There is no state quite like Michigan. Only in the Great Lakes state will you find the world’s largest cherry pie oven, the udder-flashing cow, the hot dog hall of fame, and the “Be Good to your Mother-in-Law Bridge.” As culturally wonderful as it is weird, Michigan also boasts the birth place of Motown, the Peace Corps and the International Memorial to the Underground Railroad. It’s where Madonna was born, where Harry Houdini perished that fateful Halloween night, where skater Tonya Harding’s posse whacked Nancy Kerrigan, and where the Kellogg brothers invented popular breakfast cereals. Exploring these many faces of Michigan, Oddball Michigan: A Guide to 450 Really Strange Places (Chicago Review Press, May 2014) by Jerome Pohlen showcases 450 unique destinations for road trippers that are found off the beaten path. Including bizarre locations and events such as Mackinac Island’s Haunted Theatre or Bear Lake’s Kampvilla Dinosaur, Oddball Michigan offers off-beat travel destinations and little-known humorous or historical tidbits to road trippers looking for a different sort of trip. Did you know that Michigan law states that it is illegal to put a skunk in your boss’s desk? Husbands are also prohibited by state law from using cattle to hunt waterfowl in their wives’ hair. Who knew? This new guide to the real Michigan tackles all of this trivia and more, including helpful destination contact information, hours, websites and photos. There’s more to the Mitten State than its stunning shorelines and beautiful landscape. As Oddball Michigan proves, it’s also home to a healthy share of history and scandal, kitsch and quirk, and numerous classic Midwestern oddities that will delight travelers and Michiganders alike. About the Author: Jerome Pohlen is an editor and travel writer whose travel writing has appeared in the Chicago Reader, Readers Digest and TimeOut Chicago. He is the author of the Oddball series and Progressive Nation. He has been a regular contributor on travel and culture for the 848 Show on WBEZ, Chicago’s NPR affiliate. He lives in Chicago.
