Kelly Kazek Boeken

Tennessee has never been a stranger to strangeness. Stories of the weird, wild, and wonderful abound in the Volunteer state. Join author and seasoned journalist Kelly Kazek as she tracks down the extraordinary stories that other history books overlook. Each section covers a different outlandish theme of Tennessee history colorful characters, strange sites, intriguing incidents, tombstone tales, odd occurrences, and curious creatures. Readers will discover the brilliant phenomenon of synchronized firefly flashes in the Smoky Mountain town of Elmont, take on the world's largest Moon Pie in Chattanooga and learn Tennessee's history of damaging earthquakes. From the humorous to the haunting, the madcap to the macabre, Forgotten Tales of Tennessee offers a collection as remarkable as the state itself.

While legislators were writing the first laws in Alabama, some miscreant citizens were already breaking them, causing disorder and fleeing the hands of justice.Among these were cult-leader-turned-murderer "Bloody" Bob Sims, social-activist-turned-anarchist Albert Parsons, the mysterious hobo bandit Railroad Bill and the nefarious outlaw sheriff Steve Renfroe, who was credited with countless prison escapes, thefts and arson. Legendary Wild West figures Frank and Jesse James also appeared in Alabama, along with numerous other well-known gunslingers, pirates, crooks and desperados. Bushwhackers caused widespread chaos during the Civil War and were considered outlaws depending on which side you supported. Join real-life partners in crime Kelly Kazek and Wil Elrick as they recount the atrocities of some of Alabama's most infamous lawbreakers.

If you're in Nashville or Austin or Mobile and you have the urge to see something strange, connoisseur of the offbeat Kelly Kazek has you covered. Cruise the South, from Louisville's enormous collection of the world's largest things to Miami's Burger Museum to Odessa's Stonehenge replica. If you're around Hot Springs, Arkansas, you might want to bop into the Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo to see where Babe Ruth's first five-hundred-foot homer came crashing down. And if you're looking to make contact with the unusual, why not visit the UFO Welcome Center in Bowman, South Carolina? Wherever you are in the South, there's something strange or stupendous nearby, and this catalogue of noteworthy curiosities and significant landmarks makes sure you don't miss a thing.