How did a world-class reptile zoo spring up in Rapid City, South Dakota, of all places? It was the dream of one man, Earl Brockelsby, and he was a character. Back when Mount Rushmore was still being carved, young Earl was shocking tourists by hiding a live rattlesnake under his hat.

This remarkable biography offers rare insight into not only the founder of Reptile Gardens, but the evolution of tourism in the American West in the years after World War II. Author Sam Hurst, former NBC News producer, documentary filmmaker, and Emmy-award-winning journalist paints a vivid portrait of Earl Brockelsby's complex life.

Paperback, 344 pages, including 16 pages of historic photographs.

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