Fifteen curiosities are discussed. Includes the Loch Ness monster, Bigfoot, the mystery of Easter Island, Edgar Cayce, and dowsing.

To know how the West was really won, start with the exploits of these unsung mountain men who, like the legendary Jeremiah Johnson, were real buckskin survivalists. Preceded only by Lewis and Clark, beaver fur trappers roamed the river valleys and mountain ranges of the West, living on fish and game, fighting or trading with the Native Americans, and forever heading toward the untamed wilderness. In this story of rough, heroic men and their worlds, Laycock weaves historical facts and practical instruction with profiles of individual trappers, including harrowing escapes, feats of supreme courage and endurance, and sometimes violent encounters with grizzly bears and Native Americans.

Like UFO's, Big Foot, and the Bermuda Triangle, the Loch Ness monster continues to fascinate us by the persistence of its mystery. While many authors have focused upon the search for Nessie, Bauer is the first to present a detailed and balanced look at the history of the controversy surrounding this search.Bauer is much more concerned with examining the sociological, psychological, and philosophical aspects of the Loch Ness controversy than with proving or disproving Nessie's existence. He shows that the Nessie phenomenon has much to tell us about how we acquire our beliefs, about the nature of the scientific enterprise, and about the adversarial relationship between mainstream science and "fringe" subjects, such as Nessie.The result of more than a decade of research, Bauer's study includes both famous and little known photos and illustrations, the most complete bibliography yet compiled on the subject, and a list of close to 800 reported sightings. Whether you believe in Nessie or laugh at the mere thought of believing, you'll find The Enigma of Loch Ness both entertaining and enlightening.

An annotated listing of books of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama recommended for junior high and middle school students.

An annotated listing of over 3000 fiction and non-fiction books recommended for junior high and middle school students.