Behind a Purdue University legacy of astronauts, senators, Nobel Prize winners, and corporation presidents, is the tale of a man whose own story is every bit as exciting as that of the University. Although John Purdue founded one of the country's largest universities, created a business empire stretching across the country, and became a pioneer in a plethora of fields, very little is actually known about him.

A new book, UNCLE: MY JOURNEY WITH JOHN PURDUE, tells the story of the mysterious man from a desperately poor, illiterate "mountain hollows" family who played an integral role in the flourishing of American democracy and whose legacy is a monument to higher education.

UNCLE: MY JOURNEY WITH JOHN PURDUE is also the story of a family's search for its roots as Purdue's great-great-grandniece describes her travels to the diverse places where Purdue had lived in order to learn about her mysterious relative. What unfolded is a rags-to-riches story of a man's fight against harsh circumstances that is as intriguing as any Horatio Alger or Great Gatsby tale.

In the most comprehensive biographical study of John Purdue (c. 1802-1876) to date, Purdue's great-great-grandniece describes her travels to the places where Purdue had lived in order to learn about the mysterious relative known in her family as "Uncle." The author examines Purdue's beginning in a Pennsylvania mountain log cabin. The Purdue family's background was a mystery. John Purdue's father was an immigrant, but the family was unsure whether his family was from Ireland, Scotland, France, or Germany. In the 1820s, the Purdue family lost their home and later their father.

The author describes the destitute family's journey into Ohio and Purdue's ascent from penniless "hobo" to enterprising local entrepreneur to national figure. Purdue, who was involved in developing the cities of New York and Chicago as well as Lafayette, Indiana, set up a business empire that extended across the nation in the mid-1800s. He became successful in a variety of fields - the mercantile, real estate, banking, manufacturing, railroading, building, and farming sectors.

The highly-readable biography is also a case study in historic and genealogical "detective" work that delves deeply into Purdue's complex psyche. "Uncle" challenges a common belief that Purdue was a cold-hearted business mogul. Instead, the author shows that Purdue was a human being and a generous family man with a visionary nature.

Foreword by Pulitzer Prize-nominated author, William Allen, author of Starkweather: Inside the Mind of a Teenage Killer, and other books

Author Irena McCammon Scott is the great-great-grandniece of John Purdue. She has a Ph.D. in physiology from the University of Missouri, and was an Assistant Professor of Biology at St. Bonaventure University.

UNCLE MY JOURNEY WITH JOHN PURDUE

*FIRST OF FOUNDERS SERIES, PUBLISHED BY THE PURDUE UNIVERSITY PRESS
*LISTED ON AMAZON.COM UNDER HOT NEW RELEASES ... THE BESTSELLING NEW & FUTURE RELEASES IN UNITED STATES
*PULITZER PRIZE NOMINATED
*FOREWORD BY WILLIAM ALLEN, AUTHOR OF STARKWEATHER: INSIDE THE MIND OF A TEENAGE KILLER AND OTHER BOOKS
*(SELECTED AS BOOK OF MONTH BY WBAA RADIO IN OCTOBER
*FLIX55 INCLUSION IN THE TV SHOW



BECAUSE UNCLE IS THE FIRST OF A SERIES, THIS BOOK WILL INCREASE IN VALUE

**AN EXCELLENT GIFT FOR THE PURDUE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE OR STUDENT**

UNCLE: MY JOURNEY WITH JOHN PURDUE
can be ordered from the Purdue University Press at:
http://www.bookmasters.com/purduepress/order_page_4.htm
Or call 1-800-247-6553
It can also be ordered from booksellers such as Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Uncle-My-Journey-John-Purdue/dp/1557534586/ref=ed_oe_p/104-7030159-7467147