
Cabinet of Curiosities
A Historical Tour of the Unbelievable, the Unsettling, and the Bizarre
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $20.24
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Aaron Mahnke
About this listen
This program features a bonus conversation between Aaron Mahnke, the book's author and creator of the smash-hit iHeartPodcast series, and journalist and screenwriter Dana Schwartz.
The new audiobook is based on the long-running hit podcast by Aaron Mahnke, which has translated into over 120-million downloads to date, and a monthly average of over 2 million listeners.
The podcast, Aaron Mahnke’s Cabinet of Curiosities, has delighted millions of listeners for years with tales of the wonderful, astounding, and downright bizarre people, places, and things throughout history. Now, in Cabinet of Curiosities the book, learn the fascinating story of the invention of the croissant in a country that was not France, and relive the adventures of a dog that stowed away and went to war, only to help capture a German spy. Along the way, listeners will pass through the American state of Franklin, watch Abraham Lincoln’s son be rescued by his assassin’s brother, and learn how too many crash landings inspired one pilot to leave the airline industry and trek for the stars.
For the first time ever, Aaron has gathered scores of his favorites in print, and curated them into a beautiful, topical collection for devoted followers and new fans alike.
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press
©2024 Aaron Mahnke and Harry Marks (P)2024 Macmillan AudioListeners also enjoyed...
-
The World of Lore: Wicked Mortals
- The World of Lore Collection, Book 2
- By: Aaron Mahnke
- Narrated by: Aaron Mahnke
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The second book in a three-volume collection, The World of Lore: Wicked Mortals tells the incredible true stories of some of the mortals who achieved notoriety in history and folklore through horrible means. Monsters of this sort - serial killers, desperate criminals, and socially mobile people with a much darker double life - are, in fact, quite real.
-
-
Same as the Podcast
- By Mr FluFF n puFF on 06-08-18
By: Aaron Mahnke
-
The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures
- By: Aaron Mahnke
- Narrated by: Aaron Mahnke
- Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
They live in shadows - deep in the forest, late in the night, in the dark recesses of our minds. They're spoken of in stories and superstitions, relics of an unenlightened age, old wives' tales, passed down through generations. Yet no matter how wary and jaded we have become, as individuals or as a society, a part of us remains vulnerable to them: werewolves and wendigos, poltergeists and vampires, angry elves and vengeful spirits.
-
-
Just a rehash of the podcast
- By Elan Diamond on 10-18-17
By: Aaron Mahnke
-
Ask a Historian
- 50 Surprising Answers to Things You Always Wanted to Know
- By: Greg Jenner
- Narrated by: Dan Schreiber, Greg Jenner, Janina Ramirez, and others
- Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Responding to fifty genuine questions from the public, Greg Jenner takes you on an entertaining tour through history from the Stone Age to the Swinging Sixties, revealing the best and most surprising stories, facts and historical characters from the past. From ancient joke books, African empires and the invention of meringues, to mummies, mirrors and menstrual pads—Ask A Historian is a deliciously amusing and informative smorgasbord of historical curiosities.
-
-
best bonus content ever!
- By Matthew K Wendelken on 03-24-22
By: Greg Jenner
-
The Mental Floss History of the World
- An Irreverent Romp Through Civilization's Best Bits
- By: Steve Wiegand, Erik Sass
- Narrated by: Johny Heller
- Length: 15 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
About 60,000 years ago, the first Homo sapiens were just beginning their move across the grasslands and up the ladder of civilization. Everything since then, as they say, is history. Just in case you were sleeping in class that day, the geniuses at mental_floss magazine have put together a hilarious (and historically accurate) primer on everything you need to know---and that means the good stuff.
-
-
Brilliant and Funny. What more could you want?
- By Septimus MacGhilleglas on 01-22-09
By: Steve Wiegand, and others
-
The Greatest Nobodies of History
- Minor Characters from Major Moments
- By: Adrian Bliss
- Narrated by: Adrian Bliss, Beth Rylance, Sebastian Humphreys, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The lives of Leonardo da Vinci, Henry VIII, and Queen Victoria fill bookshelves and fascinate scholars all over the world. But little attention is given to the ferret who posed for the Renaissance master, the servant who oversaw the Tudor’s toilet time, or the famous horse who thrilled the miserable old monarch. These supporting cast members have been waiting in the wings for too long, and Adrian Bliss thinks it’s high time they join their glory-hogging contemporaries in the spotlight. Fortunately, now they can.
-
-
Nothing like his video comedy
- By Jono on 11-14-24
By: Adrian Bliss
-
Stuff You Should Know
- An Incomplete Compendium of Mostly Interesting Things
- By: Josh Clark, Chuck Bryant
- Narrated by: Chuck Bryant, Josh Clark
- Length: 9 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the duo behind the massively successful and award-winning podcast Stuff You Should Know comes an unexpected look at things you thought you knew. Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant started the podcast Stuff You Should Know back in 2008 because they were curious - curious about the world around them, curious about what they might have missed in their formal educations, and curious to dig deeper on stuff they thought they understood.
-
-
Fails as an audio book.
- By Sarah H on 12-10-20
By: Josh Clark, and others
-
The World of Lore: Wicked Mortals
- The World of Lore Collection, Book 2
- By: Aaron Mahnke
- Narrated by: Aaron Mahnke
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The second book in a three-volume collection, The World of Lore: Wicked Mortals tells the incredible true stories of some of the mortals who achieved notoriety in history and folklore through horrible means. Monsters of this sort - serial killers, desperate criminals, and socially mobile people with a much darker double life - are, in fact, quite real.
-
-
Same as the Podcast
- By Mr FluFF n puFF on 06-08-18
By: Aaron Mahnke
-
The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures
- By: Aaron Mahnke
- Narrated by: Aaron Mahnke
- Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
They live in shadows - deep in the forest, late in the night, in the dark recesses of our minds. They're spoken of in stories and superstitions, relics of an unenlightened age, old wives' tales, passed down through generations. Yet no matter how wary and jaded we have become, as individuals or as a society, a part of us remains vulnerable to them: werewolves and wendigos, poltergeists and vampires, angry elves and vengeful spirits.
-
-
Just a rehash of the podcast
- By Elan Diamond on 10-18-17
By: Aaron Mahnke
-
Ask a Historian
- 50 Surprising Answers to Things You Always Wanted to Know
- By: Greg Jenner
- Narrated by: Dan Schreiber, Greg Jenner, Janina Ramirez, and others
- Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Responding to fifty genuine questions from the public, Greg Jenner takes you on an entertaining tour through history from the Stone Age to the Swinging Sixties, revealing the best and most surprising stories, facts and historical characters from the past. From ancient joke books, African empires and the invention of meringues, to mummies, mirrors and menstrual pads—Ask A Historian is a deliciously amusing and informative smorgasbord of historical curiosities.
-
-
best bonus content ever!
- By Matthew K Wendelken on 03-24-22
By: Greg Jenner
-
The Mental Floss History of the World
- An Irreverent Romp Through Civilization's Best Bits
- By: Steve Wiegand, Erik Sass
- Narrated by: Johny Heller
- Length: 15 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
About 60,000 years ago, the first Homo sapiens were just beginning their move across the grasslands and up the ladder of civilization. Everything since then, as they say, is history. Just in case you were sleeping in class that day, the geniuses at mental_floss magazine have put together a hilarious (and historically accurate) primer on everything you need to know---and that means the good stuff.
-
-
Brilliant and Funny. What more could you want?
- By Septimus MacGhilleglas on 01-22-09
By: Steve Wiegand, and others
-
The Greatest Nobodies of History
- Minor Characters from Major Moments
- By: Adrian Bliss
- Narrated by: Adrian Bliss, Beth Rylance, Sebastian Humphreys, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The lives of Leonardo da Vinci, Henry VIII, and Queen Victoria fill bookshelves and fascinate scholars all over the world. But little attention is given to the ferret who posed for the Renaissance master, the servant who oversaw the Tudor’s toilet time, or the famous horse who thrilled the miserable old monarch. These supporting cast members have been waiting in the wings for too long, and Adrian Bliss thinks it’s high time they join their glory-hogging contemporaries in the spotlight. Fortunately, now they can.
-
-
Nothing like his video comedy
- By Jono on 11-14-24
By: Adrian Bliss
-
Stuff You Should Know
- An Incomplete Compendium of Mostly Interesting Things
- By: Josh Clark, Chuck Bryant
- Narrated by: Chuck Bryant, Josh Clark
- Length: 9 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the duo behind the massively successful and award-winning podcast Stuff You Should Know comes an unexpected look at things you thought you knew. Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant started the podcast Stuff You Should Know back in 2008 because they were curious - curious about the world around them, curious about what they might have missed in their formal educations, and curious to dig deeper on stuff they thought they understood.
-
-
Fails as an audio book.
- By Sarah H on 12-10-20
By: Josh Clark, and others
-
The Book of General Ignorance
- By: John Mitchinson, John Lloyd
- Narrated by: uncredited
- Length: 4 hrs and 20 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Misconceptions, misunderstandings, and flawed facts finally get the heave-ho in this humorous, downright humiliating book of reeducation based on the phenomenal British best seller. Challenging what most of us assume to be verifiable truths in areas like history, literature, science, nature, and more, The Book of General Ignorance is a witty “gotcha” compendium of how little we actually know about anything. It’ll have you scratching your head wondering why we even bother to go to school.
-
-
Interesting.
- By A. Hawkbird on 12-07-08
By: John Mitchinson, and others
-
There Are (No) Stupid Questions … in Science
- By: Leah Elson MS MPH
- Narrated by: Leah Elson MS MPH
- Length: 5 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the vein of Randall Munroe’s What If? and perfect for fans of Neil deGrasse Tyson’s Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, Leah Elson’s There Are No Stupid Questions … in Science covers biology, chemistry, physics, human physiology, and space—providing easy-to-understand, delightfully cheeky answers to over one hundred common questions, from the age-old, to the ridiculous, to the sublime.
-
-
Geared towards young adults, adults with no science/math background
- By MRS.Denning on 04-16-25
-
Dark Folklore
- By: Mark Norman, Tracey Norman
- Narrated by: Mark Norman, Tracey Norman
- Length: 5 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The fields of folklore have never been more popular—a recent resurgence of interest in traditional beliefs and customs, coupled with morbid curiosities in folk horror, historic witchcraft cases and our superstitious past, have led to an intersection of ideas that is driving people to seek out more information. Tracey Norman (author of the acclaimed play WITCH) and Mark Norman (creator of The Folklore Podcast) lead you on an exploration of those more salubrious facets of our past.
-
-
Amazingly Well Researched
- By Nils J. Rasmussen on 02-20-25
By: Mark Norman, and others
-
Mavericks
- Life Stories and Lessons of History's Most Extraordinary Misfits
- By: Jenny Draper
- Narrated by: Jenny Draper
- Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In her first book, popular TikTok historian J Draper uses her characteristic wit and intellect to introduce us to extraordinary figures marginalized by history, and the lessons we can learn from them. Witty and engaging TikTok historian J.D. Draper digs out unusual stories of individuals that have shaped the world, and discovers the lessons their unique experiences can teach us. Breaking away from history as told through the lens of kings, queens and nobles, this book instead lifts the lid on 24 fascinating stories of little-known underdogs, mavericks, trailblazers and oddballs.
-
-
excellent writing
- By Anonymous User on 05-04-25
By: Jenny Draper
-
On This Day in History Sh!t Went Down
- By: James Fell
- Narrated by: Kelli Tager, James Fell
- Length: 17 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nazis are bad. The worst kind of bad. There are no very fine people among them. If you disagree, you won’t like this book. Still here? Cool. You are about to receive an education unlike any you’ve previously experienced. In this uproarious and informative tour from ancient times to the modern day and everything in between, James Fell, the self-proclaimed “sweary historian,” reveals a past replete with deeds both noble and despicable. Throughout the book, he provides insightful analysis of all the sh!t that went down. Behold!
-
-
Rad.
- By Christine C. Keiser on 11-21-23
By: James Fell
-
Now I Know
- The Revealing Stories Behind the World's Most Interesting Facts
- By: Dan Lewis
- Narrated by: Jeremy Arthur
- Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Did you know that there are actually 27 letters in the alphabet, or that the U.S. had a plan to invade Canada? And what actually happened to the flags left on the moon? Even if you think you have a handle on all things trivia, you're guaranteed a big surprise with Now I Know. From uncovering what happens to lost luggage to New York City's plan to crack down on crime by banning pinball, this book will challenge your knowledge of the fascinating stories behind the world's greatest facts.
-
-
Scientifically inaccurate
- By Sara on 12-04-20
By: Dan Lewis
-
Can Holding in a Fart Kill You?
- Over 150 Curious Questions and Intriguing Answers
- By: Andrew Thompson
- Narrated by: Brian Holden
- Length: 5 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The follow-up to the best-selling What Did We Use Before Toilet Paper?, Can Holding in a Fart Kill You? has even more fun and fascinating trivia. Perfect for the ever-curious trivia lover, this book is the ultimate in truly extraordinary information. From silly to serious to outright bizarre, this expansive collection offers surprising answers and unexpected facts on everything from history and science to pop culture and nature. From the everyday to the fantastical - it's all here.
-
-
fun facts
- By joey on 01-04-25
By: Andrew Thompson
-
And Then You're Dead
- What Really Happens If You Get Swallowed by a Whale, Are Shot from a Cannon, or Go Barreling over Niagara
- By: Cody Cassidy, Paul Doherty
- Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris
- Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A gleefully gruesome look at the actual science behind the most outlandish, cartoonish, and impossible deaths you can imagine. What would happen if you took a swim outside a deep-sea submarine wearing only a swimsuit? How long could you last if you stood on the surface of the sun? How far could you actually get in digging a hole to China? Paul Doherty, senior staff scientist at San Francisco's famed Exploratorium Museum, and writer Cody Cassidy explore the real science behind these and other fantastical scenarios.
-
-
perfect for a precocious 9 year old boy
- By Kerith Strano Taylor on 05-15-17
By: Cody Cassidy, and others
-
Over My Dead Body
- Unearthing the Hidden History of American Cemeteries
- By: Greg Melville
- Narrated by: Will Tulin
- Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The summer before his senior year in college, Greg Melville worked at the cemetery in his hometown, and thanks to hour upon hour of pushing a mower over the grassy acres, he came to realize what a rich story the place told of his town and its history. Thus was born Melville’s lifelong curiosity with how, where, and why we bury and commemorate our dead. Melville’s Over My Dead Body is a lively (pun intended) and wide-ranging history of cemeteries, places that have mirrored the passing eras in history but have also shaped it.
-
-
excellent read!
- By KJ on 03-05-23
By: Greg Melville
-
How to Survive History
- How to Outrun a Tyrannosaurus, Escape Pompeii, Get Off the Titanic, and Survive the Rest of History's Deadliest Catastrophes
- By: Cody Cassidy
- Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris
- Length: 5 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
History is the most dangerous place on earth. From dinosaurs the size of locomotives to meteors big enough to sterilize the planet, from famines to pandemics, from tornadoes to the Chicxulub asteroid, the odds of human survival are slim but not zero—at least, not if you know where to go and what to do. In each chapter of How to Survive History, Cody Cassidy explores how to survive one of history’s greatest threats: getting eaten by dinosaurs, being destroyed by the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs, succumbing to the lava flows of Pompeii, being devoured by the Donner Party, and more.
-
-
A fun, light romp
- By Ron on 03-11-24
By: Cody Cassidy
-
The Theory of Everything Else
- A Voyage into the World of the Weird
- By: Dan Schreiber
- Narrated by: Dan Schreiber, Jamie Morton, Ella Al-Shamahi, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the Silicon Valley tech billionaires currently trying to work out whether or not the universe is one giant video game simulation to the self-proclaimed community of Italian time-travelers who are trying to save the world from destruction; The Theory of Everything Else will act as a handbook for those who want to think differently.
-
-
Yawn
- By Tony Love on 08-18-23
By: Dan Schreiber
-
Humans: A Brief History of How We F*cked It All Up
- By: Tom Phillips
- Narrated by: Nish Kumar
- Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Modern humans have come a long way in the 70,000 years they’ve walked the earth. Art, science, culture, trade - on the evolutionary food chain, we’re true winners. But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing, and sometimes - just occasionally - we’ve managed to truly f--k things up.
-
-
if you think white men are evil
- By Victor Fiore on 12-11-20
By: Tom Phillips
Critic reviews
"Cabinet of Curiosities hand-picks the most curious and interesting moments of history and spins them into delicious, snack-sized treats with the fun, friendly feeling of campfire tales. The ideal holiday gift for the history buff in your life!"—Delilah S. Dawson, New York Times bestselling author.
“Aaron’s stories bring history to life in a way that’s reminiscent of Paul Harvey’s approachable style, and of course, those curveball endings. What a great way to learn about our curious past!”—Brad Meltzer, bestselling author of The Nazi Conspiracy
“An overflowing buffet of informational appetizers of delight—Mahnke, as always, knows how to compel us with our own history.”—Chuck Wendig, New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Accidents
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
Consumed
- By: Aaron Mahnke
- Narrated by: Jason Jewett
- Length: 6 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Aspiring author Ben Simmons hates imposing himself upon others, so when he breaks down in the small Rhode Island town of Kettering, he's forced to grit his teeth and lean on strangers for help. It's not all bad, though. His temporary host could not be more accommodating, and the local librarian quickly takes an interest in Ben, as well as the research for his next novel. Though unexpected, his short stay has the potential to be enjoyable.
-
-
Parts were engaging and others fell short
- By Jessica G on 06-02-17
By: Aaron Mahnke
-
The World of Lore: Wicked Mortals
- The World of Lore Collection, Book 2
- By: Aaron Mahnke
- Narrated by: Aaron Mahnke
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The second book in a three-volume collection, The World of Lore: Wicked Mortals tells the incredible true stories of some of the mortals who achieved notoriety in history and folklore through horrible means. Monsters of this sort - serial killers, desperate criminals, and socially mobile people with a much darker double life - are, in fact, quite real.
-
-
Same as the Podcast
- By Mr FluFF n puFF on 06-08-18
By: Aaron Mahnke
-
The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures
- By: Aaron Mahnke
- Narrated by: Aaron Mahnke
- Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
They live in shadows - deep in the forest, late in the night, in the dark recesses of our minds. They're spoken of in stories and superstitions, relics of an unenlightened age, old wives' tales, passed down through generations. Yet no matter how wary and jaded we have become, as individuals or as a society, a part of us remains vulnerable to them: werewolves and wendigos, poltergeists and vampires, angry elves and vengeful spirits.
-
-
Just a rehash of the podcast
- By Elan Diamond on 10-18-17
By: Aaron Mahnke
-
The Theory of Everything Else
- A Voyage into the World of the Weird
- By: Dan Schreiber
- Narrated by: Dan Schreiber, Jamie Morton, Ella Al-Shamahi, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the Silicon Valley tech billionaires currently trying to work out whether or not the universe is one giant video game simulation to the self-proclaimed community of Italian time-travelers who are trying to save the world from destruction; The Theory of Everything Else will act as a handbook for those who want to think differently.
-
-
Yawn
- By Tony Love on 08-18-23
By: Dan Schreiber
-
Gory Details
- By: Erika Engelhaupt
- Narrated by: Mari Weiss
- Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Filled to the brim with far-out facts, this wickedly informative narrative from the author of National Geographic's popular Gory Details blog takes us on a fascinating journey through an astonishing new reality. Blending humor and journalism in the tradition of Mary Roach, acclaimed science reporter Erika Engelhaupt investigates the gross, strange, and morbid absurdities of our bodies and our universe.
-
-
Feels like old school Discovery channel
- By Anonymous User on 02-15-23
By: Erika Engelhaupt
-
The Greatest Nobodies of History
- Minor Characters from Major Moments
- By: Adrian Bliss
- Narrated by: Adrian Bliss, Beth Rylance, Sebastian Humphreys, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The lives of Leonardo da Vinci, Henry VIII, and Queen Victoria fill bookshelves and fascinate scholars all over the world. But little attention is given to the ferret who posed for the Renaissance master, the servant who oversaw the Tudor’s toilet time, or the famous horse who thrilled the miserable old monarch. These supporting cast members have been waiting in the wings for too long, and Adrian Bliss thinks it’s high time they join their glory-hogging contemporaries in the spotlight. Fortunately, now they can.
-
-
Nothing like his video comedy
- By Jono on 11-14-24
By: Adrian Bliss
-
Consumed
- By: Aaron Mahnke
- Narrated by: Jason Jewett
- Length: 6 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Aspiring author Ben Simmons hates imposing himself upon others, so when he breaks down in the small Rhode Island town of Kettering, he's forced to grit his teeth and lean on strangers for help. It's not all bad, though. His temporary host could not be more accommodating, and the local librarian quickly takes an interest in Ben, as well as the research for his next novel. Though unexpected, his short stay has the potential to be enjoyable.
-
-
Parts were engaging and others fell short
- By Jessica G on 06-02-17
By: Aaron Mahnke
-
The World of Lore: Wicked Mortals
- The World of Lore Collection, Book 2
- By: Aaron Mahnke
- Narrated by: Aaron Mahnke
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The second book in a three-volume collection, The World of Lore: Wicked Mortals tells the incredible true stories of some of the mortals who achieved notoriety in history and folklore through horrible means. Monsters of this sort - serial killers, desperate criminals, and socially mobile people with a much darker double life - are, in fact, quite real.
-
-
Same as the Podcast
- By Mr FluFF n puFF on 06-08-18
By: Aaron Mahnke
-
The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures
- By: Aaron Mahnke
- Narrated by: Aaron Mahnke
- Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
They live in shadows - deep in the forest, late in the night, in the dark recesses of our minds. They're spoken of in stories and superstitions, relics of an unenlightened age, old wives' tales, passed down through generations. Yet no matter how wary and jaded we have become, as individuals or as a society, a part of us remains vulnerable to them: werewolves and wendigos, poltergeists and vampires, angry elves and vengeful spirits.
-
-
Just a rehash of the podcast
- By Elan Diamond on 10-18-17
By: Aaron Mahnke
-
The Theory of Everything Else
- A Voyage into the World of the Weird
- By: Dan Schreiber
- Narrated by: Dan Schreiber, Jamie Morton, Ella Al-Shamahi, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the Silicon Valley tech billionaires currently trying to work out whether or not the universe is one giant video game simulation to the self-proclaimed community of Italian time-travelers who are trying to save the world from destruction; The Theory of Everything Else will act as a handbook for those who want to think differently.
-
-
Yawn
- By Tony Love on 08-18-23
By: Dan Schreiber
-
Gory Details
- By: Erika Engelhaupt
- Narrated by: Mari Weiss
- Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Filled to the brim with far-out facts, this wickedly informative narrative from the author of National Geographic's popular Gory Details blog takes us on a fascinating journey through an astonishing new reality. Blending humor and journalism in the tradition of Mary Roach, acclaimed science reporter Erika Engelhaupt investigates the gross, strange, and morbid absurdities of our bodies and our universe.
-
-
Feels like old school Discovery channel
- By Anonymous User on 02-15-23
By: Erika Engelhaupt
-
The Greatest Nobodies of History
- Minor Characters from Major Moments
- By: Adrian Bliss
- Narrated by: Adrian Bliss, Beth Rylance, Sebastian Humphreys, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The lives of Leonardo da Vinci, Henry VIII, and Queen Victoria fill bookshelves and fascinate scholars all over the world. But little attention is given to the ferret who posed for the Renaissance master, the servant who oversaw the Tudor’s toilet time, or the famous horse who thrilled the miserable old monarch. These supporting cast members have been waiting in the wings for too long, and Adrian Bliss thinks it’s high time they join their glory-hogging contemporaries in the spotlight. Fortunately, now they can.
-
-
Nothing like his video comedy
- By Jono on 11-14-24
By: Adrian Bliss
-
Grave Suspicion
- By: Aaron Mahnke
- Narrated by: Terence West
- Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sam Hawthorne has lived a nomadic life, wandering through small Midwestern towns for the past two decades. He is known among the people he meets as an oddity and a troublemaker. He has a secret, however; one that has given him the chance to help dozens of people over the years. But that secret has also created a trail, and now someone with violent intentions has begun to follow it.
-
-
Longtime Lore Listener, Sorely Disappointed
- By Tate Bredenkamp on 11-20-16
By: Aaron Mahnke
-
The Dead of Winter
- Beware the Krampus and Other Wicked Christmas Creatures
- By: Sarah Clegg
- Narrated by: Hannah Curtis, Sarah Clegg
- Length: 4 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When you think about Christmas, you likely picture mangers, glowing fireplaces, sweet carolers, and snow-blanketed hills. But behind all this bright magic, there’s something much darker lurking in the shadows. In The Dead of Winter, Cambridge-trained historian Sarah Clegg delves deep into the folklore of the Christmas season in Europe, detailing the way its terrifying and often debaucherous past continues to haunt and entertain us now in the twenty-first century.
-
-
Maglcal
- By Karin Conti on 12-23-24
By: Sarah Clegg
-
Dark Folklore
- By: Mark Norman, Tracey Norman
- Narrated by: Mark Norman, Tracey Norman
- Length: 5 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The fields of folklore have never been more popular—a recent resurgence of interest in traditional beliefs and customs, coupled with morbid curiosities in folk horror, historic witchcraft cases and our superstitious past, have led to an intersection of ideas that is driving people to seek out more information. Tracey Norman (author of the acclaimed play WITCH) and Mark Norman (creator of The Folklore Podcast) lead you on an exploration of those more salubrious facets of our past.
-
-
Amazingly Well Researched
- By Nils J. Rasmussen on 02-20-25
By: Mark Norman, and others
-
On This Day in History Sh!t Went Down
- By: James Fell
- Narrated by: Kelli Tager, James Fell
- Length: 17 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nazis are bad. The worst kind of bad. There are no very fine people among them. If you disagree, you won’t like this book. Still here? Cool. You are about to receive an education unlike any you’ve previously experienced. In this uproarious and informative tour from ancient times to the modern day and everything in between, James Fell, the self-proclaimed “sweary historian,” reveals a past replete with deeds both noble and despicable. Throughout the book, he provides insightful analysis of all the sh!t that went down. Behold!
-
-
Rad.
- By Christine C. Keiser on 11-21-23
By: James Fell
-
Adventures in Cryptozoology
- Hunting for Yetis, Mongolian Deathworms and Other Not-So-Mythical Monsters
- By: Richard Freeman
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Explore the world through its most unlikely creatures: Cryptozoology, the study of hidden, monstrous, and legendary animals, is truly the art of discovering the unknown. Richard Freeman, Zoological Director of Centre for Fortean Zoology, has explored the corners of the five continents on the search for creatures that many people believe are non-existent. In this book, he shares the exciting stories of his investigations of the Yeti, Mongolian Deathworm, Loch Ness Monster, Orang-Pendak, Ninki-Naka, and more.
-
-
Misleading
- By Bridget on 12-17-22
By: Richard Freeman
-
Can Holding in a Fart Kill You?
- Over 150 Curious Questions and Intriguing Answers
- By: Andrew Thompson
- Narrated by: Brian Holden
- Length: 5 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The follow-up to the best-selling What Did We Use Before Toilet Paper?, Can Holding in a Fart Kill You? has even more fun and fascinating trivia. Perfect for the ever-curious trivia lover, this book is the ultimate in truly extraordinary information. From silly to serious to outright bizarre, this expansive collection offers surprising answers and unexpected facts on everything from history and science to pop culture and nature. From the everyday to the fantastical - it's all here.
-
-
fun facts
- By joey on 01-04-25
By: Andrew Thompson
-
The Book of General Ignorance
- By: John Mitchinson, John Lloyd
- Narrated by: uncredited
- Length: 4 hrs and 20 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Misconceptions, misunderstandings, and flawed facts finally get the heave-ho in this humorous, downright humiliating book of reeducation based on the phenomenal British best seller. Challenging what most of us assume to be verifiable truths in areas like history, literature, science, nature, and more, The Book of General Ignorance is a witty “gotcha” compendium of how little we actually know about anything. It’ll have you scratching your head wondering why we even bother to go to school.
-
-
Interesting.
- By A. Hawkbird on 12-07-08
By: John Mitchinson, and others
-
Cursed Objects
- Strange but True Stories of the World's Most Infamous Items
- By: J.W. Ocker
- Narrated by: Tim Campbell
- Length: 5 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Beware...this book is cursed! These strange but true stories of the world's most infamous items will appeal to true believers as well as history buffs, horror fans, and anyone who loves a good spine-tingling tale.
-
-
Good information!
- By Amelia on 07-29-21
By: J.W. Ocker
-
Relic
- Pendergast, Book 1
- By: Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 13 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Just days before a massive exhibition opens at the popular New York Museum of Natural History, visitors are being savagely murdered in the museum's dark hallways and secret rooms. Autopsies indicate that the killer cannot be human.... But the museum's directors plan to go ahead with a big bash to celebrate the new exhibition, in spite of the murders.
-
-
Non-Perishable
- By Snoodely on 05-26-10
By: Douglas Preston, and others
-
How to Survive History
- How to Outrun a Tyrannosaurus, Escape Pompeii, Get Off the Titanic, and Survive the Rest of History's Deadliest Catastrophes
- By: Cody Cassidy
- Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris
- Length: 5 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
History is the most dangerous place on earth. From dinosaurs the size of locomotives to meteors big enough to sterilize the planet, from famines to pandemics, from tornadoes to the Chicxulub asteroid, the odds of human survival are slim but not zero—at least, not if you know where to go and what to do. In each chapter of How to Survive History, Cody Cassidy explores how to survive one of history’s greatest threats: getting eaten by dinosaurs, being destroyed by the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs, succumbing to the lava flows of Pompeii, being devoured by the Donner Party, and more.
-
-
A fun, light romp
- By Ron on 03-11-24
By: Cody Cassidy
-
Stuff They Don't Want You to Know
- By: Ben Bowlin, Matt Frederick, Noel Brown
- Narrated by: Ben Bowlin, Matt Frederick, Noel Brown
- Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Conspiracies didn’t always seem so clear and present. It used to be that people with tin-foil hats who were convinced of secret messages coming through the radio were easily disregarded as kooks and looney tunes. But these days, conspiracies feel alive and well. From internet rumors to lying politicians to the tinderbox that is social media, it’s become clear that a vast swath of people believe really bonkers things. Podcast hosts Ben Bowlin, Matthew Frederick, & Noel Brown discern conspiracy fact from fiction regarding "stuff" the government doesn’t want you to know.
-
-
Just as good as the podcast
- By Alana Talbert on 01-03-23
By: Ben Bowlin, and others
-
Ask a Historian
- 50 Surprising Answers to Things You Always Wanted to Know
- By: Greg Jenner
- Narrated by: Dan Schreiber, Greg Jenner, Janina Ramirez, and others
- Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Responding to fifty genuine questions from the public, Greg Jenner takes you on an entertaining tour through history from the Stone Age to the Swinging Sixties, revealing the best and most surprising stories, facts and historical characters from the past. From ancient joke books, African empires and the invention of meringues, to mummies, mirrors and menstrual pads—Ask A Historian is a deliciously amusing and informative smorgasbord of historical curiosities.
-
-
best bonus content ever!
- By Matthew K Wendelken on 03-24-22
By: Greg Jenner
What listeners say about Cabinet of Curiosities
Highly rated for:
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- nashqueenofheart
- 11-17-24
Pure Enjoyment!
This book was FUN! Amazing while being informative. Links between people and events I would never otherwise known!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Madison
- 12-03-24
love love love
Absolutely love this book, I cant recommend enough. Aaron Mahnke and team are killing it!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Trkmec
- 11-14-24
Fantastic!
Love this! Liks 5 minute mysteries or mysteries at the museum. Short historical stories. Near perfect narration. Very enjoyable.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Parkerfu
- 03-05-25
Interesting
If you are a fan of Lore, you'll love Cabinet of Curiosities. It's interesting...Aaron Mahnke's voice is grating, which takes away from the enjoyment of this varied collection of curiosities.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Comfortablynumb
- 01-02-25
Great stories
Two thumbs up for Aaron's stories and his performance. Quite entertaining. Thanks Aaron for all of your hard work researching etc. It is much appreciated.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kathryn Grammer
- 12-22-24
A cabinet of anecdotes
The author was a great narrator. Hearing the book rather reading it on the page makes these curiosities so much more memorable.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Olivia Main
- 01-16-25
Wonderful Stories
I love Aaron, and all of his works are right up my alley. Arranged perfectly, stories were all interesting, and Aaron has a great voice for storytelling
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Stephen T. Fox
- 01-19-25
there were some good stories but
there were some good stories but many times it felt like a weak story was propped up by the" rest of the story" format. I can see people liking it, after all Family Feud is on the air.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Beni Q.
- 01-02-25
Between the lines
The last remarks at the end of each anecdote are cringeworthy at best. The narrator is distractingly jumpy. The pieces of interview between chapters are indescribably terrible. The thorough collection of knowledge singlehandedly kept this thing afloat.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Brittany Dunn
- 03-13-25
Stranger than fiction
I enjoyed this book. I have not listened to the authors podcast or anything. Found the title and saw a sample and my curiosity was piqued.
The strange and bizarre stories sometimes have you questioning “can this be real”
But overall fun - nothing serious, just entertaining read.
I was surprised to find that I knew one of the curious stories told but all others were unknown to me and I’m sure to many. I’d recommend this book if you want to enjoy a little “weird but true” moment.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!