Boston Curiosities: A History of Beantown Barons, Molasses Mayhem, Polemic Patriots and the Fluff in Between

Boston has been a favorite backdrop for novels, films and television series, but some of the best stories about the city are true ones. Historian Ted Clarke explores these stories both the familiar and the obscure that have earned Boston such epithets as 'the epicenter of American crime fiction', 'the cradle of liberty' and 'the ice cream capital of the world'. The fifteen-foot tidal wave of molasses that roared down Commercial Street in 1919 is one of the more famous legends. Lesser known, but equally stunning, is the case of Albert Tirrell, who in 1845 murdered his mistress in a Boston boardinghouse but was released after presenting the first successful sleepwalking defense in the United States. From the mysterious story of John Jacob Loud, who patented the first ballpoint pen, to the dubious early enterprises of merchant prince turned philanthropist Thomas Perkins, Boston Curiosities offers up a medley of memorable events that give Beantown its celebrated flavor.

Author: Ted Clarke
Publisher: History Press
Published: 10/01/2008
Pages: 128
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.40lbs
Size: 8.30h x 5.40w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9781596295803

About the Author
Clarke, Ted: - Ted Clarke's passion is history, especially Boston history and that of areas around Boston. He is currently working on his twelfth book, most of which are on local history or figure skating, in which he was a judge and national administrator. After years of teaching and journalism and three master's degrees, Clarke is "somewhat" retired but still spends a solid part of each day at his writing vocation. "I feel as though I've never retired, and yet I'm doing something I love to do," he says. "I've always enjoyed using words and telling stories, and here I do both. If you read my writing, I want you to get the story clearly but also enjoy the way it's told." He has a forthcoming book from The History Press called South of Boston, part of a brace of books called "From Cape to Cape," which is in the works. He and his wife, Mary, live in the town of Weymouth, south of Boston, where he serves as chair of the historical commission. He has written and narrated five television productions on town history, winning, in 2010, the Massachusetts Historic Commission's award for his program on historic preservation. He also gives frequent talks, which may be arranged through The History Press.