Myths and Mysteries of Kansas: True Stories Of The Unsolved And Unexplained

by Diana Lambdin Meyer

This selection of twelve stories from Kansas's past explores some of the Sunflower State's most compelling mysteries and debunks some of its most famous myths.

Genres: Nonfiction

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 10, 2012

Reviews

[Mrs. Hassig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learned some new things about my home state and I always enjoy learning! This would be great in my middle school library in the Kansas collection!

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all when you read this book you have to remove everything that you think this book is and just base the book off of what it presents instead. Although the title is reminiscent to a book that is paranormal it really isn't - not even close. You also have to ignore the title since myths and unsolved really don't go hand in hand. And finally if you are a trueblood or adopted Kansas who is into state history don't even try taking it apart.

So why being a daughter of Kansas do I like it when so many other Kansans don't? First of all I had a heads-up the book wasn't going to be good so I just went ahead to read the book without putting stock into it. The book does an interesting job of choosing a mixture of subjects but when it comes down to it most, not all, subjects are already well-known so much research didn't have to be put into it. There were one or two chapters that were slightly new to me but others were something I had learned as a child.

For those who never studied the state of Kansas or its history, Diana has done a great job in introducing bits and explaining to some what would be to lost to them otherwise. She makes this a great introductory book to begin with but not one to settle with.

What helped me to rate this book a bit higher than usual is where her strength lies. Although it does take away from the stories the author does a great job in speculating on the emotional background thus making her own mysteries out of events in the past. The stories are given as she knows them then she tries to put in what may have drove the main players to do what they do or to have turned it off thus it turns out more as an alternative history in a sense.

And that is what captivates me to giving it a higher score since it is the idea of one small thing that may have been changed and how it may have influenced a different conclusion altogether.

[Caitlin Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really did enjoy the stories in this book. But besides the story of Amelia Earhart, which we all know anyway, none of these stories were myths or mysteries. It felt like instead, to make them so, at the end of each chapter the author posed, "But what if it happened completely differently? Duh duh duuuuuuhh...mystery!"

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Being an adopted daughter to the state of Kansas, I am always anxious to read stories and tales about Kansas. Unfortunately, this book did not fulfill my expectations. The author chose several Kansas to write about minor mysteries or what if scenarios. I waa deeply disappointed.

[Kelli Gorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title does not suggest anything paranormal it states unsolved and unexplained myths and mysteries of Kansas. Very fast read I would recommend it to anybody that likes Kansas history.