The Ruby Slippers, Madonna's Bra, and Einstein's Brain: The Locations of America's Pop Culture Artifacts

by Chris Epting

Anyone who has ever wondered where Dorothy's ruby slippers, George Washington's teeth, or the world's largest olive are located will be thrilled to take this journey to find hundreds of the most important items from America's popular culture. Found in such major institutions as the Smithsonian and the Basketball Hall of Fame as well as in such offbeat collections as the Sing Sing Prison Museum and the Delta Blues Museum, these pop culture treasures include the most famous—and quirkiest—items from movies, crime, TV, sports, music, history, and America's roadside attractions.

The Ruby Slippers, Madonna's Bra, and Einstein's Brain is divided into the following American Curiosities, Roadside Relics, Historic Artifacts, Criminal Remains, Celebrity Antiquities, Movie and Television Keepsakes, Music Mementos, and Sports Memorabilia. There's even a list of the Top Ten Missing in Action Pop Culture Artifacts.

Some of the most fascinating treasures found in the book
The Cardiff Giant
Thomas Edison's Last Breath
World's Largest Ball of Twine
George Washington's Teeth
Lizzie Borden's Axe
John Wilkes Booth's Thorax
Watergate File Cabinet
Abraham Zapruder's Camera
Tom Thumb's Wedding Cake
Casablanca Piano
Easy Rider Motorcycle
Jimi Hendrix's Woodstock Guitar
Elvis Presley's Report Card
Paul "Bear" Bryant's Hat
Miracle on Ice Skates

Genres: Nonfiction, History

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

A pop culture (and baseball) history aficionado, Chris has a lifelong penchant for documenting the exact sites where things both great and small occurred. As an author, Epting has found that unearthing and chronicling ‘hidden’ locations offers him a challenge. What began as an inquisitive hobby soon developed into the writing and photographing of 14 books based on his discoveries, including James Dean Died Here…The Locations of America’s Pop Culture Landmarks, Elvis Presley Passed Here, Even More Locations of America’s Pop Culture Landmarks, Images of America – the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Roadside Baseball, The Ruby Slippers, Madonna's Bra, and Einstein's Brain: The Locations of America's Pop Culture Artifacts and Led Zeppelin Crashed Here.

As an extension of his efforts to chronicle the unique, Epting joins Hampton Hotels for a fourth exciting year as national spokesperson and consultant for the Hidden Landmarks program in support of the brand’s national “Explore the Highway with Hampton Save-A-Landmark™” campaign (the program recently won the President’s award). He was also recently national spokesman for the launch of Microsoft Windows Live Local travel web site and is the current spokesman for EMusic.com, an online music download company.

Chris is a frequent featured guest on numerous radio and television programs such as National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered,” “The Savvy Traveler,” “Access Hollywood” and FOX TV’s the “Best Damn Sports Show Period,” plus international programs in Australia, Japan and the U.K.

He has contributed articles for such publications as the Los Angeles Times, Westways, Travel + Leisure and Preservation magazine, and was the Travel Editor for Chicken Soup for the Soul Magazine. He also writes and voices a series for Major League Baseball Radio, and writes a weekly column for the Huntington Beach Independent newspaper and a monthly feature in Orange Coast magazine. Chris hosts The Pop Culture Road Trip radio show on webtalkradio.net and his 14th book, “The Birthplace Book,” comes out in Spring ‘09.

Chris lives in Huntington Beach, CA with his wife and their two children.

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

You don't really READ this book. It's more of a skimmer -- it's basically page after page of places around the US that contain interesting pop culture items. I learned a few interesting facts (mainly about sports greats I had never heard of), and I marked some things I'd like to see (Bonnie and Clyde's car; James Dean's...anything -- I kinda had an obsession with him once). And I discovered that I've been to the World's Largest Maze: The Pineapple Garden Maze at Dole Plantation in Hawaii.
If you feel like planning a road trip, but you don't know where to go...take a look through this book. (And don't mind the typos -- maybe they only drive an anal editor such as myself crazy...)

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Must look at anytime I am going on vacation. It is amazing what America has to offer!

[Sherri]

i like history and about famous people