Lobster Boy

The shocking exposé of a carny’s murder arranged by his wife—and the daughter who threatened the author to keep the truth from getting out. In his account of the sensational life and murder of Grady Stiles Jr., also known as the legendary carnival “freak” Lobster Boy, author Fred Rosen explains how Stiles’s death was engineered by his wife, Mary Teresa, the carny known as the Electrified Girl. Rosen describes how Mary Teresa arranged for her husband’s murder after years of physical and emotional abuse. The narrative is full of appearances from the couple’s colorful acquaintances, including the World’s Only Living Half Girl, Midget Man, and the Human Blockhead. During Mary Teresa’s dramatic trial, Rosen becomes a character in his own book. When both he and the prosecution are threatened by Mary Teresa’s daughter, who Rosen believes was a co-conspirator although she was never indicted, the writer risks his life in pursuit of the truth and the evidence that leads to Mary Teresa’s conviction.

Skiff Beaman has a problem. A BIG problem. He needs to fix up his family's fishing boat, but to do that he needs money. A whole heap of money. His father isn't going to help – he can't see further than the next can of beer since Skiff's mother died – and nor is his classmate, Tyler, inventor of the nickname "Lobster Boy". But Skiff can still hear his mother's voice telling him "Never give up". So he comes up with a plan. It's crazy, it's dangerous, and it's going to take all Skiff's grit and strength to win a great battle against the sea. An inspirational and compelling action-packed tale by the internationally bestselling author, Rodman Philbrick.

The shocking exposé of a carny’s murder arranged by his wife—and the daughter who threatened the author to keep the truth from getting out. In his account of the sensational life and murder of Grady Stiles Jr., also known as the legendary carnival “freak” Lobster Boy, author Fred Rosen explains how Stiles’s death was engineered by his wife, Mary Teresa, the carny known as the Electrified Girl. Rosen describes how Mary Teresa arranged for her husband’s murder after years of physical and emotional abuse. The narrative is full of appearances from the couple’s colorful acquaintances, including the World’s Only Living Half Girl, Midget Man, and the Human Blockhead. During Mary Teresa’s dramatic trial, Rosen becomes a character in his own book. When both he and the prosecution are threatened by Mary Teresa’s daughter, who Rosen believes was a co-conspirator although she was never indicted, the writer risks his life in pursuit of the truth and the evidence that leads to Mary Teresa’s conviction.

The creators of the podcast The Dollop present illustrated profiles of the weird, outrageous, NSFW, and downright absurd tales from American history that you weren't taught in school. The United States of Absurdity presents short, informative, and hilarious stories of the most outlandish (but true) people, events, and more from United States history. Comedians Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds cover the weird stories you didn't learn in history class, such as 10-Cent Beer Night, the Jackson Cheese, and the Kentucky Meat Shower, accompanied by full-page illustrations that bring each historical "milestone" to life in full-color.

"Joe Nickell - once a carnival pitchman, then a magician, private detective, and investigative writer - has pursued sideshow secrets for years and has worked the famous carnival midway at the Canadian National Exhibition. For this book, he interviewed showmen and performers, collected carnival memorabilia, researched published accounts of sideshows and their lore, and even performed some classic sideshow feats, such as eating fire and lying on a bed of nails as a cinderblock was broken on his chest. The result of these varied efforts, Secrets of the Sideshows tells the captivating story of the magic, tricks - real or illusory - and performers of the world's midway shows."--BOOK JACKET.

Here is the first statewide collection of true Florida murders, and, as the saying goes, truth is stranger than fiction. The Sunshine State has played host to a memorable and varied array of crimes of passion, greed, and revenge. In stories spanning from the 1860s to the 1990s, you will meet such varied characters as Lena Clarke, a killer with both her feet planted in a dozen bewildering worlds; Terry Jo, the Sea Waif; Chief Tigertail; the outlaw Ed Watson; Blue, the Enforcer; President Franklin Roosevelt; the Duke of Windsor; novelist Zora Neale Hurston; Lobster Boy; the Gulf Stream Pirate; Brother Gillette, a gentle Shaker who killed out of compassion; and Pensacola's Black Widow, a Spider Woman who killed without mercy. Next in series > > See all of the books in this series

over one hundred songs and poems and other things that nearly rhyme

Experience college. Meet Zack Young, a senior at Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina. Here's the story of a Florida native navigating through the madness of maintaining a social life while getting a degree in the Deep South. Taking place in the eighties, Zack surfs a wave of friends riding his way to parties, and crashing into classes that seem to just get in the way of having fun. Meet Susan Madison, a woman in love with another man. With some hubris and recklessness, Zack's relationship with Susan deepens, and ultimately he falls in love with a woman he can never have. As his life spins out of control, Zack seeks the answer to sort out his life, his love, and his future. And then there's Colleen Join Zack and his friends as they go to school, play all night in Myrtle Beach, party in the downtown bars, fly in lobsters from Maine, and attend the triumphant lose the deposit party. South Carolina was never so exciting.