Tales from the Road by Neil Zurcher | Cleveland Books | Gray & Company, Publishers | Guide and Gift Books about Cleveland, Northeast Ohio, and Ohio.

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Tales from the Road

Memoirs from a Lifetime of Ohio Travel, Television, and More

by Neil Zurcher

• Format: Softcover, 296 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 inches
• Illustrations: 48 black-and-white photos
• ISBN: 978-1-59851-064-5
• Price: $14.95

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• Contents

Description

After a million miles and four decades as a TV reporter, Neil Zurcher has a lot of great stories to tell . . .

He met Prince Charles in a bathroom, and tripped and fell on President Gerald Ford. He raced on an elephant, piloted a glider, and hung from a trapeze. He survived a hotel fire, a tornado, and countless stunts for the camera.

As a news reporter and host of the long-running “One Tank Trips” travel segment on Channel 8 in Cleveland, Neil visited every corner of Ohio (and beyond), met hundreds of unusual people, and took part in history-making events.

He was tear-gassed at an anti-war protest and almost trapped inside the Ohio Penitentiary during a riot. He drove in a day-long high-speed police chase from Cleveland to Kentucky, and got lost in the middle of Lake Erie.

He rode in jet boats, jet fighters, sternwheelers, a World War II tank, and almost every other kind of vehicle imaginable (most frequently his trademark red and white 1959 Nash Metropolitan).

He was ordained as a minister in the Free Spirit Association Church and even officiated at a few weddings . . .

He would do almost anything and go almost anywhere for a good story. And in the process he became one of the most popular personalities on Cleveland TV.

In this book, with his familiar folksy style, Neil shares dozens of his favorite personal stories from a lifetime in Cleveland television. Many will cause a chuckle, some will surprise, and all recall an era of television and of Northeast Ohio that was full of color and characters.

Reviews

Includes all the stories we'd expect from Neil Zurcher, original host of Fox 8 News' “One Tank Trips.” The collection of short, first-person vignettes reveal his memories, adventures and mishaps with a humorous twinkle — jumping his bike through a ring of fire as a child, riding shotgun in police cruisers to cover 911 calls, and the many, many car troubles he endured during his lifetime of travel. — Cleveland Magazine

For years Neil Zurcher provided us with fascinating travelogues about the people and places that give our little slice of the world its distinct character and charm. He did it with such artfulness and grace that you somehow felt elevated and enriched just by hearing him tell his stories. Now he has put many of the stories behind those stories into a sparkling gem of a book. Trust me on this: You will love it. Intermingled with the pratfalls, hijinks and practical jokes are bittersweet stories of love and romance, tragedy and triumph. And the beauty of his prose — make no mistake, this is a remarkably well-written book — make it a joy. Warning: Don't start reading it, as I did, when time is short. You'll be late for your appointment. — Morning Journal

About Neil Zurcher

As a professional journalist, Neil Zurcher has worked in television, newspapers, magazines, and radio for over a half-century. He has logged more than a million miles on Ohio's roads over 25 years as a TV travel reporter. He was the original host of the "One Tank Trips" travel report, which aired on Fox8 Television in Cleveland and has since been imitated in other television markets throughout the United States. Zurcher received the Distinguished Service award from the Society of Professional Journalism and the Silver Circle award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. He also received an Emmy, the Award for Excellence in Broadcasting from the Cleveland Association of Broadcasters, and has been inducted into the Cleveland Press Club Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Ohio Broadcasters Hall of Fame and received their "Living Legacy" award in 2007. For many years, Zurcher wrote a column for AAA Ohio Motorist magazine and now writes regularly for the Plain Dealer. He has written five books about Ohio, including Ohio Oddities and Strange Tales from Ohio. More About Neil Zurcher

Contains References to:

Al Sirat Grotto Shrine Circus, Big Chuck & Lil' John Show, Bit of Budapest Hungarian Restaurant, Candy Store, Canton Classic Car Museum, Captain Penny, Carl Crapo, Carl Monday, Cars of One-Tank-Trips, Casey Coleman, Cedar Point, Charles Kuralt, Chuck Schodowski, Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Crawford Auto Aviation Museum, Denise Dufala, Dick Conrad, Dick Goddard, Edgewater Beach, Franklin Castle, Fred Griffith, Free Spirit Association Church, Gene Carroll, Geneva-on-the-Lake, George Voinovich, Gerald Ford, Guggisberg Cheese Company, Hocking Hills State Park, I-X Center, Jacobs Field, Kelleys Island, Kenny Crumpton, Largest Cuckoo Clock, Maharajah of Magador, NASA Lewis Research Center, Oberlin News-Tribune, Ohio Historical Society, Ohio University, One Tank Trips, Robin Swoboda, Rockettes, Salt Fork State Park, Scott Sabol, South Bass Island, Stefani Schaefer, Thomas Edison, Tim Taylor, Tracy McCool, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, Wayne Dawson, Western Reserve Historical Society, WEWS, WHAM, Wilma Smith, Windsor Casino, WJW, WKYC, Woollybear Festival, Woollybear Parade, WVIZ, WWII, WXEL, Ziggy Talent,

Other books by Neil Zurcher:

• Ohio Oddities 2nd Edition
• Ohio Road Trips 2nd Edition
• Strange Tales from Ohio 2nd Edition

If you like Tales from the Road, then you should try:

• Ohio Road Trips 2nd Edition by Neil Zurcher