Monster Trucks & Hair In A Can: Who Says America Doesn't Make Anything Anymore?

by Bill Geist

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Anyone who thinks America no longer contributes innovations for public consumption needs to pay attention to Bill Geist. The long-time news correspondent chronicles seven wacky but true entrepreneurial endeavors that prove the American Dream is alive and well-just a tad warped. Where else could you find Bob Chandler who made a fortune by inventing the huge-wheeled behemoth of the arena, the car-crushing monster truck? Or Hall Schlenger, creator of the cable Fish Channel. And what about the legendary Ron Popeil and his Pocket Fisherman, spray-on hair, and Veg-o-Matic? All this could only happen in America, land of whopper-tunity.… (more)

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Here we have the 1990s distilled into a book: pro bass fishermen, American Gladiators, Phil Donahue, and more. It's more or less about unusual entrepreneurs, and it's fascinating to read this from the point of view twenty years later. A lot of this is still going strong, and what isn't has been replaced by something else. Geist's humor is interesting, because sometimes it sounds like he's making fun of his subjects, but most of the time he seems generally enthusiastic. If you'd like to do a bit of time travel to the fads of a couple decades ago, this is the book for you. I had fun. (

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melydia | Feb 29, 2016 |

These are typical Bill Geist essays....thoughts on the quirkiness of people and places in America. If you like Bill's spots on 60 minutes and other CBS news shows, you'll like the book. I found myself snickering alot through out it. Its not an exceptional book but its good fun (

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harperhaven | Dec 5, 2009 |

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Anyone who thinks America no longer contributes innovations for public consumption needs to pay attention to Bill Geist. The long-time news correspondent chronicles seven wacky but true entrepreneurial endeavors that prove the American Dream is alive and well-just a tad warped. Where else could you find Bob Chandler who made a fortune by inventing the huge-wheeled behemoth of the arena, the car-crushing monster truck? Or Hall Schlenger, creator of the cable Fish Channel. And what about the legendary Ron Popeil and his Pocket Fisherman, spray-on hair, and Veg-o-Matic? All this could only happen in America, land of whopper-tunity.

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