Cabinet of Curiosities is the name of a podcast created, hosted and produced by Aaron Mahnke. The podcast has been around since 2018 and at this point has over 600 episodes available. It specializes in short episodes - most come in at around (or under) 10 minutes. Each episode features two true short stories taken from history and told is such a way as to keep you guessing until the very end.

In his new book Mahnke has taken over 150 of the true short stories from his podcast and brought them to the printed page. When I say short stories, I actually mean VERY short stories. Most of these are a page and a half or so, not much longer than my usual book review.

The stories are all structured pretty much the same way. First there’s The Setup, where the facts are laid out but a few key pieces of information are held back. Could be that the main character’s name isn’t fully revealed - maybe just a first name or a nickname. The setup will include some “curious” bits - something to make you wonder, something to make you go “hmm”. Then comes The Reveal. The main character’s name is revealed, or a plot twist you didn’t see coming happens. The Reveal is usually accompanied by some sort of pun.

For the most part that structure yields entertaining and sometimes enlightening history quick hits. Every so often a story will end with a pun so bad that it’s good. These left me chucking and thinking I’d just been the victim of a history buff’s “Dad joke”. Which, honestly, is NOT a bad thing.

If you are a fan of history you may recognize what some of the stories are about very quickly. Others you may have never heard of.

So who is this book for? Well, if you’re a fan of the podcast the book is a no brainer. It would also make a good stocking stuffer for a friend or family member who likes history but is pressed for time and can’t really dive into a book length treatise on a particular topic in history. It would help if they are also fans of Dad jokes.

RATING: Three Stars ⭐⭐⭐

RATING COMMENTS: Aaron Mahnke brings over 150 history quick hits from his long running podcast to the page. A good stocking stuffer for the history buff on your holiday gift list who also has a good sense of humor.

My son who is 13 found this book to be extremely interesting. His plan is to be a history teacher so this was right up his alley. For me it was just okay. I did like that the chapters were very short and easy to read. And it’s always nice to learn some new historical facts.
Overall not my particular cup of tea, but I’m sure it will appeal to many.
I received a ARC of this title, all opinions are my own.

Fascinating stories from the man behind the Lore podcast

Back in my youth I loved to peruse selections in the monthly Scholastic Books catalogue at school, and a particular favorite selection was the Ripley’s Believe It or Not book. Quirky stories that made a child with a vivid imagination wonder, “How did THAT happen?!”. If you were like me in that regard, or are just someone who is intrigued at the thought of odd happenings throughout the past and into the present, then this book will be right up your alley. Author Aaron Mahnke has compiled all manner of interesting snippets of history, what he calls, “A Historical Tour of the Unbelievable, the Unsettling, and the Bizarre” into this book. Sorted into general categories, each tale is but a few pages long, so the reader can choose to indulge in little bits or big chunks as they prefer. Some are just odd things about which to puzzle, others are decidedly more in the macabre vein; some may be familiar, others could be virgin territory. I found that the storytelling drew me in; like the old potato chip ad I couldn’t stop at just one story. Listeners to Mahnke’-connected podcasts (Lore, Cabinet of Curiosities, and Grim & Mild) should gobble up this collection, as should readers of the Ridley books of my youth and viewers of shows like Unsolved Mysteries. My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me early access to this unique and mildly addictive read.

I received a copy from NetGalley and I'm willingly leaving a review. 4.5 stars
Start with the introduction, it's worth reading. Some stories are great but not well-written (eg. The Rundown). Some are really funny (eg. Not Even a King). Rough Landing gave me a sense of peace for a singer who's private jet use has come under scrutiny in recent years. I loved Unbalanced and Steamy Dreams. It's too bad about Charles bringing his recipe to the grave (Make It Rain); we could have put that to good use around the planet. Some people are so unlucky, it's a tragedy! (eg. Hold On). I really had to search images for the vertical windmills of Nashtifan (Windy City); they were intriguing. I rolled my eyes because it was full of "though" in just one sentence! (Fooled) Karma was certainly present for both sides of this story. The book stops at 80% to make space for Acknowledgements (~1 page) and Sources (until 98%), Contents (leftover 2%).

This is a quite enjoyable collection of stories that are all a form of remarkable or almost unbelievable. Of the stories, I found some more interesting than others, but I was thoroughly entertained throughout my reading experience. Although I wasn't compelled to read this entire bk on one sitting, I did enjoy that I could pick it up when I only had small amounts of time to read and could get through quite a few stories before needing to put it down.

Aaron Mahnke’s Cabinet of Curiosities is an enchanting collection of strange and fascinating stories that brilliantly captures the essence of his beloved podcast. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer, this book is a treasure trove of historical oddities and intriguing tales that will leave you both amazed and delighted.

The stories range from quirky to profound, such as the surprising origins of the croissant or the tale of the stowaway dog turned war hero. Mahnke has a talent for finding the overlooked gems of history and presenting them with just the right mix of humor, suspense, and wonder. Each anecdote is meticulously researched and elegantly written, making it easy to devour in one sitting or savor bit by bit.

The book is well-organized into thematic sections, which adds structure to the eclectic content. However, its episodic nature sometimes leads to a sense of abrupt transitions between stories. A few tales might leave readers wanting more depth, but the sheer variety ensures there’s something to pique everyone’s interest.

Beautifully illustrated and thoughtfully curated, Cabinet of Curiosities is a delightful companion to the podcast and a perfect gift for fans of history, the bizarre, and the wonderfully unexpected. It’s a reminder of the endlessly curious world we live in and the hidden tales waiting to be uncovered.

Love the podcast and love the book. Packed in a lot of amazing stories. Can pick it up over and over to read these fascinating little stories. He is a great writer.

This is a very interesting book. I enjoyed reading about the “curiosities”….some were new to me and some weren’t but the format allows a succinct explanation which makes it very readable.
The only criticism I have is that it is too long…maybe it should have been two volumes.

abinet of Curiosities: A Historical Tour of the Unbelievable, the Unsettling, and the Bizarre by Aaron Mahnke with Harry Marks

Does anyone else remember the Great Big Bathroom Reader books? In the best ways, this book reminded me of that - short, interesting chapters that you can read a few at a time. It would be perfect sitting on a coffee table so people could flip through at their leisure.

Told in short chapters, and grouped by topic, this book exemplified “truth is stranger than fiction.” It was easy to pick up and put down given the brevity of the tales. For fans of podcast-inspired books, fact-filled books, and books to read sporadically, would enjoy this.

A good read of weird stories, coincidences and fun tales in the vein of a Paul Harvey or a Garrison Keeler. Some of these I knew before and others I learned about for the first time. I did feel that some stories needed a bit more explaining because they left you with more questions than answers but overall it was a read you could bite off quickly almost like “Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader” type of quick stories.

If you love trivia or enjoy walking through museums and observing all of the wonderfully odd bits and pieces on display the Cabinet of Curiosities will have you glued to the pages. From amazing coincidences to cursed objects, celebrities and historical figures, Aaron Mahnke keeps you entertained with brief stories of little known facts. There is the attempted assassination of Teddy Roosevelt, the bones found in the basement of Benjamin Franklin’s London home and the cursed ring owned by Rudolph Valentino. This is light reading and is perfect to pick up if you have just a few minutes. Mahnke is a podcaster who knows how to please his listeners and his easy manner carries over to his stories. Once you pick this up and read the first stories it is difficult to put down. I enjoyed every minutes of this. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book.

If you like trivia this one is for you. It took me quite a while to finish this book because I found it best to read in small doses. The incredible stories it holds needs to be mulled over and thought about not glossed over with a quick read. The section titles ( American History, Coincidences, Inventions, Authors, etc.) draw you in and you can read whatever section out of order if you choose. From Empress Anna's ice castle to the missing pages of Dante's Inferno your imagination will be titillated with all the missing stories out there. A great read if you do it right. Thanks to #NetGalley#CabinetOfCuriousities#StMartinsPress for the EARC.

A fun read if you like trivia, especially of a historical nature. Good variety of stories and locations. A quick read and it would be nice if there is a sequel. Very interesting introduction. Thanks to #NetGalley and #CabinetOfCuriosities for advanced digital copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

If you listen to Aaron's podcasts like Lore and Cabinet of Curiosities, you will hear Aaron in your head as you read this. The stories are short and interesting. You'll learn a few things along the way. Even if you've never listened to his podcasts (you should, they're fun and interesting) I think you'll enjoy this book a lot!

A sort of Paul Harvey's "And that's the rest of the story" look at a large variety of issues. So interesting and you should take your time listening or reading a few each day! Or just completely devour it as I did. Some stories I am still thinking about, some I had heard before, but I am still amazed at this huge collection of stories!

This would be a fun Christmas gift!

My thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this e-book and Macmillian Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

I used to love this podcast! I could only listen during the day while at the gym or some other brightly lit place, but I found it fascinating!

Thankfully, most of the stories in the book were less focused on the spooky or paranormal. Much more 'wow, that's interesting' than 'welp, guess I'm not gonna sleep tonight' 😆

I wasn't planning to save this one for #nonfictionnovember but it took me quite a while to finish. It wasn't hard to read at all (each story is fairly short), but it was way too much random information to read it straight through.

PS. This would make a great holiday gift for any fact lovers or storytellers on your list!

Thank you #netgalley and @stmartinspress for this #arc out now!

If you enjoy the podcast with the same name, you will enjoy this book too. If you have not listened to the podcast, it's a fun way to hear the stories with inflection and nuance. I found myself reading this book with Mahnke's voice in my head. A fun twist on history for those reluctant to read history.

A collection of brief moments in history told in the form of oral stories suitable for readers 10 and up. Short enough not to overwhelm, brief enough to sample in short bursts, these stories fascinate but are not generally known.

Odd tales for curious minds!

CABINET OF CURIOSITIES is full of history’s weirdest coincidences and strangest occurrences.

I think of this as a sampler of sorts. Each story can be read in five minutes or less. The brevity worked fine in many cases, giving just enough detail to satisfy. In other cases, I wanted more, and I found myself diving down the Google rabbit hole on several occasions.

I did grow weary of the constant, snarky one-liners at the end of the stories, which were meant to be funny. But overall, the writing was enjoyable.

This is a perfect coffee table book. It would also make a great gift for anyone who loves learning tidbits of history but doesn’t like to read dense text.

*Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the free copy!*

I loved this book.

Being from a family of history lovers and being a bit odd and curious ourselves I was talking about this book to some family members at dinner. Now everyone wants a copy for Christmas.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for making my shopping a lot easier!

Great book - easy to read - conversation starter!