Customer Reviews

Eccentric America: The Bradt Guide to All That's Weird and Wacky in the USA

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Pasaquan, a compound in Georgia filled with totems, pagodas and paintings, was designed to house Edward Martin's unique mystic religion. Martin, who proclaimed himself St. EOM, didn't cut his hair for 40 years, dressed in jeweled robes, and stiffened his beard upwards with rice paste. He is just one of many eccentric individuals who have created bizarre roadside attractions across the United States.

Or how about the Bread and Puppet Theater and Art Museum in Glover, Vermont? You can see a surreal collection of huge puppets that are used in political demonstrations, see entertaining puppet performances, and enjoy the free bread that is given out after each show.

You can find information on these and almost a thousand other wacky, out-of-the-ordinary attractions across America in "Eccentric America," a new book by Jan Friedman. The book contains an extensive listing of the weirdest and strangest events, museums, festivals, and attractions in the United States.

Imagine leaving your home in California (for example) and heading out to visit relatives in New Jersey. This doesn't have to be a boring trip. Using Eccentric America as a guidebook, you can create bizarre adventures as you travel across the U.S. Visit the Katydid Insect Museum in Arizona, and, if it happens to be July, you can move on to Roswell, New Mexico where the Roswell UFO Encounter Festival and Intergalactic Food and Fashion Extravaganza is taking place. If you think the drive across the center of the country is dull, you haven't stopped at the right places. From the Totem Pole Park in Oklahoma, to Carhenge in Nebraska, there are plenty of strange things to see on your way and all are listed in Eccentric America.

Friedman writes in an entertaining, tongue-cheek-style style. You can't help but laugh when reading some of the descriptions. When describing the Forevertron, a giant steel sculpture park in Wisconsin, she writes, "Inventive in vision and astounding in scope, the Forevertron is a gargantuan contraption designed to shoot Dr. Evermore into space using some kind of 1890's magnetic lightning beam propulsion that only he understands." The attractions are catalogued not only by state, but also by type and date (if the attraction is an event), so it is easy to find just the kind of weirdness you are looking for.

I found this book not only entertaining but inspiring as well. It's exciting to see what other eccentrics have created given enough time and a place to do it. Eccentric America makes me want to take a road trip!

A great holiday gift, I found Jan Friedman's "Eccentric America" a marvelous guide book to all the "wierd and "quirky" events, contests, and festivals which occur across the United States on a regular basis. Ever wanted to know about the Burning Man Festival ? How about the World's Cow Chip Throwing Contest ? Or the Running of the Rodents ? Its all there in an extraordinarily well researched compendium of the wacky and eccentric goings-on in America today.
A short section at the beginning lists festivals and competitions by months, including a diversity of events such as the "Calavaras Frog Jumping Contest" (May) or the "Annual Yo-Yo Contest" (October). The main body of the text is divided into geographical regions with well written, frequently humorous descriptions of what's wierd and wild across the United States. Numerous entries have made the Late Night Shows (Letterman, Leno) and many are well publicized items which are frequently described in the daily news. Remember the National Hog Calling Contest ? How about the Fort Fisher Hermit or the Bee Beard Man ?
I don't think there has ever been a guide book quite like this ! I enjoyed reading about the eccentricities of some of the craziest individuals you would ever want to meet and the categorization and locations of these characters are easily found, just in case your passing through and might want to stop by.
Ms. Friedman writes with great aplomb and is a joy to read. An unusual guide book, as entertaining as its title.

T.W. Hard, Santa Rosa, CA.

Never would I have imagined the incredible number of fascinating and passionate eccentrics in these United States! Thumbing through the book, I smiled and laughed alot, amazed at the length to which so many independent souls went to complete their projects, often against the odds of time, money and local opinion. After more reading, the hidden question about what motivates these eccentric souls hit a poignant nerve and it's clear that Jan Friedman treats each eccentric's story with great respect. The very well thought out arrangement of the book - by region and topic - makes it very easy to read and the maps are excellent. I found myself wondering what there was to see in my own state and information on eccentric individuals and festivals was easy to find. Friedman's writing is tight and snaps with humor. The photographs are terrific and important too. Without them, I don't think I could have appreciated what real eccentricity looks like. I also appreciated the author offering a brief interesting analysis of eccentricity in general to put everything in context. Judging by the quality and quantity of entries in Eccentric America, Friedman's thorough research, and her obvious joy in writing the book, jumps up from every page.

After reading this book you won't want to stay home. Ty and I should have bought two copies because we waste so much time passing it back and forth. We'll be using Eccentric America for the next few years when planning vactions and of course we have learned to build in extra days because the author is giving us such fun filed travel stops.

Coming as a breath of fresh air, Eccentric America highlights many of the things you won't find in Fodor's. Region by region and state by state we are taken through those things in America that are "eccentric" - offbeat, strange and unique places, people, lodging, restaurants and festivals. I may be a bit biased with my alma mater being included in the book (Jumbo's ashes) but I found the guide refreshing and a wonderful to leaf through and read. Some of the things you find here is that some of the more offbeat events highlighted are different, but not unique. Who would have guessed how many testicle festivals there are in the US? The listings give you a quick synopsis of what it is and why it's included, then you are told where it is, and how to contact someone for more information. Some of the things are sites that I'll never visit, but it's interesting to know about them. Others are now on the list for visits when I'm going on vacation in the future. If you love things like "Roadside America," then you'll want this one too. Anyone can plan a vacation to see historical sites or amusement parks, but with this book you can include a miniature golf course in the basement of a funeral home on your itinerary. Laugh out loud and head scratching events await the adventurous or the adventurous armchair traveler.

What would America be without eccentrics? Pretty dull. But thanks to Janet's unique travel guide, there's no excuse for a boring roadtrip. "Eccentric America" will make you forget about cashing in all those accumulated frequent flier miles and inspire you, instead, to take to the open road in search of the "Museum of Pez Memorabilia" or the "Cockroach Hall of Fame."

Bring the inlaws!

Eccentric America leapt off the book shelf and into my hand. Many uncontrollable chuckles and a few tears of laughter later, I exited the book shop with two copies. Within five merry, laughter-filled minutes the eleven year old son of a friend said, "Thanks, Tom," took a copy, and commenced planning his family's upcoming road trip to LA. We're all going adventuring together, thank you.

Janet has created a classic guide that has loaded my life with kinky, wierd and fascinating now and in-the-future destinations of interest, erstwhile she has filled my soul with laughter, laughter and more laughter.

A bit of local adventuring initiated by Janet's cook book of wierd and wacky, and I was thinking, "I've got an idea or two for you, Lady." Then I visited her website. Oh my god, the adventure bug is contageous. Just can't wait for what Janet and her team comes up with next.

I picked up this book with higher hopes than it delivered. I was expecting a guide book to all the eccentric festivals and weird places to see and take photographs of but Eccentric America definitely is not that. Whilst the book goes into depth with a lot of festivals the author doesn't put the same effort into attractions with sparse detail on the little number of places actually listed. I've extensively backpacked the USA and most of the weird attractions I came across are not even mentioned here. There is also a severe lack of photographs. Obviously the author attended a car show somewhere because that's what the majority of the six photograph pages are of. You'll find more eccentric attractions in the normal USA travel guide books than in here.

This is really a top notch book for the guys that like to get in a car and drive down the state highways - avoiding the interstates. "Eccentic" = don't be scared off buy that - this is not a book of weird stuff - just FUN stuff. This is one of those landmark travel books that comes out every now and then. The author really did the homework to get it all down in print.