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trin's review against another edition
4.0
Hugely entertaining book of stories about weird things people have believed -- with a focus on successful people who also held outlandish beliefs. (Did you know the inventor of the PCR test claimed to have been visited by a glowing -- and possibly alien -- raccoon? Now you do!) Schreiber is the rare podcaster whose voice works equally well on the page as when he's just chatting with his mates, and he mostly walks a very difficult tonal line here: emphasizing that he does not endorse any of these theories, and even, for the most part, pointing out where weirdo ideas tumble over into problematic ones. (The PCR/raccoon guy became an anti-vaxxer.)
The one unfortunate exception to this is a section on the belief in "lizard people," in which Schreiber discusses David Icke and Alice Walker but never makes explicit that they're doing an antisemitism, actually. There's no funny or light way to discuss this "theory" if you're aware of what a dogwhistle it is, so I really wish it had just been omitted.
However, other than that, this is a return to the realm of '90s-type conspiracy theories that, as someone who grew up on The X-Files, I still have a fondness for.
The one unfortunate exception to this is a section on the belief in "lizard people," in which Schreiber discusses David Icke and Alice Walker but never makes explicit that they're doing an antisemitism, actually. There's no funny or light way to discuss this "theory" if you're aware of what a dogwhistle it is, so I really wish it had just been omitted.
However, other than that, this is a return to the realm of '90s-type conspiracy theories that, as someone who grew up on The X-Files, I still have a fondness for.
the_mothman's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
4.5
Dan Schreiber is the co-host of two of my favorite podcasts and is just as delightful as an author.
It's a great welcome to the wacky and wonderful world of batshit.
It's a great welcome to the wacky and wonderful world of batshit.
banjopatti's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
rainbowbookthief's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
grimamethyst's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
3.0
morgan_haybook's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
benfast's review against another edition
funny
informative
fast-paced
4.0
Some funny things that make you scratch your head or shake it
sandrondo's review against another edition
5.0
Picked this one up because I'm a fan of [a:Dan Schreiber|13708084|Dan Schreiber|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]'s work on No Such Thing as a Fish and figured I could use some lighter, non-fiction reading as palate cleanser after a decent streak of fiction books.
Turns out I underestimated this book. It's more than just a mildly entertaining list of random facts — it's a beautifully written collection of fringe beliefs held by some people we generally consider to be (or to have been) quite smart.
Eye opening and liberating, in a way.
Turns out I underestimated this book. It's more than just a mildly entertaining list of random facts — it's a beautifully written collection of fringe beliefs held by some people we generally consider to be (or to have been) quite smart.
Eye opening and liberating, in a way.