Michigan Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff [Paperback]

Colleen Burcar (Author)

Book Description

Series: Curiosities Series | Publication Date: January 2003

Part zany Michigan guidebook and part Who's Who of odd and unsung heroes, this outlandish compendium of the state's quirks and characters will amuse Michigan residents and visitors alike.

· You'll marvel at the world's largest hairball, pucker up to a ninety-year-old moose, tour the Shipwreck Museum, and race to the finish line in the Outhouse Classic.
· You'll study at the world's oldest Santa school, learn the definition of a "Yooper," and feast on Trenary's famous six-month-old toast.
· You'll meet Detroit's Fast Freddy, the epitome of panache; Marshall's self-proclaimed "Cheese God"; and The Polish Muslims, kings of the "polka 'n' roll."

This book is a tribute to the late Gene Taylor, himself a Michigan curiosity par excellence and the beloved former writer and executive producer of WOMC's "Dick Purtan and Purtan's People" morning show.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Michigan Curiosities is your round-trip ticket to the wildest, wackiest, most outrageous people, places, and things the Wolverine State has to offer. True Michiganians (or is it Michiganders?), Colleen Burcar and Gene Taylor have combed Michigan for one-of-a-kind gems that make their home state truly unique.
With this guide in hand, you can marvel at the world's largest hairball, pucker up to a ninety-year-old-moose, tour the Shipwreck Museum, and race to the finish line in the Outhouse Classic.
You'll study at the world's oldest Santa school, learn the definition of a "Yooper," and feast on Trenary's famous six-month-old toast.
You'll meet Detroit's Fast Freddy, the epitome of panache; Marshall's self-proclaimed "Cheese God"; and The Polish Muslims, kings of the "polka 'n' roll."
Whether you were born and raised in Michigan or are a recent transplant, Burcar and Taylor's home-grown humor will have you laughing out loud as they introduce you to the neighbors you never knew you had and take you to places you never knew existed - right in your own backyard.

About the Author

Colleen Burcar has worked in radio, television, and newspapers for many years. Thirteen of those years were spent working alongside Gene Taylor. She now works in media consulting and public relations and her voice continues to be heard on commercials across the country. The mother of a daughter, Kimberly, Colleen currently resides in suburban Detroit with her husband, Bryan Becker, and toy poodle, Chloe.

Gene Taylor was an Emmy Award-winning entertainer, writer, and producer. His nearly twenty-year collaboration with Detroit radio legend Dick Purtan included serving as writer and executive producer of the popular Dick Purtan & Purtan's People morning show on Detroit's Oldies 104.3 (WOMC). Gene was probably best known for the numerous characters that he created and voiced for the show, but beyond his radio work, Gene was also involved with a number of charitable organizations, including the Salvation Army.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Globe Pequot; 1st edition (January 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762706015
• ISBN-13: 978-0762706013
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 6.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,925,916 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great introduction to the curiosities of Michigan, March 6, 2003

By 

Gary J. Gabel (Birmingham, MI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Michigan Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff (Paperback)

Colleen Burcar has done a wonderful job of bringing the uniqueness and richness of Michigan to life in this book. She takes us on a statewide tour of places and people many of us would never know existed. What's more, she adds a lot of humor to her descriptions. Some of her quips are groaners, but they're more than made up for by the numerous humorous asides.

This book is an invaluable tool for the person who would like to explore Michigan in a more intimate way.