A 1974 Guide to Talking to Houseplants
Found in Iowa • Feb 2026
While helping reorganize a small public library in rural Iowa,
I discovered a thin paperback titled "Speak Kindly to Your Ferns."
The entire book is a serious guide explaining how plants respond
to human conversation.
"Plants thrive when exposed to gentle human voices.
A daily greeting improves leaf vitality."
Oddly enough, the checkout card shows it was borrowed 19 times in the 1980s.
The UFO Cookbook (1987)
Found in Oregon • Jan 2026
This book claims to contain recipes supposedly inspired by alien visitors.
Most of the recipes are ordinary casseroles with mysterious names.
"Galactic Meatloaf — a dish suitable for both humans and extraterrestrials."
I'm still unsure whether the book was meant as satire or if the author
was completely serious.
How to Train Your Goldfish (1962)
Found in Vermont • Nov 2025
The book includes diagrams explaining how to teach goldfish to swim
through miniature hoops.
It even suggests rewarding them with tiny crumbs of boiled egg.