My thanks too. I just put a reserve on it in the County library system and, wow, that is a popular book! Two other great reads in a similar vein are "Have Mercy ..." by Wolfman Jack and Byron Laursen and "Border Radio" by Gene Fowler and Bill Crawford. Does anyone remember another famous, but less lethal, huckster Curtis Howe Springer and his Zzyzx Hot Springs?
Bob Coomler Cloverdale, CA --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > > Fred, > > Thanks for the book review on "Charlatan: America's > Most Dangerous > Huckster, the Man Who Pursued Him, and the Age o > Flimflam" by > Poope Brock. Just ordered the book from Overstock. > I think that > XERF used to sell shotguns over the airways in the > old days? > > Dennis, > Salmon Creek, WA > > -------------- Original message -------------- > From: "Fred Schroyer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > I just finished a most enjoyable new book about > Doc Brinkley -- quack > > extraordinaire, radio pioneer (KFKB - Kansas > First, Kansas Best), father of > > the border blasters (XER > XERA > XERF), and de > facto serial killer (his > > sham surgeries to implant goat gonads & ovaries in > gullible hicks & > > hickettes killed hundreds). The book is > "Charlatan: America's Most Dangerous > > Huckster, the Man Who Pursued Him, and the Age of > Flimflam" by Pope Brock, > > Crown Publishers, FEB 2008, 336 pages. > > > > It's not a book about radio per se, but about > Brinkley's whole shameful > > career. But that career heavily involved radio, so > there is plenty of > > interesting radio stuff for us DXers who remember > the '60s when Wolfman Jack > > howled over the 250 kW on 1570 (muted a bit from > 500 kW input / 1 megawatt > > ERP in earlier days). He was a true trailblazer in > broadcasting country > > music & advertising. Some U.S. communication laws > were rewritten > > specifically b/c of his outrageous behavior. > Fittingly, the book ends with > > the lyrics to ZZ Top's '70s hit song. The writer > has done his research well, > > and he is a very funny, entertaining storyteller. > I highly recommend > > "Charlatan" - tell your other you'd like it for > your birthday! > > > > Fred Schroyer > > Freelance Science Writer / Editorial Consultant > > Waynesburg, PA 15370 > > (40 air mis S of Pittsburgh - 20 air mis N of > Morgantown, WV) > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > _______________________________________________ > > IRCA mailing list > > [email protected] > > > http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca > > > > Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing > list are those of the original > > contributors and do not necessarily reflect the > opinion of the IRCA, its > > editors, publishing staff, or officers > > > > For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org > > > > To Post a message: [email protected] > > > _______________________________________________ > IRCA mailing list > [email protected] > http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca > > Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list > are those of the original contributors and do not > necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its > editors, publishing staff, or officers > > For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org > > To Post a message: [email protected] > > _______________________________________________ IRCA mailing list [email protected] http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: [email protected]
