Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Whether you believe in Bigfoot or not, this fascinating guide to cryptids and the communities that claim them will delight lovers of folklore, travel, and all things unexplained. Welcome to the United States of cryptids, where mysterious monsters lurk in every forest, fount, and field. From the infamous Chupacabra to the obscure Pope Lick Monster, connoisseur of the weird J. W. Ocker not only recounts the strange, frightening, and unusual folklore of these creatures, but celebrates the ways in which local communities have claimed these cryptids as their own. Cryptids profiled include:
- The Mothman of West Virginia, a hybrid monster blamed for a deadly bridge collapse in 1967
- The Albatwitch of Pennsylvania, bite-sized bigfoot known for stealing apples from local orchards
- The Hopkinsville Goblins of Kentucky, who terrorized a rural family in 1955 and are rumored to have come from outer space
- The Nain Rouge of Detroit, a fierce red goblin that has been spotted before every major city disaster
The United States of Cryptids is a fun, frightening, fascinating tour through American folklore and history, exploring not just the stories we tell about cryptids, but what stories about cryptids say about us.
Synopsis
Come and meet the monsters in our midst, from bigfoot to batsquatch and beyond Welcome to the United States of cryptids, where mysterious monsters lurk in the dark forests, deep lakes, and sticky swamps of all fifty states. From the infamous Jersey Devil to the obscure Snallygaster, travel writer and chronicler of the strange J. W. Ocker not only uncovers the bizarre stories of these creatures, but investigates the ways in which communities have embraced and celebrated their local cryptids. Readers will learn about:
- Mothman of West Virginia, a hybrid monster blamed for a deadly bridge collapse in 1967
- Batsquatch of Washington, a winged bigfoot that is said to have emerged from the eruption of Mount Saint Helens in 1980
- Lizard Man of South Carolina, a reptilian mutant that attacked a string of cars in the summer of 1988
- Pope Lick Monster of Kentucky, a goatman that lures people to their deaths on a train trestle bridge in Louisville
- Nain Rouge of Detroit, a fierce red goblin that has been spotted before every major city disaster
- And many more
Whether you believe in bigfoot or not, this fully illustrated compendium is a fun, frightening, fascinating tour through American folklore and history, exploring not just the stories we tell about monsters, but what stories about monsters say about us.