oddly specific
How to Shit in the Woods
by Kathleen Meyer
A serious wilderness survival guide addressing a subject that every hiking book ignores. Practical, unapologetic, and genuinely essential reading.
Oddly Specific Books
Books about topics so niche, you wonder how the author found a publisher — and an audience.
6 books and counting
oddly specific
Consider the Fork: A History of How We Cook and Eat
by Bee Wilson
A serious, well-researched history of cooking technology — pots, knives, forks, ovens. The most thought you will ever put into a fork. More than seems strictly necessary.
oddly specific
Sun-beams May Be Extracted From Cucumbers
by Peter Pindar
An 18th-century satirical work with a title so good it became a saying. Proof that the Georgians had the internet energy before the internet existed.
oddly specific
The Stray Shopping Carts of Eastern North America: A Guide to Field Identification
by Julian Montague
A rigorous field guide to abandoned shopping carts, with taxonomy, classification, and habitat notes. Treated with the seriousness of ornithology.
oddly specific Staff Pick
How to Avoid Huge Ships
by John W. Trimmer
A 1993 maritime safety guide that somehow became a cult classic. Essential reading for anyone who has ever thought: what if I walked into a ship?
oddly specific
Knitting with Dog Hair
by Kendall Crolius & Anne Montgomery
A complete guide to turning your dog's shedding problem into a cashmere-adjacent fashion statement. Finally, a use for the hair on your couch.