RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT! SEEING IS BELIEVING...a GIVEAWAY????

GIVEAWAY ENDED
NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE...WATCH
FOR ANNOUNCEMENT LATER!
RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT!
SEEING IS BELIEVING!

Each fantastic annual in the Ripley's Believe it or Not! range contains completely new material. Every book is full of bizarre facts, incredible photographs, crazy stories, revealing interviews, and fun features - every one guaranteed to amaze.

Seeing is Believing also features icons throughout that direct you to live action clips on the website, as well as a cool 8-page gatefold section showcasing sideshow performers from the past.

Surely You Have Seen a Ripley's?!

Many thanks to Carolina and
Wellons Communications,
I received a copy of the annual book
for Ripley's Believe It Or Not to Review!

My Review:(Please note: If you are unable to understand my attempts at humor in this review, I apologize but there is lots of weird stuff to mess with your mind in this huge over 250 page book--that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!)

I found the book as entertaining as ever. When I was teaching, any Ripley's book was always a favorite of students and teachers alike and this year's edition is no exception to that. Of course as everything goes with technology, there is even a website you can go to (www.ripleys.com) to see even more unbelievable things. Some are funny, many are amazing, some are a little hard to look at, and if it wasn't Ripley's, I might NOT believe it!

This edition is broken into sections so you can pick and choose what you feel like looking at on any given day, or read it cover to cover, as I did. The book includes the following sections with some of my favorite articles in them:

STRANGE BUT TRUE: I liked "Extreme Scrabble" played while skydiving at 13,000 feet--now that's what I call a HIGH stakes game!

EXTREME EARTH: "Incredible Icebergs" were gorgeous with amazing colors, and they were like works of "art", or should I say "Arctic"?

INCREDIBLE FEATS: Some were hard for me to swallow but evidently not for Travis Fessler who, for charity(really?) popped 11 Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches into his mouth at once. Thank goodness it explained that the little "buggers" have tiny velcro-like hooks on the end of their feet so they could climb back out of his throat and mouth, and they now live happily ever after in a terrarium in his house!

UNUSUAL CUSTOMS:Not a lot of bull here! Each year, two days before the famous "Running of the Bulls" in Paplona, Spain, they hold the "Running of the Nudes"! Yes, they are human and don't ask...just buy the book!

CRAZY CREATURES:Talk about being two-faced?! Well in this section there is indeed a two-faced cow, born in China, and yes, it has 4 eyes and 2 mouths. I guess when born the mother cow said, "Oh,no! It's another mouth, err, mouths, to feed".

TRAVEL TALES:Now there were lots of great ways to go in this section, but I think I liked the part about the "Human Hamsters" who travel in a ZORB, a large transparent plastic sphere down rolling hills. Now I think that would be a ball!

FANTASTIC FOOD: Forget the slimy and gruesome things to eat. My favorite in this part had to be a the "Cheesy Politicians" where a man made a replica of the painting of the Declaration of Independence from 2,000 pounds of cheddar cheese! It definitely wins for best title of an article!

BODY ODDITY: Oh, where to start? The side show? The Piercings? The tall, short, fat, identical??? But being a reader who has read stories of the custom of women's bound feet in China, I found the explanation and picture where the woman's toes were under the arch of her foot after years of binding to be what "wrapped up" this section for me!

STRANGE SITES:Upside down house almost got my vote but when I saw the"Gum Wall" made by thousands of people putting their chewed gum on a wall in California, AND allowing anyone who wanted to take a taste at any time (?)...well, that was the one that stuck with me!

ARTISTIC LICENSE:This was truly an amazing and gorgeous section with art made from everything from match sticks to junk mail. I think the one that I was fascinated by was the "Mini Art" where Vladimir Aniskin's art is displayed on everything from a human hair to a grape seed. I think the chess set on the matchstick head made of gold and silver has to be a checkmate!

AMAZING SCIENCE: Science not being my strong suit, I will say I still liked this section. Living in Florida, the lightning capital of the world, the article about an Australian who uses the electronic forces for art was what STRUCK me as amazing!

BEYOND BELIEF: Finally, check the title and then you'll know why I didn't have to believe the man who attached bungee cord hooks to lower eyelids and pulled an almost 4,000 pound mini-bus along the road. Eye can see why this is called Beyond Belief!

So as you can tell from my descriptions, there are hours of amazing things to see and discuss. I know children and adults love this book and it is worth investing in one.

I did not get a copy to giveaway and am afraid I would never be able to do another post if I tore it out of the hands of my family to give it away.

However, I will at least share a few of the photos with you who are loyal enough to read this entire post.

Rick Murray has spent over $4000 USD and 24 tattoo hours turning himself into a tattooed Zombie, Believe It or Not! Source: Bizarre Magazine Photo: Neville Elder

When Ripley’s Believe It or Not! asked artist Franz Spohn if he could create a portrait of Barack Obama from thousands of gumballs, the artist, along with a bunch of kids from Ohio said, “Yes, we can!” Spohn recruited dozens of volunteers to help create the portrait as part of the Martin Luther King Day celebration on January 19 at the King Kennedy Center in Ravenna, Ohio. After one hour and many sticky fingers, a one-of-a-kind work of art was born.


A penguin named Nils Olav in the Edinburgh Zoo has the proud honor of not only being the mascot for the Norwegian Army, but has now been knighted after moving up in ranks to Colonel-in-Chief. The king penguin has been an honorary member of the army since the 1970, although the current mascot, regretfully is not the original penguin that served the Norwegians. Believe It or Not!
This photo is of course, dedicated to my pal, Kaye, at Pudgy Penguins Perusals!


Bull dogs are sometimes thought to be very dangerous, aggressive animals, even mixed breeds. But when they’re this cute, that’s hard to imagine. This pile of 20 puppies is believed to be the largest puppy litter ever. The average number of puppies in a litter is about 10. Born in the UK, these pups are sure to be adopted. Believe It or Not!
OK, and this part is for my many dog lover readers AND especially for my Book Buddy who has been working so hard for this blog! Like it, Ms. M?

OK! OK! OK!
YOU TALKED ME INTO A GIVEAWAY
OF ONE COPY TO ONE LUCKY WINNER,
BUT.....
ON ONE CONDITION!

I WILL DONATE ONE COPY OF THIS
SAME BOOK, BRAND NEW, FROM ME TO YOU,
IF AND ONLY IF WE GET TO 200 ENTRIES...
(THERE ARE OVER 400 COMMENTS SO
FAR FOR THE BOOKCASE GIVEAWAY...)
SO WHY NOT THIS?
JUST TO BE CLEAR, IF 200 ENTER, I WILL
BUY AND SEND ONE WINNER A COPY OF
THIS FABULOUS BOOK...NOT A COPY FOR
EVERY ONE WHO ENTERS!
(sorry if some were confused and emailed to ask)

RULES TO ENTER:

Sorry, from my empty pockets...so
--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY!
--NO P. O. BOXES, PLEASE
--EMAIL MUST BE IN YOUR COMMENT
--ONLY ONE COMMENT PER PERSON

WHAT TO PUT IN YOUR ONLY ONE COMMENT:

COMMENT ABOUT ANY SECTION OF
THE BOOK AND THE DESCRIPTION
I GAVE, OR ABOUT ONE OF THE
PHOTOS I POSTED FROM THE SERIES.

THAT'S IT!
ALL ENTRIES MUST BE IN
BY 6 PM, EST, OCTOBER 13
(THAT'S A WHOLE MONTH)

GOOD LUCK AND HOPE YOU
ENJOYED THE POST AS MUCH
AS I DID BECAUSE IT IS A FUN BOOK!