Now I've never heard a podcast by this author, but the title and blurb made me want to read this book.
I was not disappointed, these are all short stories, about 6 pages, and then your on to the next, because my attention was grabbed by the last, I wanted more!
Coincidences, unbelievable and really! I never realized how many unsettling, unbelievable happenings there are, but they are documented here.
I read some of these to my family, and they didn't want me to stop at one, yes, they are attention grabbers. I really enjoyed this read!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher St. Martin's Press, and was not required to give a positive review.

A delightful collection of short stories about a variety of bizarre things that really reminded me of those world record type books that used to be more common in the mid-2000s. I do wish there were some pictures or at least illustrations, as I feel like that would have taken this book further than just the short stories alone. 3.25/5

I've been a fan of Aaron's podcasts for years and began listening to Cabinet of Curiosities from the first episode. This book is based on that podcast, and if you enjoy his writing style, you will absolutely eat this up. If you are new to the author - get ready to have a new obsession. There is a little something for everyone here, from bizarre history to enthralling mysteries, and I enjoyed every minute.

Huge thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this ARC!

I found this to be a captivating and interesting book! Each story is a morsel of information that usually has a surprise worked in! I especially enjoyed how nicknames were used in the beginning of the story, and then the real name was provided! So fun!! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I'm going to watch the podcasts!

I was provided a complimentary copy of the book from St Martin's Press via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was little morsels of unusual stories and was like reading mini episodes of the author's podcast. I read them in his voice! I read a few chapters in between reading other books, and it served as a good palette cleanser for when I was reading heavier things. Would recommend for any fans of the Lore podcast!

Cabinet of Curiosities is a book that should be savored. Author of Aaron Mahnke has compiled some of the best stories from his podcast. The book is a well organized compilation of stories that need to be read and shared. Strange coincidences, unsettling, remarkable, unexpected, this book is filled with short stories that fit the bill. I feel like this is the perfect gift and I can't wait to share it.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

I was curious to read this book because I had recently had the podcast recommended to me. It surprised me that I didn’t like this book more; I like the podcast format better. Part of that reason I think is because the podcast stitches two of these stories together, making for a short, about 10-minute listen. Sitting down to read the book is just a different experience. The writing style, while good for the podcast version, gets old when reading it. This book would probably be better enjoyed if you were to read it in small sections at a time. For a book that is based in fact, it is fairly lightly researched. The stories are good hooks to get you to look into various events, think of it as history lite, fun if not fully satisfying.

Thanks to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in return for my honest review.

4 stars

This book is an interesting collection of very short tidbits about occurrences in history. Some are funny, some are sad. I enjoyed reading the little vignettes. Although I knew many of them, I didn’t know all the coincidences or timing of the events.

I think my favorite stories were Franklin’s bones in the basement and the story of “Uncle Sam.”

The writing is very clear and easy to read. Children, as well as adults will enjoy these stories.

I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

With the expanding world of podcasts. I have not yet encountered Aaron Mahnke's pod that gave inspiration for this fun and interesting book. Full of small 'featurettes', this book can be consumed all in one read from start to finish, or could be digested in multiple sessions of curious oddities and amazement. Think of it as somewhat akin to "Ripley's Believe it or Not" or one of Paul Harvey's "Rest of the Story" broadcasts.

I thoroughly enjoyed all of the segments. Some I had previously heard or read about in the past, and some sparked more "wow" reactions than the others. All-in-all, this was a quick read and entertaining, and inclusion of the author's own commentary kept the book from reading more like an encyclopedia of facts.

I will be investigating Mr. Mahnke's other work, including his related podcast offerings.

Get ready to dive into some of the most curious items, people, and places in history. Aaron Mahnke takes us on a fantastic journey, with short pieces on a wide array of oddities. If you enjoy a bit of the unknown, the mysterious, and the downright crazy of things - you are going to love this book.

I have been slowly reading through this, trying to drag it out as long as I could. There were times I didn't want to stop, but devouring this book in one sitting just didn't feel right.

Not well researched, not much that's new, no depth, trying to be too pithy | Meh. That's how I generally felt about this right from the start, and it went down from there. It wasn't really worth my time, because I knew more about most of these tidbits than was provided, especially the ones that I knew were being presented misleadingly. The style annoyed me, too, since the entries are so short it meant the saccharine "The More You Know" Lesson of the Day used to wrap up every one takes up an outsize proportion of the entry. This could have been a great book but it was not executed at all well, and leaves the impression of a rush to publication by people who aren't qualified to do the proper research for a project of this scope.

So, you’ve got Cabinet of Curiosities by Aaron Mahnke in your hands, a book that promises to take you on a wild ride through history’s quirkiest moments, kind of like a Ripley’s Believe It or Not! meets your high school history teacher. It’s a collection of oddities, mishaps, and tales that make you question how the world ever made it this far without tripping over itself.

The Good Stuff: Mahnke’s knack for storytelling shines here. If you’re a fan of the podcast, you’ll feel right at home with his style—each story is like a cozy fireside chat with a slightly eccentric uncle who has a seemingly endless supply of weird anecdotes. The tales themselves are undeniably interesting. I mean, who wouldn’t want to read about a dog that accidentally goes to war and ends up capturing a German spy? Or the mind-bending fact that the croissant, that quintessential French pastry, wasn’t even invented in France. There’s a certain charm in how Mahnke pieces together these bits of forgotten history and makes you wonder why we never learned about them in school. It’s like being at a dinner party where the host keeps whipping out these bizarre facts, and you're genuinely entertained—until you start questioning where they’re getting their information.

Which brings me to the slightly sketchy part. The bibliography seems to have been pulled from a mix of Wikipedia, possibly Reddit, and your grandma's collection of questionable factoids. If you’re the kind of reader who likes to know that their trivia is backed by solid research, you might find yourself raising an eyebrow (or both). It’s not that the stories aren’t fun—they are—it’s just that you might want to double-check before you drop one of these “facts” at your next trivia night.

While the stories are engaging, the format can get repetitive. The “weird historical fact” formula works great in a podcast, where each episode is a bite-sized piece of intrigue. But in book form, reading one after another can start to feel a little like you’re binge-watching a show when maybe you should’ve taken a break between episodes. The pacing is uneven, and you might find yourself skimming through some of the less captivating stories just to get to the next mind-blower. If you’re already a fan of Mahnke’s work, the book doesn’t necessarily offer anything new—it’s more like a greatest hits album. That’s not a bad thing, but it does make you wonder if you’d be better off just re-listening to your favorite episodes instead of reading them.

This book is a solid read, especially if you’re into oddball history and need a quirky coffee table book to impress your guests. It’s like a box of assorted chocolates—some pieces are delicious, some are just okay, but overall, it’s a fun treat. Just don’t expect every story to leave you in awe. Maybe take this one in small doses.

I enjoyed reading the book. It was filled with anecdotes about people, events, animals, and moments in history, yet provided a particularly insightful revelation...like croissants weren't invented in France, the inventor of Pringles had an interesting request for his burial, and what could have originated the story of the yeti, among many others. I revisited history, learned, and was entertained.

<b> <i> Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press for providing the advanced copy of this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. </b> </i>

<u> Publication Date: November 12, 2024 </u>

Based upon the popular podcast by Aaron Mahnke, Cabinet of Curiosities is finally arriving in print! Sadly, I have little experience in the podcast world, so I had never heard of this series before.

➠This is an amazing collection of bite-size stories (each one an average of 3-4 pages in length) varying in topics from bizarre coincidences, literature, history, death, war, mysteries, and the supernatural.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been oddly fascinated and drawn to the bizarre, the otherworldly, the macabre. I’m really just a huge undercover nerd who loves to soak up knowledge on these topics. I thoroughly enjoyed experiencing all this collection had to offer and gained so much from the stories. I thrived on the thoughts it provoked and was genuinely entertained the whole time! That being said, I think it’s probably best to enjoy this collection a little bit at a time. Savor it! I spread it out over a few months enjoying a story here and there on lunch breaks and at bedtime!

Honorable Mentions:
▪︎ Agatha Christie’s background story
▪︎ Violet Jessop and the luck of the Irish
▪︎ The entire literature section (of course)
▪︎ Prophetic dreams and conspiracies
▪︎ Ghosts, cursed cars…and so much more!

Highly recommend checking this out if you are a lover of oddities and searching for a one-of-a-kind adventure!

Cabinet of Curiosities

Strange stories from history in bit sized pieces. Loved that it’s easy to read in chunks or get your fill by reading more. A wide variety of well presented information. It was a little gimmicky but I think that works in the favor of the masses.

Very interesting book full of short stories of the bizarre, weird and coincidental.
Fun to read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher.

This is a fun, easy to read history book. I enjoyed the snapshots of little eras in time - truly "curiosities." I was hoping for a little more creepiness as I like that aspect of Aaron Mahnke's work but it didn't prevent me from enjoying it.

This is a charming group of short stories and historical vignettes, many devoted to lesser-known parts of history. I have seen many of these tales before.
Originating as podcasts, these little presentations are suitable for many purposes, whether it be storytelling at an event or amusing a bored person.

Interesting facts and some bizarre tales as well. Unfortunately it goes for the popular history route, lacking the research and scholarship to back up some of the wild claims.

The stories are dubious and/or under-researched. The writing is heavily cliche-laden. And I can’t tell who the audience is meant to be; there’s no indication it’s for children but the style is gimmicky.