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Bizarre World: A Collection of the World's Creepiest, Strangest, and Sometimes Most Hilarious Traditions
Atlas Obscura meets 1001 Facts to Scare the Sh*t Out of You in this serious survey of the most bizarre, creepy, and sometimes hilarious customs from cultures around the world.
Every culture handles life differently. From the “blackening of the bride” in Scotland and the custom of not looking babies in the eyes in Kenya, to enlisting geese as part of the police squad in China and the tradition of children eating bread with chocolate sprinkles for breakfast in Amsterdam, there are so many unique behaviors all across the world.
In Bizarre World , journey across the globe to understand how various cultures approach everything from grief, beauty standards, food, parenting, death, stress management, happiness, and more. Many customs may seem perfectly sane, while others, not so much. Some are just downright strange, funny, or weird.
There’s so much to discover about the people around us and the beliefs they hold. Let Bizarre World be your armchair guide to a different way of life with quick facts and “did you knows?” that will leave you saying, “huh, that’s strange.”
Every culture handles life differently. From the “blackening of the bride” in Scotland and the custom of not looking babies in the eyes in Kenya, to enlisting geese as part of the police squad in China and the tradition of children eating bread with chocolate sprinkles for breakfast in Amsterdam, there are so many unique behaviors all across the world.
In Bizarre World , journey across the globe to understand how various cultures approach everything from grief, beauty standards, food, parenting, death, stress management, happiness, and more. Many customs may seem perfectly sane, while others, not so much. Some are just downright strange, funny, or weird.
There’s so much to discover about the people around us and the beliefs they hold. Let Bizarre World be your armchair guide to a different way of life with quick facts and “did you knows?” that will leave you saying, “huh, that’s strange.”
- GenresNonfictionCulturalTrivia
272 pages, Hardcover
Published August 13, 2019
16 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 24, 2020
Informative and interesting read. Knowing different cultures and practices. Some of these practices may be bizarre to western readers. But I do not find it so bizarre, coming from the East. And I do not like his attempts at humour. Or being entertaining. It is rather corny and infantile. Maybe a researcher, but certainly not a writer.
January 19, 2020
I'd probably give this 3.5 stars so I've rounded up. The books offers a small glimpse into traditions from round the world, many of which I'd never heard of and are genuinely interesting. The writing tries too hard to be entertaining when the topics themselves are easily captivating enough.
I do wish the author knew the difference between poisonous and venomous. At least three times he used the wrong word, most frustratingly in a section called Better Bring Some Antivenom Just In Case where he then goes on to talk about "poisonous" snakes. A couple of other little errors like that in a non-fiction book do jar slightly.
I do wish the author knew the difference between poisonous and venomous. At least three times he used the wrong word, most frustratingly in a section called Better Bring Some Antivenom Just In Case where he then goes on to talk about "poisonous" snakes. A couple of other little errors like that in a non-fiction book do jar slightly.
May 14, 2020
Somwhere between 3 and 4 actually.
The problem is that I'm a bit biased against this book - I bought it in hopes of learning a ton of new weird facts, only to find that I already know most of them since I read the "original" version on the Cracked website from where the author comes originaly.
In that aspect I was a bit dissapointed.
Otherwise it is a nice collection of facts presented in a readable manner that is easy to follow and navigate..
The problem is that I'm a bit biased against this book - I bought it in hopes of learning a ton of new weird facts, only to find that I already know most of them since I read the "original" version on the Cracked website from where the author comes originaly.
In that aspect I was a bit dissapointed.
Otherwise it is a nice collection of facts presented in a readable manner that is easy to follow and navigate..
November 17, 2019
Definitely bizarre, but also extremely interesting. I very much appreciated the cheeky way that the author addressed each tradition. I had a fun time laughing, giggling, gasping and being shocked, saddened and a little bit appalled....even sometimes all of the above in just one entry.
January 1, 2021
It’s like a P-magazine type book where the humour is ... easy.
Nevertheless, a book full of interesting weirdness and facts about human traditions other than the ubiquitous turkeys thanksgiving dinners and locks on (Parisian) bridges.
Nevertheless, a book full of interesting weirdness and facts about human traditions other than the ubiquitous turkeys thanksgiving dinners and locks on (Parisian) bridges.
November 27, 2019
Read this review and others at https://readingforsanity.blogspot.com...
February 16, 2020
Meh. Not bad. Not great. Occasionally humorous.
October 17, 2021
It's very funny! Written in a hilarious way. Also, some of the traditions are very gross or violent, just to warn you.
May 24, 2023
What a fun, informative little book.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews