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==Definition of eccentricity==
[[Eccentricity (behavior)|Eccentricity]] is necessarily defined relatively. For the purposes of this article, an eccentric is someone whose behaviour, beliefs and/or hobbies deviate in a significant way from the accepted norms of their society, but otherwise can function largely as normal in society. He or she may be regarded as strange, odd or at least unconventional, irregular and erratic. Other people may regard the eccentric with apprehension but also(contracted; show full)ccentricity and the perception of deviant behavior by mainstream society can be found in ''[[A social history of madness]]'' by [[Roy Porter]] ([[1987]] - ISBN 0297795716). This book also treats several examples of "famous" people ending up in [[mental hospital|asylum]]s, as a result of their eccentric behavior, e.g. [[Robert Schumann]].

Persons whose habits, [[appearance]], or [[belief]]s have often been described as eccentric include:

==Artists, architects and composers==

* [[Johann Sebastian Bach]], German composer who traveled 200 miles, on foot, to hear organist [[Dieterich Buxtehude|Buxtehude]] play.⏎
* [[Brigid Berlin]], [[Warhol superstar]], actor and artist who obsessively recorded her everyday life.
* [[John Cage]], American composer and artist
* [[Monte Cazazza]], American [[sound art]]ist who dressed like an old beggar woman and set dead cats on fire.
* [[Ferdinand Cheval]], French [[Postman]] who spent 33 years building a huge palace from random stones found during his work
(contracted; show full)* [[Impostor]]
* [[Mad scientist]]
* ''[[Fantastic Architecture|Fantastic Architecture: Personal and Eccentric Visions]]'' by [[George R. Collins]] et al. ISBN 0810909146

==Bibliography==
* ''Le livre des bizarres'' (in French) - Guy Bechtel and Jean-Claude Carrière, Robert Laffont, Paris (1981)

[[Category:Lists of people|Eccentrics, notable, list of]]