Boys skinny-dipping in the local swimming hole – sounds like the perfect way to cool off on a hot summer afternoon, doesn't it? But on July 12th 1916 in Matawan New Jersey, it was a nightmare. A great white shark found its way into the creek and attacked a farm boy. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, the New jersey shark attacks of 1916. And we'll hit the beach -- Mother Nature's version of Zoloft. Plus - the ups and downs of the roller coaster.

Stephen Fjellman, author of "Vinyl Leaves: Walt Disney World and America," tells Steve Paulson that Disney's theme parks portray not history as it was, but history as it should have been. He says Disney has tried to become more socially conscious, but it still sugar coats reality. Also, Mike Schafer is a dedicated fan of roller coasters. He talks with Jim Fleming about the history and evolution of the American roller coaster. Schafer wrote the introduction and was art director for "The American Roller Coaster."

Lena Lencek and Gideon Bosker collaborated on "The Beach: The History of Paradise on Earth." They tell Steve Paulson the Romans were the first beach bums; that centuries later people created a therapeutic motivation for taking the waters; and that swimming costumes only became controversial after they'd evolved — originally everybody jumped in naked!

Michael Capuzzo wrote "Close to Shore: A True Story of Terror in an Age of Innocence" to lay out the facts of the story that inspired Peter Benchley's "Jaws," and to capture the feel of American society in the Edwardian age. Capuzzo tells Anne Strainchamps about the rogue great white shark that attacked and killed four people in twelve days on the New Jersey coast in 1916, and explains why people had such a hard time accepting the reality of shark attacks.

Books:

• Michael Capuzzo, Close To Shore: A True Story of Terror In An Age Of Innocence (Broadway Books)
• Lena Lencek & Gideon Bosker, The Beach: The History of Paradise on Earth (Penguin)
• Scott Rutherford, The American Roller Coaster Foreword by Mike Schafer (Motorbooks International)
• Stephen M. Fjellman, Vinyl Leaves: Walt Disney World and America (Westview Press)

Music:

• "That Summer Feeling"/Jonathan Richman from the album, A Plea For Tenderness (Nectar Masters)
• "Roller Coaster By The Sea"/Jonathan Richman from the album, 23 Great Recordings by Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers (Beserkley/Castle Communications)
• "Grazing In The Grass"/Hugh Masekela from the album, Rock Instrumental Classics Volume 4: Soul (Rhino) http://www.rhino.com/
• "Things Go Better With Coke"/The Everly Brothers from the box set, Heartaches & Harmonies (Rhino) http://www.rhino.com/
• "The Beach"/Jonathan Richman from the album, Rockin' and Romance (Rough Trade)
• "Patricia"/Billy May & His Orchestra from the album, Ultra-Lounge Volume 11: Organs In Orbit (Capitol/EMI)
• "Jaws Theme" from the album, John Williams Greatest Hits 1969-1999 (Sony Classical)

Distribution dates:

• week of 07/08/2001 - hour 2