"The lake surface was glass. My girlfriend and I were fishing from our anchored rowboat in about fifteen feet of water, facing the New York shore. 'Ron, what's that?' I turned. About thirty feet away I saw three dark humps ... protruding about two feet above the surface. The humps were perhaps two or three feet apart. They didn't move. We didn't either. We watched in disbelief for about ten seconds. The humps slowly sank into the water. There was no wake, no telltale sign of movement. Unexplained. Eerie. Unsettling." — from the Foreword by Ronald S. Kermani Scotland may have Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster, but we have Champ, the legendary serpent-like monster of Lake Champlain. The first recorded sighting of Champ, in 1609, has been attributed to the lake's namesake, French explorer and cartographer Samuel de Champlain. This is pure myth, but there have been hundreds of sightings since then. Robert E. Bartholomew embarks on his own search, both of the lake firsthand and through period sources and archives—many never before published. Although he finds the trail obscured by sloppy journalism, local leaders motivated by tourism income, and bickering monster hunters, he weighs the evidence to craft a rich, colorful history of Champ. From the nineteenth century, when Champ was a household name, to 1977, when he appeared in Sandra Mansi's controversial photograph, Bartholomew covers it all. Real or imaginary, Champ and his story will fascinate believers and skeptics alike.

An engaging look at life and legacy of Muhammad Ali for readers of all ages Muhammad Ali was one of the world’s best-known figures, and this incredible biography delves into precisely why. From his unlikely beginnings as a skinny, young Cassius Clay learning to box at a local gym to becoming the heavyweight champion of the world at the famous “Rumble in the Jungle,” where even the skies let loose with rain right after his victory, Ali has captivated the world. Tonya Bolden’s careful research and elegant telling, paired with R. Gregory Christie’s incredible paintings, make this a book that will inform and inspire readers of all ages. "Bolden's engaging text has a free-verse structure punctuated with enthusiastic exclamations that is enjoyable to read aloud.... The illustrations are striking." —School Library Journal (Starred review)

After 32 years, Montreal will soon lose its professional baseball team. The former president of the Expos explains how the team went from being one of major league baseball's most promising franchises to becoming a financial pariah, barely escaping extinction at the end of the 2001 season and now facing demise in 2002. This history of the team's troubled existence covers years of gradually declining revenue and attendance, the sale of the team to a consortium of business leaders in 1991, and the league's ongoing debate over eliminating the Expos once and for all.

An extraordinary account of the life of unknown club boxer, Frank Steele, who sparred with legendary boxing greats like Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Joe Frazier and Ernie Shavers. Impoverished from birth and poorly educated, Frank did the best he could to parlay his boxing prowess and brute strength into fame and fortune. Hired as Foreman's chief sparring partner to help prepare the champ for the Ali "Rumble in the Jungle" fight in Africa, he was fired after doing his job too well -- beating up Foreman and knocking his headgear into the audience. When Ali heard about the incident, he paid Frank $3,000 for the secret to defeating the unbeaten and seemingly invincible champion. This is the untold story of what lead to the greatest upset in boxing history.

For fans of Radium Girls and history and WWII buffs, The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line takes you inside the lives and experiences of 15 unknown women heroes from the Greatest Generation, the women who served, fought, struggled, and made things happen during WWII—in and out of uniform—for theirs is a legacy destined to embolden generations of women to come. From daring spies to audacious pilots, from innovative scientists to indomitable resistance fighters, these extraordinary women stepped out of line and into history, forever altering the world's landscape. This page-turning narrative, crafted with meticulous historical accuracy by retired U.S. Army Major General Mari K. Eder, provides a fresh perspective on the integral roles that women played during WWII. Liane B. Russell fled Austria with nothing and later became a renowned U.S. scientist whose research on the effects of radiation on embryos made a difference to thousands of lives. Gena Turgel was a prisoner who worked in the hospital at Bergen-Belsen and cared for the young Anne Frank, who was dying of typhus. Gena survived and went on to write a memoir and spent her life educating children about the Holocaust. Ida and Louise Cook were British sisters who repeatedly smuggled out jewelry and furs and served as sponsors for refugees, and they also established temporary housing for immigrant families in London. Whether you're a history enthusiast, a lover of powerful women's stories, or an avid reader of WWII nonfiction, The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line is a must-read and a poignant testament to the forgotten women who stepped up when the world needed them most.

The incredible true story of the mysterious sea creature who captured hearts and imaginations during the turbulent 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. In the summer of 1978, residents along the Virginia side of the Potomac River were startled by sightings of a strange creature lurking in the water. Eventually dubbed Chessie, this elusive sea serpent tantalized reporters and the public alike, always slipping away just out of reach. In this, the first comprehensive history of the Chessie phenomenon, Eric A. Cheezum takes us on a thrilling journey through the life and times of the famous monster, diving beneath the surface to reveal the remarkable events that unfolded over the years as Chessie sightings continued. After initially vanishing, the creature resurfaced in 1980, then again in 1982, when it was finally captured on video off the coast of Kent Island. These sightings thrust Chessie into the national and international spotlight, transforming it into a regional celebrity. Cheezum uncovers the fascinating connection between Chessie's appearances and the dramatic changes occurring in Chesapeake Bay communities. As the bay transitioned from a hub of labor-intensive activities to a recreational destination, Chessie became a symbol with multilayered meaning. Environmentalists seized the opportunity to educate the public on the bay's importance as an ecosystem, while tourists and suburbanites found solace in connecting culturally with the bay. Meanwhile, watermen faced the unsettling prospect of a declining way of life. With expert analysis grounded in historical context, Cheezum sheds light on Chessie's enduring impact and legacy. Chessie is an enthralling exploration of the profound power of a symbol that underscores both the affection the public continues to have for the monster and the cultural transformations in the region at the end of the twentieth century.

Youre about to enter a city that has no equal. It was built by extraordinary people with imaginative minds. Did they drink? Not sure, but why else would they build it in a Nevada desert? Some say you can go anywhere in the world and discover that people not only know about Las Vegas--theyd give anything to get there. True. As soon as I graduated from college I took an all-night bus to reach a city Id heard of, but never seen. I stayed 30 years. Damn good years, too. And the mystique of the entertainers and the film stars and the elaborate restaurants and 24-hour-a-day casinos never wore off. I spent 20 of my years at the Sahara, on the Strip, got inside the gambling business in the 60s and loved it. Helped it, too, with my writing and my inventions. The Mob was still around in those days. They were the first venture capitalists and owned a piece of every casino in town. Did that stop anyone from having a good time? Of course not. Gradually the Mob faded away--which is what happens when an FBI office with 15 agents sets up shop in town. But the gaiety didnt stop for a second, even when corporations realized they were the big guys now. Our Sahara entertainment director stunned us in 1964 when he made a deal with The Beatles to play two shows. I met the boys after dark at a small Las Vegas airport, rode with them to the Sahara and helped get them to their suite before teen age girls tore their clothes off. So take a chance, have a seat and enjoy that drink in front of you. Its time to start the show. --John Romero