Lake of the Ozarks

Lake of the Ozarks: My Surreal Summers in a Vanishing America by Bill Geist, 195 pages

In this short memoir, TV host Geist reflects on the six summers he spent working at his uncle's lodge at the Lake of the Ozarks. Back in the early 1960s, Geist's uncle wasn't much concerned about his underage employees coming to work hungover or offending anyone with the kitschy Native American-lite decor of his Tomahawk Lodge. But those summers certainly made for some great stories and created the foundation for Geist's lifelong interest in kitsch and oddballs. If you're looking for insight into the minds of Ozarks tourists and a deep examination of the relationship between Ozarks natives and the tourism industry, you certainly won't find it here. Instead, you'll find a man's memories of hot and humid summers doing all manner of disgusting work and having the time of his life while doing so. It's an entertaining read.