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Lake of the Ozarks
Lake of the Ozarks: My Surreal Summers in a Vanishing America | Bill Geist
7 posts | 6 read | 7 to read
Before there was "tourism" and souvenir ashtrays became "kitsch," the Lake of the Ozarks was a Shangri-La for middle-class Midwestern families on vacation, complete with man-made beaches, Hillbilly Mini Golf, and feathered rubber tomahawks. It was there that author Bill Geist spent summers in the Sixties during his school and college years working at Arrowhead Lodge-a small resort owned by his bombastic uncle-in all areas of the operation, from cesspool attendant to bellhop. What may have seemed just a summer job became, upon reflection, a transformative era where a cast of eccentric, small-town characters and experiences shaped (some might suggest "slightly twisted") Bill into the man he is today. He realized it was this time in his life that had a direct influence on his sensibilities, his humor, his writing, and ultimately a career searching the world for other such untamed creatures for the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times, and CBS News. In LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Emmy Award-winning CBS Sunday Morning Correspondent Bill Geist reflects on his coming of age in the American Heartland and traces his evolution as a man and a writer. He shares laugh-out-loud anecdotes and tongue-in-cheek observations guaranteed to evoke a strong sense of nostalgia for "the good ol' days." Written with Geistian wit and warmth, LAKE OF THE OZARKS takes readers back to a bygone era, and demonstrates how you can find inspiration in the most unexpected places.
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marleed
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Pickpick

I couldn‘t let another Labor Day pass me by without moving this from my TBR. If you‘re a fan of Bill Geist, this fun book adds to his story. I grew up in the northwest and was 19 before I witnessed the beautiful deciduous tree-filled hills at Lake of the Ozarks. I aged myself when laughing along with the salad bar concept because when that became a thing it was a ridiculously big thing.

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Pamwurtzler
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#7days7covers Day 7

Post a cover you love every day for 7 days, no explanation. Play along!

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Suet624
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As a follow up to my last post. “In Whalen, Minnesota (population 62), folks had always wanted to have a parade but couldn‘t figure out a way to do it in a town less than two blocks long. They decided to have a “stand-still parade,” wherein the color guard ... marching bands, floats, horseback riders, and fire trucks (from other towns since Whalen didn‘t have any) stood still when the parade started and the crowd walked around the parade.” 😂😂😂

ValerieAndBooks He mentions this stand-still parade also, in this collection — its a clever idea 😊! 5y
Suet624 @ValerieAndBooks I checked to see what you wrote about his other book. Might check it out. I absolutely loved the idea of a stand-still parade. I wonder if I could convince my village to try it out one year. 5y
51 likes2 comments
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quietjenn
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It's too hard to go further than the halal cart outside for lunch, but at least my reserve came in.

AlaMich This sounds very interesting, but I can‘t hear “Lake of the Ozarks” without thinking of the show Ozark on Netflix. 😬 5y
56 likes1 stack add1 comment
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imabusybee
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Final check in for #bfcr2 Too hot to cook inside and out!! So we cheated and got pizza. My over all workouts this past week was HOTT yoga but did get 6/7 days Steps were not made. Book totals 19/18 see you all in round 3 I cant wait...love my #teamflow you girls are GREAT!!

Megabooks 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🥳 5y
Moony You're great, too! And yoga is wonderful! So you can delete the "only" ? 5y
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julesG Yes, delete the only. You practically did Hot Yoga all week. 👏👏👏👏 5y
wanderinglynn Way to go! 🙌 A fantastic week! 🎉 And I agree with @Moony and @julesG - delete that “only.“ Yoga is an awesome workout! 5y
wanderinglynn 👏 👏 👏 5y
58 likes7 comments
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rambiepaige
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Pickpick

Another day, another book!