Product Description
Drawn from the popular weekly segment, Late Show Fun Facts is a collection of unusual, little-known--and sometimes even true--bits of trivia assembled by the Federal Bureau of Miscellaneous Information. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Fun Fact Just as Funny in Print
Fun Facts is my favorite feature on David Letterman so for me, having it in printed form is a real treasure.Every time I open it, it puts a smile on my face.

Late Show Fun Facts
Hi
I just saw the show last night so i came to check the item out to see if it was really real
and ok I guess it is WOW!
dont mind my 3 star raiting yet i had to rate to review im going to go pick it up at the librarie for free haha
i get that thing for 15 days free so by then I would have finished the book for free
im a big fan of the show so this better be a good one i wonder if he talks about conan walking away rich lol eh prob not but that would have been funny

Letterman's theKing of late night TV
The top ten reasons why Letterman's the King of late night TV
10-Viagra
9-Madonna's been on his show 8 times
8- One of his First jobs was working on Mary Tyler Moore's TVshow
7-Sarah Palin wants to go moose hunting with him
6-2 Presidents were on his show in one week.George W was invited,but was busy doing nothing,like he did for the last 8 years.
5-became a first time Father at 56
4-his Mom's cool
3-Leno's on at 10
2-His Staff LOVES him, especially the women
1-Just try and blackmail him
This guy has GUTS,and he admits when he's made horrible mistakes.Even though he's no longer a spokesmen for Depends and FloMax.
Also,the "Late Show Fun Facts" is afunny book

Useless. Pointless. Utterly Hilarious
If like David Letterman, you'll like this book. Every page has some weird untrue fact that has some unique charm to it. How can something be so pointless yet so funny?

Simply Hilarious
Fun Facts is a 60/40 combination of chuckling and laughing as hard as humanly possible.
If you have the slightest sense of humor, you will find this book funny - if you have an acute sense of humor, you will find the book hilarious! ... Read more

Product Description
Gathers delicious recipes from the culinary collection of David Letterman's mother, accompanied by down-home humor, warmhearted advice, and photographs from the Letterman family album. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

USE AT YOUR OWN RISK
Although the book contains some vintage photos that might be of interest to some, the recipes are a crap shoot. A number of recipes were merely given to Dave Letterman's mother at her request, presumably so she would have something to put in her book, and she admits she has never even tried or tested one such as a recipe called "Biff Henderson's Favorite Breakfast,"(canned tuna and chopped onion fried in butter, and eggs cooked any way you like) about which she says "I haven't tried his recipe, but it might be good if you like fish for breakfast."I'm not kidding. That was the recipe. Right below that one on the same page is a recipe for Cheese Grits, which instructs the reader to "cook 1 cup of uncooked grits in 4 teaspoons water until very thick." If you have ever cooked grits, you know that 1 cup of grits would need 4 cups water, not 4 teaspoons. Can you say "disaster" ? There might be something edible in this book, but I don't plan to find out. 2 stars is probably generous, but I don't mean to be unkind.

Greatcooking and suggestions from a very bright woman!
Had this book since 1996 and it's great. Dorothy Letterman has added several if not one major asset to my house-cleaning chores and that is her (actually her friend Pat Foster's) "Homemade Window Cleaner" concoction.For over 11 years I have tried to find something in stores to top hers and today once again I have cleaned my windows with Dorothy's "recipe".My windows are absolutely spotless without any harsh chemicals.Entire book worth reading...she's a pip just like her son or should I say now I know where he got his sense of humor from.

Dave's Mom, what a cutie
This cookbook is as much fun to read as anything!The recipes weren't what I would ordinarily make, because they were mostly family home cooking that might be more specific to what each person was raised with.However, the reading part of it was so cute and gave a lot of explanations as to why the recipes were special.It was also a glimpse into the life that Dave was raised into.It was deligtful

Absolutely Wonderful on Several Levels
The recipes here, clearly presented (and some photographed) as the real thing for down-home Midwest cooking, are, in my opinion, not the most valuable feature of this book. After all, literally many hundreds of other cookbooks are available.

This cookbook reminds me of Lance Armstrong's book, It's Not About the Bike. In other words, Dave's mom's book is, in my opinion, not mainly about the recipes. Instead, its primary value is that it opens a wonderful window on a charmingly (almost angelically) gracious woman, her children and husband, her beautifully wholesome, decent values, and the Indiana town in which David Letterman was fortunate to have been raised. Some of the photos could almost be Norman Rockwell paintings -- innocent, smiling faces, a delightful come-on-in kitchen with family photos on the refrigerator door.

In short, Dave's mom, Dorothy, shows us how we might wish every kid could grow up, and (sort of, if you leave out some sugar and white flour here and there) how every kid should be able to eat in a near-ideal world.

Photos of five-year-old Dave and his older sister, photos of Dave's mother as a beautiful child and radiant young mom, photos of Dave playing baseball in grade school -- these along with his mom's innocent and wholesome comments, are alone worth the price of the book.

I loved this book partly because my wife and I spent a few years in Dave's part of the US, and partly because my Utah-farm mom and Oklahoma-farm dad raised me and my sister in a similar modest house with similar home cookin' made from similar recipes.

This book will have you wanting to make Dave's mom's meatloaf and cherry pie, so you and your family can dig into it while nostalgically placing yourselves in the clean-cut, simpler times in the small-town America we are in danger of permanently losing.

What a great cookbook!
What makes this cookbook so nice is that David Letterman's mother is a real down to earth person.Her recipes and those she collected for the book are simple.Dorothy is a cutie and adds little anecdotes and stories from her own childhood as well as when David was growing up.It's homespun fun and a joy to read! ... Read more

Product Description
The successor to the best-selling first collection of Top Ten lists from the late-night talk show offers more laugh-out-loud-funny countdowns on topics ranging from current affairs and personalities to pure silliness. 400,000 first printing. $400,000 ad/promo. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

too much fun
Lettermans' Top Ten List have been a form of humour I have enjoyed for the longest time.Even the older versions (if you're old enough to remember celebs and politicans are still as funny today as they were the night they hit the airwaves. This book is no exception, plus the added bonus of a dress pattern for the husky bride/ or those renewing their vows.
William Brown
Houston, Texas

Aquired taste?
There's mabie a hand full of the list's that I thought were funny & a few had potential but for me most of them were for me pretty stupid.

Not the same when Dave isn't doing it live
Some of the lists are very funny, but it's missing something in book form because you're missing Dave's delivery. Also, a one-joke book gets kind of thin quick. I recommend only reading three or four lists at a time so the novelty doesn't wear off. Great bathroom reading.

The Lists Just Keep on Coming
This collection is from the Late Show era, not the Late Night era.However, believe it or not, these top ten lists are funny enough to read and reread.For those of you like myself, who are Letterman fans, this collection, like all previous collections, borders on the essential.Do yourself a favor, though, and buy the Late Night editions as well.

Worldwide Pants
This is another hilarious collection of Top Tens.Will they come out with any more? ... Read more

Product Description
The hysterically funny trade paperback that topped everyone's list of smash hit bestsellers last year was just the beginning. Now, get ready for 169 more of the funniest, most outrageous Top Ten Lists in one hilarious volume including: "Orville Redenbacher's Top Ten Most Horrifying Secrets," "Top Ten Mafia Euphemisms for Death," and " Top Ten Features of Saddam Hussein's Bunker." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A classic
This is a classic. I remember having a copy of this when I was a freshman in high school.These Top 10 lists were a staple of late night television before there were 200 channels to choose from.

Not the same when Dave isn't doing it live
Don't get me wrong, some of the lists are very funny, but it's missing something in book form because you're missing Dave's delivery. Also, a one-joke book gets kind of thin quick. I recommend only reading three or four lists at a time so the novelty doesn't wear off. Great bathroom reading.

Just As Funny As The Last One
Reading David Letterman's Top Ten Lists will get a laugh out of you, even if you are not a big fan and can't imagine Dave presenting the lists to you.If you can imagine him saying these, you will cry from laughing so hard.One of my favorites is "Top Ten Least Exciting Superpowers for Comic Book Superheroes."

To fully understand the humor of this book, you have to be familiar with the references he makes.This book was written in the early 90s, so you need to be familiar with the first George Bush and Dan Qualye, as well as the headlines from that time.

I would still recommend this book.This book will still amuse anyone who reads it.

Yes, Yes, Yes
I realize I am probably wasting my time writing a review of this book.If you don't already own it, your not looking it up to buy it now, so nothing I can say will convince you to buy it.Anyways, here goes:

These top ten lists are funny enough to read and reread.If you are just starting your collection, I would recommend the original book.However, quickly add this volume to your collection.

An Altogether new book of.....PURE GENIUS!
This book is one of the most hilarious I've read in a long time!This book includes some of the best Top Tens such as: "Top Ten Amish Spring Break Activities", "Top Ten Mafia Euphemisms forDeath","Top Ten Categories on Iraqi Jeopardy!", and ofcourse, "Top Ten Freak Accidents on the 'Today' Show Set". Thisbook will keep you on the floor laughing for long time!(At least it didfor me)In addition, don't forget to read the foreword by David himselfand the nice, warm introduction from Steve O'Donnell- the head writer from"Late Night with David Letterman".If you haven't already gottenthe point, here it is:BUY THIS BOOK! ... Read more

Product Description
210 page paperback measuring eight and a half by eleven inches and almnost three-quarters of an inch thick. Lots of pictures from the older Late Night Show. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

For Letterman fans...
From before the days of Worldwide Pants and the Top Ten List, this book is a collection of the best of Late Night with David Letterman from the early to mid 80's.Monologue jokes, comedy segments, Larry "Bud" Melman, viewer mail and the bookmobile lady are all here and as funny as ever.This book is full of pictures (some in color) and cartoons and includes the words and lyrics to Paul Shaffer's hit "Yeah!".A must for fans who have been watching Letterman since the beginning. ... Read more

Product Description
Offers an inside look at the late night world of the popular television host, including an in-depth interview with neighbors Sirabul and Mujibar and Jee at the Hello Deli, lists of Dave's best and worst guests, maps of Dave's neighborhood, and more. ... Read more

Product Description
David Letterman's Book of Top Ten Lists and Zesty Lo-Cal Chicken Recipes

by David Letterman and the Late Show with David Letterman Writers

It's like watching TV -- with the added danger of paper cuts!

Top Ten Apologies to People Buying This Book:

10.Cheap glue will only hold the thing together for about six days.

9.Some kids sneaked into the printing plant and added the word "ass" to a lotof the lists.

8.It costs about a dime to print one of these babies -- now take a look at the retail price, sucker!

7.We're using the money we make to buy "little Dutch girl" outfits for Dave's poodles.

6.The book was hastily assembled overseas by jabbering foreigners who don't give a damn about you or your family.

5.A drunk maintenance guy fell into the press and parts of him appear on pages 68-87.

4.Felt safe making jokes about the Amish on TV; forgot some of them might actually see the book.

3.Dave insisted on writing some of these and we had to play along.
.
2.There is no remote control. Don't look for one.

1.The book ain't much better than the TV show.

Amazon.com Review
From the man who needs no introduction but gets one every nightanyway on NBC... er, I mean CBS: One-hundred-and-sixty-five Top Tenlists! We couldn't find a Top Ten about the Internet to share withyou, but here's a list that comes close (and closer every day):

Top Ten Signs You Have a Bad Long-Distance Company

10. So-called "dial tone" is just a guy with a kazoo
9. Everyone you talk to sounds like the drive-through at Wendy's
8. All calls are ten cents for the first minute, $94 each additional minute
7. In the background of every call you make: giggling
6. When you tell the operator you're trying to call a friend inVermont, she laughs and says, "Hey pal, this ain't the Jetsons!
5. No matter what number you dial, the same guy answers
4. They insist on being paid with "ass, gas, or grass"
3. Every time you pick up the receiver, dirty gray water pours out
2. They bill you for calls made by somebody named Pepe, and when youcomplain, they say, "Whatsa problem, man, you no like Pepe?"
1. Their slogan is "Reach out and touch yourself"

And, the book really does come with a special bonus set of plans for anend-table by Norm Stamper: it looks pretty solid. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

David Letterman's Top 10 List book
You can not miss with a David Letterman Top Ten List book. I now own 3 of them and they are a great source of humor and knowledge (yes, I'm serious).My favorite part is always the self-deprecating humor aimed at NYC.Talk of rats, hookers, crackheads and cursing...it's all fun and it's all included.It will seem a bit dated with names or events, but that is a small hurdle for the complete view.It is a great source of humor.Highly recommended.
Dave

Not the same when Dave isn't doing it live
Don't get me wrong, some of the lists are very funny, but it's missing something in book form because you're missing Dave's delivery. Also, a one-joke book gets kind of thin quick. I recommend only reading three or four lists at a time so the novelty doesn't wear off. Great bathroom reading.

Read and Reread
Believe it or not, these top ten lists are funny enough to read and reread.For those of you like myself, who are Letterman fans, this collection, like all previous collections, borders on the essential.While perhaps not as "cutting edge" as the Late Night books, this is still a 5 star.

True Hysteria
This book is hysterically funny. Letterman's top ten lists are one of the greatest fresh contributions made to comedy in a while. This collection include's such wonderful lists as: (my personal favorite) Top Ten SlogansFor The New Wonder-Bra ("The Quicker Picker-Upper"), and"Top Ten Ways To Make Madonna Angry" ("Tell her you love theway she turns the letters on Wheel of Fortune.") Great funny book.Light and fun reading.

Great Chicken Recipes!
A great collection of the Top Tens!Hilarious ... Read more

Product Description
A popular late evening television host presents a collection of his most outrageous Top Ten Lists, arguing that the fourth best reason for reading his material is that the book has been made from criminal trees that deserved to die. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Not Funny Any More
We were so enthralled with David Letterman that we redefined our humor lexicon to include this form.

Another reviewer expresses gratitude that we have preserved this form for our children.Here's a list forya:

10.You bet your sweet bippy.
9.Sock it to...me?
8.I'll drink to that.
7.Moving right along...
6.To the moon, Alice!
5.I'm growing tired...

Humor in the form of sound bites
The humor of the Late Night top ten lists has to be very difficult to write. While the topic provides some context, there is little else but common knowledge that the writers can use as a background. This means that the joke must be completely expressed in at most one or two short sentences. Despite this strict set of constraints, the lists are generally very funny, and this book is a collection of lists that appeared on the show before October 1990.
If you like your humor in small, easily digestible bites, then this is the book for you. Some lists will make you laugh, others will make you groan, but all will make you smile.

Still Funny After All These Years
I have read this book many times, and it still makes me laugh.Even if you are not a fan of David Letterman and cannot imagine his delivery of these lists, you will still get a chuckle.

The only thing against the book is that it is a little dated.The first tipoff should be the picture of Dave on the front cover.He hasn't had that much hair in a while.Secondly, these lists were written in the late 80s so the younger generation may not get all the political and cultural references (such as references to Dan Qualye).

I would still recommend this book for anyone needing or wanting a laugh.

The Original Lists Preserved for Our Children
This book takes you back to the cutting edge humor of the Late Night early years (Ok, 1994).The lists are here, you provide the laughs.Believe it or not, the lists are funny enough to read and reread.

This book is an essential for the Letterman fan, especially new fans who don't know or remember the good ol' days.

Late Night Years Live On In Print
This takes you back to the 80s, when Reagan was president, and Letterman was the choice in Late Night for the hip and pseudo-hip (like me).Believe it or not, these top ten lists are funny enough to read and reread.For those of you like myself, who are Letterman fans, this collection, is essential.The nostalgia value alone is worth it. ... Read more

Product Description
Now you don't have to stay up late to spend time with David Letterman. In this riveting and revealing book, readers learn about the rise of one of the highest-paid performers in TV history; the story behind Letterman's record-breaking 3-year, $42 million contract with CBS; his encounters with famous guests; and much more. 12 pages of photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

NOT AVAILABLE.....AFTER I PAID FOR IT!!!
My son needed this book for a school project. I placed the order, paid for the item and when I asked the seller for information regarding the tracking number I received a message that the book is not longer available and a refund is being processed. Why do I get all these information AFTER I paid for the book? Now my son is late with the project and it's too late to buy it from someone else. NEVER AGAIN FROM THIS SELLER!

Maybe something else
It has very interesting content, yet it's repeditive. The writing is very assuming and it leads to speculation as to whether the content is true or just based on rumour. I think there are better books out there to buy ifyou are interested in the life of Dave.

This book was great.
This book is a great resource for David Lettermans life. If you are interested and enjoy the comedy stylings of David Letterman, I would strongly suggest reading this book. It was informative as well as captivating. You will hear about many things in David Lettermans life thatwill make you have an appreciation for Dave and his career.

The women's magazine version
Reading this book is similiar to browsing through a women's magazine like Hello. For those who don't know anything about the life of Letterman it is in some ways informative but the writing is repetative and somtimesdownright insulting to some people it referes to,for examble Lettermansgirlfriend Regina.

Good stories, terrible writing
If you want to know what Letterman is like off stage, this is a very good book that contains many stories and little known facts, but the writing is tabloid news level.It follows Letterman's career and personal life from when he was in high school to when he had The Late Show.16 pages of photos. The writing is very blend, very repetitive both in contents and in format, and just very boring in general, not unlike this review. :)

-- Ed Lee, Santa Barbara. ... Read more

Product Description
My Letters to David Letterman is a satirical collection of fan letters written by Gene McDougall to David Letterman, but never mailed. Instead, the author chose to publish his letters, astutely pointing out that, "If David Letterman wants to read them, he can buy the book just like everybody else." Deciding to publish his letters to David Letterman is not the first strange thing Gene McDougall has ever done. At the age of 19 he joined the Navy, even though he was deathly afraid of water and could not swim. This life-long pattern of unwise choices shaped his life and his view of the world, resulting in a unique book that will be godsend to the countless misfits out there who previously thought they were all alone. If My Letters to David Letterman gives comfort to even one of these wretched souls, the appalling and (some feel) unjustifiably long life of Gene McDougall will have served some useful purpose. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Stupid, tedious and self-absorbed
Somebody please open the window on this author's soul, or at least on the dank room where he wrote these cramped, dimwitted epistles! This guy would benefit greatly from interaction with other human beings, or, if he can't handle the anxiety of face-to-face to interaction with another living person, perhaps he can switch the channel to the much funnier "Jimmy Kimmel" show.

A great bathroom book!
The self-proclaimed "lovely and talented" author has managed to include more than 60 wide-ranging topics in 70 brief letters which are educational, political, strange, inspirational, topical, weird, crude, and/or outrageous.All letters include the author's unique, creative, and off-center sense of humor.David Letterman would do well to invite this author to his show.

Its a smorgasbord!
- Saucy
- Simple
- Scintillating
- Sincere
- Sexy
- Side-shaking
- Sinister

.....all the above and more!

Do not miss it.

Wonderful combination of Groucho & Will Rogers
Need time alone in a small locked room.Take this book with you.You will soon find relief.Outrageous situations reminiscent of Groucho & Co. combined with the wry understatemnt in the style of Will Rogers make this an entertaining read. An ancient tennis player lofts his balls of ribaldry into David Letterman's court.However, none of the letters was ever sent which is probably just as well for the sanity of the postal employees.Nor can we imagine Dave or his writers replying with anything funnier.Occasional eccentrics charge about in the letters, writing a few themselves.All that seems missing is someone strutting across the scene in a long tail coat firing a pistol while a stuffed and stuffy Mae Oliver gasps in astonishment. ... Read more

Product Description
This biography chronicles the remarkable rise of the comedian and late night talk show host from his early broadcasting career in Indiana to his battle with Jay Leno for hosting The Tonight Show and his leaving NBC for CBS and The Late Show. Includes 40 photos. ... Read more

Product Description
Der Erwerb des Buches enthält gleichzeitig die kostenlose Mitgliedschaft im Buchklub des Verlags zum Ausprobieren - dort können Sie von über einer Million Bücher ohne weitere Kosten auswählen. Das Buch besteht aus Wikipedia-Artikeln: Michael Moore, Steve Allen, David Letterman, Walt Disney, Bill O'Reilly, Jason Miller, Xzibit, Mike Ditka, Troy Aikman, Ellen DeGeneres, Joe Scarborough, William F. Buckley, Jr., Bill Cowher, Regis Philbin, George Carlin, Frank Gifford, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Maher, Sammy Masters, Stephen Colbert, Bobby Lord, Glenn Beck, Buddy Starcher, Ruth Westheimer, Bob Ross, Lynn Swann, David Gregory, Jonathan Frakes, Mike Adamle, Tucker Carlson, Jon Stewart, Jack Ramsay, Chris Matthews, Billy Mays, Ashton Kutcher, Russell Brand, Candice Bergen, Brian Billick, Cassandra Peterson, Boomer Esiason, Tyra Banks, Jim McKay, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Phil Donahue, Don Rickles, Rachel Maddow, Clifton Fadiman, Tim Russert, Ron Jaworski, Joan Rivers, Dick Cavett, Bridget Powers, Tom Green, Jay Leno, Johnny Carson, Doug Lewis, Jesse G. James, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Rod Grams, Hazel Scott, Merv Griffin, Rosie O'Donnell, Kathy Hilton, Sherri Shepherd, Art Linkletter, Laraine Day, Bob Barker, Gabe Kaplan, Willie Geist, Annie Sprinkle, Suze Orman, Steve Doocy, Jim Lehrer, Ben Sidran, Tony Siragusa, Mike Douglas, Arthur Godfrey, Greta Van Susteren, Ricki Lake, Dick Clark, Richard Machowicz, Les Crane, Joya Sherrill, Charles Champlin, Ryan Dunn, Gretchen Carlson, Dana Bash, Samantha Harris, Phil McGraw, Tony Snow, Jimmy Fallon, Mitch Mullany, Vanessa Minnillo, Keith Olbermann, Jesse May, Wink Martindale, Lewis Black, Kenneth Keith Kallenbach, Molly Sims, Wayne Brady, Jade Raymond, Lisa Rinna, Debbie Matenopoulos, Bob Vila, Jim Hager, Dick Ebersol, Ryan Seacrest, Dorothy Kilgallen, Brigid Bazlen, Ed Sullivan, Marc Worden, Brian Kilmeade, Donny Deutsch, Ricky Harris, Maria Menounos, Ralph Edwards, Mark McGrath, Pat Sajak, Jeff Corwin, V...http://booksllc.net/?l=de&id=16142 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fantastic
Believe it or not, I read this book and I truly believe it is a masterpiece...I laughed, I cried, I recalled old memories of the Chapter house.....socials, pledging, and other fun things young men like todo.....all brtohers should read this captivating tale, besides, we alwaystell pledges "David Letterman is a brother"...now you can learnsomething about the man behid the name....

In Hoc, Morton ... Read more

Product Description
After researching historical figures for years, visiting nearly every historic site in the state, and working with the Indiana Historical Society, journalist Nelson Price has created a vivid, detailed, and readable series of Hoosier portraits ranging from political leaders to entertainers, from sports legends to everyday folks who achieved fame or notoriety. The fourth — and first in paperback — edition of Indiana Legends features updated profiles of the many contemporary figures in the book, as well as new material on such varied personalities as Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, Mother Theodore Guerin, a pioneer Catholic nun being considered for sainthood, C-SPAN founder Brian Lamb, and movie star Vivica A. Fox. Nelson's own prize-winning newspaper interviews add contemporary interest to this collection, and famous Indiana illustrations, along with the portraits and photographs from leading state collections, contribute a rich dimension to the stories. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

BOOK REVIEW
Very satisfied.Thanks for the excellent service.Cheers!
- Steve B., Librarian

What is the definition of a Hoosier?
Alas, the book 'Indiana Legends: Famous Hoosiers from Johnny Appleseed to David Letterman' does not offer a definitive answer to this article's title question: What is the definition of a Hoosier? Kevin Kline's recent film 'In and Out', set in the not-so-mythical Greenleaf, Indiana, had a scene near the conclusion where the teacher of the year was trying to deliver a speech with the same title, only to get interrupted before giving the answer. Perhaps the answer contained in this book is not so much a dictionary-style answer, but rather the collective experience of people such as those represented in this book.

The author, Nelson Price, has been a reporter for the Indianapolis Star and News newspapers, the state's largest papers, for over 15 years. Born in Indianapolis, educated at Indiana University, he is a fifth generation Hoosier; his great-great-grandfather arrived in the state just about the time of Indiana achieving statehood. Thus, if anyone has background qualification for producing such a text as this, it would be Price.

Indiana is well represented in the history of the American nation. Three presidents: William Henry Harrison, his grandson Benjamin Harrison were Hoosiers, and Abraham Lincoln claimed substantial Hoosier influence in his backgrounds. Other historical figures in the country's political and historical development include John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed), George Rogers Clark, Tecumseh, Frances Slocum, Robert Owen, Eugene V. Debs, Wendell Willkie, and Dan Quayle (eek!). Indiana has in fact had five vice presidents, including Schuyler Colfax and Thomas Marshall.

Little known fact: Reggie Miller and Jane Pauley were both diagnosed with ailments in their childhoods that would have ruled out most any productive role in adult life, Pauley with nervous disorders, and Miller with a crippling childhood disease.

Hoosiers in Hollywood and the performing arts include Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, James Dean, Steve McQueen, Anne Baxter, Karl Malden, Clifton Webb, Red Skelton, Carole Lombard, John Mellencamp, Florence Henderson, David Letterman, Michael Jackson, Crystal Gayle, Shelley Long, Joshua Bell and Twyla Tharp. Writers and artists include Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Robert Indiana (could have guessed that, right?), Jim Davis (of Garfield fame), T.C. Steele, James Whitcomb Riley, Booth Tarkington, and Theodore Dreiser.

Famous business people have included Madame Walker (the first self-made black millionaire), Eli Lilly, the Studebaker family (yes, the cars), the Ball brothers, and J. Irwin Miller, all known not only for their entrepreneurial spirit, but also their philanthropic drive. The Lilly Endowment is one of the largest in the world today.

Little known fact: `Go West, Young Man!' is a phrase coined by an Indiana newspaper reporter.

Indiana is also the state of Ryan White, the child AIDS activist whose name became familiar all over the world. It is home Sandi Patty, the gospel singer, and Jane Pauley, the television journalist. It is the birthplace of the fashion designer Bill Blass and the childhood home of Halston. It is the home of sex research Alfred Kinsey and the gangster John Dillinger. It is the home of journalist Ernie Pyle and publisher Eugene Pulliam. It is the birthplace of high flyers Orville and Wilbur Wright (now, there aren't too many states in the nation where a family would have both an Orville and a Wilbur, don't you know...)

Indiana wouldn't be Indiana without sports, particularly basketball, and boasts such legends as Larry Bird, Bob Knight, Oscar Robertson, George McGinnis, and Bobby Plump. Racing goes without saying, too, in Indiana, and the names such as Bettenhausen, Andretti, and Gordon are legendary in the sport. Mark Spitz, Kurt Thomas, Doc Counsilman, Jaycie Phelps, Don Mattingly, and Knute Rockne are other well-known names in the sporting world.

Little known fact: Carl Fisher, the founder of the Indianapolis 500, took his fortune to found Miami Beach, Florida, where he died penniless.

So, you now have a perhaps overblown sense of who comes from Indiana. So what?

Perhaps the best thing about this book is to give a sense of pride of place to native Hoosiers. I am a firm believer that knowing one's personal history is very important, and this includes a sense of the place where one is born and raised. There is, among my acquaintances who have come from elsewhere in the world to live here, a decided reluctance to admit the term `Hoosier' applies to themselves. For the longest time, I thought that no one actually comes from Indiana, or that perhaps Indiana is a good place to be from, but not a quality to be valued. Nelson Price's book is somewhat of a revelation in that sense, in that it shows the great diversity of persons in a wide range of human endeavours who were born in or had significant residence in Indiana. Once, Steve Martin made a comment describing a place as `nowhere, USA', and he picked a town in Indiana. Perhaps Indiana is somewhat distant from the `centre of all things', be that New York, Los Angeles, London, wherever one might choose. However, perhaps its critics are a bit too harsh on the state, and the history of this relatively small place needs to be re-examined, not least by those who reside here.

Little known fact: William Henry Harrison built a plantation as a Governor's Residence in Indiana, and called it Grouseland.

The Hoosier state is richer in history than might at first meet the eye. Nelson Price's book puts in small, journalistic-style stories, accessible narratives of the people who make up this history, past and present. This would make a great gift to anyone who lives in Indiana, who is moving to Indiana, or has a significant Indiana experience in the past.

Little known fact: A large number of astronauts have come from Indiana, and those who were not Hoosier natives often have a Hoosier connection - education from Purdue University, renowned for engineering.

This is a coffee-table book. Wonderful pictures of people past and present, good print production and nice formatting make this a pleasant volume to read.

This book should be on the shelf of every Hoosier
This book is the most exhaustive study of Indiana natives available today.Written in the same conversation style that he uses in his newspaper column, Nelson Price relates the "rise to fame and fortune"stories of many familiar personalities.And to receive such a terrifichardcover book for this price is almost criminal.Everyone should buy acopy today!

Excellent gift book
I was thoroughly entertained and captured by this book.Furthermore, I was thrilled to receive such a large and handsome hardcover book. Everyone should give a copy to every Hoosier they know!

Indiana Natives Immortalized
What a great book!This book compiles a list of all of the great Hoosiers.I was even suprised to discover Indiana natives that I never knew about.The book is informative and has a great looking cover.I'mgoing to give several for gifts this holiday season. ... Read more

Product Description
Presenting his second collection of zany superlatives, a popular television host states the benefits of reading his book as opposed to watching his show, noting that it reaffirms its reader's literacy. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

HAHAHAHAHAHA
This book is full of Top Ten Lists, with Categories like "Top Ten Least exciting superpowers for comic book superheroes". #2 on the list is "Ability to communicate with corn", #6 is "Ability tocalm jittery squirrels", and #8 is "Really bendy thumb" Iliked this book, and I hope you do too. ... Read more