The fascinating inspirations behind common inventions and creations- from Barbie to Sweet and Low to Mt. Rushmore. The slinky was born aboard a World War II ship. The Barbie doll was inspired by a German sex toy. Weight Watchers began with a Jewish housewife in Queens, New York. Eureka! explores the fascinating stories behind these famous creations and many others-from blue jeans to the Taj Mahal to Mickey Mouse-detailing the relationships between inspirations and their inventors. Readers will delight in the intriguing-and sometimes surprising-origins behind the ideas that have shaped the world.
Take a front row seat at "the Run for the Roses" with the first comprehensive history of the Kentucky Derby. From mint juleps to the garland of roses, to weeping men and women in the Winner's Circle, Two Minutes to Glory is the official story of the world's greatest horse race—the Kentucky Derby. This book is chockablock with facts, figures, and statistics on all 132 years of this incredible race. It also contains a capsuled yet detailed history of the race and of Churchill Downs, focusing on all the larger-than-life personalities from Col. M. Lewis Clark, who founded the Derby in 1875, to Col. Matt Winn, who saved it when it was in the stretch, out of breath, about to break down, and in need of a miracle—and beyond that to the present day. But perhaps the best parts of this lavishly illustrated book are the stories of the races, from 1875 to 2006. It is not a mere recitation of what happened—though there is that—but the human (and horse) stories behind the races, like that of Conn McCreary, who, astride Count Turf in 1951, looked down the track before the gates opened and knew that he was riding not just to win the Derby, but for his life. Or the 2005 race where a seventy-nine-year-old woman named Alice Chandler burst into tears as she watched her 50-1 shot Giacomo roar down the stretch to win—but also cried because she knew that when just a foal, he had previously beaten an opponent called death. This book looks at all the people and horses who made the Derby what it is over the years: trainer Ben A. Jones with six Derby winners; Eddie "Banana Nose" Arcaro and Secretariat, who broke the two-minute barrier and ran the fastest Derby in history; the great owners, the grooms—and all the rest. It is history, yes, but history with heart and soul. As horsemen say, have a good ride.
On the first Saturday in May every year in Louisville, Kentucky, shortly after 5:30 PM, a new horse attains racing immortality. The Kentucky Derby is like no other race, and its winners are the finest horses in the world. Covered in rich red roses, surrounded by flashing cameras and admiring crowds, these instant celebrities bear names like Citation, Secretariat, Spectacular Bid, and Seattle Slew. They're worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. But in 1992, a funny thing happened on the way to the roses. The rattling roar of 130,000 voices tailed off into a high, hollow shriek as the horses crossed the finish line. Lil E. Tee? ABC broadcasters knew nothing about him, but they weren't alone. Who knew about Lil E. Tee? A blacksmith in Ocala, Florida, a veterinary surgeon in Ringoes, New Jersey, a trainer a Calder Race Course, and a few other people used to dealing with average horses knew this horse—and realized what a long shot Lil E. Tee really was. On a Pennsylvania farm that raised mostly trotting horses, a colt with a dime-store pedigree was born in 1989. His odd gait and tendency to bellow for his mother earned him the nickname "E.T." Suffering from an immune deficiency and a bad case of colic, he survived surgery that usually ends a horse's racing career. Bloodstock agents dismissed him because of his mediocre breeding, and once he was sold for only $3,000. He'd live in five barns in seven states by the time he turned two. Somehow, this horse became one of the biggest underdogs to appear on the American sporting landscape. Lil E. Tee overcame his bleak beginnings to reach the respected hands of trainer Lynn Whiting, jockey Pat Day, and owner Cal Partee. After winning the Jim Beam stakes and finishing second in the Arkansas Derby, Lil E. Tee arrived at Churchill Downs to face a field of seventeen horses, including the highly acclaimed favorite, Arazi, a horse many people forecast to become the next Secretariat. A 17-to-1 longshot, Lil E. Tee won the Derby with a classic rally down the home stretch, and finally Pat Day had jockeyed a horse to Derby victory. John Eisenberg draws on more than fifteen years of sports writing experience and a hundred interviews throughout Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Florida, and Arkansas to tell the story almost nobody knew in 1992. Eisenberg is a sports columnist for the Baltimore Sun and has won more than twenty awards for his sports writing, including several Associated Press sports editors' first places."
When Mimi and Papa get invited to the most famous horse race in the world, Grant and Christina tag along. They meet up with a couple of horsy friends and start to have some fun! But then, mysterious things begin to happen: first a horse disappears, then two jockeys! The next thing you know, the kids are finding clues that may help them solve the mystery and save the race! But it's a two-minute race to the finish line! Come along and help them! LOOK what's in this mystery - people, places, history, and more! Kentucky Derby history, facts, and traditions Š Horses and jockeys Š Great Steamboat Race on the Ohio River history and facts Š Triple Crown races Š Ohio River and Falls history and facts Š Riding clothes facts Š How to Ride a Horse Š Pony breeds Š Difference between Horse and Pony Š Pegasus Parade history Š Churchill Downs Š Eva Bandman Park Š Kentucky Derby Museum Š Falls of the Ohio Interpretive Center. Like all of Carole Marsh Mysteries, this mystery incorporates history, geography, culture and cliffhanger chapters that will keep kids begging for more! This mystery includes SAT words, educational facts, fun and humor, built-in book club and activities. Below is the Reading Levels Guide for this book: Grade Levels: 3-6 Accelerated Reader Reading Level: 4.3 Accelerated Reader Points: 3 Accelerated Reader Quiz Number: 79512 Lexile Measure: 670 Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level: Q Developmental Assessment Level: 40
The all-time champion and host of Jeopardy! gives you the chance to test your trivia mettle in this ingeniously organized book of 8,888 questions. For example–February 21: In 1912, on this day, Teddy Roosevelt coined the political phrase “hat in the ring,” so Ken Jennings fires off a series of “ring” questions. In 1979, who became the first NFL quarterback with four Super Bowl rings? What rings are divided by the Cassini Division? Also on this date, in 1981, the “goth” music scene was born in London, so here’s a quiz on black-clad icons like Darth Vader, Johnny Cash, and Zorro. Do you know the secret identities of Ivanhoe’s Black Knight or Men in Black’s Agent M? In this ultimate book for trivia buffs and other assorted know-it-alls, the 365 entries feature “This Day in History” factoids, trivia quizzes, and questions categorized by Jennings as “Easy,” “Hard,” and “Yeah, Good Luck.” Topics cover every subject under the sun, from paleontology to mixology, sports feats to Bach suites, medieval popes to daytime soaps. This addictive gathering of facts, oddities, devilishly clever quizzes, and other flights of fancy will make each day a fun and intriguing new challenge.
Put your general knowledge to the test, and impress your family and friends with your astonishing brainpower and trivia genius. An addictive quiz book for all the family featuring 10,000 questions, The Big Quiz Book has something for everyone. With 10 different general knowledge categories - from Science & Technology, Art & Literature, and Natural History, to Food & Drink, Film & TV, and Sport & Leisure - and three increasing levels of difficulty, it offers a fresh and up-to-the-minute quizzing experience that will educate and entertain all the family. Bursting with fascinating facts to boost your trivia knowledge, whatever your specialist subject or your nemesis topic, The Big Quiz Book is perfect for home entertainment and virtual pub quizzes. You won't be able to put it down!
Sports, Drinks and Trivia. The Perfect Combination for any Sports Fanatic. In a perfect world everyone would be able to attend great sporting events—the Super Bowl, the Masters, the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But when getting to the game isn't possible, watching the event with friends in the comfort of your own home is the next best option. In Sports Bar: Cocktails and Sports Trivia, sports fanatic and professional bartender Bryan Paiement provides you with everything you need to kick back and enjoy the game in style. Featuring 40 original cocktail recipes specially crafted with the world's most famous sporting events in mind, you can impress your friends with drinks such as "Augusta on My Mind," "Lord Stanley Sour," and "The Brickyard Toast." And when the game slows down (or your team starts to lose), Sport Bar offers amazing, often unbelievable sports facts that will, when paired with a delicious cocktail, spark conversation among your friends: Why are Roman numerals used to number Super Bowls? How many calories does the average cyclist burn during one stage of the Tour de France? Who was the first woman jockey to ever ride in the Kentucky Derby? So pull out your team jerseys and let Sports Bar inspire you to gather your friends together for the game and a great time.
If you consider yourself a trivia expert, Uncle John has created the perfect book for you. Who knows more about trivia than the folks at the Bathroom Readers’ Institute? Nobody, that’s who! With more than 300 pages of fascinating facts arranged in a fun quiz format, Uncle John's Presents the Ultimate Challenge Trivia Quiz will test your knowledge on a variety of subjects...and then you can stump your friends! Some sample questions: What are pato, shinty, and hapkido? What are the two moons of Mars called? Where would you find a fetlock? In what country would you find the world’s smallest mammal? Want the answers? Buy the book! (Just kidding. Here they are: sports; Phobos and Deimos; just above a horse’s hoof; and Thailand, where you’ll find the tiny bumblebee bat.) You’ll find thousands more fun questions (and answers) in Uncle John's Presents the Ultimate Challenge Trivia Quiz!
Trivia Why's will make you trivia wise with these great features: 1) Over 2,000 questions with multiple-choice answers are each accompanied by a related factoid. Why is this answer correct (and not that one)? Why else is this person famous (or infamous)? Why was this event historically significant? 2) By cycling through six standard genus categories, this book makes an excellent supplement to your favorite trivia board game while providing a healthy variety of topics for your reading pleasure. Answers are hidden from view while the questions are being read and appear in the same block on the same side of the book two pages later. 3) Every question and answer has been carefully researched for accuracy and recently updated to include the latest available data. Since trivia is a moving target, however, updates and corrections will be posted to the triviawhys.com web site.
