Customer Reviews

Mothman: Behind the Red Eyes

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased this book after selecting Mothman as the topic for a college paper; its vast amount of material ultimately earned me an A on my project. Wamsley is impressively consistent in his street-level approach with the eyewitnesses; other than Jeff's first book, this quality is not present in any of the other books about Mothman. The only reason for this, as far as I can tell, is the fact that Wamsley is actually from Point Pleasant and the interviewees evidently have an implicit trust in him. (I have Wamsley's first book on Mothman and this unique attribute exists there and is further fleshed out by this book.)

This trust, for me, trumps and puts to rest any comments from outsiders who feel they can do a better job than Wamsley. As an armchair fan of cryptozoology, I know how nitpicky and backstabbing the whole "field" is, and I think there is plenty of resentment over the fact that Wamsley not only got the interviews - where they didn't (or couldn't!) - but furthermore, he does not consider himself to be a cryptozoologist. (They can't stand it.)

Refreshingly, this renders any argument they have against Jeff and his techniques moot. He beat them to the punch and their impotence shows.

The extras such as the illustrations and rare photos give this book an "X files" feel. Any true fan of the Mothman knows no photos exist; the art helps to set the tone. And there is a lot of it, from some very talented artists.

Best of all, as in keeping with his first book, Jeff lets the reader decide for himself just what the eyewitnesses saw. Again, this rubs some crypto fans the wrong way, because they must be waiting for Jeff to propose some preposterous theory so they can criticize it and shoot him down.

Kudos to Wamsley for keeping it real, authentic, and down to earth. John Keel even endorsed this book. These people saw SOMETHING then... read this book and come to your own conclusions!

Todd Camden, Bowling Green, KY

People have encountered the unexplained... since ever.
For thirteen months, from November 1966 until December 1967, residents of Point Pleasant, West Virginia and environs divided their citizenship between the United States and the Twilight Zone. Weird lights haunted their skies. Mysterious incidents disrupted their lives.
Then came "Mothman."
This fiery-eyed demon was sighted by several folk, but often by teens and often at night. More than one hundred eyewitness reports described a creature that stood taller and broader than a man on humanlike legs, took off straight up like a helicopter, chased cars, and emitted humming and squeaking sounds. The red glowing eyes seem to have been more terrifying than either the size of the creature or ten-foot-plus span of its wings. Many witnesses reported feeling an uncontrollable, indescribable terror in its presence.
Local interest in Mothman reports faded in the mind-numbing aftermath of the Silver Bridge collapse that claimed forty-six lives. Some insisted that Mothman was only a sandhill crane. Some called it a harbinger of death.
Mothman has spawned websites, books, television documentaries and a major motion picture.
Author Jeff Wamsley is a Point Pleasant native who has earned the confidence of many witnesses. His relentless quest for the facts behind this mystery offers us innocence and honesty and terror. "Mothman... behind the red eyes ...the complete investigative library" is a richly illustrated treasure trove of clues to this complex mystery. Maps and photos clarify detailed eyewitness interviews. Very highly recommended!

I have read Wamsley's first book, Keel's book from the 70's and purchased the movie on DVD. Jeff's second book is a good addition to the first because he is careful to focus on new information and interviews, instead of retelling the same stories. My frustration is with the interviews of the eyewitnesses. Jeff seems more concerned about not upsetting the witnesses than getting to the facts. I found myself reading the interviews and wanting to ask obvious follow-up questions so that I could paint a clear picture of their experience in my mind. For example the book has many different depictions of the Mothman. Some truly look like a large moth; others look like an ugly human with wings. I would have liked each eyewitness to pick one of the sketches, or draw one of their own, to help me create a mental image of their experience. The interviewer seemed hesitant to press the witnesses for additional details or clarity. I was hoping to build mental images that would lead to a personal opinion about the events. Was it a hoax, a bird, or a monster? I enjoyed the book, but I'm still clueless.

Wamsley's strength is his proximity to events and his ability to gather relevant documents from the original Mothman days in 1966 and 1967. The interviews are rather weak and don't offer anything beyond what has already been reported and explored. I'm inclined to suggest a 2.5 star rating. The book isn't quite worthy of the three stars given, but it has enough archive information that it doesn't warrant a two. This book is a great item for people who are addicted to Mothman lore, but Keel's original The Mothman Prophecies is still the bible on the events in Point Pleasant.

I stayed down the block from Jeff Wamsley's Mothman museum while I was visiting Point Pleasant and talked to Jeff a while. He is a local and knows the people and stories well. I really enjoyed this book... and still do!

This book was very interesting. I would say that the title was a misnomer, because most of the witnesses did not indicate seeing "red eyes". There were some editorial errors as well, typos, that sort of thing, but the collection of articles and interviews were fascinating and didn't answer any questions, but rather helped to fuel the mystery of the mothman. Worth buying and adding to you collection of Mothman books!

Mothman: Behind the Red Eyes, is by far the most comprehensive collection on the history, sightings, and legacy of Mothman that I have read. Jeff Wamsley has certainly compiled his vast knowledge of Mothman into a book that is not only informative, but enjoyable, too. For anyone who is interested in learning about, or learning more about Mothman, put this one on your must-read list.

This is the best book I have ever read on this subject(and I read all I can about it)If this story interest you in anyway you have to read this book.The interviews are indepth and the stories about what they saw are nothing short of amazing,do yourself a favor and get this book ,you WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!!!!! RATING AAAAA++++++...Randy Huber