Weird Nonfiction

Welcome to the strangest side of the future. Weird Technology dives into the wildest inventions, experiments, and breakthroughs that sound impossible… but are completely real. From robots that learn emotions to materials lighter than air, from brain–machine hybrids to AI that behaves in ways even its creators can’t predict, this book reveals the technology that sits right on the edge of science fiction. You’ll explore machines that build themselves, computers that think in quantum riddles, nanobots that could transform medicine, and prototypes so bizarre they were banned, forgotten,...

Weird but True Stories from the 1950's: Bizarre, Shocking, and Unbelievable Tales from America’s Atomic Age Think you know the 1950's? Think again. Beneath the surface of poodle skirts, chrome diners, and black-and-white TV was a decade overflowing with mystery, irony, and stranger-than-fiction true stories. This captivating collection reveals ten astonishing real-life events from the 1950's that defy expectation and logic—each one verified and rooted in historical fact. From radar panic over Washington D.C. to the eerie Phantom Whistler of New Jersey, from mid-air collisions with ...

This is the ultimate book of weird history! Combining Volumes 1 and 2 in the “Weird Things in History and Why the Heck They Happened” series, this is your opportunity to jump into a time machine and visit some of the overlooked, the peculiar, and definitely the most amusing things that have influenced our contemporary world. Brace yourself for amusement and astonishment as you explore not only the 50 tales from the first two volumes but 5 additional historical events that you most likely won’t find in any school textbook! “Weird Things in History and Why the Heck They Happened” ...

Step into the polyester-clad, disco-fueled, and unpredictably weird world of the 1970s with this fascinating collection of bizarre, shocking, and unbelievable true stories from one of the most chaotic decades in modern history. In Weird but True Stories from the 1970's, you'll explore ten astonishing tales that reveal the stranger side of the Me Decade—each one entirely real, thoroughly researched, and almost too strange to believe. From exploding record collections and garbage barges gone rogue to military standoffs over a tree and heiresses turned bank robbers, this book uncovers the ...

Why do humans do such strange things? Oddities of the Human World: Strange Beliefs, Unusual Rituals, and the Surprising Histories Behind Them is a short, pocket-sized tour through some of the most curious corners of human culture. Nathaniel Hargrove explores how different societies celebrate, grieve, eat, dress, love, and believe in ways that can seem bizarre at first glance - but all have stories to tell. This is not an exhaustive academic textbook. It’s a compact, easy-to-read collection of cultural curiosities and weird history, perfect for curious readers who enjoy strange facts, ...

Welcome to the strangest corners of Planet Earth — where the facts are real, but your brain will still say, “Wait… what?” The Curiosity Files: Bizarre but True dives into the wonderfully weird side of the world, uncovering true stories that are stranger than fiction (and way more fun). From animals with mind-blowing superpowers to natural phenomena that break the rules of reality, from ancient traditions that may leave you blinking to real events so odd they feel like glitches in the universe — this book is your all-access pass to the spectacularly strange. Inside, you’ll ...

What Weird People Like You Do: A Collection of Disturbingly Curious Quirks Embrace the strange, the bizarre, and the downright peculiar. What Weird People Like You Do takes you on a wild journey through the hidden side of human nature—where quirks, oddities, and the unexpected reign supreme. From strange collections to eccentric habits, this book dives into the wonderfully weird things people do behind closed doors and in public spectacle. It’s more than just a book of facts—it’s a celebration of individuality and the quirks that make life interesting. Whether you’re fascinated by...

Weird but True Stories from the Roaring 1920s: Strange and Bizarre Tales from the Prohibition Era is a riveting collection of real, historically documented events that prove truth is stranger than fiction. From haunted courtrooms and dance marathons that drove people to madness, to bootlegging schemes, deadly medical frauds, and a massacre that changed organized crime forever, this book explores the weirdest corners of 1920s America. Set against the backdrop of Prohibition, jazz, flappers, and gangsters, these ten unforgettable stories showcase the bizarre side of the decade that redefined ...

Starting your first retail job? Read this. Accidentally became a manager and now deeply regretting every choice that got you here? I am you. I'm not some corporate cult leader or lifestyle coach; I still clock in five days a week, just like you. We just met, and we're already trauma-bonded. It's short and sharp for a reason... the line at Panda Express was longer than usual. Read it on your break, on the train, or while hiding in the stockroom pretending to search for a size 13 sneaker in black. I rant, I bitch, I overshare because no one else wants to hear it. But I know you get it.

At last, we have nearly reached the end of our grim tale. When the Handsome Lawyer proposes (gross, love), Barnacle, Melancholy, and Garlic do not react well, sparking a cross-country adventure to bring the man Miss Emily loves back home. Unfortunately, everywhere the triplets go, trouble follows, and in this case, so do a bunch of wild characters, making it hard to stay under the radar. All the while Mr. Weirdie and the Enchantress are holding Miss Emily captive, forcing her to teach them how to be good people. Will anyone get the happy ending they deserve?

Weird but True Stories from Irish History: Bizarre, Shocking, and Unbelievable Tales from the Emerald Isle Ireland's past is filled with saints, scholars, and... flaming whiskey floods? Ghost ships? Phantom islands? In this captivating collection of true and historically verified tales, Weird but True Stories from Irish History explores the most bizarre, unsettling, and unexpected events ever to unfold on the Emerald Isle. From the medieval witch trial of Alice Kyteler to the whiskey-fueled infernos of Dublin and Tullamore, from ancient tsunamis and ghostly ships to the recent excavation of...

From glowing mushrooms to zombie bugs, shape-shifting creatures, immortal jellyfish, brain-hacking parasites, and plants that eat meat—Weird Biology dives headfirst into the strangest life-forms on Earth. This isn’t your typical science book. It’s a wild safari through evolution’s most shocking experiments, the bizarre survival tricks nature invented, and the organisms so odd you’d swear they came from a sci-fi movie. Each chapter begins with a short, fun introduction, followed by 40 bite-sized facts that bring the weirdness to life. Every fact is written in an exciting, ...

History class just got way more disgusting — and way more fun. Gross American History reveals the shocking, hilarious, and totally real things people once ate, drank, wore, and trusted to keep themselves healthy. Long before modern safety laws, everyday life was a dangerous experiment. From radium face cream to arsenic medicine, miracle tonics, toxic makeup, fake cures, tainted milk, and products that literally glowed in the dark, Americans (and much of the world) tried it all — and paid the price. Perfect for teens, homeschool families, and curious readers, this book explores: ✔ The ...

This program is read by the authors (David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker), Laura Orrico and Joe Praino, with special appearances by an all-star cast of comedy giants, including the film's stars, Julie Hagerty and Robert Hays, as well as Beau Bridges, Barry Diller, Michael Eisner, Peter...

How about Iceland’s rule that you can’t build a house without checking if elves live there first? 🌍 Welcome to the wonderfully weird world of laws that actually exist! From no dancing after midnight in Japan to no feeding pigeons in Venice, Crazy Laws From Around the World is your laugh-out-loud passport to 36 countries and more than 1,500 bizarre, hilarious, and totally real regulations. Each chapter dives into a different nation’s oddest rules — with quick facts, cultural quirks, and the hilarious backstories behind them. Whether it’s ancient royal leftovers, modern ...

The Glitch in the Matrix: Unbelievable Facts from Natural History, Pop Culture, and the Human Mind Dive into the Secrets the World Keeps—From Exploding Termites to Forbidden Laws Are you ready to discover the world you thought you knew? Forget the history books and toss out your old encyclopedia. This book is a fast-paced, jaw-dropping journey into the weirdest, wildest, and most verifiable truths hiding just beneath the surface of everyday life. This isn't trivia; it’s an exposé of the colossal, beautiful, and sometimes terrifying glitches in the matrix of reality. Within these pages,...

Some of humanity’s most brilliant creations didn’t come from genius… They came from spilled chemicals, burned snacks, bad guesses, and pure accidental chaos. From microwaves discovered by a man standing next to a magnetron with a melting chocolate bar, to the scientist who dropped a moldy sandwich into his experiment and accidentally invented antibiotics, this book explores the incredible–but totally real–moments when mistakes changed the world. Inside, you’ll discover: ✨ The explosion that led to the invention of safety glass ✨ The volcano-like mess that became the modern ...

This program is read by the author, Ken Layne, host of the Desert Oracle radio show. It includes an exclusive first listen to a story from Desert Oracle: Volume 2. The cult-y field guide to the strange and intriguing secrets of the Mojave—its myths and legends, outcasts and oddballs, flora...

Earth isn’t just home to cute puppies and majestic lions. It’s also home to bizarre worms that melt themselves, birds that mimic car alarms, fish that spit lasers of water, and animals so weird they seem like they escaped from an alien zoo. Welcome to Nature’s Oddballs—a journey through the strangest, funniest, and most surprising creatures ever to wriggle, slither, glow, honk, or do… whatever it is that blobfish do. Inside, you’ll discover: 🦑 A squid that launches glowing biological “fireworks” 🌏 A tiny beast that can survive in outer space 🦘 A frog that swallows ...

The insect world is a fascinating place. You may not think so. You may think insects are gross. Or scary. Or dangerous. But there’s so much more to insects than what meets the eye. Told through hilarious prose and packed full of jaw-dropping facts, Brenna Maloney’s first-person narrative presents the big picture on bugs. Insects play a critical role on our planet—as pollinators, garbage collectors, artistic muses, research partners, and even as “dinner.”