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The Witch's Door: Oddities and Tales from the Esoteric to the Extreme
In this spellbinding and entertaining memoir, Regina and Ryan Cohn, founders of Oddities Flea Market, take us on a fascinating and specially curated tour of their most macabre and mysterious objects, art, and artifacts, sharing their incredible history and stories.
Enter at your own risk …
Enter at your own risk …
304 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
May 9, 2024
3.5. This book has so much potential. It’s going to be beautiful with photos and formatting. I love wonder cabinets and medical artifacts. However, half this book is the memoir of the writers who are collectors themselves. Now, I worked in museums before I became a teacher, and love collectors, but I wasn’t expecting quite so much personal memoir. Like many collectors, Ryan is very interested in himself. I wanted a beautiful, historical book for students to page through and learn about relentlessly wonderful history. There is some of that here. The sections on the meaning and significance of artifacts are well done. There’s just not nearly enough of it,
October 20, 2024
Okay overall. I wanted more on the oddities and less an autobiography of the two
May 14, 2024
I'm not quite sure how to describe this book other than to say that it is just so freakin' cool. I've always had a soft spot for oddities and curiosities and those who collect them -- this book is such a neat look into this very interesting niche world.
April 21, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this unique book!
A wonderful exploration of the world of Oddities and the story that aligns with each one. Each chapter of the book is filled with gripping stories of the lore and world of Oddities.
This story drips with passion and hard work for the love of creating and replicating Oddities. This book should be sold at the Oddities Expos around the world! It literally starts from the bottom, and only goes up from there! I especially liked hearing about the Proposal in the Catacombs (lol). Ryan explains the history and cultural significance behind prominent pieces as well as processing and care for the craft of collecting, preparing, and creating art that can come from all kinds of oddities. This book debunks myths about oddities as well as how to spot fakes, in some cases.
“You never know what you’ll find—even in your own collection”
A wonderful exploration of the world of Oddities and the story that aligns with each one. Each chapter of the book is filled with gripping stories of the lore and world of Oddities.
This story drips with passion and hard work for the love of creating and replicating Oddities. This book should be sold at the Oddities Expos around the world! It literally starts from the bottom, and only goes up from there! I especially liked hearing about the Proposal in the Catacombs (lol). Ryan explains the history and cultural significance behind prominent pieces as well as processing and care for the craft of collecting, preparing, and creating art that can come from all kinds of oddities. This book debunks myths about oddities as well as how to spot fakes, in some cases.
“You never know what you’ll find—even in your own collection”
December 5, 2024
I wanted more oddities and less autobiography.
September 3, 2024
The Witch's Door: Oddities and Tales from the Esoteric to the Extreme is part behind-the-scenes look at the Oddities Flea Market/oddities collecting business and part memoir.
Based on the description for this book, I thought this would be more focused on the business side of the Oddities Flea Market and the objects themselves, and less of a personal memoir focused on the personalities behind the shop/television series. I think it leans pretty heavily toward being about the personal histories of the authors. I was unfamiliar with the TV show and shop, so I didn’t go in with previous interest/being part of a fandom, and so I don’t know if I was the intended audience for this, and that may be part of why it didn’t land well with me. I will say, if you are a fan of them, I do think you will find this interesting, and I thought that their sections were cohesive even though they were written by two authors.
I enjoyed some of the informational aspects of the book, specifically around the histories of certain objects or types of artifacts, how the authors authenticate pieces, finessing reluctant sellers, ethical issues in the trade, et cetera. I would have liked to see the entire book structured more heavily around core issues in collecting and selling. You will also find some interesting images. But, I will say, there were a few issues covered that I think could have been addressed with more care and consideration. Some topics were just handled in ways that felt off-putting.
I also found the writing style to be a bit simplistic. It felt like a casual conversation with a friend, especially when the authors were relaying stories and conversations they had. Overall, I think this book might have tried to be too many things at once. I feel like the authors could have made distinct works that covered the inside workings of the collecting and selling, and then also a separate memoir, and then maybe also a coffee table book with visual interest pieces. This work just felt a bit unfocused to me, and I don’t know that it delivered on what the description promised.
*Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!*
Based on the description for this book, I thought this would be more focused on the business side of the Oddities Flea Market and the objects themselves, and less of a personal memoir focused on the personalities behind the shop/television series. I think it leans pretty heavily toward being about the personal histories of the authors. I was unfamiliar with the TV show and shop, so I didn’t go in with previous interest/being part of a fandom, and so I don’t know if I was the intended audience for this, and that may be part of why it didn’t land well with me. I will say, if you are a fan of them, I do think you will find this interesting, and I thought that their sections were cohesive even though they were written by two authors.
I enjoyed some of the informational aspects of the book, specifically around the histories of certain objects or types of artifacts, how the authors authenticate pieces, finessing reluctant sellers, ethical issues in the trade, et cetera. I would have liked to see the entire book structured more heavily around core issues in collecting and selling. You will also find some interesting images. But, I will say, there were a few issues covered that I think could have been addressed with more care and consideration. Some topics were just handled in ways that felt off-putting.
I also found the writing style to be a bit simplistic. It felt like a casual conversation with a friend, especially when the authors were relaying stories and conversations they had. Overall, I think this book might have tried to be too many things at once. I feel like the authors could have made distinct works that covered the inside workings of the collecting and selling, and then also a separate memoir, and then maybe also a coffee table book with visual interest pieces. This work just felt a bit unfocused to me, and I don’t know that it delivered on what the description promised.
*Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!*
August 13, 2024
This book is an autobiography and I ended up skimming the second half of the book.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
When I received this book, I honestly had no idea it would be a piece of non-fiction or an autobiography. I think I thought it would be another paranormal or fantasy story.
Instead, its the first person narrative of how Ryan Cohn, from the TV Show Oddities, came into being interested in items like skulls, shrunken heads, etc. How he formed collections, preserved pieces, worked with collectors, started House of Wax and more. While parts of this book were interesting, such as the history behind shrunken heads and the real-life photos of item he talks about in the book, it just wasn't my cup of tea.
I got bored half way thru and started skimming the book. So... you could say this is a DNF for me. BUT I do believe that if oddities are interesting to you, you'd probably like hearing about it from Ryan- he's definitely a scholar of it.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
When I received this book, I honestly had no idea it would be a piece of non-fiction or an autobiography. I think I thought it would be another paranormal or fantasy story.
Instead, its the first person narrative of how Ryan Cohn, from the TV Show Oddities, came into being interested in items like skulls, shrunken heads, etc. How he formed collections, preserved pieces, worked with collectors, started House of Wax and more. While parts of this book were interesting, such as the history behind shrunken heads and the real-life photos of item he talks about in the book, it just wasn't my cup of tea.
I got bored half way thru and started skimming the book. So... you could say this is a DNF for me. BUT I do believe that if oddities are interesting to you, you'd probably like hearing about it from Ryan- he's definitely a scholar of it.
April 27, 2024
ARC for review. To be published October 1, 2024.
A book of oddities focused primarily on death in both narrative and visual form.
The authors, two interesting people, tell of their adventures in buying, selling and marketing oddities. Ryan was on a TV show about them that I hadn’t heard of and Regina is his wife. They delight in being “spooky” people but also get down and dirty about the business, which is fascinating.
A book of oddities focused primarily on death in both narrative and visual form.
The authors, two interesting people, tell of their adventures in buying, selling and marketing oddities. Ryan was on a TV show about them that I hadn’t heard of and Regina is his wife. They delight in being “spooky” people but also get down and dirty about the business, which is fascinating.
September 30, 2024
This book introduces you to the world of oddities that has been curated by Regina and Ryan Cohn, creators of the Oddities Flea Market. This is a look at their life collecting and some of the items that have been a part of their collection.
I will admit, I didn’t really know a lot about either Ryan or Regina. I only recently started following Ryan after seeing someone share one of his posts, so I had no knowledge about the show Oddities, which he stars in, or that they were the creators of the Oddities Flea Market. I know of the Oddities Flea Market because there is one somewhat close to where I live, but I haven't been yet. I do find oddities fascinating though so when I saw Ryan advertise his new book I knew I wanted to read it.
This talks about multiple big collections that they purchased and what happened before, during, and after. The stories were very interesting and I learned a lot about curiosities and the trading of them. I also really enjoyed learning about all the different kinds of curiosities that are in people’s collections.
I think my only real complaint is that in some of the stories they expect you to be familiar with their lives and will sometimes refer to collections or things, that I assume were on Oddities or on their instagram, but since I am new to this couple I wasn’t getting the full context but I understood enough that it didn’t impede me enjoying the story.
Overall, this was a fascinating look at oddities and the collecting of them. I learned a lot and it makes me not feel as bad about being drawn to weird items that some people just don’t understand.
*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
I will admit, I didn’t really know a lot about either Ryan or Regina. I only recently started following Ryan after seeing someone share one of his posts, so I had no knowledge about the show Oddities, which he stars in, or that they were the creators of the Oddities Flea Market. I know of the Oddities Flea Market because there is one somewhat close to where I live, but I haven't been yet. I do find oddities fascinating though so when I saw Ryan advertise his new book I knew I wanted to read it.
This talks about multiple big collections that they purchased and what happened before, during, and after. The stories were very interesting and I learned a lot about curiosities and the trading of them. I also really enjoyed learning about all the different kinds of curiosities that are in people’s collections.
I think my only real complaint is that in some of the stories they expect you to be familiar with their lives and will sometimes refer to collections or things, that I assume were on Oddities or on their instagram, but since I am new to this couple I wasn’t getting the full context but I understood enough that it didn’t impede me enjoying the story.
Overall, this was a fascinating look at oddities and the collecting of them. I learned a lot and it makes me not feel as bad about being drawn to weird items that some people just don’t understand.
*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
August 31, 2024
While I have never seen an episode of Ryan’s
Show ‘Oddities’, I do follow him and Regina on Instagram, so I was excited to see they had written a book.
If you have ever been fascinated by the strange and odd in a museum or flea market, this book is for you. If you have thought about buying such items, then this book is for you. The book goes into depth about how certain items in their collections came into their possession. It also tells about their background and how they connected.
A delightful look behind the curtain and one of the most fascinating collecting couple out there.
Thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for the digital copy in exchange for my review.
Show ‘Oddities’, I do follow him and Regina on Instagram, so I was excited to see they had written a book.
If you have ever been fascinated by the strange and odd in a museum or flea market, this book is for you. If you have thought about buying such items, then this book is for you. The book goes into depth about how certain items in their collections came into their possession. It also tells about their background and how they connected.
A delightful look behind the curtain and one of the most fascinating collecting couple out there.
Thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for the digital copy in exchange for my review.
November 14, 2024
I really enjoyed this book! It makes me want to get weird.
I feel like Ryan and Regina are meant to be together and I want to tour their house.
I will definitely buy the coffee table book if and when it comes out.
I feel like Ryan and Regina are meant to be together and I want to tour their house.
I will definitely buy the coffee table book if and when it comes out.
April 22, 2024
Wonderful collection of stories that I could not put down.
November 23, 2024
If you enjoyed the TV show, you will most likely also enjoy the book.
It felt like meeting up with a friend you haven't seen for a long time.
It felt like meeting up with a friend you haven't seen for a long time.
May 27, 2024
Wow! This is one of those things I wouldn’t typically grab and read but I’m glad I did. It grabbed ahold of me and didn’t let me go. It was one heck of a book!
From the start, I thought this was going to be interesting. It immediately started out describing different cultures and saying without really stating that even the odd is cool. I loved how so many things were packed into the book but read smoothly and wasn’t fast paced. It showed all kinds of different times, cultures, and people. There was a lot of information I wouldn’t really think twice about before but now I know when I see something the book talked about, I know I’ll be looking at the item with new eyes.
If it wasn’t for the pictures, it would be hard for me to really understand what the objects were. I don’t normally read book with pictures because I feel like I’m cheating myself out of a book, but without them here, I wouldn’t know what they were talking about. It also showed the complex details Ryan and Regina saw and was obsessed with. It was just one of those books you can see things through someone else’s eyes but feel like you know what’s being said without using your imagination to much.
Everything was great. The book kept me entertained, I learned a whole lot of things, and realized that being a little off step is ok. There’s no such thing as a perfect model and it’s alright to be different. One thing I would change though was maybe not highlight the “famous” life they had/have so much. Not everyone can do what they did but I do find it inspiring that they were able to grow up without camera and influential people and still make a name for themselves.
Like I said, this is one of those books I wouldn’t think twice about if I saw it on a shelf. I would’ve missed a great story, a great representation of the odd and taboo things in life and great and interesting objects. If I were to walk into an antique shop or see something on the internet of one of the objects talked out in this book, I would’ve thought it was something strange and not understand the importance of all things. Now, I know that even if I don’t find it cool or it doesn’t spark interest to me, I’ll still give it the curiosity and questions it deserves.
I love books that teach me something, and this one sure did. It was inspiring and knowable but not overly done or written like a textbook. It flowed well, didn’t overly describe a topic, or overly talk about an object. It’s defiantly one of the books that’s going to stick with me for a long, long time. Possibly for the rest of my life. Even if I don’t get into oddity collecting, it’s something that can still be applied to everyday life. It’s just a really good book with so many stories. It blew my mind and broadened my interests. Defiantly worth the money and time.
From the start, I thought this was going to be interesting. It immediately started out describing different cultures and saying without really stating that even the odd is cool. I loved how so many things were packed into the book but read smoothly and wasn’t fast paced. It showed all kinds of different times, cultures, and people. There was a lot of information I wouldn’t really think twice about before but now I know when I see something the book talked about, I know I’ll be looking at the item with new eyes.
If it wasn’t for the pictures, it would be hard for me to really understand what the objects were. I don’t normally read book with pictures because I feel like I’m cheating myself out of a book, but without them here, I wouldn’t know what they were talking about. It also showed the complex details Ryan and Regina saw and was obsessed with. It was just one of those books you can see things through someone else’s eyes but feel like you know what’s being said without using your imagination to much.
Everything was great. The book kept me entertained, I learned a whole lot of things, and realized that being a little off step is ok. There’s no such thing as a perfect model and it’s alright to be different. One thing I would change though was maybe not highlight the “famous” life they had/have so much. Not everyone can do what they did but I do find it inspiring that they were able to grow up without camera and influential people and still make a name for themselves.
Like I said, this is one of those books I wouldn’t think twice about if I saw it on a shelf. I would’ve missed a great story, a great representation of the odd and taboo things in life and great and interesting objects. If I were to walk into an antique shop or see something on the internet of one of the objects talked out in this book, I would’ve thought it was something strange and not understand the importance of all things. Now, I know that even if I don’t find it cool or it doesn’t spark interest to me, I’ll still give it the curiosity and questions it deserves.
I love books that teach me something, and this one sure did. It was inspiring and knowable but not overly done or written like a textbook. It flowed well, didn’t overly describe a topic, or overly talk about an object. It’s defiantly one of the books that’s going to stick with me for a long, long time. Possibly for the rest of my life. Even if I don’t get into oddity collecting, it’s something that can still be applied to everyday life. It’s just a really good book with so many stories. It blew my mind and broadened my interests. Defiantly worth the money and time.
July 30, 2024
As a fan of the TV show Oddities - I was drawn immediately to this offering. ( Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for a chance to review this book.) This is the memoir of a sorts written by Ryan Cohn - documenting his passion for "oddities" and his rise in the field as creator, collector, and authority.
I was fascinated by his early career, apprenticed to a jeweler, and learning traditional fabrication techniques. I can see how that diverse technical skill base held him in great stead as he began work with trephinated skulls - which he is an authority in during the show. The tales of his youth starting his personal collection were intense! The book goes on to cover the experiences related to filming the show - and then on to his meeting and courtship with Regina. I found it compelling as it continued up until 2020, and related their struggles starting a fledgling business during a global pandemic.
One thing I was struck by was the desire for and joy in finding community. As an artist and a member of the Mythic Arts community - it is a homecoming to find the peers that work in the same motif and share the same passions. I found myself relating to Ryan's experiences among the circuit of collectors and clients... although this isn't my genre, the sense of finding community was so relatable!
I found the book to be a fast and easy read, it is very conversational in tone. It contains many illustrations - which I think are essential to telling its tale. ( Although I wished for more.) I think it would be a great gift, or "coffee table" book for collectors, fans of the macabre, collectors of natural history...
I was fascinated by his early career, apprenticed to a jeweler, and learning traditional fabrication techniques. I can see how that diverse technical skill base held him in great stead as he began work with trephinated skulls - which he is an authority in during the show. The tales of his youth starting his personal collection were intense! The book goes on to cover the experiences related to filming the show - and then on to his meeting and courtship with Regina. I found it compelling as it continued up until 2020, and related their struggles starting a fledgling business during a global pandemic.
One thing I was struck by was the desire for and joy in finding community. As an artist and a member of the Mythic Arts community - it is a homecoming to find the peers that work in the same motif and share the same passions. I found myself relating to Ryan's experiences among the circuit of collectors and clients... although this isn't my genre, the sense of finding community was so relatable!
I found the book to be a fast and easy read, it is very conversational in tone. It contains many illustrations - which I think are essential to telling its tale. ( Although I wished for more.) I think it would be a great gift, or "coffee table" book for collectors, fans of the macabre, collectors of natural history...
July 9, 2024
This book is a great example of how a person can be a storyteller, but not...a writer. (That feels like I'm being judgmental.) (But I am! I'm judging a book on the book-judging place!) Which is to say that the prose was sometimes - not even infrequently - so boring that it actually got in the way of how potentially interesting the stories were. The chapters had the quality of very long Instagram captions, stories that must be great when you're sitting with the authors in some velvet and skull-fest of a room, moodily lit to highlight their fancy outfits while you drink expensive cocktails and they tell you all about their lives. There's dry ice smoke coming from somewhere, but you can't tell exactly where. In the distance a wolf howls, which is weird because you're in Brooklyn.
I was not familiar with either of the authors before this, but I can absolutely see how it was a gimme for them to put together a book. But their story is a visual one - from the obvious fact that they're collectors of neat-looking curiosities, to the way that they likely would not have gotten this level of fame and TV exposure if they weren't a good-looking and well-dressed couple of professional goths. It was frustrating reading about all of these cool objects they were tracking down while not getting to see all that many of them; the photos are few and far between in this book compared to the volume of prose.
I don't know why this book in particular makes me feel like I shouldn't be mean, but I'm going to try and say this delicately: although I get why the couple thing is a big selling point, I think the inclusion of some of Regina's sections should have been reconsidered given that the totality of them ends up being kind of a bunch of complaining. (Ugh, our TV wedding might have looked cool but filming it sucked. Ugh, our honeymoon was ruined by Ryan working on a wax doll deal the whole time. Ugh, the pandemic interrupted our plans. Ugh, where are we going to put all this stuff Ryan just bought?!) Like, all the complaints are fair! Just...you know, not all that interesting to hear about.
This book will likely be interesting for fans and fellow collectors (I'm a vintage dealer myself, so I did connect to the passion here!), but if what you really want is an in-depth peek inside a cabinet of curiosities, I gotta say this ain't it.
My thanks to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
I was not familiar with either of the authors before this, but I can absolutely see how it was a gimme for them to put together a book. But their story is a visual one - from the obvious fact that they're collectors of neat-looking curiosities, to the way that they likely would not have gotten this level of fame and TV exposure if they weren't a good-looking and well-dressed couple of professional goths. It was frustrating reading about all of these cool objects they were tracking down while not getting to see all that many of them; the photos are few and far between in this book compared to the volume of prose.
I don't know why this book in particular makes me feel like I shouldn't be mean, but I'm going to try and say this delicately: although I get why the couple thing is a big selling point, I think the inclusion of some of Regina's sections should have been reconsidered given that the totality of them ends up being kind of a bunch of complaining. (Ugh, our TV wedding might have looked cool but filming it sucked. Ugh, our honeymoon was ruined by Ryan working on a wax doll deal the whole time. Ugh, the pandemic interrupted our plans. Ugh, where are we going to put all this stuff Ryan just bought?!) Like, all the complaints are fair! Just...you know, not all that interesting to hear about.
This book will likely be interesting for fans and fellow collectors (I'm a vintage dealer myself, so I did connect to the passion here!), but if what you really want is an in-depth peek inside a cabinet of curiosities, I gotta say this ain't it.
My thanks to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
June 20, 2024
Witch's Door: Oddities and Tales from the Esoteric to the Extreme
by: Ryan Matthew Cohn + Regina M. Cohn
due 10-1-24
Chronicle Prism
5.0 stars
I am blowing kisses .....I fell in love with this book. It is exactly what you would want from a book by Ryan and Regina Cohn. Strange, Extreme and absolutely wonderful. I was (still am, actually)a huge fan of the television series,'Oddities'. Ryan starred on the reality show and every episode I marvelled at the wild and awesome adventures finding real and true artifacts, and their presentation of them. Ryan is so personable and fun, it made the show even better.
Ryan and Regina kept the dream alive, after the tv series, by forming and founding 'Oddities Flea Market', curating the best artists and collectors of taxidermy, oddities and dark art. It is an actual flea market, and is held in different cities across the USA (and beyond), throughout the year; and is one of the few places you actually can go to see and purchase these amazing artifacts outside a museum. Ryan and Regina travel and scope the world looking for purchases of the odd, strange and extreme. Regina is the co-founder and producer of 'Oddities Flea Market'. Her dedication and hard work helped to expand the Flea Market, from Brooklyn to LA - Chicago- Seattle and many more cities. I loved reading about how they found the actual artifacts, the people they met and dealt with while searching and finding them. It was so interesting to find out what seperated the pieces they kept, from the ones they pass on, of purchase for re-sale. Like, Mr.Peepers, the taxidermy monkey, decorated Kapala skulls. Haunted dolls, and an actual, real Witch's Door. And so many more.... Fascinating stuff.
This is a collectible book I am looking forward to purchasing for myself. Ryan and Regina are such awesome people. Filled with daring photographs and stories, presented with excellence and finesse. Unbelievibly real and true, check this out. I highly recommend it.
Thanks to NetGalley for sending this e-book ARC for review.
#WitchsDoor #NetGalley
by: Ryan Matthew Cohn + Regina M. Cohn
due 10-1-24
Chronicle Prism
5.0 stars
I am blowing kisses .....I fell in love with this book. It is exactly what you would want from a book by Ryan and Regina Cohn. Strange, Extreme and absolutely wonderful. I was (still am, actually)a huge fan of the television series,'Oddities'. Ryan starred on the reality show and every episode I marvelled at the wild and awesome adventures finding real and true artifacts, and their presentation of them. Ryan is so personable and fun, it made the show even better.
Ryan and Regina kept the dream alive, after the tv series, by forming and founding 'Oddities Flea Market', curating the best artists and collectors of taxidermy, oddities and dark art. It is an actual flea market, and is held in different cities across the USA (and beyond), throughout the year; and is one of the few places you actually can go to see and purchase these amazing artifacts outside a museum. Ryan and Regina travel and scope the world looking for purchases of the odd, strange and extreme. Regina is the co-founder and producer of 'Oddities Flea Market'. Her dedication and hard work helped to expand the Flea Market, from Brooklyn to LA - Chicago- Seattle and many more cities. I loved reading about how they found the actual artifacts, the people they met and dealt with while searching and finding them. It was so interesting to find out what seperated the pieces they kept, from the ones they pass on, of purchase for re-sale. Like, Mr.Peepers, the taxidermy monkey, decorated Kapala skulls. Haunted dolls, and an actual, real Witch's Door. And so many more.... Fascinating stuff.
This is a collectible book I am looking forward to purchasing for myself. Ryan and Regina are such awesome people. Filled with daring photographs and stories, presented with excellence and finesse. Unbelievibly real and true, check this out. I highly recommend it.
Thanks to NetGalley for sending this e-book ARC for review.
#WitchsDoor #NetGalley
October 17, 2024
Going into The Witch's Door I wanted to love it as a lover of all oddities and all that is esoteric, it could have been a guide into the history of oddities and the esoteric items the authors had come across and brought into their collection. Instead, we received a memoir that came across as dismissive of the history of the items, and of the real lives they are tied to in the past and focused instead on the lives of the authors and how 'interesting' they are.
I want to tell you that I enjoyed this book, but I did not, it was deeply uninformative, did not hold my attention, and read like the memoir of those who are disconnected from their own privilege and wealth and instead see themselves as upstart oddities 'collectors' while not providing the context on the items the entire book is meant to be about. Picking this up I wanted to learn more about the weird and strange items they had handled in their lives, not about their personal lives and romance, or how they dated famous individuals.
I cannot recommend this book despite the editing and writing being well done as it does not contain the contact that both the blurb, cover, description, and advertising are promising. If you want a memoir this may be a book you would enjoy, but if you want to learn more about oddities and the history behind them this isn't the book you should be picking up.
I received an advance review copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts and opinions are wholly my own and unbiased.
I want to tell you that I enjoyed this book, but I did not, it was deeply uninformative, did not hold my attention, and read like the memoir of those who are disconnected from their own privilege and wealth and instead see themselves as upstart oddities 'collectors' while not providing the context on the items the entire book is meant to be about. Picking this up I wanted to learn more about the weird and strange items they had handled in their lives, not about their personal lives and romance, or how they dated famous individuals.
I cannot recommend this book despite the editing and writing being well done as it does not contain the contact that both the blurb, cover, description, and advertising are promising. If you want a memoir this may be a book you would enjoy, but if you want to learn more about oddities and the history behind them this isn't the book you should be picking up.
I received an advance review copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts and opinions are wholly my own and unbiased.
June 15, 2024
Rating: 3.75 rounded up. I recently joined Netgalley, and this was my first ARC. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. As other reviewers have mentioned, this book serves mostly as an autobiography for the collectors. While I thought the engagement story and others were humorous and entertaining, I found many of the sections to be repetitive. The progression wasn't chronological so the author spent time revisiting some of the same details. This worked in a sense that the Witch's Door was the introduction and conclusion. Metaphorically, doors serve as portals that can defy space and time, and when I thought if it that way, it didn't bother me. I wish there had been a little more focus on sub-categories of oddities, history, detection of authenticity, etc. Since the author related collectibles along his journey to memories associated with tattoos, I'm sure there are plenty of other stories that could've been shared about individual pieces. Maybe they were not included because the acquisition of collections that had been most career-altering.
P.S.: I hope Mr. Peepers can be restored to full glory.
P.S.: I hope Mr. Peepers can be restored to full glory.
June 3, 2024
🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
This was such a uniquely beautiful and interesting book. I read through it in one day because I wanted to see what other treasures were amoung the pages!
While this book will not be for everyone, it will certainly find its way to those who will appreciate and enjoy the content.
Part memoir for Regina M. Rossi and Ryan Cohn, part oddity extravaganza. It was fun to hear about their stories, both individually and together and learn about the fascinating items they have come across over the years. To be able to see some of the curiosities in the book is such a treat because most of us will never be able to see those items outside of a book. Absolute treasure, thoroughly enjoyed!!!
Thank you to the authors, Regina M. Rossi and Ryan Cohn, NetGalley and the publisher, Chronicle Books, for the opportunity to read this book. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. The book is set to publish October 1, 2024, perfect for spooky season!👻
#TheWitchsDoor #NetGalley
This was such a uniquely beautiful and interesting book. I read through it in one day because I wanted to see what other treasures were amoung the pages!
While this book will not be for everyone, it will certainly find its way to those who will appreciate and enjoy the content.
Part memoir for Regina M. Rossi and Ryan Cohn, part oddity extravaganza. It was fun to hear about their stories, both individually and together and learn about the fascinating items they have come across over the years. To be able to see some of the curiosities in the book is such a treat because most of us will never be able to see those items outside of a book. Absolute treasure, thoroughly enjoyed!!!
Thank you to the authors, Regina M. Rossi and Ryan Cohn, NetGalley and the publisher, Chronicle Books, for the opportunity to read this book. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. The book is set to publish October 1, 2024, perfect for spooky season!👻
#TheWitchsDoor #NetGalley
December 10, 2024
I picked this up because I am a massive Korn fan and when Jonathan Davis recommends a book on Instagram, you better believe I'm going to read it. It helps that it I used to watch the show Oddities back in the day and loved it - creepy antique curiosities definitely fit into my aesthetic, but alas, such things freak out my immediate family so I don't collect them personally. This book gives the reader an interesting peek into the high end world of collecting unusual - and often morbid - curiosities. Most of the book is written by Ryan, and he really nails that euphoric high you get when finding a rare and desirable piece for your collection. But I wanted more about the pieces themselves - more pictures, more history, more context, more everything. Ultimately, I felt like everything was treated pretty superficially in this book, more a series of loosely connected anecdotes than a well crafted memoir. Love the cover, though - gorgeous. Plus, any book that name drops both Jonathan Davis and Rob Zombie is going to find room on my shelves.
May 30, 2024
I've been following both Ryan and Regina for many years and have a small collection of oddities myself, so this book was naturally a must-read for me.
"The Witch's Door" reads like an intimate tour through their both their home and histories. Learning the stories behind the faces that have graced my social media feeds for so long was an enlightening and thrilling experience. While I was already familiar with many of the works featured, discovering the tales of their creation and acquisition only deepened my respect and admiration for this unique power couple.
The photographs in the book are stunning and contribute perfectly to its immersive feel. But of course, I expected nothing less from such proven masters of aesthetics.
Overall, this was an easy 10/10 for me. I'm so grateful that the Cohns so generously opened their door and allowed us this unique opportunity to explore their stunning, spooky, weird lil world.
Thanks to NetGalley & Chronicle Books for blessing me with the ARC!
"The Witch's Door" reads like an intimate tour through their both their home and histories. Learning the stories behind the faces that have graced my social media feeds for so long was an enlightening and thrilling experience. While I was already familiar with many of the works featured, discovering the tales of their creation and acquisition only deepened my respect and admiration for this unique power couple.
The photographs in the book are stunning and contribute perfectly to its immersive feel. But of course, I expected nothing less from such proven masters of aesthetics.
Overall, this was an easy 10/10 for me. I'm so grateful that the Cohns so generously opened their door and allowed us this unique opportunity to explore their stunning, spooky, weird lil world.
Thanks to NetGalley & Chronicle Books for blessing me with the ARC!
June 5, 2024
Thank you Netgalley for the eARC
4.0
The Witch's Door is filled with images and the narrative of both authors learning about their passion of the esoteric. Beginning from the interest in certain hobbies such as collecting skull pieces and fashioning it into an exploded skull. It is an eye opener to these bizarre and eccentric activities. I find it to be fascinating, a good introduction, and contains a lot of historical information and a balance with the author's experiences. I appreciated the images chosen, as a lot of reviewers have mentioned, unless you are familiar with the hobby, it's difficult to understand the process without having a visual guide.
Literature that can help expand your knowledge and mindset. I would definitely pick this up once it arrives on the shelves, as this is an entertaining read that I can pick up over and over again.
4.0
The Witch's Door is filled with images and the narrative of both authors learning about their passion of the esoteric. Beginning from the interest in certain hobbies such as collecting skull pieces and fashioning it into an exploded skull. It is an eye opener to these bizarre and eccentric activities. I find it to be fascinating, a good introduction, and contains a lot of historical information and a balance with the author's experiences. I appreciated the images chosen, as a lot of reviewers have mentioned, unless you are familiar with the hobby, it's difficult to understand the process without having a visual guide.
Literature that can help expand your knowledge and mindset. I would definitely pick this up once it arrives on the shelves, as this is an entertaining read that I can pick up over and over again.
December 12, 2024
📖ebook advanced reader copy
⭐4.0
I requested to read an advanced copy of this book based on title and cover alone -- I actually didn't know who Ryan or Regina were, and I had never seen Oddities.
Well, now I can saw I've watched almost every season.
The Witch's Door is part memoir and part interesting facts about interesting objects. I love weird and unusual antiques so I also loved reading Ryan and Regina's stories. I found the personal, autobiographical chapters to be insightful and entertaining.
Plus, there are pictures. I love when these type of books include pictures. Honestly, I could have used even more.
I was given an advanced copy for review, all thoughts are entirely my own. Thank you Chronicle Books and Netgalley for the opportunity
⭐4.0
I requested to read an advanced copy of this book based on title and cover alone -- I actually didn't know who Ryan or Regina were, and I had never seen Oddities.
Well, now I can saw I've watched almost every season.
The Witch's Door is part memoir and part interesting facts about interesting objects. I love weird and unusual antiques so I also loved reading Ryan and Regina's stories. I found the personal, autobiographical chapters to be insightful and entertaining.
Plus, there are pictures. I love when these type of books include pictures. Honestly, I could have used even more.
I was given an advanced copy for review, all thoughts are entirely my own. Thank you Chronicle Books and Netgalley for the opportunity
May 14, 2024
⭐️3.5⭐️
Regina and Ryan are fascinating people in a fascinating line of work, and this book was truly interesting to read.
Growing up, my grandparents were collectors. I remember being dragged along to antique stores and sitting in auctions throughout most of my childhood, so this gave an insider look into some of my childhood memories.
Fluctuating between memoir and nonfiction recounting of different objects works pretty well throughout the book, but at times it did feel a bit disjointed.
Overall an enjoyable read, and I had fun recognizing a few of the people throughout the book who I had no idea were a part of the world of collecting!
Regina and Ryan are fascinating people in a fascinating line of work, and this book was truly interesting to read.
Growing up, my grandparents were collectors. I remember being dragged along to antique stores and sitting in auctions throughout most of my childhood, so this gave an insider look into some of my childhood memories.
Fluctuating between memoir and nonfiction recounting of different objects works pretty well throughout the book, but at times it did feel a bit disjointed.
Overall an enjoyable read, and I had fun recognizing a few of the people throughout the book who I had no idea were a part of the world of collecting!
June 14, 2024
"The Witch's Door" by Ryan Matthew Cohn and Regina M. Rossi is a really interesting read. As a lover of dark academia and all things spooky and weird, I felt like I was invited into a secret world full of fascinating oddities and curiosities. If you're a fan of "Oddities," you'll definitely find this book intriguing.
That said, I was a bit surprised by how much the book focused on the authors' personal lives. I was expecting more stories about oddities and curiosities. While I appreciate learning about their background, it wasn't exactly what I was looking for. Still, it's a compelling read if you're into the peculiar and the extraordinary.
That said, I was a bit surprised by how much the book focused on the authors' personal lives. I was expecting more stories about oddities and curiosities. While I appreciate learning about their background, it wasn't exactly what I was looking for. Still, it's a compelling read if you're into the peculiar and the extraordinary.
October 5, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 4/5 stars.
I really wanted this to be more about the oddities themselves, but I also was pleased with how easy to read the memoir was. I didn't know this author or the show going in to this book, but I still enjoyed the stories about a life made around oddities and curiosities. I still wanted this book to be mostly about the artifacts and whatnot themselves, but there was just enough of what I wanted to still make this a fun and entertaining (and interesting) read.
Although, some of it is creepy. Like, the dolls? and also now that I know how shrunken heads are made?
I really wanted this to be more about the oddities themselves, but I also was pleased with how easy to read the memoir was. I didn't know this author or the show going in to this book, but I still enjoyed the stories about a life made around oddities and curiosities. I still wanted this book to be mostly about the artifacts and whatnot themselves, but there was just enough of what I wanted to still make this a fun and entertaining (and interesting) read.
Although, some of it is creepy. Like, the dolls? and also now that I know how shrunken heads are made?
October 21, 2024
I was a HUGE fan of the show Oddities and had visited the store Obscura, in the East Village a couple of times with my family. My daughter and I were such fans we also went to the opening of Oddities Flea Market in Brooklyn in 2017. So I was excited to see Ryan and Regina at a book talk at the Mark Twain House in Hartford recently and bought their book and waited for them to sign it. I enjoyed the stories of the various people they've met through the years. I loved hearing about Ryan's collection and how he acquired his pieces. All in all a great book, but I imagine if someone does not know who they are, they might not be as interested in these stories.
November 17, 2024
I listened to the audiobook, and that's what I'm rating. I suspect that there are photographs and potentially illustrations in the tangible book, and that might have influenced a higher star.
Based on the description of the book, I thought we were going to learn about specific oddity-antique-items and their histories, and to a certain extent, we did. But I didn't know that the authors are actually famous in this art collection world so I especially didn't expect the book to be essentially a memoir of their lives, careers, and relationships..
But there were some good stories. Interesting. It was like getting a peak behind the curtain to art collecting with a macabre twist.
Based on the description of the book, I thought we were going to learn about specific oddity-antique-items and their histories, and to a certain extent, we did. But I didn't know that the authors are actually famous in this art collection world so I especially didn't expect the book to be essentially a memoir of their lives, careers, and relationships..
But there were some good stories. Interesting. It was like getting a peak behind the curtain to art collecting with a macabre twist.
July 15, 2024
I’ve been a fan of both Ryan and Regina for many years now and was so excited to receive an early copy of their book. As a collector of antiques and oddities myself I loved hearing stories of how they came to acquire some of their most interesting finds as well as some of the ways they have impacted the community. Because I’m a fan I loved the inside look into their personal lives that is mixed in. I had a lot of fun with this book and I think anyone into the macabre and strange will also have a good time. Thanks again NetGally and the publishers for the ARC!
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