What’s most surprising about 27 Views of Hillsborough is that it holds charms for those who may never set foot in the town.
Exploring the lure of Hillsborough is fertile ground for some of the town’s creative residents in a new collection from Eno Publishers called 27 Views of Hillsborough. The central Orange County town of about 5,600 is home to more than its share of writers, well-preserved architecture, and towering trees, but its appeal exceeds the obvious.
27 Views of Hillsborough expounds on the relationship between Hillsborough and those who love it, teasing out the reasons so many thoughtful people call the town home. The combined effect is a vivid tableau of how a community shapes the lives of those who heed its call.
While each of the 27 authors clearly finds Hillsborough enchanting, this is not a collection of Chamber of Commerce tracts. The writers include poets, journalists, singers, and thinkers. They praise and cajole, celebrate and lament the past and present of the town in poetry, fiction, and prose.
Prize-winning author Allan Gurganus leads off with an essay detailing his retreat from a hostile New York to the welcoming arms of a quirky Southern village. Prize-winning investigative reporter Bob Burtman warns that Hillsborough could easily lose its beloved sense of place given just one season under the wrong town council. The arrangement of the pieces offers a multifaceted tour, as the reader moves from Hal Crowther’s reflections on trees to Panciuto restaurant chef Aaron Vandemark’s musings on local inspiration for a menu.
What’s most surprising about 27 Views of Hillsborough is that it holds charms for those who may never set foot in the town. The majority of the pieces go beyond issues specific to Hillsborough. Broader themes, such as longing and redemption, treasures among trash, and the proper accessories for a picnic, emerge. The book’s variety of voices and topics offers a sampler platter that will encourage the curious to further explore the featured writers and possibly take a trip to Hillsborough.
Eno Publishers. 2010, 216 pages, paperback, $15.95. Available at local bookstores.
