The stories in this book will provide entertainment for everyone and evoke wonder in the most jaded observer of the human condition. Some of the exploits that Fred D. Cavinder describes are half-hidden footnotes to national and international happenings. Others seem so typical of Indiana that they will appeal to anyone who understands the Hoosier spirit. But all of them are true—recorded in reliable accounts or by reliable witnesses from early times to the present. In "Saving Face," Cavinder introduces us to General Ambrose Burnside of Liberty. Burnside blundered his way through the Civil War, relocated to Rhode Island, and served three terms as governor and two terms as U.S. Senator. But what we really remember Burnside for is his unique facial hair—his "sideburns." Did you know that Indiana produced three of the movie Tarzans? In "AHHaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiieeeeeeeee!" you can find out who they were. With its sometimes quirky stories about the Hoosier state, More Amazing Tales from Indiana will be a ready companion for the bedside table and will provide a wellspring of anecdotes for speechmakers and pundits.

Stories from the state of Indiana that put a lively twist on Hoosier history . . . Entertaining and sometimes jaw-dropping, these true tales were recorded in reliable accounts or by reliable witnesses from early times to the present—and provide anecdotes from Indiana history that are funny, dramatic, quirky, and just plain amazing. Learn about: General Ambrose Burnside, who blundered his way through the Civil War, relocated to Rhode Island, and served three terms as governor and two terms as US Senator—but is most remembered for his unique facial hair—that is, Burnside’s “sideburns” The three movie actors from Indiana who played Tarzan on screen The Revolutionary War battle that took place in the famed Indiana sand dunes The nineteenth-century town that may or may not have existed, but whose name lives on and more

Submitted for your consideration: the blind man who designed and built an automobile, the "volunteertree growing out of a courthouse roof, and much, much more.

Indiana often calls itself the Crossroads of the Nation. It's not also perhaps the very nexus of US weirdness. Armed with Oddball Indiana, you'll soon discover the strange underbelly of the Hoosier State, from brain sandwiches to square donuts. Indiana has monuments to Michael Jackson, the comic strip character Joe Palooka, and the World's Largest Egg. It's where Alka-Seltzer and Wonder Bread were invented, where A Christmas Story actually took place, and where the good but angry citizens of Plainfield conspired to dump President Martin Van Buren in a mud puddle. Along with humorous histories and offbeat observations, Oddball Indiana provides addresses, websites, hours, fees, and driving directions for each of its 350+ entries.

Where in Indianapolis can you find a disappearing painting, a towering “ice tree,” or a giant pink elephant holding a martini? What caused the Great Squirrel Invasion of 1822, and why did Hollywood celebrities once flock to an Indianapolis cottage called Tuckaway? Where can you find a hidden museum dedicated to antique fire extinguishers? And what, exactly, is a Recordface? You’ll find the answers to these questions, and many others, in this guide to Indy’s overlooked, offbeat, and unknown. Secret Indianapolis profiles the city’s best-kept restaurant secrets, strangest parks and museums, creepiest urban legends, and weirdest works of art. It also tells the stories of forgotten local heroes, and it reveals the secrets behind beloved Indy landmarks. You’ll discover the only place in the world where it’s still possible to order Choc-Ola, explore the most haunted house in Indiana, and hear about the very dirty prank Hoosiers once pulled on a former president. Written by lifelong Hoosier and local author Ashley Petry, Secret Indianapolis offers a new way to explore the Circle City—from the quirks of local history to bizarre activities you can try today.

An essential book for people in all stages of recovery as well as medical professionals and criminal justice officials, The Recovering Alcoholic Companion offers 29 simulated 12 step meetings on various topics and 36 short essays of experience, strength, and hope. These meetings' are simulated renditions only. All precautions have been taken to protect the anonymity of the program and its members. The purpose of this book is to serve as a companion to recovering alcoholics who are unable to get to a meeting by providing the material to conduct their own meeting. Because the foremost reason alcoholics relapse is they don't go to meetings, it should be presented by loved ones and recommended by probation officers, doctors, therapists, treatment centers, and incarceration facilities.

Ike, a 5 year old boy with a huge imagination, is charged with saving his town from mythical American monsters. Ike will have to grow into his newfound powers one battle at a time. Will he save the day and learn something along the way, or will he plow ahead to get things done?

Early in the year, our North American forests come to life as native wildflowers start to push up through patches of snow. With longer days and sunlight streaming down through bare branches of towering trees, life on the forest floor awakens from its winter sleep. Plants such as green dragon, squirrel corn, and bloodroot interact with their pollinators and seed dispersers and rush to create new life before the trees above leaf out and block the sun's rays. Wake Up, Woods showcases the splendor of our warming forests and offers clues to nature's annual springtime floral show as we walk in our parks and wilderness areas, or even in shade gardens around our homes. Readers of Wake Up, Woods will see that Gillian Harris, Michael Homoya and Shane Gibson, through illustrations and text, present a captivating look into our forests' biodiversity, showing how species depend on plants for food and help assure plant reproduction. This book celebrates some of nature's most fascinating moments that happen in forests where we live and play.

Gems traces the experience of the Italian immigrant and illustrates the ways in which sports helped Italian-Americans adapt to a new culture, assert pride in an ethnic identity, and even achieve social advancement. Employing historical, sociological, and anthropological studies, Gems explores how sports were instrumental in helping notions of identity evolve from the individual to the community, from the racial to the ethnic. In doing so, Sport and the Shaping of Italian-American Identity transcends the study of a particular ethnic group to speak to foundational values and characteristics of the American ethos.