Customer Reviews

Mysterious California: Strange places and eerie phenomena in the Golden State

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Ever since I first checked this book out of the local library, it has fascinated me. But why? Why do these cheesy stories of silly ghosts and monsters make my skin crawl? Why can I not read this after dark? I'm not certain, but stories of Charman, the lizard people, and the Billiwack Monster got under my skin years ago, and I just had to own this one.
Serious investigators of the paranormal can leave this one on the shelf, but anyone who happens to read a few of the stories will have no choice but to purchase one for themselves. I did.
This is the book that inspired my first Legend Trip (to the mysterious Walls of Oakland) back when I was a teenager (so long ago) and I haven't stopped since.
This is loads of great, silly fun!

This book is a fascinating read for anyone who has any interest in strange places and eerie phenomena. It is replete with information concerning the strange goings on which have transpired in the Golden State. Topics include the ghost who haunts Nob Hill, The Forest of Disappearing Children, and the Bigfoot who has been seen in Humboldt County. The author also includes a bibliography which enables one to do even more research and find articles in both academic and popular press journals which corroborate Marinacci's findings and claims. This is a very interesting and well-written work.

Worth ordering. I bought and read this book soon after its publication, and after recently purchasing "Weird California" it still remains the best of this states "strange" storytelling. Mr. Marinacci even collaborated with other authors on the latter, but this is still the one to read for California. I'd never heard of CHARMAN, THE BILLIWACK MONSTER, OR THE LIZARD PEOPLE, till this book came out, and I've lived here my entire life. The section on Mt. Shasta alone would make a great movie. Not that "WEIRD CALIFORNIA" isn't amusing, it just doesn't offer much new stuff. While "MYSTERIOUS CALIFORNIA" was like an epiphany of information. A classic that should definitely be in re-publication.