Urban Legends 666 Absolutely True Stories That Happened to a Friend...of a Friend…of a Friend

by Craughwell, Thomas J.

• ISBN13: 9781579124663
• ISBN10: 1579124666
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-03-14
• Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal

Summary

Combining Black Dogs three very successful hardcover collections of urban legends (Alligators in the Sewer, The Baby on the Car Roof, and The Cat in the Dryer) into one stupendous volume, Urban Legends is the ultimate collection of those outlandish tales people love to share. With themes that run the gamut from funny to sick, risqu to informative, frightening to disgusting, these fantastic yarns are remarkable for their uncanny ability to travel by word of mouth. Weve all heard the one about the alligators that roam New York Citys sewers, or how Mikey of Life Cereal fame died from ingesting Pop Rocks and Coke, or about the flustered parents who left their baby on the car roof. But, did you hear the one about the scuba diver who was found in the middle of a forest after a fire? These and other favorites are here in all of their creepy gloryguaranteed to amuse, enlighten, intrigue, and most of all, stick in the mind forever.

Author Biography

Thomas J. Craughwell is the author of several nonfiction books including Fandex Family Field Guides: 50 States, Saints for Every Occasion, Thomas Jefferson's Creme, and Stealing Lincoln's Body, which was adapted into a documentary by the History Channel. He lives in Bethel, Connecticut.

Table of Contents

Introduction	13	(6)
The Cursed Mummy and Other Supernatural Encounters	19	(34)
The Scuba Diver in the Forest Fire and Other Strange Deaths	53	(38)
Naked at His Own Surprise Party and Other Erotic Accidents	91	(24)
The Stolen Kidney and Other Medical Mishaps	115	(20)
The Murderer in the Backseat and Other Legends of the Road	135	(30)
Late for Finals and Other Tales from College	165	(18)
Aliens in Roswell, New Mexico, and Other Close Encounters	183	(22)
The Barrel of Bricks and Other Working Day Weirdness	205	(18)
Elvis's Motorcycle and Other Celebrity Rumors	223	(24)
Alligators in the Sewers and Other Classic Urban Legends	247	(16)
The Baby on the Car Roof and Other Automotive Mishaps	263	(28)
The Rhino and the Crazy Glue and Other Animal Stories	291	(30)
John Wayne Was a Draft Dodger and Other Celebrity Legends	321	(12)
The Hall of Tortured Souls and Other High-Tech Scares	333	(16)
The $250 Cookie Recipe and Other Culinary Misadventures	349	(12)
The Home-Made Lie Detector and Other Bizarre Crimes	361	(20)
The Final Spin Cycle and Other Mysterious Mortalities	381	(24)
The Phantom Car and Other Supernatural Encounters	405	(26)
The Navy Pilot's Collision Course and Other On-the-Job Foibles	431	(28)
The Hotel Reservationist and Other Tales of Revenge	459	(22)
Waiting for the Iceman and Other Sexual Escapades	481	(28)
The Jinx of the Sports Illustrated Cover and Other High-Profile Problems	509	(18)
The Spaghetti Orchards of Switzerland and Other Scams, Pranks, and Hoaxes	527	(12)
The Day the Supermarkets Run Out of Avocados and Other Lore for Special Occasions	539	(12)
The Kid Who Fell Asleep in the Casket and Other Creepy Tales	551	(16)
``Bart Simpson Is Sleeping with Your Wives!'' and Other Military Misadventures	567	(14)
Bronco Stadium's Smurf Turf and Other Tales of the Great Outdoors	581	(14)
The Cat in the Dryer and Other Pet-Related Legends	595	(12)
The Deadly Laundry Chute and Other College Traditions	607	(16)
``Every Morning at Breakfast I Spread Contraceptive Jelly on My Toast'' and Other Legends of Lust	623	(10)
The Surprise Urine Test and Other Job-Related Oddities	633	(14)
Bananas Can Eat Your Flesh! and Other Gruesome Happenings	647	(14)
In New Orleans It Is Illegal to Tie an Alligator to a Fire Hydrant and Leave It Unattended and Other Criminal Mischief	661	(16)
Index	677