The Theory of Everything Else: A Voyage Into the World of the Weird

by Dan Schreiber

Why are we here? Do ghosts exist? Will we ever travel back in time? Are we being visited by extraterrestrials? Will we ever talk to animals? Are we being told the truth? Are mysterious creatures roaming the Earth? And why, when you’re in the shower, does the shower-curtain always billow in towards you?

We don’t know the answers to any of these questions (that includes the shower-curtain one, which is a mystery that has eluded scientists for decades, and which they are still trying to solve). But don’t worry, no matter what questions you have, you can bet on the fact that there is someone (or something) out there, investigating it on your behalf – and this book collects their latest findings.

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-travellers 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.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Science, Audiobook, Humor, Comedy, Philosophy

368 pages, Hardcover

First published June 27, 2023

Reviews

[K.J. Charles]

Mostly very entertaining delve into some of the weirder beliefs out there--superstitions, bizarre scientific theories and obsessions, weird coincidences, supposed ghosts. I did not know that WT Stead set up a paranormal bureau with a lady who'd been dead for 13 years, and now I do I'm officially obsessed.

It's a bit of a ragbag, and not always clear what if any parts are really true but mostly a lot of fun, also absolutely amazing in the truly hatstand beliefs held by a lot of famous and indeed powerful people.

The fun was rather spoiled, though, during a passage on the Hollow Earth theory that casually referenced the lizard people theory. You know, the *massively antisemitic* one (without mentioning that it was antisemitic, although the phrasing of the line makes it clear the author had that in mind). And while the Hollow Earth theory is just nonsense, the Flat Earth one (not discussed here) has of course sent a whole lot of people down a fascist rabbit hole in recent times. And suddenly people holding massively irrational beliefs stopped feeling like fun any more.

This is meant to be an entertaining book about weird yet harmless convictions (mostly harmless, there's the Lennon murder in here), and I can see why the author didn't want to go down into the way that they can lead to hellish places because that's an entirely different book, but as soon as the lizard people came up, that was at the forefront of my mind for the rest of the book. Deal with the topic or avoid it altogether, I think.

[Matt Lillywhite · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of raccoons... and my jaw dropped to the floor of the bookstore when I saw the cover artwork.

The Theory Of Everything Else is an interesting collection of conspiracy theories and whacky stories from history. The reason I gave this book four stars is simple: some chapters were MUCH more interesting than others. However, it's worth reading if you're interesting in the weird & wonderful.

[Mark Vent · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Theory of Everything Else is a warm, charming light hearted look at the strange, the odd, the weird and well, the downright batshit.

Dan Schreiber, of QI & No Such Thing As A Fish brings us a love letter to the odder side of life, from Aliens to murder-solving plants, from time travellers on the Titanic to Native Americans on the English south coast - these facts and ‘facts’ will keep you laughing and gasping. You may just realise how weird you are, how weird we all are - and when we can all accept our weirdness and be weird together - that could be world changing.

Thank you Dan, for the pre-read(s) ❤️

[Emma Govan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is truly fantastic, had me laughing and gasping out loud from the start. Incredible.

[Trin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hugely entertaining book of stories about weird things people have believed -- with a focus on successful people who also held outlandish beliefs. (Did you know the inventor of the PCR test claimed to have been visited by a glowing -- and possibly alien -- raccoon? Now you do!) Schreiber is the rare podcaster whose voice works equally well on the page as when he's just chatting with his mates, and he mostly walks a very difficult tonal line here: emphasizing that he does not endorse any of these theories, and even, for the most part, pointing out where weirdo ideas tumble over into problematic ones. (The PCR/raccoon guy became an anti-vaxxer.)

The one unfortunate exception to this is a section on the belief in "lizard people," in which Schreiber discusses David Icke and Alice Walker but never makes explicit that they're doing an antisemitism, actually. There's no funny or light way to discuss this "theory" if you're aware of what a dogwhistle it is, so I really wish it had just been omitted.

However, other than that, this is a return to the realm of '90s-type conspiracy theories that, as someone who grew up on The X-Files, I still have a fondness for.

[Robin Van Der Leeuw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite fun. Some interesting “theories”, some anecdotes of weird shit happening, some really funny chapters.
The writing was however under par, which I didn’t expect from Dan Schreiber, being a No Such Thing as a Fish fan. It felt like a book full of “have you heard of this? O wait, this is fun as well! And now I’m thinking of ghosts. And of presidents. Have you heard of …”. Many of the chapters and anecdotes did not really feel rounded, without a clear purpose.
Also, really many typos, more than I’ve ever come across in a book.

[ancientreader]

The writer's style set my teeth on edge for no reason I can be bothered to articulate. I kept putting it down and not wanting to pick it up again, so that's that.

[Hal Issen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This reminded me of Ripley's Believe It Or Not, or those Scholastic books that promised to explain all sorts of unusual and novel phenomema but were just a rehash of already well explored offbeat topics (Bigfoot, the Bermuda Triangle, etc.). I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 in acknowledgement of the author's central arguement: one should always be open to alternate ways of thinking. I agree, but I'm not convinced he proved his case.

[Ingrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book! Had me laughing and learning throughout.

[Rob Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dan Schreiber's "The Theory of Everything Else" takes readers on a captivating journey into the bizarre and unexplored corners of our world. With wit and humor, Schreiber delves into a wide range of strange phenomena, from mysterious historical events to bizarre scientific theories, offering a fresh perspective on the unknown.

One of the book's greatest strengths is its ability to entertain while educating. Schreiber's writing style is engaging and accessible, making complex topics easy to understand without sacrificing depth. Each chapter presents a new and intriguing topic, keeping readers hooked from start to finish.

Moreover, "The Theory of Everything Else" is well-researched and meticulously crafted. Schreiber provides ample evidence and references to support his claims, ensuring that readers can trust the information presented.

However, the book occasionally veers into tangential anecdotes that may distract from the main narrative. While these diversions are often entertaining, they can disrupt the flow of the book and leave readers craving more exploration of the central themes.

Overall, "The Theory of Everything Else" is a fascinating and thought-provoking read that will appeal to anyone with a curiosity for the strange and unusual. While it may occasionally stray off course, its engaging style and wealth of information make it a worthy addition to any bookshelf.

[Alice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Teetered dangerously between “interesting quirky podcast vibes” and “old guy who has cornered you at a party with his ‘fun’ facts about the titanic and other kind of disjointed thoughts”

[Olivia Swindler · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve ever found yourself on a Wikipedia deep dive on some random bit of trivia, this book is for you. It’s a great lighthearted listen. I knew of Schreiber from his podcast No Such Thing As a Fish, if you’re a fan of one, you’ll love the other.

[Kasandra Cossette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know if I’ve gotten 10x more interesting or 10x more annoying at dinner parties because of this book but I had an absolute blast reading it!

[Katrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many questions! So many "facts"! So funny and such a great read 😂

[Jess Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so much fun!

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this as an audiobook. It reminded me of the old conspiracy theory shows on the Discovery Channel in the early 2000s. Part 1 and part 3 were more entertaining that part 2 (in my opinion), but overall I loved listening about all the wacky theories and unbelievable stories contained in this. Would absolutely recommend to someone who wants something easy and entertaining to just pick up and put down.

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

First review for this book! Ur welcome. It’s probably good, so I think it deserves the five stars. I look forward to reading it and finding out for certain.

[Simon Pressinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chockablock with batshit ideas and wildly fringe theories throughout history. Loved it.

[Nicole Dykeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not generally a nonfiction reader. I picked this up for the Buzzword reading challenge - this month's prompt was a book with "every" in the title. I found this in a list of books other users have logged on Storygraph, thought it sounded interesting, and here we are. It was actually a lot of fun. It felt more like listening to a podcast than an audiobook (likely due to the fact that the author/narrator indeed hosts a podcast). There were tons of weird little historical tidbits, anecdotes about wacky people, and investigations into strange coincidences. I definitely found it entertaining.

[P S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun listen, some really fun parts also some that weren’t super engaging

[Rita · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learnt some funny and interesting things from this book that I won't forget soon. I liked the journey into the various "odd" beliefs.

#pauli-effect
#nobelitis
#beerbohm

[Silly Pick · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an incredible read!

Even though I have a rational mind, I also adore the whole world of the supernatural, strange coincidences and the impossible.
An easy, accessible and very entertaining essay!

[Chrysalis]

Fun, light read full of batshit 'facts' 🤪

[Abby Stapleton · Rating 3 out of 5]

rounded down from 3.25. I found a handful of parts of this book really difficult to follow and very long winded. lots of absolutely batshit and interesting theories discussed which was fun

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back in the late 60s and early 70's i read some Ripley Believe it or Not books as well as some books by Fate Magazine Frank Edward : ie Stranger than Science . Dan Schreiber tells more of the Stranger than Science type weirdness. Stories of Extraterrestrials, Weird Beliefs , Ghosts , Earth Origin stories. talking Racoons. Enjoyed a number of the President and Beatles related stories. He starts by telling us this is a book that we should not believe any of it and refers to most ideas as bat shit crazy. I had to wait 4 months to get my turn on this Libby Audiobook. A fun book.

[Gilles · Rating 4 out of 5]

A colorful collection of coincidences!

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun romp through the weirdness of the world. Humans are strange as hell, and Schreiber did a great job of introducing me to ones I didn't know about yet. Plus his narration was excellent.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so obsessed with stuff like this and I am so obsessed with dan schreiber because he is so cool (I want to be like him)

[Michael M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to go to the alien pyramids in bosnia

[Adam Lambe · Rating 4 out of 5]

One to pick up as and when read a chapter learn something and have a giggle. Lot's of weirdos out there

[Shelfish Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned some new things and had a few good chuckles but the book felt a little rushed and a bit messy. That said, not a bad read.