Book Review: Ripley's Believe it or Not!: Prepare to Be Shocked

Whenever I stop into my local Sam's Club I always make it a point to check out their book section in the warehouse. Here I come across neat books that normally I would have to pay full dollar for. Ever since becoming a member of Sam's I have managed to purchase nearly every hard cover release of Ripley's Believe It Or Not!

This particular book though has history in itself. Back in the 30's my great uncle was featured in one of Ripley's strips for teaching a goat how to smoke. Our family has framed the article which was once in the paper, and it has remained an odd and fun strip for our family to gawk at whenever at my Grandmothers house. I know it's nothing to be overly proud of, but it's interesting family history, and explains why some of us are a little... off?
 
Recently I picked up the latest hard cover copy, Ripley's Believe It or Not!: Prepare to Be Shocked.
This hard bound book features the usual Ripley's logo on it, with the usual holographic art work on the cover. This holographic image though shows a man on the cover surrounded by light bulbs and lightning. The picture won't do any justice online, when you have the book in hand the holographic image will pop in certain areas creating a neat little illusion.

The book itself is filled with 256 colored pages with pictures on every single page. The book itself features hundreds and hundreds of amazing, odd, and in some cases freaky stories about people and things in the world.

Ripley's Believe It or Not!: Prepare to Be Shocked is broken up into 17 chapters like all Ripley's books are. Chapters such as Sports, Art, Food, and so on will be found within this book.

I own nearly every book in the series however this particular one grossed me out the most because they make references to countries eating dogs far too often, and a few of the pictures in the book are enough to turn your stomach. One particular image features 3 dogs, which look like bashed up pugs hanging on a string over the counter of some street meat shop. The dogs are sold to those who enjoy eating dog meat! Ugh!

Another hideous photo shows dog paws dipped in some sort of syrup, which are sold in some places as a delicacy. One more photo that will make you feel ill is the head of a sheep which is smoked and served as a delicacy.

Besides some of the shocking and downright disgusting photos included in Ripley's Believe It or Not!: Prepare to Be Shocked, the book was also filled with tons of new and interesting facts, feats, and oddities.

Some disgusting delicacy's in other parts of the world consist of the freshly warm beating heart of a dog, smoked sheep heads, fried tarantulas, dog paws, frog legs, animal penises and rat meat.

All in all, Ripley's Believe It or Not!: Prepare to Be Shocked was probably the nastiest fact book in the set of books I have come across in my time. Although I was shocked with some of the things I came across and some of the facts presented to me, I will say that the book is an interesting twisted read from start to finish.

From $23,000 deserts, to $70,000 beverages, people born with extra limbs, horns, or digits, and even some interesting strips from the 30's are added into this book from Ripley's Vault.
 
Ripley's Believe It or Not!: Prepare to Be Shocked covers it all!

I highly recommend this one to those who enjoy the stranger things in life. You can pick this book up at local book stores, or online at Amazon. The price will range anywhere from $11.00-$20.00. You can also pick up a copy for $14.98 at Sam's Club if you are a member.