So, You Think You Know Rhode Island?: People, Places, Folklore, Trivia and Treasures

So, You Think You Know Rhode Island? lays out a significant base of knowledge for each region of the state, including famous men and women who have made significant important to each community. A section, "Do You Know," brings forth some little-known facts that contribute to the distinctness of Rhode Island. The photo section will test the reader's knowledge of buildings, views, and objects commonly seen but not necessarily recognized. There is a trivia chapter that will test the reader's knowledge about some well-known and lesser-known facts.

The book ends with the "Treasures" of Rhode Island. These are the institutions and places that make Rhode Island a remarkable place to live and work. Some of the treasures are cultural, some are natural, and some are historical, but each contributes to the quality of life available in the state of Rhode Island. The region and its people have something distinct and appealing to offer everyone.

So, You Think You Know Rhode Island? will educate, enrich, and entertain the reader.

So, Did You Know This About the Rhode Island?

 The Isaac Bell House, one of the Newport Mansions, is an immediate draw for every student of architecture who visits the city of Newport. The Preservation Society also believes this to be the case. When they acquired it, it was barely furnished. They have kept it that way so the emphasis stays on the architecture.

•Astor’s Beechwood in Newport was purchased by William Backhouse Astor Jr., John Jacob Astor’s grandson in 1881. His wife Caroline thought so much of this that she requested that you refer to her as “The Mrs. Astor.”

•Roger Williams University in Bristol started as a spinoff of Northeastern in Boston.

•In the 1950’s, when crews were building a gymnasium at the Nonquit School, 15 skeletons were discovered.

•When you visit the University of Rhode Island Bay Campus, you are actually visiting the location of a World War II POW Camp. Nearby Fort Kearney was established in 1943 at a “DeNazifying” center.

Bobby Oliveira is the treasurer of the Quahogs United PAC and the creator of the Quahogs United Blog. He has more than 40 years of campaign experience, over 35 years of sales experience, including from 2007-2011 when he was sales director at the Newport Bay Club until he sold out the inventory. He has 30 years of writing experience going back to his time as a newsman at WHTB Radio and then moving on to become the head speechwriter to future state senator and Democratic Chair Rep. Joan Menard.

Mr. Oliveira has campaigned in 38 states. Most of this experience was garnered when he worked on presidential campaigns in 1988 and 1992. He is a veteran of multiple New Hampshire presidential primaries. Along the way, he has also served on teams that have been successful lobbying for laws and ordinances in four states. Due to that experience, he is a go to for various forms of public records requests including APRAs, FOILs, and FOIAs. When not doing that, he is often tasked to write radio commercials. He has done that for candidates at the municipal, county, state, and federal levels.

This is his second book for Omni Publishing Co. His first book, So, You Think You Know Rhode Island was published in 2023.

A Note from the Author:

Some of the criminals in Rhode Island Rogues have the same combination of mental illnesses that I do, so I can understand their thinking. My life in addiction, 21+ years sober now, and politics (I'll never be sober from that) has caused me to experience 34 arrests, three indictments, but thanks to great lawyers, only eight convictions--without ever having to snitch. I even ran my own refined cocaine product enterprise in Massachusetts for a little while, so yeah, I get where some of these folks are coming from. That makes it easier to make their behaviors relatable in my book.