Encyclopedic in scope, we begin with a look at the USA at large in a chapter called "America's Peculiar Passtimes." These are not so much tourist destinations as general US eccentricities: Car Culture, Eccentric Sports, Eccentric Groups, Miscellaneous Eccentricities, Curious Collections and Passtimes, and Corporate Eccentricities.

The following chapter, "The Eccentric Year," gives a month by month listing of odd festivals and special events around the country. Examples include the International Water Tasting Competition, Mike the Headless Chicken Days, The Boom Box Parade, the Oatmeal Festival, the Emma Crawford Coffin Races and many, many more.

The remainder of the book is a state by state guide of the odd, unusual and eccentric. Categories of high weirdness include

• Eccentric Environments - odd and unusual homes and buildings like Wisconsin's House on the Rock, Bishop's Castle, and Grandma Prisbey's Bottle Village.
• Museums and collections - the Museum of Jurassic technology, the Spam Museum, Museum of Beverage Containers, the Campbell's Collection of Soup Tureens, a Ventriloquist Museum and more. * Attractions - more than 100 off-beat, wacky attractions and monuments.
• Just Plain Weird - a catch-all category that describes 90 people, places or things that defy labels. Examples include the World's Largest Ball of Twine and Thomasville's Big Chair.
• Cities and Towns - the author has found a dozen or towns so unique in character they deserve their own category.
• Grandiose Schemes - This category represents exceptionally unrealistic and ambitious undertakings.
• Tours - more than 60 quirky tours led by knowledgeable guides.
• Shopping - Dozes of unique and unusual shopping experiences.
• Quirky Cuisine - Odd restaurants rated not so much for quality as for their eccentric quotient.
• Quirky Quarters - Seventy unusual places to spend the night.
• Entertainment - Some long running, unusual entertainment opportunities.
• Maps and Travel Info.

This vacation, do something a little off the beaten path and leave the hoards of tourists behind. This book is your guide.