Reading Line: Fourteen Mind-Boggling Tales from the Gem StateDid one woman single-handedly save the members of the Lewis and Clark expedition from certain death? According to legend, a woman from the Niimíipuu tribe who had been rescued from slavery by a white family felt led to advocate for the travelers. If not for her courage and compassion, the story of the American West might have taken a much different trajectory.Could there really be a monstrously large serpent plying the depths of Bear Lake? Many dismiss the stories as Native American legends originally told to keep whites from settling in the area. Yet, for over a century, alleged eyewitness accounts, newspaper articles, and even TV shows continue to feed belief in the existence of a Bear Lake Monster.Is it true that the town of Kellogg almost was named Jackass? According to legend, the discovery of ore that led to a massive silver rush in Idaho's panhandle should be credited not to Noah Kellogg, but to the down-on-his-luck prospector's mule, Bill. Unfortunately, neither Noah nor Bill reaped the full benefits of what became one of the world's richest mining districts.From President Cleveland's alleged love child to the UFO highway, Idaho Myths and Legends of makes history fun and pulls back the curtain on some of the Gem State's most fascinating and compelling stories. Randy Stapilus is a former newspaper reporter and editor.

His other books include It Happened in Idaho, Speaking Ill of the Dead: Jerks in Idaho History, and Outlaw Tales of Idaho (all Globe Pequot Press). A long-time Idaho resident, he now lives in Carlton, Oregon, with his wife, Linda.