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Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining and informative look at odd-balls
Review: Any book that describes Day Crockett as "the strangest man I ever saw. He had the face of a woman, and his manner was that of a girl" is going to capture my attention. That description appears in "Eccentrics" followed by the qualification that, as the Alamo fell, Crockett "looked grand and terrible, shouting at the front door and fighting a whole column of Mexican infantry."The authors, who may be a bit eccentric themselves, first define eccentricity, then supply multiple examples arranged in such categories as: The Scientists, Eccentric Childhood, and Sexual Eccentricity (the latter being not quite as titillating as it sounds). They also examine the borderline between eccentricity and mental illness (a fine one) as well as some peculiarities, such as arrested speech development, relating it to eccentricity. An interesting read, the only latent problem in the book is that, after reading it, you may find yourself looking at some of your acquaintances with different eyes (not to mention yourself.) On the other hand, you might use it as a springboard to finding and developing the eccentric parts of your own character.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining and informative look at odd-balls
Review: Any book that describes Day Crockett as "the strangest man I ever saw. He had the face of a woman, and his manner was that of a girl" is going to capture my attention. That description appears in "Eccentrics" followed by the qualification that, as the Alamo fell, Crockett "looked grand and terrible, shouting at the front door and fighting a whole column of Mexican infantry." The authors, who may be a bit eccentric themselves, first define eccentricity, then supply multiple examples arranged in such categories as: The Scientists, Eccentric Childhood, and Sexual Eccentricity (the latter being not quite as titillating as it sounds). They also examine the borderline between eccentricity and mental illness (a fine one) as well as some peculiarities, such as arrested speech development, relating it to eccentricity. An interesting read, the only latent problem in the book is that, after reading it, you may find yourself looking at some of your acquaintances with different eyes (not to mention yourself.) On the other hand, you might use it as a springboard to finding and developing the eccentric parts of your own character.
Rating: 
Summary: Where else would you find a woman with 7,5oo Lawn Gnomes¿¿¿
Review: At last I can begin to understand my weirdness. Now I know that there is a word to describe my pyschological condition: eccentric. But the authors go at lengths to point out that this is much different from a mental illness. In fact, eccentrics are healthier than normal and show less schizophrenic signs. I would go as far as saying that we are extra sane. (Though my personal theory of pyschology is that *everyone is 'insane') It's not negative at all, in fact (pp.19) "Human evolution needs human eccentricity." Eccentrics, besides being nonconforming, are also commonly scientists or artists--and either or neither are very creative. The researchers let us know that true eccentrics are never acting. They are strong individuals with strange inclinations of their own, which they are not afraid to express. With the study of eccentricity we may finally gain a better understanding of all the revolutionary figures in all walks of history from Jesus Christ to Albert Einstein. However, "for all practical purposes, as far as modern medicine is concerned eccentricity does not exist." Dr. David Weeks and Jamie James have take the first scientific approach to the mutations of social evolution. {i.e., eccentrics} Accordingly I give them a full rating of five stars and recommend this book to every human being.
Rating:
Summary: as quirky a study as its subjects
Review: Fascinating survey of English and American eccentrics throughout the ages. The authors interviewed subjects and came up with a handful of traits common to most people considered eccentric. They also learn that it can't be chalked up either to nature or nuture. (Sometimes even the most chance remark can help propel a child onto that path.) While obviously trying not to romanticize their subjects, the authors did conclude that the eccentrics were some of the happiest people they had met. If this is true, perhaps we should try a little less hard to be ordinary or "normal."
Rating:
Summary: as quirky a study as its subjects
Review: Not a whole lot to come away with from this book. No really shocking findings or anything you wouldn't expect. However, it's a good collection of microstories and anecdotes about really weird people, which was entertaining at least.
Rating: 
Summary: More of a anecdote collection
Review: Not a whole lot to come away with from this book. No really shocking findings or anything you wouldn't expect. However, it's a good collection of microstories and anecdotes about really weird people, which was entertaining at least.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting conclusions to a challenging study
Review: Separating the eccentric from the neurotic couldn't have been easy from the standpoint of professional credibility, but this book discusses some interesting conclusions regarding our eccentric fellows -- happier, better health, etc. I found the book to be a fast, informative read and my only problem with it was the sometimes outlandish examples of eccentricity culled from hundreds of years ago, which didn't seem to strengthen or weaken the study's conclusions. Here'a book that should reinforce your own sense of individuality in the face of steadily-increasing pressures to conform.
Rating:
Summary: Rather Inspiring!
Review: This book is trash written by a man with no faculty for research and no clear understanding of the subject. First define eccentric people as unconventional types who are healthy, happy and functional (unhappy, nonfunctional types are after all neurotic- not eccentric). Then make the astounding discovery that eccentrics are happier,healthier and more functional than the average. If this sounds like science to you then you might enjoy the book. The author fails to distinguish between eccentrics who don't care about conformity , and those unfortunates who are grossly deluded or constitutionally incapable of conformity. The author fails to recognise cold-blooded social sarcasm as oppposed to eccentricity. As an experienced eccentric I found the book poorly thought out, self contradictory, and somewhat patronizing.
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