The Encyclopedia of the Weird and Wonderful: Curious and Incredible Facts that Will Blow Your Mind

by Milo Rossi

The Encyclopedia of the Weird and Wonderful  features explanations of some of the most intriguing and entertaining facts from prehistory, ancient Egypt, the Industrial Revolution, and beyond. 

Discover a plethora of intriguing and entertaining facts from archaeology and history—brought to life with the author’s signature wit and levity.

In  The Encyclopedia of the Weird and Wonderful,  TikTok educator and Youtuber Milo Rossi presents an assortment of  funny and detailed anecdotes  of some of the more quotidian mysteries of life, such
Have you ever wondered what it was like to be a mother in the Mesolithic period as the climate shifted, the seas rose, and wild game migrated? Or what types of dogs paced the wide and narrow forest patches of North America as their masters constructed some of the largest earthen works in the world? Or what meals were eaten under the trees of the old- growth forests of ancient Europe, how China accidentally invented standardized testing by refining their government, or what fashion trends shook the mining camps during the California gold rush?

 Coupled with engaging illustrations , The Encyclopedia of the Weird and Wonderful  takes the saying “you learn something new every day” to a new extreme!
 

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Science, Archaeology, Humor, Audiobook, Ancient History

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 3, 2023

Reviews

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Milo's YouTube channel by accident but I'm so glad I did! Check out my review on my BookTube channel about his first-ever nonfiction book:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh9UJ...

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I may not be the first person to read this book, but I will be the first person to add it.

Edit: I can’t believe it took me more than two and a half years after writing this to remember to actually read this book

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stumbled across Milo Rossi only very recently and pretty much binged his entire YouTube channel in short order. When he announced he had a book being published, I figured I’d order it once it was released and that was that. Imagine my surprise that it is available on NetGalley. All in all, in you’re a fan of his social media content, you will most likely enjoy this book. It captures his voice and cadence. If you’re not aware of who he is and have no reference to his delivery, it might be not as palatable to you.

There were a couple of grammatical errors and while the overall flow of the book took a minute for me to vibe with, Milo’s love of history and skills as an educator come through loud and clear.

Net/net, if you’re a fan of Milo’s social media presence and have consumed all of his YouTube/TikTok content, this is just the written extension of both those mediums. And with this first publication, it’s obvious that Milo will have a successful career as an author, too.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for making a free copy available for review.

[Sebastian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve heard of BookTok, but this is the first time I’m actually seeing it play out before my eyes. I’ve mainly known Milo from his YouTube channel, where he dissects various (mainly pseudoscientific) issues at length – so I know he can express himself well in longform (even rambling) prose, but I am well aware that he is mainly known as a TikTok star – this book reads pretty much like a curated and organized series of short “isn’t this fact fun” videos rendered into text form intended to maximize engagement without delving deep (or at all) into any topic. In fact, the individual items in this encyclopedia are so brief that for several of those I was unfamiliar with I then had to open Wikipedia just to actually feel like I have enough information about undeniably interesting stuff. So, while I can’t say that the author has done a bad job of what he set out to do, I’m pretty sure now that I’m not a fan of this format and would have much preferred the extra eighty-ish pages dedicated to more about the subject matter itself and less to references and indices.

[Paige McNachtan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you enjoy having fun facts to talk about? If so this book is a perfect way to find some fun/neat topics for interesting conversations. The contents are grouped into topics ranging from animals to ancient civilizations. I think that this is a great coffee table book!

I was able to read this as an ARC on NetGalley, and am super glad I got to read it.

[Joni Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s no other way to describe this other than weird and wonderful. It’s a kooky collection for sure. Younger kids will definitely enjoy going through this book with a parent.

[Cyan Pluto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rossi presents history in a fun and enchanting way. Reading this is like getting lost on random tangents with a friend. The organization of the book is wonky and haphazard, but enjoyable. If you have a hard time coming up with topics of conversation, grab a random fact from this book to spice up any conversation. The sources at the back of his book are super helpful!

[Nirvana · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5

writing style felt weird, a little bit. like the sidebar sections would feel very disconnected sometimes. nice book overall though

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delightfully interesting book filled with both the weird and the wonderful. I learned a ton reading this book and I think younger ages would especially enjoy it. The author writes well and engagingly, drawing the reader into all the incredible facts they describe. 4.5/5

[Lynne · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a book that had weird and wonderful in its title, the book was very dull.

[Thomas Hale · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a fan of Rossi's YouTube channel, I was excited to read this. It's a collection of short snippets of history, archaeology and some creative writing to bring the titular facts to life. Throughout the book Rossi's enthusiasm is infectious: every one of these things excites and fascinates him, and he is always quick to remind the reader that people from the past - even non-"human" people - were much more like us than we like to think. There are some really cool and interesting things in here, but it's let down by being a broad and shallow introduction to each item. The writing has the same breathless wonder and snarky asides as I've come to expect from Rossi's videos, but in print the jokes don't work in the same way, and the descriptive passages feel awkward as often as they're engrossing. Still a good book, especially for younger audiences who might be driven to explore more about human history and culture.

[S. Nash · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book looks like an actual encyclopedia but it has all kinds of side stories and little nuggets of information. The book isn't meant to be read like a novel. The topics are presented with short, well-written entries. There are lots of sidebars and anecdotes and things that make you say "Woah!" Lots of humor, too. It's the kind of book you can read for 10 minutes and come back to later.

[Rachel N · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had never come across Milo Rossi before - he is apparently a big star on Tik Tok - so I came into this blind and perhaps that shaped my reaction. I found a lot of this book interesting but not exactly the 'weird and wonderful' that the title implied. There was a good range of entries, all divided into categories such as food, fashion, education and health, and most of it was well written and well illustrated. However I found the occasional story that was thrown in to be very distracting and unnecessary and I wasn't entirely sure of the target audience (I think perhaps it best suits younger readers and will make his massive following perfectly happy). An enjoyable read, though not all that weird! 3.5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy in return for an honest review.

#TheEncyclopediaoftheWeirdandWonderful #NetGalley

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're familiar with and enjoy Milo's videos, you'll probably also really like this.

I liked that he didn't focus on just one area of the world and instead discussed something from nearly every region.

I didn't hate them, but I personally could have done without the stories that were made up about the context for some of the finds.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

[Jey Reader of Riddermark · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - I enjoyed the content and overall the design. I personally would have loved to see actual photos of the artifacts, monuments, etc talked about rather than the simplified drawings of them and the little key paragraph things probably could have been spaced better so you weren't having to either flip the page and come back or stop mid sentence to read them. But I found the content itself interesting with Milo's unique voice and feel like I learned a lot!

[The Sassy Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review: The Encyclopedia of the Weird and Wonderful by Milo Rossi

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Encyclopedia of the Weird and Wonderful is a captivating and informative book that offers a delightful journey through time, exploring intriguing facts from various historical periods. Written by TikTok educator and Youtuber Milo Rossi, this book is a treasure trove of funny and detailed anecdotes that shed light on the more curious aspects of our past.

From prehistory to ancient Egypt, the Industrial Revolution, and beyond, Rossi takes readers on an enthralling adventure filled with wit and levity. The book opens up a world of knowledge, sharing fascinating stories that will leave readers both entertained and educated.

One of the highlights of this book is Rossi’s ability to bring history to life with his signature humor and engaging writing style. The anecdotes he presents are not only informative but also entertaining, making it an enjoyable read for both history enthusiasts and casual readers alike. The author’s knack for storytelling ensures that each page is filled with captivating narratives that keep readers hooked from start to finish.

The Encyclopedia of the Weird and Wonderful covers a wide range of topics, including archaeology, ancient civilizations, and significant historical events. Have you ever wondered about the daily lives of mothers in the Mesolithic period amidst shifting climates and rising seas? Or what types of dogs roamed the forests of North America while their masters constructed monumental earthen works? This book provides answers to these questions and delves into many other intriguing mysteries from our past.

In addition to the engaging content, the visual appeal of this book is outstanding. The cover captures attention with its vibrant design, and the same quality extends throughout the book. The use of bright graphics, fun fonts, and an easy-to-read layout enhances the reading experience, making it visually pleasing and inviting.

Fans of Milo Rossi’s social media accounts will find this book a delightful extension of his online presence. His charismatic personality shines through in the writing, creating a connection between the author and the reader. Even those who are not familiar with Rossi’s work will be captivated by his storytelling skills and infectious enthusiasm for history.

In conclusion, The Encyclopedia of the Weird and Wonderful by Milo Rossi is an absolute gem for anyone interested in history, archaeology, or simply intrigued by the oddities of our past. It combines informative content with engaging storytelling, ensuring that readers are both entertained and educated. With its visually appealing design and humorous writing style, this book is a must-read for history enthusiasts and casual readers alike. Prepare to be enthralled as you embark on a journey through time like no other.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!

**ARC Via NetGalley**

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has to go down as a very weird book itself – leave alone the promise of the title it has a singular approach to such trivia things, and a format that very much left me with something far removed from what I expected. In such an encyclopaedia I would have thought the wacky, bizarre and perhaps outrageous would have been coming at me like bullets, but no. The first chapter tells us of some prehistorical footprints we can date to blow the accepted arrival of man in the Americas out the water, some centuries-old school-aged scribbles, some prehistorical toys, some cave art, and, er, Barbie (the doll, not the cinematic sexism). And before you think that a fine scattergun approach to things, that is the first tenth – the entirety of chapter one of ten, and not say the first two spreads.

I mean, there is also hopscotch's history and how we became lacto-tolerant as a species (bar a few throwbacks), but we get two pages per interesting thing, and not two paragraphs. It really all seems too subjectively chosen to be an encyclopaedia, in anyone's language. And then there's the other issue, which is irrelevant fictionalising. Something about what food remains could be scientifically picked out of Pompeii is preceded by a pointless two pages (and a page of illustration) of fictional dialogue. If you think the duration and therefore paucity of entries in an alleged encyclopaedia OK, you may well find some chunks of this are only worth a skip.

That aside, I didn't really dislike this – I got to accept it for what it was, which was well-written, very interesting, and just massively mis-titled. Taking us through the history of man via some of its much less talked-about aspects, we get a look at a world where we've been born, have grown, done this and that and sought the doctor about it, and died. Yes, it does get very woke for little reason – pussy-footing about terms here and there, pegging the climate crisis on to polka dots for no reason, and having a snide dig at the British Museum (and none others…) for nobody's benefit, either. But not even that could dissuade me from recommending this – it's just that you need to be expecting something other than the book's name suggests to get the most pleasure out of it.

[Joana (Miss Known) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only recently, I discovered Milo through his YouTube channel and enjoyed his humour. He’s an archaeologist very enthusiastic and passionate about his work, and his excitement and eagerness to share his knowledge and to teach is contagious. So when I had the opportunity to read his book, I couldn’t pass it.

Disclaimer: Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book for free. All the thoughts and opinions here are my own.

I’m not used to buying this sort of book that is, in essence, a compilation of little facts. But to my surprise, these ones were not that little. The book is divided into ten chapters, spread over different stages of life. From birth to death. From food to love. Each chapter has various discoveries and fun facts about how our ancestors lived their lives. And these facts can go over thousands of years into the past or be from the last century.

Alongside the facts, sometimes there goes a little story to picture how it could have happened. Milo doesn’t do this very often since those stories are more speculative due to a lack of information. These stories are just a fun re-imagining of the stories that these lost items and marks left behind could tell. While we might never know why a pair of jeans was left inside a mine shaft, other facts and artefacts have been studied and concluded to have a specific purpose. Like baby bottles. I loved learning that millions of years ago, humans sculpted a vessel they could use to feed babies. The same way we do nowadays with baby bottles. It’s fascinating.

While reading, I could hear Milo speak those words out to me. His speech and his humour are still very much present in the pages the same way it’s in his videos. Although this can be a problem. Despite having a very accessible language that every layperson can understand, this speech-like writing can be confusing at times. And this is coming from me, someone who is familiarised with Milo’s way of talking. So, while I like to listen to Milo talk, reading it is a different story. Still, if I was imagining that he was reading the book out loud to me, it wasn’t a problem.

What I think needs the biggest improvement is the formatting of the pages. Every chapter is divided into different stories, topics, or artefacts that are explored. But in between, there are also notes referring to names, locations, civilisations and other things that might need more contextualisation than what appears in the main text. Although the placement of those notes didn’t line up with the text very well. Sometimes, the notes take a whole page, so the text on the previous page has already moved on to a different topic before you reach the note. This created a problem because I never knew when to read the notes between the text.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I learned new things, and it sparked my curiosity, which is the best you can ask for in any book. The text was extensive at times when the topic needed to be, but reading it in small chunks made it easier to follow. And more than a book filled with facts, The Encyclopedia of the Weird and Wonderful is a way to bring us closer to our ancestors. To see that we aren’t that different from them. We all had to feed babies, go to work, enjoy playing games, and take well-deserved naps.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

The Encyclopedia of the Weird and Wonderful is a fascinating, accessible, and well curated collection of facts gathered by Milo Rossi. Released 3rd Oct 2023 by Quarto on their Wellfleet Press imprint, it's 256 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is an all-ages encyclopedia (mostly aimed at middle grades and older) chock full of interesting tidbits about human expansion and prehistory, innovation, natural history, and development. The chapters are arranged thematically: prehistory, food & drink, animal domestication, play & leisure, rites & rituals, love & sexuality (age appropriate), fashion & beauty, education & work, sickness & health, funerary rites (death). Each chapter has numerous short articles of a few paragraphs explaining interesting facets of social groups, traditions, and societies.

It's colorfully illustrated throughout. There are no photographs, but line drawings enhance the text (see cover art). The author/publisher have also provided a fairly comprehensive bibliography and references as well as a cross-referenced index.

Four stars. This would be a superlative choice for public or school library acquisition, home use, or gift giving.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[J Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Encyclopedia of the Weird and Wonderful by Milo Rossi is an interesting book that seems to be written for and targeting a youngish readership.

I say a youngish readership mainly because a lot of the information isn't that unusual or unknown to large numbers of people. I don't mean the majority necessarily, but there just wasn't a lot of "oh wow" moments, but there were a lot of "oh yeah, I remember hearing something about this before" moments. I do still appreciate those moments, like most of us, I have forgotten a lot of fun facts, so being reminded of them, and given a little more about them, is still fun. But not what I was expecting and hoping for based on the title.

This would be a nice book to help engage a young mind and, as in my case, reengage an old mind. I wasn't aware that the author is apparently a social media type who makes videos with this kind of stuff, so I looked at the book as a book, not something as an extension of some other media. Those who enjoy his other outlets will likely enjoy this more than I did. Perhaps this might be better presented some other way, the authorial voice in this form leaves a lot to be desired.

I would recommend this to those already familiar with him as well as those who just enjoy short informative reads about various topics. Just temper your expectations with regard to the "weird and wonderful" hyperbole.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not surprised to find that the author of this book is more known for producing informational videos on YouTube and TikTok, since the entries all feel like chipper little "isn't this neat" videos written down. The problem with these sorts of things is how can you be sure you are getting facts and not factoids. That most, if not all, of the citations are to websites in theory makes it easier to check sources, but also raises the question of how much can you trust information sourced primarily from the internet? On the other hand, topics that I know something about were accurately portrayed, and the author has a sort of humility to his approach, an acknowledgement that the information he provides is often very specific and cannot be used as a broad generalization.

The other noteworthy aspect of the book is the tendency to have fictional vignettes that describe how an archeological find may have come into existence. I have mixed feelings about it; the prose is fairly basic and sometimes the story seems silly; but in other cases it works really well, bringing to life and making relatable people that would otherwise seem quite different from the modern reader.

[Jo Chumbley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this baby and honestly- if you like any sort of archeology, history, learning

PLEASE go pick this baby up!

It’s so throughful, fun, interesting, and GORGEOUS!

The colours, the illustrations, the topics

This book is a masterpiece and I truly hope to see Milo write more of these in the future!

He’s extremely compelling and genuine in his teaching and interest in these topics and it makes this book glow with compassion and just genuine joy 🤍

The book is a series of short looks into archeology and stories of our past and in a way, our futures

It’s laid out as a cycle of life for humans, starting at “the beginning” of life and stories/views of children and adults around the world and time, and ending with outlooks on death through different cultures

There’s modern discussion, there’s ANCIENT discussion, this book has it all

ANNNND hopefully compels the reader to look into more of these topics themselves (as I will be doing!)

Do yourself a favour and pick this baby up I’m BEGGING!!!

[Alexis Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast-paced adventure through the history of humanity that we currently know of. Written loosely based off of our lives from birth, to childhood, to adulthood, to death; this book covers a wide range of topics from multiple different cultural and historical viewpoints with fun illustrations to boot.

Respect is given to those that have lived before us and other culture’s customs and practices.

Milo is also an excellent world-builder, making it easy for me to see myself sitting in class next to Onfim, the boy from 1260 whose doodles were discovered on his homework. Being on the receiving end of the first recorded customer complaint Ea-Nasir received for poor quality copper. Or being mourning family of someone buried in the Shanidar caves.

I would seriously recommend this to anyone looking for a fun and relatable way to digest millions of years of human history and archeology, with a side of humor and love for our fellow humans.

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every word of this beautiful book is so incredibly Milo Rossi. From jokes about pure gold penis sheathes to the wonderful stories like the flower man burial, The Encyclopedia of the Weird and Wonderful definitely comes through as a Milo passion project. (When I first picked up the book, I was a little worried they might edit out the snark and the tone that makes it Milo's.)

It's beautiful. It's weird. It's wonderful. It was over too soon so Milo, I need you to write another book. It could be entirely about gold penis sheathes and I would pay money for it.

Reading each chapter almost felt like reading something that could be the notes or transcript for a video - I could picture him talking about all of these subjects so vividly. It's a must-read even if you don't watch him on YouTube or TikTok and aren't interested in archaeology. I promise, this book still has something for you.

The last story at the end made me cry, dammit.

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was not expecting this book to be so emotional.

As someone with a fierce hatred for our current capitalist society, Russo’s parallels between us and our ancestors were really beautiful to hear. It’s easy to forget that the same earth that heard their stories and held their bodies is the one that cradles us today. Just a really beautiful way to view history that I don’t think we really often think about, and also I think this reminds us to be kind to ourselves more.

Maybe it’s just me, but thinking of our ancestors and the amount of love and strength and compassion that came before us is just… I don’t have the words besides beautiful. More people, myself included, need to spend more time thinking of the past not as a conglomerate of faceless time frames, but of family and friends. People who laughed at themselves, children who played the same games we do, shared stories, and crafted things with loved ones’ in mind.

They were us, and one day we will be them.

[Rachel Starr · Rating 1 out of 5]

Should you have read this mountebank's spurious pronouncements, it would be my hope that you had been subjected to an actual education so that you can see how utterly lacking in substance it was.
I should say, that the only thing I found impressive was how many words it took the callant to manage not to say anything. Albeit, it does not lack in charisma, but with much false bravado pours Montezuma's Revenge onto the 256 pages of what can only be described as dunny paper. His credibility should be held in question by academia as he has no proof of formal training, which he makes clear by handling every piece of history he comes across like a toddler who has not yet been made self aware having to touch everything.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5 stars*

Learning should always be this much fun…

This was a fun, and informative, read! Starting in prehistoric times, the author bounced around eras to fill a whole book of interesting, quirky topics, letting his humour and the facts speak for themselves. Accidental discoveries, natural wonders been and gone, dogs that we love to this day and much more. Subjects were vast, varied and served with funny stories and factoids that meant none of the retelling was dry or textbook-like. Coupled with drawings and illustrations, this was a treat start to finish.

Told in small bites, this was a great read for the train or the bus or to fill a rainy afternoon. Looking forward to more from this author.

*I happily reviewed this book
**Thank you to NetGalley and Wellfleet Press

[Saphana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining and certainly a series of small kicks to go investigate a couple of the entries further by digging online for more information. I could have done without the descriptive narrative parts because they are just awkward and clash a little with the more knowledge-carrying bits.

Milo, if you are reading this and I dearly hope you do (or someone in your team does) please, please engage a scientific editor for your next work, because 300 acres =/= 1.2 m2 - it's 1.2 km2. Same with your tonnes. 1.5 million tonnes =/= 1.4 Mg (and nobody, NOBODY uses MegaGrams anyways). Your conversions are so off, I wonder whether you bothered to check on other facts you mentioned. Please don't do this.

[Phillip Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of trivia, so a book called The Encyclopedia of the Weird and Wonderful caught my attention. It lives up to its name as you can find all sorts of information about odd topics. The colorful illustrations and graphics will hold the attention of all ages while the facts will give them something to think about. The book covers all of history up until current time, and will keep readers busy for hours. Anyone that wants to have some out of the way information on things will like this book.

I received a free ARC of the book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Seolhe · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars

A quick, fun read to wrap up 2023.
I stumbled across Milo Rossi during his early youtube days, and I really love the work that he does. This book is a nice extension of his work on youtube and tiktok, you can definitely hear his distinct voice in it, but how does it stand as a work in it's own right...?
Well, it's perfectly fine.
Like I said, it's breezy and fun, and it'll arm you with some pithy trivia, but don't expect any deep dives, and I don't think it's the kind of book that you'll spend a lot of time thinking deeply about.

For what this is, I think it's entertaining, and if you like the work that he does online, I don't think you'll regret picking it up.