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AuthorMaguire, James, 1959-TitleAmerican bee : the National Spelling Bee and the culture of word nerds : the lives of five top spellers as they compete for glory and fame / James Maguire.Published[Emmaus, Pa.] : Rodale : Distributed to the trade by Holtzbrinck Publishers, c2006.FormatBook
Descriptionx, 371 p. ; 24 cm.

LinkTable of contents http://www.loc.gov/catdir/toc/ecip065/2005037443.html
Contributor biographical information http://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0623/2005037443-b.html
Publisher description http://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0623/2005037443-d.html
NotesIncludes bibliographical references (p. 369).
ContentsPrologue -- Pt. 1: Life at the bee: the 2004 National Spelling Bee, Washington, D.C. -- 1. The pressure -- 2. The field narrows -- 3. "Is this as good as Hollywood can make it?" Pt. 2: The folk tradition: The American spelling bee, from Plymouth Rock to cable television -- 4. A fine amusement -- 5. The birth of the modern bee -- 6. The media age -- Pt. 3: Champion’s profiles -- 7. David Tidmarsh (’04) -- 8. Nupur Lala (’99) -- 9. Wendy Guey (’96) -- 10. Ned Andrews (’94) -- 11. Paige Kimble (’81) -- 12. Jacques Bailly (’80) -- 13. Katie Kerwin McCrimmon (’79) -- 14. Barrie Trinkle (’73) -- 15. Henry Feldman (’60) -- Pt. 4: The strange history of English spelling (or, why it’s so difficult) -- 16. A great darkness -- 17. The new American vernacular -- 18. Science fiction: The future of spelling -- Pt. 5: Five top spellers compete for glory and fame -- 19. Preface to a competition -- 20. Marshall Winchester -- 21. Kerry Close -- 22. Samir Patel -- 23. Jamie Ding -- 24. Aliya Deri -- 25. The annual ritual: word list creation -- Pt. 6: The showdown: the 2005 National Spelling Bee, Washington, D.C. -- 26. The tribe gathers -- 27. The spellers step up -- 28. The heartpounds -- Epilogue -- Notes -- Sources -- Bibliography -- Acknowledgments.
AbstractWhat the bestselling Word Freak did for Scrabble, this riveting narrative now does for the National Spelling Bee. Here is a captivating slice of Americana - part sporting event, part absorbing human drama, and part celebration of the magic of words. Every spring in the nation’s capital, after a starting pool of 10 million kids narrows to 250 finalists, America’s top young spellers face off in a nail-biting contest. So electric is the drama that millions of viewers tune in to watch ESPN’s live telecast But this national obsession is much more than a sporting story - and this first-ever narrative nonfiction book about the National Spelling Bee immerses the reader in unique subculture, portraying the endearing fraternity of brilliant, eccentric young word nerds who vie for a gold trophy, a hefty check, and a glorious moment of national fame. Author James Maguire, who like the contestants is an inveterate word nut, captures the agony and glory of this singularly American event. He profiles the top five spellers across the country, exploring their hopes and dreams - and strategies for winning - as they prepare for their moment in the spotlight. American Bee takes readers behind the scenes at the National Bee, providing a narrative thrill ride as the tension mounts round by round.
ISBN1594862141 (hardcover)9781594862144 (hardcover)Cor.Sub.National Spelling Bee (2004)
SubjectSpelling ability -- Testing.
Spelling bees -- United States.

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