A review by odurant8
The Book of Phobias and Manias by Kate Summerscale

4.0

An entertaining chronicle of different phobias and manias, some you've never heard of, and some you'd rather forget! Ergophobia (fear of work), haphephobia (fear of being touched), and more will fascinate you with historical details and anecdotes. This is a thoroughly researched and accessible to anyone, and readers can pick and choose the chapters they're interested in or plow straight through. I confess to skipping any chapters involving insects, and wish I had skipped the one on fear of heights. You may even discover a long buried phobia while you read. Recommended for anyone with a curious mind.