We all know people who have a fear of flying (aviophobia) or heights (altophobia) or darkness (achluophobia) or thunder (tonitrophobia) or pain (agliophobia). Besides these common phobias, there are many more, some of which are quite bizarre, such as coulrophobia (fear of clowns), venustraphobia (fear of beautiful women), consecotaleophobia (fear of chopsticks), or pentheraphobia (fear of mother-in-laws). And the list grows larger each year. This engagingly written and fascinating book examines the whole world of phobias. To many people who don't suffer from them, phobias are a complete mystery.

For many who suffer from a phobia, they continue living their lives without quite understanding this extreme and irrational part of their character. Tim Weinberg looks at the range of phobias from common to bizarre. He examines the scientific and psychological research that have been undertaken in order to make sense of this strange world. And he takes the reader on his own personal journey in overcoming his fear of heights.