Customer Reviews

Sasquatch

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

 

 

This book on sasquatch and similar cryptids is a large hardbound coffee table book. It covers the classic stories of William Roe, Ape Canyon, Albert Ostman, Ruby Creek, and of course the Patterson-Gimlin film. There are also a number of other sightings and encounters. After dealing with the Pacific NW, the author looks at other areas like the skunk ape, the Eastern Bigfoot, Australia's yowie, the yeti, yeren, orang pendak, almas, and the maracoxi of South America. Nice delivery and inclusion of worldwide cryptids but, for the most part, it seems there's an awful lot of similarities and outtakes from Grover Krantz's Big Foot-Prints: A Scientific Inquiry into the Reality of Sasquatch and Jeff Meldrum's Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science books as well as a healthy dose from the BFRO and similar bgfoot websites. More dressing than any real meat throughout the book.

He also goes into several of the films and photos of purported sasquatches. Unfortunately, many of the ones he recommends seeing are so poor quality they have little value. There are minor editting errors like he speaks about the Memorial Day Footage but the pictures he uses on page 75 are incorrectly captioned as being from that film, they are actually from the Marble Mountains Footage. Also on page 46 is the tree-cam photo of a purported bigfoot near Moyie Springs, Idaho. This picture is so blatantly bad and fake, I'm not sure why he would include it. He concludes the book with his own beliefs on the various cryptids topics he presented, letting you the reader know which he supports and doubts.

Overall, I picked it up at the local Barnes & Noble as a remainder book for about $6 so the price was well worth it. For a quick coverage on the topic of sasquatch and similar creatures, the book was worth the money but I wouldn't use it to do any kind of research reports. Fun book with enough stuffing to keep you reading but not enough to fill you.

Good book. If you have done a lot of reading on the Sasquatch subject it can be boring, not much original material. It is well written and illustrated. Would recommend for the someone with a new interest in Sasquatch.

As the author reiterates what is common knowledge to most, the gorilla was at one time considered a cryptid, then later accepted within academia, so why not our favorite, lovable hirsute loper, also? Though as the penman observes, time is running out. The Harry Hendersons of the world, with each passing decade, are undoubtedly dying off. Science better wake up and smell the steaming feces of this cryptozoological creature fast while it still has the chance. Mr. Matthews' idea, promoted at the end of the book, of how he best thinks future research into this area ought to be conducted, is a brilliant and practical one.

I've long been fascinated with this topic, though had never gotten around to actually taking time out to read much of anything regarding it - not an entire book dedicated to the theme, anyway ... until now, that is. I've watched a few documentaries on Bigfoot, have viewed films like The Legend Of Boggy Creek (1972) and Sasquatch, The Legend Of Bigfoot (1977) and have heard interviews on the late-night talk-show, Coast to Coast A.M. Quite unforgettable was the one in which an alleged sound recording of the beast's eerie howl was played for listeners. This shriek is quite spine-tingling to hear.

I do not regret spending the time it took me to read Rupert Matthews' periodically thrilling and occasionally informative, Sasquatch: True Life Encounters With Legendary Ape-Men (2008; 208 pages). It was a pleasant read and makes for a great overview for those who have never read a book on Sasquatch before.

Included within these pages are synopses of various well-known cases within Sasquatchology: e.g. summaries of the 1958 Bluff Creek (California) incident and, of course, the controversial 1967 Roger Patterson footage (which, coincidentally, was shot only a few months prior to the cinematic release of 1968's Planet Of The Apes), et al; with mentionings of the contributory efforts of field researchers John Green, Rene Dahinden, and Grover Krantz.

Yes, the book contains photographs and illustrations and may look like just another coffee-table showpiece based on its cover and size. Yet after reading it I asked myself, in regard to this mysterious creature, 'What more is there to know?' The book does a decent job, in outlining the first reports of Bigfoot encounters, all in all taking the reader along a 'sighting' time-line of sorts, beginning in the 1800s and up until the present-day. After-which, Mr. Matthews leaves the Americas behind, for other continents and reported encounters with man-like apes and/or simians not yet recognized by science.

We learn such things as: the derivation of the word "Sasquatch," who it was that coined the term "Bigfoot," and how the neologism "Abominable Snowman" originated. As well as how to detect fake prints and tracks (the latter, based on such factors as stride length, depth of imprint). Furthermore, the author also offers some convincing insights as to why the Sasquatch remains so elusive - indeed, persuasively explaining why it is that hard, tangible evidence has yet to be found, and why none may ever be. Although, I'm not sure I buy the theory as to why female human hips are wider than males. There is also a portion in which Mr. Matthews offers an evolutionary recapitulation of our ancestral lineage, which is welcomed and somewhat pertainable, although littered with scientific speculation.

What I liked best was the first half of the book, in particularly chapter 1, and the reading of the pre-1958 Sasquatch sightings - prior to the media's tainting of the subject with a tabloid-like reputation, and before hoaxers appeared on the scene: The cases of Albert Ostman, 1924 (a man reportedly kidnapped by Sasquatch and taken to a cave-like dwelling), Muchalat Harry, 1928 (another man allegedly abducted by Sasquatch) and William Roe, 1955 (an incident in which Roe nearly shot one) all make for entertaining and impressive eyewitness testimony (if they are to be believed, of course).

The book kind of tails off after chapter 5 in that it chooses to veer from its title somewhat in its highlighting of other cryptids reportedly spotted in other parts of the world (be they anthropoid in nature or primitive bushmen) - inclusions that have no relevance or relation to Bigfoot. Whether or not the 1920 De Loy snap, for example, is authentic or fake is really of no importance to the theme of Sasquatch.

Throughout the major part of the publication, the author relates his information as if from a neutral perspective, remaining detached from the material in the sense of being reluctant to add his own views. The book's wrap-up, in which Mr. Matthews shares his thoughts on the information presented within, is not only appreciated but his composite opinionative stance is to be commended, for its being well-balanced (i.e. neither entirely skeptical nor believing of all).

As for my own feeling, based on what I've read, seen, and heard on the subject, I believe the Sasquatch to be a real, flesh-and-blood, orthograde cryptid (neither folkloric nor supernatural), and sadly ever-increasingly being threatened with extinction.

Re: the book's photos. The most impressive photo for me is the one shown on page 82, of fossilized tracks of some large-footed Oregonian pedestrian. Whereas the enlargement of "Patty" seen on page 60, to me looks like the face of a man in costume.

I liked this book. It isn't the first book on the subject for me, but I thought the author did an excellent review of the field. The book is both well written and well illustrated. In fact, I liked it so much I bought copies for friends who are also interested. Appropriate for the knowledgable reader as well as those starting their Bigfoot adventure.

I have done extensive reading on the subject of sasquatch/bigfoot and was aware of most of the material covered in this book. That said, I would still recommend this book to someone with little or no knowledge of the subject. If is a good introduction to the sasquatch/bigfoot subject, and also to similar ape-like animals from other parts of the world. The photographs and drawings, however, were much too dark, and a few maps would have helped.

This is definitely just a "cursory" overview of sasquatch and animals of similar ilk. Truly not a "research" book, but a good introduction and fair representation of hairy hominids. What makes this book a real gem is the illustrations that you are unlikely to see anywhere else. The subtle similarities (and differences) between these creatures that some tend to lump all together really shines in the drawings. If you can pick this book up at a bargain (or Half Price Books) the pictures are worth what you'll pay. The book only has one major "con". Unfortunately it is a big one for anyone who actually conducts research in this field. Without giving anything away, I will make this simple suggestion. Read the book all the way up to the final chapter and then put it on your shelf for later review or reread. DO NOT read the last chapter. It is aggravating to say the least and really adds nothing to the rest of the book. Other than the final chapter, this book is highly recommended.

Very interesting and informative book. If you are a believer in Bigfoot you will really enjoy this book.