Offbeat Museums: The Collections and Curators of America's Most Unusual Museums [Paperback]

Saul Rubin (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Offbeat Museums is difficult to stop reading. And with plenty of photos and pull-quotes, directions to each location and hours of operation, and a clean, reader-friendly design, Offbeat Museums belongs in your collection." -- Linda Crosby, Eye, November/December 1999

About the Author

Saul Rubin worked as a staff feature writer for Copley Los Angeles Newspapers, based in Santa Monica, from 1990 until 1997. Previously, he worked as a news reporter for the Santa Monica Outlook, The Los Angeles Times, The Los Angeles Herald-Examiner and the Berkeley Gazette. In addition, he has written feature articles for magazines such as Buzz , Muscle and Fitness and the Berkeley Journal. He is currently a staff member of "Goin' Deep," a new sports magazine show on Fox Sports West.

He received both a Master's degree in Journalism and a B.A. degree in English from the University of California at Berkeley.

Born in Boston on June 15, 1957, Rubin grew up in nearby Brookline, MA. He moved to California in 1978 and has lived there ever since. When on the road, he prefers his attractions on the offbeat side.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 237 pages
• Publisher: Santa Monica Press (October 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963994646
• ISBN-13: 978-0963994646
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #207,382 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Offbeat Museums - better than most!, April 6, 2000

By 

Darren Collins - See all my reviews

This review is from: Offbeat Museums: The Collections and Curators of America's Most Unusual Museums (Paperback)

...and I mean that both ways. The book is better than most books I have used to guide my travels, and offbeat museums are better than (on beat?) ones! As a frequent traveller, this book has guided me well to many of the locations. The descriptions are lighthearted but still in-depth. Its just plain fun reading. Everyone who sees it laying around has to pick it up and give it a read. My only complaint is the at least one of these museums is closed down now, and a few of the directions are a bit hazy. (I did however find every place I looked for!) But overall, even if you aren't planning on GOING to all these places, as I do, it's still a great read. (Be warned: Silly Museums are addictive)

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I love the weird ones!, December 27, 2004

By 

Jennifer StAntoine "ladyjadegd" (Escondido, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Offbeat Museums: The Collections and Curators of America's Most Unusual Museums (Paperback)

This book is cool, I've been to two of the museums already and I'm adding the others to my TO DO list, but BE WARNED. This book was published in 1997 and a new edition is out. I wish I had noticed that before I put this one on my wishlist and received it. If you're interested in these crazy museums (and you really should be) get the updated version of this book and enjoy!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great escape reading, March 24, 2003

By 

R. Ellis (Florida USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Offbeat Museums: The Collections and Curators of America's Most Unusual Museums (Paperback)

This book is a very good resource for those of you who are looking to break from the pressures of everyday life. Although it is unlikely that you will have the occasion to visit more than a handful of these museums, I think that it is still a great book for anyone interested in getting away and seeing what America used to be like before the Internet. Its short reviews of each museum (2-3 pages) make for very entertaining reading and give the reader a tour of the museums' highlights. As the previous reviewer mentioned, some of the museums are now defunct, an unfortunate end brought about by our fast-paced society. Still, just reading about these fascinating places should inspire the readers imagination. Try it out and if you don't go seeking odd museums in your town, perhaps you should ask yourself why. Again, as the previous reviewer stated, this can become an addicting hobby!