I’m Susan Mara Bregman.
I’m an author, public speaker, and photographer with a sharp focus on New England nostalgia.
I share stories about the region’s special blend of history and culture to help audiences develop a deeper appreciation for New England’s quirky charms.
Featured Books
A chocolate mill opened in Boston in the late 1700s, setting the stage for New England’s enduring love affair with sweets. Over the following centuries, the region has become home to an extraordinary variety of baked, fried, dipped, sugared, and frozen confections. Massachusetts gave us candy classics like Necco Wafers, Sky Bars, and Junior Mints, and Connecticut claims lollipops and Almond Joy. New Hampshire boasts the world’s longest candy counter, and Maine puts a homespun twist on its doughnuts and chocolates by blending in a touch of potato. Rhode Islanders sip ice cream shakes called cabinets, while Vermonters prefer smooth maple creemees. From Fluffernutters to whoopie pies, Susan Mara Bregman explores this sugary legacy, uncovering the stories behind the treats that sweetened New England’s culinary landscape.
Route 1 in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts is an unapologetic combination of historic gravity, exuberant entertainment, unexpected juxtapositions, and wonderfully kitschy roadside attractions. New England road trippers will encounter roller coasters and candlepin bowling, lobster rolls and homemade pie, colonial-era taverns and granite fortifications. Author and photographer Susan Mara Bregman traveled Route 1 from Fort Kent (ME) to Attleboro (MA) to tell the story of this highway of history.
Millions visit Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market each year — drawn by the food, the shops, and the rich sense of history. But behind the brick and granite walls are stories that most visitors (and even many locals) have never heard. What secrets does Faneuil Hall’s golden grasshopper weathervane hold? Why were the servers at Durgin-Park so famously sassy? And what is the uncomfortable truth behind the fortune that started it all? Packed with colorful characters and forgotten chapters of Boston history, this book is perfect for curious visitors and lifelong Bostonians who want to see the city with fresh eyes.
The golden age of neon signs in New England lasted from the dark days of the Great Depression through the go-go years of the 1960s, but its spectacular legacy remains -- if you know where to look. Photographed and written by Susan Mara Bregman, New England Neon celebrates the style and exuberance of these one-of-a-kind creations, from the shores of Lake Champlain to the tip of Cape Cod.