Keep Austin Weird A Guide to the Odd Side of Town

Explore the weird, the wonderful, and the colorful in Austin, Texas with this one-of-a-kind guide.

Red Wassenich, who coined of the phrase “Keep Austin Weird,” is tour guide to the weirder side of Austin, Texas, through this endlessly entertaining text and over 180 color photos of colorful places, people, and doings in the state’s capital city. Tour the Cathedral of Junk, a three-story, sixty-ton behemoth made with hubcaps, TVs, and over 700 bicycles. Meet Leslie, the cross-dressing, semi-homeless perennial mayoral candidate. Party at the Spamarama, Austin's premier weird cook-off, known for its Spam-filled dishes from "gourmet" and "insane" recipes. Keep your eyes peeled for cruising art cars or take a Segway tour of downtown. Shop in South 1st Street's weird businesses, including Roadhouse Relics and Unemployed Democrats. Sports fans must see Austin's Roller Derby, starring the Texas Rollergirls, and bowl at the Dart Bowl, where bowling kitsch is king. For the adventurous, there is no better guide to Austin!

Red Wassenich is co-founder of both The Salamander Weekly, a penny publication of imaginary news, and the satirical Church of the Coincidental Metaphor. He is a mild-mannered librarian at Austin Community College when he's not out documenting weird doings in his beloved hometown.