Customer Reviews

Scary Stories of Mammoth Cave

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I was very disappointed in this book. A book with this kind of title & a ghost on the front should have some spooky stories. It read more like an encyclopedia. Things were listed in a boring, plain way, & most of them had nothing scary about them. I learned a few interesting things about Mammoth Cave, but could have gotten that from a book about the cave. The few stories that were at all spooky, were told in such a bland manner, just a few sentences stating the main points, that it was impossible to feel anything from them. If you're looking for Mammoth Cave knowledge, get a book on the cave. If you want scary cave stories try "Tales of Dirt, Danger & Darkness" by Paul Stewart. If this book had told the spooky things in a "story" manner, some of them might have been interesting. But most of them were too short to really be a story.

This is a delightful little book of stories about strange and unusual or unexplained happenings in Mammoth Cave. Not only is Mammoth Cave the World's longest cave, it has been heavily visited since about 1800. The cave was also heavily visited by Native Americans, some of whom were buried in the cave and later found as mummies by the saltpeter miners.

This collection of stories recalls things that happened to the saltpeter miners during the War of 1812 and to the tourists and guides who came later. Some stories are by more recent explorers who encountered strange happening on their trips. This book provides an interesting and somewhat unusual side of the history of Mammoth Cave.

No, these stories won't keep you from going to sleep at night. Stephen King is in no danger. But, they are entertaining and I enjoyed reading them. Even better, I know some of the explorers in some of the stories !!!

Larry E. Matthews
Professional Geologist