Customer Reviews

Cryptozoology: Science & Speculation

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Rarely has there been a more critical yet constructive look at cryptozoology, its definition, methodology and direction. Chad Arment has written a most intelligent and noteworthy tome which honestly faces some of the dilemmas that plague cryptozoology and finds means to honestly correct and address them. Comprising two parts, science and speculation, the first part is immensely enlightening.

This book contains sections on building scientific and logical foundations for investigative methodologies, underlays this foundation with an ethnozoological starting point and then discusses the rationale, methodology, feasibility and credibility of cryptozoology.

It is remarkably scientific and yet at the same time eminently readable. Arment's logical and intelligent viewpoints are intellectually stimulating.

The second party focuses on speculation, but what speculation this is. He reviews the prospects for animals as diverse as Long-tailed bobcats, the Pennsylvania "gorilla" and the West Virginia Roc.

Also included is Ivan T. Sanderson's treatise on Suggestions for the Obtaining of Larger Zoological Specimens for Scientific Study.

I thoroughly recommend Cryptozoology: Science & Speculation as an indispensible part of every cryptozoological and orthodox zoological enthusiast's library and as a most valuable reference source.

The writer of this review is the President and Editor of the British Columbia Scientific Crytozoology Club and its Quarterly.

This book sits squarely between Loren Coleman and William R. Corliss on my bookshelf. Crypto and anomalous readers will be impressed with this book and should not hesitate to buy it. The effort Chad put into authoring this book will quickly become apparent. The documentation is flawless. You will find new material covering Snakes, Cats, Hominids and Birds. I found the chapter on "Boss Snakes" fascinating! And if you are a fan of Loren Coleman's lists in many of his books, the appendices and bibliography in Cryptozoology, Science and Speculation will not disappoint! Also, be sure to check out Chad's website http://www.strangeark.com/ , where there is seemingly endless reading material.

Chad Arment's work is a worthy addition to the growing cryptozoological library. He looks at methodology, with a skeptical and openminded eye, and then devotes the last half of the book in sharing his discoveries of old archival material on a variety of lesser known cryptids and related questions.

Recommended, especially for the cryptozoological intellectual.

Chad breaks down Cryptozoology into the nuts and bolts of science.
All new Bigfoot hunters, (and quite a few present ones) should read this book. It breaks through the barriers of BS and folklore, and explains the scientific method in great detail!
Books like this one will propel Cryptozoology into the mainstream!

Chad Arment, with Cryptozoology: Science & Speculation, has formalized the study of "cryptids" (defined as "an ethnoknown animal for which concrete evidence does not yet exist," p. 20). Arment really works to pull form and function together in studying cryptids, discussing the scientific method, the basis of proof, and other philosophical issues related to studying the "known but unknown" (my phrasing).

Here are a few of the gems in this book:

"All cryptids are folkloric. ...Cryptids are folkloric because they are ethnoknown - they occupy a place in an ethnozoological scheme even through they are still unverified by science" (p. 56).

"There are too many stretches of uninhabited or sparsely inhabited land for anyone to be adamant about the non-existence of large unknown species in North America" (p. 86).

"The overall process of cryptozoology is straightforward: 1) recognize cryptid, 2) Gather information on cryptid along with pertinent environmental and ecological characteristics, 3) Determine a means of obtaining sufficient physical evidence to confirm or refute the existence of a previously unknown biological species" (p. 94).

"Before we can determine whether an account is cryptozoological, we first investigate the possibility that the sighting is a hoax, misidentification, or social fabrication" (p. 94).

"Let's be honest - there is a lot of misinformation, poor speculation, and outright baloney in many books" (p. 106).

"Cryptozoology is concerned with a very small proportion of those unrecognized species - those which have enough salience to be noticed, distinguished, and described by humans prior to scientific discovery" (p. 128).

"Cryptozoology is discovery science, not research science. This seems to confuse both enthusiasts and critics alike" (p. 136).

Arment takes the reader on a search for a number of species in North America. Some, for example the "great naked bear," he describes as probable misidentifications. Others, including the "long-tailed wildcat," he does not discount so readily.

There are a disproportionate number of "cat-like" and "primate-related" cryptids in North America. There are probably some interesting psychological reasons why this is so.

I first became aware of this literature in reference to the "Maui mystery cat" that had state biologists searching for a "black panther," obviously a potential release. However, the "evidence" was surprisingly slim, and the physical evidence in every case did not corroborate with the "ethnoknown" evidence. Why?

I also enjoyed Appendix I in Arment's book about the techniques for searching for cryptids. This was a reprint of a 1960s brochure ("Suggestions for the Obtaining of Larger Zoological Specimens for Scientific Study") written by an Ivan T. Sanderson. Mr. Sanderson was very serious about detailing these techniques with the tools at hand at the time, and noted "A Submachine gun is very effect [sic] especially if it has a short barrel and a large carbine. With it, you can chop down the biggest target and then administer a decent Coupe de Grace" (p. 353). Today's cryptozoologist would be much better off using the techniques found in the book, Restraint and Handling of Wild and Domestic Animals, by Murray E. Fowler.

This is an important book for the serious cryptozoologist.

Very professional; highly intellectual and scientifically sound writing. An excellent text for any scientific library collection.

Chad Arment's textbook on cryptozoology is unique--in its very existence, in its solid scientific approach to a subject often reviled by critics as "pseudo-science," and in its healthy skepticism. Anyone interested in natural mysteries will find it a valuable addition to their libraries.

For those just getting into the research of Bigfoot and his kin, this is a great starter book, informing on all aspects of becoming an investigator of the big hairy mystery ape.

Cryptozoology: Science & Speculation by Chad Arment is a worthy attempt at defining the often slippery science of cryptozoology. The book is divided into roughly two halves, beginning with an in-depth explanation of what cryptozoology is and is not, and follows with real-world examples of its practice.

The first half of the book attempts to define, in no uncertain terms, the science that is cryptozoology. The author goes into rigorous detail here, first priming the reader with foundational chapters which address the topic from scientific, logical, and ethnozoological perspectives. This is also the most potentially difficult portion of the reading, if for no other reason than it's a characteristically dry treatment of scientific principles. If you can make it through the explanation of various forms of logical fallacy, and how scientific fact differs from theory and belief, the rest of the reading will be a breeze. That's not to say that the introductory material was superfluous or excessive. In fact, I agree entirely with the author's intent to provide a solid scientific foundation for his work. Ultimately, however, if you recall your school science course fundamentals well enough, you may find these few chapters a bit tedious.

The good new is, things soon pick up speed. The remainder of Part I ("Science") is spent addressing cryptozoology directly. What is it? What isn't it? How does a real cryptozoologist practice in the field? Why is it a relevant field of science? What are some common arguments against the existence of cryptozoology, and how can they be countered? These few chapters are the real meat-and-potatoes of book. Arment goes farther than any author I've yet read to position cryptozoology as a relevant and worthwhile field of research. If you previously used the term "cryptozoology" loosely, or assumed it to be in any way a sort of catchall for various pseudosciences, this work has a good chance of reshaping your view. The author makes a sound enough case that you could easily see new university courses cropping up for study in this area.

The latter half of the book takes an entirely different track. We now understand what cryptozoology is on paper, so the author takes us onward into the field. He presents real life cases to illustrate and support the material we've just been presented, and he manages to do so in a refreshingly broad and original manner. The ensuing chapters cover historical cases which individually demonstrate folklore, hoaxes, and genuine cryptozoological mystery. These pages include large amounts of quoted source material, interspersed with the author's commentary, and eschews mainstream topics in favor of the more obscure and focused.

All in all, this book really does qualify as a bible of cryptozoology. It goes to great lengths to define the subject as a legitimate field of scientific inquiry, and it follows through with well structured real-life illustration of the important topics. This should be a must-read for anyone who wants to intelligently discuss or otherwise practice the science of cryptozoology.

Rating: 5/5

I found this book difficult reading. It is choppy in the way that it goes from the author writing, to old newspaper articles that you are reading from. I would have preferred to just hear it told by the author. It got repetitive because there are a few different articles in each chapter about the same kind of creature, so you are basically reading the same info 2 or 3 times each chapter.