One-Night Stands with American History

One-Night Stands with American History is a guided tour through the seedy underbelly of our nation. Richard Shenkman and Kurt Reiger dig deep into the history of the United States to uncover stories about hoaxes, inventions, secrets and rare incidents, many involving the famous and powerful.


Readers will discover how and why a future U.S. president refused to pay ten cents in postage on the letter officially notifying him of his nomination for office, J. Edgar Hoover refused to allow people to walk on his shadow, and Federal troops captured Jefferson Davis wearing his wife’s clothing. An amusing, informative treasure trove, this collection of little-known facts from American history is a goldmine for history and trivia buffs alike.

Richard Shenkman is the New York Times best-selling author of five history books, including Legends, Lies & Cherished Myths of American History and I Love Paul Revere. Educated at Vassar and Harvard, he is an Emmy Award-winning investigative reporter and the former managing editor of the news department at the CBS-TV affiliate in Seattle. He has been the host, writer, and producer of a prime-time series on the Learning Channel and a regular contributor to the NBC Sunday Today show.

Kurt Reiger received his B.A. in American History from Vanderbilt University. Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, he also holds an M.B.A. degree from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.