Oddball Michigan

May 15, 2014

In the great state of Michigan, "oddball" can mean many things, but chief among these are giant statues of Paul Bunyan, giant cherry pie pans, and giant ice cream cones. To be fair, Pohlen's ninth in his "Oddball" states series also includes historical sites, natural phenomena, and landmarks related to pop culture icons, such as the hospital where Madonna was born (now an old folks' home) and a majestic Magic Johnson statue at Michigan State University, his alma mater. Organized by region, this compendium begins with the weirdness that is the Upper Peninsula and ends with the mixed legacy of Detroit, a city that brought the world Henry Ford and the Motown sound, but also has some of the worst urban blight in America (fertile ground for art installations!). In 450 funny blurbs, the author covers sights people might go out of their way for, as well as attractions one might check out while just passing through, providing location, cost, and contact information for each. VERDICT Amusing, brisk, surprising, and slightly educational, this is a great resource for the discerning connoisseur of cheesy and eccentric tourist attractions of the Upper Midwest.--Emilia Packard, Austin, TX

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