"Endangered Species" is a true story about a kid born and raised in the carnival business, not by some writer that visited or worked on a show for a month or two, then became an authority on carnivals and wrote a book about them.

For the first time, a 'carny' gives you the real lowdown on the crooked games, scams and gimmicks the concession stands use to fleece you out of your hard earned money. After reading this, the next time you'll stop and think twice before you hand the agent behind the counter of the 'Teddy Bear Stand' a buck to spin the wheel to try and win a big stuffed teddy bear for your wife or kid.

Although "Endangered Species" gives you the goods on the crooked games found on some of the midways, its main purpose is to tell about a kid who grew up in the side show part of the carnival called the "Backend."

He tells about how he became a half boy and half girl who showed his boy and girl sex organs to the marks, and how they made up a lot of the fake freaks and the paraphernalia needed to do so.

He also tells about the 'Hey Rubes' and the fights, about the storms that plagued the carnivals along the Atlantic Coast, how a dear friend was impaled by a broken side pole during a hurricane, how a three hundred pound gorilla grabbed his wife and sat on her and about an orangutan who tried to rape her.

He goes on to tell about becoming a girl show owner and operator, a stand-up comedian and emcee, and a talker on the fronts of side shows. If you are a little bit hip and have a good sense of humor, you'll laugh your keister off from chapter to chapter.

At the end, you will truly understand why the story is called "Endangered Species."

By William T. (Fats) Usher