Taxidermist's Handbook

by Alissa Bennett

374 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2023

Reviews

[Hannah Stark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Savored “Taxidermist’s Handbook” slowly, a few bites a night like dark bedtime stories. Bennett is the cohost of one of my ALL TIME top podcasts “The C-Word.” I’ve listened to every episode multiple times and my only note is always, “I wish I could hear Alissa go on longer because she knows so much and her takes are so original, smart, funny, and compassionate!” This book delivered, like a director’s cut of the podcast where Bennett has more space to explore. Examining infamous subjects and the intersections of celebrity, bad behavior, obsession, and how we view ourselves. Biographic details sprinkled throughout remind us of our own impulses or embarrassing moments. She is empathetic without excusing anyone and her writing is fun to read even when the subject is dark - a sociologist for our time.

[Jamie Neith · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love gossip and lore - do yourself a favor with anything by Alissa Bennett. She is a treasure trove of knowledge about all of the amazing weirdos, wild stories, and women that society deems “crazy” - this book is a compilation of a number of her zines and I loved every minute of it.