Books published by publisher Blue River Press

A humorous, illustrated, pocket field guide describing where to find—or where to avoid—the most disturbed North American birds. The Mincing Mockingbird Guide to Troubled Birds allows anyone to quickly identify psychotic, violent or mentally unstable bird species—and provides the perfect gag gift for your bird loving (or fearing) friends and family. Throughout the book the reader will discover tales of murder, assault, mental breakdowns, obesity, drug abuse and infidelity among the birds. This guide is used and recommended by law enforcement agencies and ignored by leading ornithologists.We are only just discovering the reality of our avian adversaries, with their reptilian brains, their appetites for mayhem and the fact that they fly mostly to spite us. To ignore the information found within this volume may be at the peril of your very life.Perfect for: • White elephant gifts • Animal lover gifts • Bird lovers gift • Gag gifts • Funny gifts • Christmas gifts

Paddy Quinn, the boy who ate rattlesnakes, and lost a hand to a cannon blast during the Mexican War, returns as a famous Civil War correspondent and battlefield sketch artist in James Alexander Thom's new novel, Fire in the Water. The central action in this novel is the tragic explosion and burning of the paddlewheel steamboat SULTANA near Memphis in the last days of the Civil War, killing some 1,800 homebound Yankee survivors of the hellish Andersonville prisoner-of-war camp in Georgia. But the undercurrent of the novel is the national mourning for assassinated President Lincoln, whose corpse was en-route on his funeral train to Springfield, Illinois at the time of the disaster.

The Appalachian Trail is one of the most iconic hiking trails in the world and a testament to the power of cooperation. Winding through fourteen states from Georgia to Maine, the Trail is cared for by thirty-one trail clubs, numerous partnerships, the National Park Service, and Appalachian Trail Conservancy. At 2,200 miles long, the trail attracts two million hikers per year. In this young reader's book, the author lays out the history of the Appalachian Trail in its many facets. He includes its geological, ecological, and human history, as well as its history as a trail. By weaving these all together, the author allows the reader to better understand the world s longest hiking trail.

The perfect gift for parents everywhere, from the New York Times-bestselling author of Goodnight iPad. The parody of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie that every parent will relate to. If you give in to temptation and give a bored little mouse your iPhone, even for ten minutes, he’s probably going to beam to some faraway place beyond time, space, and the sound of your pleading voice. And if he’s that far gone, he won’t have any idea what’s going on around him, and he might end up missing out on all the real fun. From the New York Times-bestselling author of Goodnight iPad comes a delightful new commentary on the perils of our tech-obsessed lives and a fully charged romp for readers of all ages.

The perfect gift for music lovers and Elvis Costello fans, telling the story behind Elvis Costello’s legendary career and his iconic, beloved songs. Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink provides readers with a master’s catalogue of a lifetime of great music. Costello reveals the process behind writing and recording legendary albums like My Aim Is True, This Year’s Model, Armed Forces, Almost Blue, Imperial Bedroom, and King of America. He tells the detailed stories, experiences, and emotions behind such beloved songs as “Alison,” “Accidents Will Happen,” “Watching the Detectives,” “Oliver’s Army,” “Welcome to the Working Week,” “Radio Radio,” “Shipbuilding,” and “Veronica,” the last of which is one of a number of songs revealed to connect to the lives of the previous generations of his family. Costello chronicles his musical apprenticeship, a child's view of his father Ross MacManus' career on radio and in the dancehall; his own initial almost comical steps in folk clubs and cellar dive before his first sessions for Stiff Record, the formation of the Attractions, and his frenetic and ultimately notorious third U.S. tour. He takes readers behind the scenes of Top of the Pops and Saturday Night Live, and his own show, Spectacle, on which he hosted artists such as Lou Reed, Elton John, Levon Helm, Jesse Winchester, Bruce Springsteen, and President Bill Clinton. The idiosyncratic memoir of a singular man, Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink is destined to be a classic.

Amelia Earhart gained world fame as one of the most skilled pilots of her time. As a daring and courageous aviator, she was the first female pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Although flight would always be closest to Amelia's heart, she had other interests, too. She was a social worker, an author, a clothing designer, and an educator. Most importantly, in all of her pursuits, Amelia worked hard to promote the rights and equality of women. Amelia proved that female pilots were just as capable and courageous as male pilots. Her achievements made her an important part of our history.

As a mountain climbing guide, it was Vern Tejass job to climb the tallest and most dangerous mountains in the world. Always rebellious, Tejas never met a challenge he couldnt overcome, even the daunting task of climbing Mount Everest. In fact, he climbed all of the tallest mountains on each of the seven continents more than ten times each. Seventy Summits is his tale of the beauty, danger, and surprising freedom of mountain climbing and what it has given him throughout his life. Climb Mt. McKinley with Tejas as he battles extreme cold. Scale Aconcagua and its windy peaks. Mont Blanc provides beautiful views, but Mt. Elbrus towers over the European continent. The Roof of Africa is attempted by 35,000 people each year, but Mt. Kilimanjaro isnt as friendly as it looks and many people get hypothermia on this tropical mountain. Antarcticas Mt. Vinson boasts the last true frontier, a costly climbing trip that keeps getting more and more expensive. Take a break on Mt Koscuiszko. As Australias tallest mountain, its practically a stroll in the park at 7,310 feet. Finally, join Tejas on the tallest mountain in the world: Mt. Everest. Better yet, read about him doing all of them ten times each.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was an influential Civil Rights leader and American history remembers him as always fighting for freedom and equality. At the March on Washington, his speech I Have a Dream encouraged those attending to keep protesting against racism and segregation. Martin Luther King Jr. changed the course of history and the lives of millions of Americans, his influence is still felt today and he is forever regarded as an American hero. After completing his doctorate, Martin Luther began leading marches and giving his powerful and influential speeches. Through struggles and oppositions, he helped turn his dream of equality into a law against segregation. From Selma and Montgomery, Alabama and Atlanta, Georgia in the South to Chicago, Illinois in the North, Martin worked help people everywhere he went. Sometimes he was arrested, but it was all worth it to bring about permanent positive change. The All About . . . series is designed to interest middle-grade readers ages nine to fourteen in the world around them with information and biographies on inspirational figures and awe-inspiring places. After all, how do you discuss the Civil Rights Movement without also talking about Dr. King? Complete with two timelines, a glossary, quotes, an index and expertly crafted illustrations, All About Martin Luther King, Jr. is perfect for any student's library. A professionally-developed teacher s guide is available at blueriverpressbooks.com/all-about-teachers-guides/.

A daring investigation into the mysterious death of Heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston, set against the dawn of the 1970s, when the mob was fighting to keep control of the Las Vegas Strip, Richard Nixon was launching America's first war on heroin, and boxing was in its glory days.On January 5, 1971, Sonny Liston was found dead in his home—of an apparent heroin overdose. But no one close to Liston believed that his death was acci­dental. Digging deep into a life that Liston tried hard to hide, investigative journalist Shaun Assael treats the boxer’s death as a cold case. The result is a page-turning who­dunit that evokes a glorious and grimy era of Las Vegas. Elvis Presley was playing two shows a night at the International. Howard Hughes was running his empire from the penthouse suite of the Desert Inn. And middle America was flocking to the Strip, transforming it from an exclusive playground for the mob to a mecca for corporate dollars. But the city was also rotting from within. Heroin was pouring over the border from Mexico, and the segregated Westside was on the cusp of a race war. The cops, brutally violent, were barely holding it together. Driving through town with the top of his pink Cadillac down, Sonny Liston was the one celebrity who was unafraid to bridge the two sides of Las Vegas. Cashing in on his fading notoriety in the casinos, he was dealing drugs, working for a crime syndicate, and trying to break into Hollywood—all with a boxer’s faith that he could duck any threat, slip any punch. Heroin addiction was the only knockout blow he didn’t see coming. The Murder of Sonny Liston takes a fresh look at the legendary boxer, the town he called home, and one of America’s most enduring mysteries.

From the former heavyweight champion and New York Times–bestselling author comes a powerful look at the life and leadership lessons of Cus D’Amato, the legendary boxing trainer and Mike Tyson’s surrogate father. "[Iron Ambition] spells out D'Amato's techniques for building a champion from scratch." – Wall Street Journal When Cus D’Amato first saw thirteen-year-old Mike Tyson spar in the ring, he proclaimed, “That’s the heavyweight champion of the world.” D’Amato, who had previously managed the careers of world champions Floyd Patterson and José Torres, would go on to train the young Tyson and raise him as a son. D'Amato died a year before Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion in history. In Tyson’s bestselling memoir Undisputed Truth, he recounted the role D’Amato played in his formative years, adopting him at age sixteen after his mother died and shaping him both physically and mentally after Tyson had spent years living in fear and poverty. In Iron Ambition, Tyson elaborates on the life lessons that D’Amato passed down to him, and reflects on how the trainer’s words of wisdom continue to resonate with him outside the ring. The book also chronicles Cus’s courageous fight against the mobsters who controlled boxing, revealing more than we’ve ever known about this singular cultural figure.

Madam C. J. Walker was beloved within her community for her philanthropy and expanding the local black YMCA, but she couldn't have done that if she weren't the first female self-made millionaire and one of the most successful African American business owners ever. Born Sarah Breedlove, she was the first person born free in her family. She married Charles Joseph Walker and became known as Madam C. J. Walker, the name she would later use on her haircare products. After talking with her brothers, who were barbers, and experiencing problems with hair loss, she developed a formula that healed scalp infections. This inspired her to start her own line of hair care products to do things like reduce dandruff, grow longer hair, smooth hair, or prevent baldness. Her company employed thousands of door-to-door saleswomen from all over the United States and the Caribbean. She supported the African American community by making a $1000 contribution for a new YMCA building in Indianapolis, funding scholarships for Tuskegee Institute and Daytona Normal Institute for Girls, and becoming a patron of the arts in the early years of the Harlem Renaissance.

The basis for SHOWTIME Sports Documentary Pariah: The Lives and Deaths of Sonny ListonA daring investigation into the mysterious death of Heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston, set against the dawn of the 1970s, when the mob was fighting to keep control of the Las Vegas Strip, Richard Nixon was launching America's first war on heroin, and boxing was in its glory days.On January 5, 1971, Sonny Liston was found dead in his home—of an apparent heroin overdose. But no one close to Liston believed that his death was acci­dental. Digging deep into a life that Liston tried hard to hide, investigative journalist Shaun Assael treats the boxer’s death as a cold case. The result is a page-turning who­dunit that evokes a glorious and grimy era of Las Vegas. Elvis Presley was playing two shows a night at the International. Howard Hughes was running his empire from the penthouse suite of the Desert Inn. And middle America was flocking to the Strip, transforming it from an exclusive playground for the mob to a mecca for corporate dollars. But the city was also rotting from within. Heroin was pouring over the border from Mexico, and the segregated Westside was on the cusp of a race war. The cops, brutally violent, were barely holding it together. Driving through town with the top of his pink Cadillac down, Sonny Liston was the one celebrity who was unafraid to bridge the two sides of Las Vegas. Cashing in on his fading notoriety in the casinos, he was dealing drugs, working for a crime syndicate, and trying to break into Hollywood—all with a boxer’s faith that he could duck any threat, slip any punch. Heroin addiction was the only knockout blow he didn’t see coming. The Murder of Sonny Liston takes a fresh look at the legendary boxer, the town he called home, and one of America’s most enduring mysteries.