A People’s History of the Peculiar: A Freak Show of Facts, Random Obsessions and Astounding Truths

The title of this book tells exactly what it is. This is a very extensive gathering of the odd, the curious, the strangest of occupations, illnesses, phobias, places, artistic endeavors, and more. If you are one who enjoys reading about the weird things and happenings that surround us, you will have a great time perusing this book. But this isn’t just a list of oddities slapped together out of some internet searches. This is written by a historian who went on to become a journalist and novelist. While some of the facts presented here have very short explanations, such as a list of twenty-five unusual phobias, many have very expansive write ups. After all, something as strange as the Alien Hand Syndrome can’t be explained in a sentence any more than An Alluring Scent of Vampire Fish can be revealed in a paragraph. Maybe you love dinosaurs. Who doesn’t? You can quickly find twenty-five weird facts about them. Did you know the smallest dinosaur ever discovered in North America was about the size of a hen? Keep a copy of this book in the bathroom. Take a copy on a road trip. You will never be bored.