Swamp Gas Books
The Research and Writings of Scott Maruna
Robert Earl Hughes: The Largest Man to Ever Walk the Earth
Robert Earl Hughes (1926-1958) was born and raised in the Fishhook, Illinois area. He achieved renown for reaching a documented weight of 1041 lbs. (and in all probabilty grew heavier than that). The book's cover photograph (Robert at 694 lbs) was used by the Guinness Book of World Records in their recognition of him being the "world's heaviest person". Though he was subsequently supplanted from that title, the author argues that he deserves the title "Heaviest Man to Ever Walk the Earth", as until the end of his life he was mobile, a feat never matched by any who approached or surpassed his weight. The book is a short biography on this amazing man's life. Through the burden of his cumbersome corpulence, Robert Earl Hughes met every day with joy, kindness and laughter. 116 pgs. Fully illustrated. $9.95
Also available locally at: Fishhook Market (Fishhook, IL), Plum Creek Primitives (816 Hardin, Jacksonville IL) and Great Debate Books (Maine Center, Quincy IL)
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Reviews
"At long last the Hughes story has been put down in a single volume...You've given a great gift to all of us. And oh, how Robert would have loved to have a copy!" -- Ken Bradbury, Author/educator/local historian
"Thanks for creating such a wonderful book-length study of Robert Earl Hughes. I think it will likely remain the definitive treatment of its subject...I like to think that Robert Earl Hughes himself would be very pleased with this book. It tells his story well, and captures his personality. It reflects a lot of hard work...When the centennials of his birth and death are celebrated, in 2026 and 2058 respectively, I think readers will still be going to your book as the definitive source on Hughes." -- Kenneth Faig, Robert Earl Hughes researcher, author and editor of The Fossils.
"Carnival posters and tall tales are the way most west-central illinois remembers the half-ton man from Fishhook in Pike County. Mr. Maruna seeks to go deeper, into what life was like for a person of that size, in his heartwarming paperback journey through this humble farm boy turned sideshow attraction's life" -- Jacksonville Journal-Courier
