The Call of the Weird
- 304 pages
- 11 hours of reading
A funny, insightful journey into what is so wonderfully weird about America by award-winning documentary film maker Louis Theroux.
Louis Theroux Books
Louis Theroux is acclaimed for his distinctive approach to documentary filmmaking, immersing himself with unfeigned curiosity into subcultures and fringe communities. His style is marked by empathy, coupled with a willingness to expose absurdities and controversies without judgment or condescension. Theroux possesses a unique ability to connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds, using his genuine interest and occasional self-deprecating bewilderment to gain access to authentic narratives. His work prompts viewers to reflect on the complexities of human nature and the varied experiences of living in a diverse world.
A funny, insightful memoir by much-loved documentary maker Louis Theroux, who takes us on a weird and wonderful journey through his life and two decades of groundbreaking television.
For ten years Louis Theroux has been making programmes about off-beat characters on the fringes of US society. Now he revisits America and the people who have most fascinated him to try to discover what motivates them, why they believe the things they believe, and to find out what has happened to them since he last saw them.Along the way Louis thinks about what drives him to spend so much time among weird people, and considers whether he's learned anything about himself in the course of ten years working with them. Has he manipulated the people he's interviewed, or have they manipulated him? From his Las Vegas base, Louis revisits the assorted dreamers and outlaws who have been his TV feeding ground.Attempting to understand a little about himself and the workings of his own mind, Louis considers questions such as: What is the difference between pathological and "normal" weirdness? Is there something particularly weird about Americans? What does it mean to be weird, or "to be yourself"? And do we choose our beliefs or do our beliefs choose us?
A funny, revealing and insightful take on the madness of living and working during a pandemic from the always entertaining Louis Theroux.
The Call of the Weird: Travels in American Subcultures
- 256 pages
- 9 hours of reading
Louis Theroux's hilarious and thought-provoking journey through weird AmericaFor ten years Louis Theroux has been making programmes about off-beat characters on the fringes of US society. Now he revisits America and the people who have most fascinated him to try to discover what motivates them, why they believe the things they believe, and to find out what has happened to them since he last saw them. Along the way Louis thinks about what drives him to spend so much time among weird people, and considers whether he's learned anything about himself in the course of ten years working with them. Has he manipulated the people he's interviewed, or have they manipulated him? From his Las Vegas base, Louis revisits the assorted dreamers and outlaws who have been his TV feeding ground. Attempting to understand a little about himself and the workings of his own mind, Louis considers questions such as: What is the difference between pathology and 'normal' weirdness? Is there something particularly weird about Americans? What does it mean to be weird, or 'to be yourself'? And do we choose our beliefs or do our beliefs choose us?
