Monster Spotter's Guide to North America (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: orange eyes, skunk ape, lake monster, Monsters of the South, Monsters of the Northeast, Monsters of the Midwest (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Like a Bird Watching Guide... Only for Monsters.

Monsters represent the dark side of humanity--the primal, animal impulses that reside in us all. They have preyed upon our imaginations and our fears since the dawn of civilization. Fascinating and terrifying, monsters are impossible to ignore.

North America is home to a wide array of fearsome beasts including hairy monsters, flying monsters, lake monsters, reptilian humanoids and other unexplained phenomena. The Monster Spotter's Guide to North America geographically catalogs more than one hundred legendary monsters reported to inhabit the continent. From the mythical Sasquatch of the Pacific Northwest to the vicious Mexican Goatsucker known as El Chupacabra, you'll read about the legends and major sightings of the most widely feared creatures reported to exist--plus a few you might have never heard of.

Within these pages you'll find detailed pen-and-ink drawings, helpful quick-reference boxes for quick identification of key monster traits, a glossary of crytozoology terms, a remedial course in common monster knowledge, useful appendices, case studies and more.

Let this book be your guide and explore the legends for yourself. Anyone can be a monster spotter... when you start looking you never know what you might find.

About the Author

Aside from being a monster enthusiast, Scott Francis is a founding editor for the literary journal Fresh Boiled Peanuts and coauthor of The Writer's Book of Matches. He has a black belt in tae kwon do and lives his life according to a strict moral code of his own devising. A native of the mountainous regions of North Carolina, he currently lives in Cincinnati with his very patient and understanding wife, three cats, and a sinister black dog of possible supernatural origin.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: How; illustrated edition edition (July 24, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581809298
• ISBN-13: 978-1581809299
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 4.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #77,533 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very informative, VERY fun, October 3, 2007

By	Phillip Walker (Boston) - See all my reviews

This is a great book, particularly if you're a die hard monster lover. For the casual reader, it's a good read simply because the author has a very wry, tongue in cheek style to his writing. But for the serious monster junkie like me (I "wrote" a book on monsters myself when I was eight years old. It had a stapled spine and was illustrated with old black and white movie monster photos cut out of Dynamite magazine...anyone remember Dynamite?), this is gold.

The best part is that even thought the author has a sense of humor, the information is grounded in what seems like solid, serious research. The "monsters" are all based on urban or historical legends rather than movie monsters. So even though there's no wolfman or vampire, there's a sasquatch (Canadian legend), the Loveland Frogman (the midwest), etc. Plus there are some very nice illustrations and a fold out map that shows you were each creature can be found. A nice touch.

I recommend this one highly, whether for the monsters or the humorous writing. Check it out.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic reference., November 3, 2007

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Monster Spotter's Guide to North America is an exciting field guide to more than one hundred mythical (or are they?) and folklore monsters reputed to roam the North American continent, from the Sasquatch of the Pacific Northwest to the hideous Mexican goatsucker called El Chupacabra. Penned with a witty edge by monster enthusiast Scott Francis, and illustrated with black-and-white sketches by artist Ben Patrick, Monster Spotter's Guide to North America is sure to delight anyone with a keen interest in bizarre or even macabre beasts of legend. Quick-reference boxes for identification of key monster traits, a glossary of cryptozoology terms, a remedial course in common monster knowledge, case studies, and more fill this fantastic reference.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a breath of fresh air, September 26, 2007

By	Arch Stanton - See all my reviews

FINALLY! a book i haven't read 1000 times already. Remember that 'thing' from when you were a kid - well, it's in here! This book makes you feel like that kid again - funny and exciting for those willing to suspend disbelief. A great book to give as a gift or to take along on vacation if you're looking for fun stops en route to your destination. In general, a very good read.