young boy to a leader of men that transpired for far too many of the conflict’s participants.

Orcutt and Sawyer have demonstrated not only a love of family, but also a keen willingness to share a unique, historical compilation of material as well.

Their ongoing efforts to preserve and promote the Bangor Historical Society, the sole recipient of the profits of the journals and the letters, should not go by unnoticed.

Frank Godfrey’s Civil War letters shall remain an integral part of state and local history for many years to come.

CHICKADEE RESCUE, by Sonya Kittredge, Windswept House Publishers, Mount Desert, 28 pages, illustrated, $7.95.

Something precious burst on the young people’s reading scene this fall with the publication of “Chickadee Rescue” by Sonya Kittredge.

Imagine finding a baby bird in your backyard! Matt does, and he wants to pick it up, hold it, and cuddle it. Wouldn’t you?

Author Kittredge, through wonderful “Kodak moment” color photos and delightful prose, tells the tale of 2 1/2-year-old Matt, her son, and their special find.

There’s not a better Christmas present available anywhere than Matt’s story of his and his mother’s quest to save fledgling birds while they learn to be gentle and appreciative of nature.

ON THE TIGHTROPE, by Ruth Belchetz, Harpswell Road Press Publication, distributed by Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance, 12 Pleasant St., Brunswick 04011, 56 pages, $7.50.

“The flesh resists the knife;

it takes determination and control.”

Strangley alluring, poignantly revealing, and beautifully written poems of struggle, anguish, and recovery leap off the page from “On the Tightrope,” a collection of poetry by author and poet Ruth Belchetz.

Belchetz, a self-proclaimed survivor of 18 “long psychiatric hospitalizations,” gives poetry lovers a “no-holds barred” approach to blank verse and other often unique poetic forms.

Belchetz is a fresh face on the poetic scene in Maine, and those who revel in the profound impact of simple verse will rush to walk the tightrope with this very special young lady.

The book’s publication was underwritten by federal money, as administered by the Maine Bureau of Rehabilitation.

Ron Brown is a free-lance writer who lives in Bangor.