Edward Brooke-Hitching
Brooke-Hitching has created another marvelous collection of oddities. His book The Madman’s Library focused on the most bizarre and unique books in the world. The Madman’s Gallery expands the scope, looking at some of the strangest artwork and art movements in history. Learn about the “Ghost Heads” of …
Obsession, Death, and Glory in American’s Most Extraordinary Treasure Hunt
Daniel Barbarisi
Imagine a wealthy art dealer, suddenly facing death. He decides he will have a last hurrah by hiding a treasure chest stuffed with gold, jewels, money and more. Clues to the hoard will be hidden in a biography …
A Food Adventurer’s Guide
Cecily Wong and Dylan Thuras
Fans of the website Atlas Obscura, a guide to the world’s many bizarre and hidden wonders, will love this huge collection of food novelties. While in theory, you can eat or drink everything in this collection, many are definitely unappealing. …
The Strangest Books, Manuscripts and Other Literary Curiosities from History
Edward Brooke-Hitching
There are some really weird books in the world. Some, like the Voynich Manuscript and the Egyptian Book of the Dead are somewhat familiar. But these are only the tip of the iceberg. Brooke-Hitching examines categories of unique …
Brent Spiner
Brent Spiner, the actor best known for his part as Data on Star Trek: The Next Generation, has written a…thing. Don’t get me wrong, it is a totally enjoyable…thing. But it definitely defies categories. Perhaps “whackadoodle” would be the best word to describe it. Imagine if Spiner had …
Greg Sestero & Tom Bissell
If you haven’t heard of it, The Room holds the dubious honor as one of, if not the worst, movie ever made. It’s bad on every level – acting, set, plot, script… And yet, over the years, it has taken on a cult following equal …
Andy Mulvihill and Jake Rossen
Do you miss the heady early days of the pandemic when we were all watching Tiger King? Well, the story of New Jersey’s Action Park provides the same lurid draw and distraction. Back in the “good old days” before things like safety laws and OSHA, …
The Funnies/Worst Place on Earth
Wendy E. Simmons
Simmons’ title really does sum it up. A life-long travel addict, her ten day guided trip to North Korea is more than deserving of a book. Simmons chronicles as much of her “holiday” as she could remember (once she was out of …
Alastair Bonnett
At first glance, Bonnett’s book may look like another interesting guide to off-the-beaten-track places. Unruly Places goes a step further. Divided into eight categories, Bonnett looks at truly unique geographical places and concepts. Lost Spaces include cities that have been …
Thomas Thwaites
Could you build a toaster? “Sure,” you say. “I’d just get a kit on amazon.” No, from scratch? “Well yes, I could get all the parts online, probably Ebay, and cobble one together.” No, from real scratch. Mining the ore and refining it. Forming each delicate piece. Creating …
Thomas Thwaites
Who hasn’t looked at their pet and thought “Damn pal, you have it good. Food, toys, naps and not a care in the world.” Inspired by similar ruminations while dog-sitting Noggin the dog, eater of horrid things, Thwaites decided to write an arts grant application to give being …
Cara Freie
This is a Midwest-specific version of Stuff White People Like. Targeting our likes with snarky accuracy, Freie pokes fun at our love of Ranch Dressing (on anything), comfortable Dockers, novelty sweaters, Cracker Barrel and having your wedding reception at the VFW. Hey, that’s not funny! Oh wait, yeah, …
Peter York, forward by Douglas Coupland
It would seem that, out there somewhere, there is a checklist and letter that your average dictator is sent when they reach a certain level. “Yes,” this letter says, “you may rule with an iron fist and have your every bloody whim met. But …
Gregory Crewdson
Crewdson’s new photo book hits the perfect note between eerie familiarity and creepy confusion. Unlike his past books, the images in this collection don’t have the theatrical, almost unbelievably staged, look. Instead, the images are shot in small towns perfect for their generic blandness. Every page gave me …
Lisa Katayama
Urawaza is a secret or trick to do things better – life-hacking. This collection of Urawaza offers a myriad of ideas to fix and do things in a cheap and easy way – often as alternatives to a more standard way. For instance, have glass all over the …
Claire Nouvian
This book is gorgeous. While the subject matter, sea creatures of the deepest abysses, is certainly fascinating the pictures are what makes this book so wonderful. Some show perfect, tiny jeweled creatures floating in the dark. Others, lit by ROV lights, look like computer generated movie sets. Unreal …
