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American Monsters: A History of Monster Lore, Legends, and Sightings in America
From pre-Columbian legends to modern-day eyewitness accounts, this comprehensive guide covers the history, sightings and lore surrounding the most mysterious monsters in America—including Bigfoot, the Jersey Devil, and more.
Bigfoot, the chupacabra, and thunderbirds aren’t just figments of our overactive imaginations—according to thousands of eyewitnesses, they exist, in every corner of the United States. Throughout America’s history, shocked onlookers have seen unbelievable creatures of every stripe—from sea serpents to apelike beings, giant bats to monkeymen—in every region.
Author, investigator, and creature expert Linda S. Godfrey brings the same fearless reporting she lent to Real Wolfmen to this essential guide, using historical record, present-day news reports, and eyewitness interviews to examine this hidden menagerie of America’s homegrown beasts.
Bigfoot, the chupacabra, and thunderbirds aren’t just figments of our overactive imaginations—according to thousands of eyewitnesses, they exist, in every corner of the United States. Throughout America’s history, shocked onlookers have seen unbelievable creatures of every stripe—from sea serpents to apelike beings, giant bats to monkeymen—in every region.
Author, investigator, and creature expert Linda S. Godfrey brings the same fearless reporting she lent to Real Wolfmen to this essential guide, using historical record, present-day news reports, and eyewitness interviews to examine this hidden menagerie of America’s homegrown beasts.
384 pages, Paperback
First published October 11, 2014
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April 13, 2015I completely misunderstood this book. I bought it after reading a - well, not a review, exactly, but a summary, I guess, on a blog I follow. And I somehow got the impression that this was an analysis of belief in monsters in America. As in, sociologically, what function do these folk beliefs have. And what do the 'monsters' represent to us, that their myths are so persistent.
Welp, I'm a doofus, and the book is nothing like this (check the fucking GR listing before you buy books, Emma.) It's a straightforward collection of monster sightings, culled, generally, from previously published collections of such stories. Godfrey states once or twice that she tried to contact an eyewitness for a followup, but couldn't, for one reason or another.
So this leaves me all at sea in reviewing it. I don't believe 'monsters' exist, although I believe people can genuinely think they saw something strange, or even inexplicable. This book certainly wouldn't change my mind about this.
The inexplicable part about the book, for me, is why there are no photographs. E.g. on page 57 Godfrey talks about a photo of a "Batsquatch," and says "the photo was included with the post at the URL noted in the above citation". The endnote gives the following URL: http://biofort.blogspot.co.nz/2006/10...
you will notice there is no photo on this post. Even if there were, are we saying Godfrey's form of "investigation" is trawling blogs looking for random accounts of sightings to regurgitate? It's not entirely . . . rigorous, perhaps?
I'm not rating, as I'm not the market for this book.
Welp, I'm a doofus, and the book is nothing like this (check the fucking GR listing before you buy books, Emma.) It's a straightforward collection of monster sightings, culled, generally, from previously published collections of such stories. Godfrey states once or twice that she tried to contact an eyewitness for a followup, but couldn't, for one reason or another.
So this leaves me all at sea in reviewing it. I don't believe 'monsters' exist, although I believe people can genuinely think they saw something strange, or even inexplicable. This book certainly wouldn't change my mind about this.
The inexplicable part about the book, for me, is why there are no photographs. E.g. on page 57 Godfrey talks about a photo of a "Batsquatch," and says "the photo was included with the post at the URL noted in the above citation". The endnote gives the following URL: http://biofort.blogspot.co.nz/2006/10...
you will notice there is no photo on this post. Even if there were, are we saying Godfrey's form of "investigation" is trawling blogs looking for random accounts of sightings to regurgitate? It's not entirely . . . rigorous, perhaps?
I'm not rating, as I'm not the market for this book.
January 2, 2021
I want to believe!! I don't believe in cryptids, as in They actually exist and they're among us, just hiding REAL well (especially when well-known ones like the Loch Ness monster have been debunked hard), but I like to believe there may be something.... more than us, bigger than us.
I loved all the stories about people's recollections of encounters. Whether they can be explained or not (for example, one of the Bigfoot stories, the one about seeing a creature having killed your chickens/ running after it/ then coming back to find the chickens gone could have clearly been chicken-stealing, suit-wearing humans; stranger things have happened than humans concocting a ridiculous plan like that), or whether they're fabricated or not (there's never proof about any of the encounters, either the creature was too fast or the person was oh-so-conveniently not carrying a camera with them, even in stories in the 2010s), I still LOVE reading (and being told) an unexplained encounter/ folklore creature/ urban legend story.
I gave the book a basic 3 stars because I enjoyed reading it, but it's nothing lifechanging or super well-researched, and nothing I'm going to revisit again in the future. It's fun to read in small chunks when you want a break from the other things you're reading, and you shouldn't think too hard about it, but that's about it.
I loved all the stories about people's recollections of encounters. Whether they can be explained or not (for example, one of the Bigfoot stories, the one about seeing a creature having killed your chickens/ running after it/ then coming back to find the chickens gone could have clearly been chicken-stealing, suit-wearing humans; stranger things have happened than humans concocting a ridiculous plan like that), or whether they're fabricated or not (there's never proof about any of the encounters, either the creature was too fast or the person was oh-so-conveniently not carrying a camera with them, even in stories in the 2010s), I still LOVE reading (and being told) an unexplained encounter/ folklore creature/ urban legend story.
I gave the book a basic 3 stars because I enjoyed reading it, but it's nothing lifechanging or super well-researched, and nothing I'm going to revisit again in the future. It's fun to read in small chunks when you want a break from the other things you're reading, and you shouldn't think too hard about it, but that's about it.
November 20, 2014
I picked this up on a whim because it made me think of a novel I wrote for Nanowrimo several years ago that was going to involve a creature like the Jersey Devil. Unfortunately, the Jersey Devil segment took only a couple pages of this book. The book was separated into sections for each type of monster. You had creatures from the air (bird men, dinosaurs, chupacabras, and other flying beasts), water (giant squids, lake monsters, gatormen, etc.), and land (werewolves or "dogmen," cat-like creatures, and Bigfoot).
For the most part, these were very brief overviews of a variety of sightings loosely grouped based on their characteristics. Only a few of the sightings had any depth. Toward the end I began skimming... most of the creatures I wasn't really interested in. There was some tie-in to Native American and South American mythology.
I guess I was hoping for more historical accounts of monsters in American (like the Jersey Devil). This was largely recent encounters. I was also hoping perhaps for some illustrations or something.
For the most part, these were very brief overviews of a variety of sightings loosely grouped based on their characteristics. Only a few of the sightings had any depth. Toward the end I began skimming... most of the creatures I wasn't really interested in. There was some tie-in to Native American and South American mythology.
I guess I was hoping for more historical accounts of monsters in American (like the Jersey Devil). This was largely recent encounters. I was also hoping perhaps for some illustrations or something.
May 30, 2021
3 1/2 stars
September 10, 2016
I was disappointed with this book as a long time reader and fan of Monster lore ( over 30 years of reading it). There is a lot of filler material pulled from other publications(with credit), and not enough eye witness accounts . She does not strictly stay in America either, though this book is supposed to be about American Monster Lore. Now I understand she is delving in to the history of a particular monster, so she writes about its origins. That is fine. But then she goes on to relate a experience from another country with said monster that does not take place in the US then I start to wonder if this writer has anything new and fresh. She didn't. The writing is dull and I fell like I was slogging along at a snail's pace,instead of what I usually feel when I read about Monster lore ( excited, curious wonder) .
But I will say, for the first time reader of the subject of monsters this might be a well rounded book and overview of the subject. For others who are well versed in global and native monster stories you might be more of a mind like me and think," There are no new monsters in this book for me, wah."
But I will say, for the first time reader of the subject of monsters this might be a well rounded book and overview of the subject. For others who are well versed in global and native monster stories you might be more of a mind like me and think," There are no new monsters in this book for me, wah."
October 17, 2015
Sorry but no. No no no.
With this type of book I think the writer either takes the serious route and questions the "monster" sightings and tries to give a scientifically established analysis of the facts given to her and when all has been ruled out gives in to the possibility of the supernatural, or she takes it very lighthearted and goes the slightly humorous path. Yet Godfrey is extremely serious without even thinking of questioning any of the eye-witness reports. Reports that according to her gain more credibility when a witness does not listen to metal music, observes weird lights in sky the same place he saw a creature or a sighting is proven good omen when the witness has something significant happening to shortly after. Sorry, no, to me this is not entertaining but at first silly and then plain frustration to read. I skim-read further and learned that a weird looking kangaroo-ish animal is naturally a gargoyle. I am out.
Plus, her writing is extremely dull, too.
I do admit my low rating is more my attitude towards such type of journalism than the book's fault but since my rating reflects my judgement and my enjoyment there is nothing but 1* to give.
With this type of book I think the writer either takes the serious route and questions the "monster" sightings and tries to give a scientifically established analysis of the facts given to her and when all has been ruled out gives in to the possibility of the supernatural, or she takes it very lighthearted and goes the slightly humorous path. Yet Godfrey is extremely serious without even thinking of questioning any of the eye-witness reports. Reports that according to her gain more credibility when a witness does not listen to metal music, observes weird lights in sky the same place he saw a creature or a sighting is proven good omen when the witness has something significant happening to shortly after. Sorry, no, to me this is not entertaining but at first silly and then plain frustration to read. I skim-read further and learned that a weird looking kangaroo-ish animal is naturally a gargoyle. I am out.
Plus, her writing is extremely dull, too.
I do admit my low rating is more my attitude towards such type of journalism than the book's fault but since my rating reflects my judgement and my enjoyment there is nothing but 1* to give.
March 26, 2018
This book truly sums up a lot of my frustration with Linda S. Godrey's work. While she is very coherent and informative in interviews, and even in some of her blog posts delves deep into lore, her books for the most part are shallow rather than informative. She tells of encounters of various beasts but rarely goes deep into their history, what such a monster might need in order to live, and the history of such encounters in anything other than passing. I would love to read more history of the folklore she is telling, as well as more musing as to what might cause X to be, rather than the simple throwaway mentions she gives.
This book, admittedly, was rather ambitious in its breadth of topics covered. It is divided into Monsters of the Sky, Monsters of the Water, and Monsters of the Land. The Water section deals with most of the scaly beasts one would imagine, although she admits many monsters would fit more than one of those categories. It was perhaps a bit too ambitious a project, as she shines best when zeroing in on a single monster or monster 'type'. The stories, thus, are maybe one or two pages - the longest story in this book is also the best, that of the Florida Gator-Man, which I also might begin referring to my husband as.
Overall this book would have been more fun to dip in and out of than read straight through. It is a great book of monster encounters, or fun true stories to tell around the campfire. I would have much rather read something with more substance, though, and I wish Linda S. Godfrey would put out something that would really allow her to flex her folkloric and monster history chops. She could do much better! Her Coast to Coast interviews prove that.
This book, admittedly, was rather ambitious in its breadth of topics covered. It is divided into Monsters of the Sky, Monsters of the Water, and Monsters of the Land. The Water section deals with most of the scaly beasts one would imagine, although she admits many monsters would fit more than one of those categories. It was perhaps a bit too ambitious a project, as she shines best when zeroing in on a single monster or monster 'type'. The stories, thus, are maybe one or two pages - the longest story in this book is also the best, that of the Florida Gator-Man, which I also might begin referring to my husband as.
Overall this book would have been more fun to dip in and out of than read straight through. It is a great book of monster encounters, or fun true stories to tell around the campfire. I would have much rather read something with more substance, though, and I wish Linda S. Godfrey would put out something that would really allow her to flex her folkloric and monster history chops. She could do much better! Her Coast to Coast interviews prove that.
July 11, 2021
This book is mildly entertaining and the sheer breadth of creatures and eyewitness accounts discussed make it interesting enough to read through. But this book isn't really a "history," doesn't really analyze most of the accounts it shares (beyond wild theorizing as to what the creatures could be, if not exactly what the witnesses report), and ultimately doesn't have much to say about cryptid lore in American culture beyond "there's probably monsters out there"
Where it really falls flat, however - and what damages the author's reputation as a researcher enough that I'm not interested in her other books now - is the dismissive and colonized view the book takes of indigenous lore and culture. The author never cites or quotes sources from the actual Native nations whose lore she is discussing, preferring instead accounts written by white colonizers. I truly learned more from a single tiktok by an Anishanaabe woman about the Great Lakes monsters than in that entire chapter of this book. The author cites Native culture to further her own viewpoints and narrative of cryptid lore, and does not treat those rich cultural histories with anything like the respect they are owed.
Ultimately this book was a good way to kill time and engage the imagination, but worth very little for the study of folklore.
Where it really falls flat, however - and what damages the author's reputation as a researcher enough that I'm not interested in her other books now - is the dismissive and colonized view the book takes of indigenous lore and culture. The author never cites or quotes sources from the actual Native nations whose lore she is discussing, preferring instead accounts written by white colonizers. I truly learned more from a single tiktok by an Anishanaabe woman about the Great Lakes monsters than in that entire chapter of this book. The author cites Native culture to further her own viewpoints and narrative of cryptid lore, and does not treat those rich cultural histories with anything like the respect they are owed.
Ultimately this book was a good way to kill time and engage the imagination, but worth very little for the study of folklore.
May 10, 2022
I actually tried to read American Monsters a few years ago, but had a hard time getting into it. After reading a horror book about Sasquatch, I wanted to read a bit about the true sightings and creatures in the America's. I turned to the audiobook for this reading
American Monsters is a collection of stories about sightings of strange creatures in North America. From dragons and big birds, to sea Monsters and Bigfoot, this book covered a large collection of stories. Linda S Godfrey is a major voice in the recordings of stange sightings.
I enjoyed this book. I really like hearing about people weird experiences, and how it affected them. I appreicate and investigator who takes the time to check in on the reliability of a witness.
I definitely preferred the audio version to the written version. If I remember the edition I had had some weird sentence structures, but hearing it spoken made alot of sense.
I am intrigued by the dragon sightings in America. I had never heard of sightings here before. I'll be looking into it more!
American Monsters is a collection of stories about sightings of strange creatures in North America. From dragons and big birds, to sea Monsters and Bigfoot, this book covered a large collection of stories. Linda S Godfrey is a major voice in the recordings of stange sightings.
I enjoyed this book. I really like hearing about people weird experiences, and how it affected them. I appreicate and investigator who takes the time to check in on the reliability of a witness.
I definitely preferred the audio version to the written version. If I remember the edition I had had some weird sentence structures, but hearing it spoken made alot of sense.
I am intrigued by the dragon sightings in America. I had never heard of sightings here before. I'll be looking into it more!
October 22, 2016
Did not find this credible enough to read. No pictures, written like a gargantuan diary and, judging by the title, the whole thing is a farce. Title is American Monsters but seems to include many other countries too. Thousands of witnesses? Uh, no, don't think so.
February 4, 2019
She wants to believe! And so do I.
dnf
February 10, 2019each monster only gets a paragraph or two. i was hoping for origin stories and ties to native American mythology, instead it was mostly sightings, with not a whole lot of info.
January 8, 2023
Pretty good collection of stories with a lot of macabre and spooky details. Great book for those just getting into their cryptid journey. Some chapters sent chills up my spine and others made me laugh at the absurdity of the pages but overall I really liked this book and the collection of monster lore.
October 20, 2024
I enjoyed this collection of “monsters” or cryptids and their stories, written by a woman. The narration was enjoyable. I enjoyed how the chapters were set up and the author’s explanation of why.
December 14, 2017
This was like, okay. I thought some parts were interesting, but it's not the best cryptid-type book I've read. I haven't read many, but this is not the best.
September 19, 2014
Because I am a staunch horror fan, a part of me believes some monsters in our lore might be real. Bigfoot is a perfect example of this. There have been way too many sightings and photos to deny something exists out there in the woods…it might not be what we think, but there’s something there. It’s this fact-based optimism that drives author Linda S. Godfrey’s latest book, AMERICAN MONSTERS: A HISTORY OF MONSTER LORE, LEGENDS, AND SIGHTINGS IN AMERICA. Chocked full of information and fact with only a hint of speculation, this tome is a cryptozoologist’s dream.
I’ve studied some of the more common monsters known in American folklore, however Godfrey introduces several in this book that I am not familiar with. I love this aspect, as it opened my eyes to new mysteries of the unknown. But in addition, she gives a few fresh takes on some existing creatures as well. This diversity is a big part of the draw for this title and one of the biggest points for its promotion.
AMERICAN MONSTERS is written well. It is not stiff and dry like a text book, but instead is presented more like short tales from a storyteller. This informal tone makes the book a much more enjoyable read, and it helps present the information in a lighter manner.
The book is broken up into three sections: Monsters By Air, Monsters By Sea, and Monsters By Land. Each section is then spliced into several smaller chunks, which are based on specific creatures and/or regions in which the creature is located. My favorite area in this book is the Monsters By Sea section. Sea sightings seem to be older and have more witnesses than any other type of sighting. For this reason, I find they are the most plausible.
AMERICAN MONSTERS is a definite win for me, and I recommend picking it up. Whether you are a veteran cryptozoologist or just a hobby reader, chances are this book will enlighten you in some form or fashion. It is available now in a variety of formats.
I’ve studied some of the more common monsters known in American folklore, however Godfrey introduces several in this book that I am not familiar with. I love this aspect, as it opened my eyes to new mysteries of the unknown. But in addition, she gives a few fresh takes on some existing creatures as well. This diversity is a big part of the draw for this title and one of the biggest points for its promotion.
AMERICAN MONSTERS is written well. It is not stiff and dry like a text book, but instead is presented more like short tales from a storyteller. This informal tone makes the book a much more enjoyable read, and it helps present the information in a lighter manner.
The book is broken up into three sections: Monsters By Air, Monsters By Sea, and Monsters By Land. Each section is then spliced into several smaller chunks, which are based on specific creatures and/or regions in which the creature is located. My favorite area in this book is the Monsters By Sea section. Sea sightings seem to be older and have more witnesses than any other type of sighting. For this reason, I find they are the most plausible.
AMERICAN MONSTERS is a definite win for me, and I recommend picking it up. Whether you are a veteran cryptozoologist or just a hobby reader, chances are this book will enlighten you in some form or fashion. It is available now in a variety of formats.
January 20, 2016
I just couldn't bring myself to finish this one. Hoping to go back and give it another go in the future. I knew it would be a bunch of experiences from people who claimed to have seen the creatures featured in the book, but it became repetitive quickly and the author didn't really offer anything to keep me interested. I'm interested in the subject, even if it is just for fun.
The authors writing style, and her little attempts to make jokes or "be cute" got on my nerves more as the book went along. Also, I understand that she's a believer, but her willingness to jump to huge conclusions to connect the dots was a bit much. I want to believe too, but when you write something or connect things that have me rolling my eyes, that's not a great sign.
I'm hoping it was just me, and I just wasn't in the mood for this one at this time, and when I give it another go I'll enjoy it much more the second time around. I just know that when I had a chance to pick a book up and read for awhile, I had little to no desire to it with this book.
The authors writing style, and her little attempts to make jokes or "be cute" got on my nerves more as the book went along. Also, I understand that she's a believer, but her willingness to jump to huge conclusions to connect the dots was a bit much. I want to believe too, but when you write something or connect things that have me rolling my eyes, that's not a great sign.
I'm hoping it was just me, and I just wasn't in the mood for this one at this time, and when I give it another go I'll enjoy it much more the second time around. I just know that when I had a chance to pick a book up and read for awhile, I had little to no desire to it with this book.
March 11, 2019
In the Mood for Monsters
First of all, I love Linda Godfrey's books. I'm 58 and have been an avid reader of the strange and paranormal since childhood. But I haven't read any cryptid books in a while, so I decided to re-read some of Linda's books. She does such great research and covers a lot of cases I've never heard of. More than a few of the stories gave me the shivers. I can't imagine encountering the creatures described in the pages of her books! But after reading her personal account of a cryptid encounter, I'm convinced that there's something out there.
First of all, I love Linda Godfrey's books. I'm 58 and have been an avid reader of the strange and paranormal since childhood. But I haven't read any cryptid books in a while, so I decided to re-read some of Linda's books. She does such great research and covers a lot of cases I've never heard of. More than a few of the stories gave me the shivers. I can't imagine encountering the creatures described in the pages of her books! But after reading her personal account of a cryptid encounter, I'm convinced that there's something out there.
March 22, 2022
While I'm sure that in the right circles this book would be appreciated I just couldn't bring myself to like it very much. While presenting the appearance of being well researched it really felt more like alot was omitted or glossed over. Blending enough fact with the mythos to give an air of credibility it just seemed very haphazard and pseudo scientific. Recommended to anyone who needs a rudimentary and very elementary look at American based cryptozoology. 3.5/10
April 10, 2022
Didn't really like it. All the accounts felt repetitive, and I was hoping more for actual mythology and questioning if they held any ground. Instead, it's just unreliable witnesses claiming they saw something. Most of the time, there wasn't even any actual evidence!
September 28, 2021
I wish the author would've done some research before publishing this dreck. She seems intent on convincing us that these cryptids exist when they do not. (And I'm saying this as someone who believes in ghosts - but I've SEEN ghosts, it's kind of hard not to believe in them when you've seen things like a single, disembodied leg in denim with a black work boot standing by itself in the middle of your kitchen in the bright afternoon.)
First of all, the "lizard people" crap is just disguised anti-Semitism. The idea that "lizard people" secretly rule the world is just the lie that Jews rule the world but replace the word Jews with lizard people. Right down to the belief that lizard people eat humans. The Blood Libel is a lie by anti-Semites that Jews use the blood of Christian children to make their Passover matzah. (Nevermind that blood is not kosher, especially the blood of an omnivore.) Just like you're racist if you think aliens built the pyramids - just because white people couldn't do it doesn't mean it was aliens - you are an anti-Semitic pile of puke if you believe in lizard people.
Bigfoot doesn't exist either. Any "bigfoot" sightings are JUST HUMAN BEINGS that have chosen to live away from most humans wearing the skins of animals they killed. There's no DNA evidence ever found - every "bigfoot fur" they've tested has always come back as BEAR fur. And having a brother who's a homeless methhead and alcoholic I can assure you that people who don't bathe regularly, especially if they drink cheap booze like moonshine, can very much stink up a place. Plus there's always a chance that these people are wearing stuff made from skunk skin.
The pictures of the "broken branch" from her encounter are in black and white, so easy for her to say what she wants about them since you can't tell squat from them. As a fat woman who loves fishing I can assure you that I have broken branches that big off - when they're already partly broken and just dangling - by twisting them and putting my considerable weight into it so gravity helps do 90% of the work. A human who lives completely in the wild and has to do a lot of hauling and such could do it even easier than me as they'd have more developed muscles.
Mothman was just a very large owl spotted by kids who were probably smoking pot or drinking cheap booze.
And she obviously only relied on white peoples' reports when it came to skinwalkers and Wendigos despite the fact that the Indigenous people for whom these are part of their culture still very much exist. (It's racist not to ask them.) WENDIGOS DO NOT HAVE ANTLERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Only racist white people think they do because they don't bother asking anyone who's Hopi or any of the other Indigenous tribes for whom wendigo lore is part of their heritage.
All in all, this book is garbage. Poorly researched, badly written, and too desperate to try and convince people that these cryptids exist when they don't.
First of all, the "lizard people" crap is just disguised anti-Semitism. The idea that "lizard people" secretly rule the world is just the lie that Jews rule the world but replace the word Jews with lizard people. Right down to the belief that lizard people eat humans. The Blood Libel is a lie by anti-Semites that Jews use the blood of Christian children to make their Passover matzah. (Nevermind that blood is not kosher, especially the blood of an omnivore.) Just like you're racist if you think aliens built the pyramids - just because white people couldn't do it doesn't mean it was aliens - you are an anti-Semitic pile of puke if you believe in lizard people.
Bigfoot doesn't exist either. Any "bigfoot" sightings are JUST HUMAN BEINGS that have chosen to live away from most humans wearing the skins of animals they killed. There's no DNA evidence ever found - every "bigfoot fur" they've tested has always come back as BEAR fur. And having a brother who's a homeless methhead and alcoholic I can assure you that people who don't bathe regularly, especially if they drink cheap booze like moonshine, can very much stink up a place. Plus there's always a chance that these people are wearing stuff made from skunk skin.
The pictures of the "broken branch" from her encounter are in black and white, so easy for her to say what she wants about them since you can't tell squat from them. As a fat woman who loves fishing I can assure you that I have broken branches that big off - when they're already partly broken and just dangling - by twisting them and putting my considerable weight into it so gravity helps do 90% of the work. A human who lives completely in the wild and has to do a lot of hauling and such could do it even easier than me as they'd have more developed muscles.
Mothman was just a very large owl spotted by kids who were probably smoking pot or drinking cheap booze.
And she obviously only relied on white peoples' reports when it came to skinwalkers and Wendigos despite the fact that the Indigenous people for whom these are part of their culture still very much exist. (It's racist not to ask them.) WENDIGOS DO NOT HAVE ANTLERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Only racist white people think they do because they don't bother asking anyone who's Hopi or any of the other Indigenous tribes for whom wendigo lore is part of their heritage.
All in all, this book is garbage. Poorly researched, badly written, and too desperate to try and convince people that these cryptids exist when they don't.
November 25, 2018
I definitely wanted to like this book, seeing it as a good follow up to Occult America. Where that volume discussed some of the spiritual and magical weirdness of the US, it looked like this one would explore a lot of the monsters. Which it did, but I hoped for some history of the phenomena of monsters as a whole in America, some exploration of why we see and love the cryptids we do. Instead this is a very enthusiastic and credible series of accounts of all sorts of beasts, from Bigfoot to bioluminescent pteranodons.
And that’s not totally a bad thing. The author’s enthusiasm clearly comes through strongly, especially since the audiobook reader is quite good. She’s clearly very into every single strange tale she has to tell, and that can be infectious - while I don’t know I believe in the more outre stories about bipedal canines (especially those in which the wolfmen are as bulletproof as their film counterparts), I can’t help but be curious to learn more. I do plan to check out Godfrey’s book devoted to the subject. And she also makes me a bit interested in Bigfoot for all that I think it’s clearly nonsense. I appreciate that Godfrey is willing to put her money where her mouth is in the form of the final chapter, where she details some of her own encounters with strange creatures. It’s a nice touch that adds to this book.
But I think part of the problem is simply that reading it straight through may not have been the best thing to do. Alas I had no other option with my audiobook, since Hoopla seems to lack a table of contents, at least in this case. I found some of the chapters interesting, including those on pterodactyls, wolfmen, reptoids, and Mothman, gut there was a lot of stuff I didn’t really care about and often the book failed to get me interested. This was especially a problem going into the middle section on waterborne monsters. While it wasn’t as dominated by river monsters as I had expected, there still was a fair bit I didn’t much care about. Plus I’m still adjusting to listening to audiobooks while working, which definitely doesn’t help with something like this where my interest level varies heavily from chapter to chapter.
Overall this did have some interesting parts, and I could see myself reading more by this author. But when it comes to the subject of cryptids and monsters in the US, I suggest you keep looking if you’re hoping for a good intro that explores the why as much as the what.
And that’s not totally a bad thing. The author’s enthusiasm clearly comes through strongly, especially since the audiobook reader is quite good. She’s clearly very into every single strange tale she has to tell, and that can be infectious - while I don’t know I believe in the more outre stories about bipedal canines (especially those in which the wolfmen are as bulletproof as their film counterparts), I can’t help but be curious to learn more. I do plan to check out Godfrey’s book devoted to the subject. And she also makes me a bit interested in Bigfoot for all that I think it’s clearly nonsense. I appreciate that Godfrey is willing to put her money where her mouth is in the form of the final chapter, where she details some of her own encounters with strange creatures. It’s a nice touch that adds to this book.
But I think part of the problem is simply that reading it straight through may not have been the best thing to do. Alas I had no other option with my audiobook, since Hoopla seems to lack a table of contents, at least in this case. I found some of the chapters interesting, including those on pterodactyls, wolfmen, reptoids, and Mothman, gut there was a lot of stuff I didn’t really care about and often the book failed to get me interested. This was especially a problem going into the middle section on waterborne monsters. While it wasn’t as dominated by river monsters as I had expected, there still was a fair bit I didn’t much care about. Plus I’m still adjusting to listening to audiobooks while working, which definitely doesn’t help with something like this where my interest level varies heavily from chapter to chapter.
Overall this did have some interesting parts, and I could see myself reading more by this author. But when it comes to the subject of cryptids and monsters in the US, I suggest you keep looking if you’re hoping for a good intro that explores the why as much as the what.
June 14, 2019
Author Linda S. Godfrey makes it very clear upfront that this book is not about the human monsters that stalk our daily lives and the nightly news. This book is about the myriad of mysterious beasts that have been spotted stalking the Americas, or what she chooses to call the New World. If you were hoping to keep your monsters inside the continental United States, watch out. They're all over North and South America. Sasquatches, batsquathes, chupacabras, dog men, moth men, man bats, you name it. The new world is a veritable melting pot of monstrosities.
American Monsters is broken into different sections detailing the types of lusus naturae, not the geographical locations. Apparently these legendary beasts like to move around. A lot. You've got your Land, Air and Sea Monsters, and there's a surprising amount of crossover here. Moth men and batsquatches are all over the damn place, some by land, some by air, and technically some by sea too. Godfrey does a great job of keeping track of all of these cryptids and goes a step beyond the eyewitness accounts presented here to draw on Native American history and mythology. Her writing and cataloging are top notch. The book comes with an extensive bibliography and index as well.
You can read Ron's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
American Monsters is broken into different sections detailing the types of lusus naturae, not the geographical locations. Apparently these legendary beasts like to move around. A lot. You've got your Land, Air and Sea Monsters, and there's a surprising amount of crossover here. Moth men and batsquatches are all over the damn place, some by land, some by air, and technically some by sea too. Godfrey does a great job of keeping track of all of these cryptids and goes a step beyond the eyewitness accounts presented here to draw on Native American history and mythology. Her writing and cataloging are top notch. The book comes with an extensive bibliography and index as well.
You can read Ron's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
March 9, 2020
As a longtime enthusiast of cryptozoological studies, I found this book to be QUITE informative. Reading other reviews of this book, it seems people start reading it with an idea of what it is, and are then sourly disappointed when it isnt that. So let me break it down like this:
What This Book Is
1. A list of cryptids across America that OCCAISONALLY references creatures in other countries for comparison.
2. A relation of at least 1 prominent encounter per creature.
3. A detailment of what some hypothesize the creatures being seen might actually be.
4. The author's own view on the hypothesis and why it does and does not make sense.
5. The author's theory on these monsters.
6. An open ended question asking the readers to consider that it is POSSIBLE these creatures are real, and not to close-mindedly say, "no they're definately not" or "yes they most certainly are".
What This Book Is Not
1. A Cryptozoological Field Guide.
2. A transcription of every encounter with a creature ever.
3. A deep scientific study into the believability of these creatures
4. An attempt at providing backstories for every monster (when "backstories" from myths and legends were available, they are included.)
5. An attempt to convince YOU, the reader, that all of these monsters are real.
Overall, this was a really well-written book, and I look forward to checking out what other writings this author has to offer.
What This Book Is
1. A list of cryptids across America that OCCAISONALLY references creatures in other countries for comparison.
2. A relation of at least 1 prominent encounter per creature.
3. A detailment of what some hypothesize the creatures being seen might actually be.
4. The author's own view on the hypothesis and why it does and does not make sense.
5. The author's theory on these monsters.
6. An open ended question asking the readers to consider that it is POSSIBLE these creatures are real, and not to close-mindedly say, "no they're definately not" or "yes they most certainly are".
What This Book Is Not
1. A Cryptozoological Field Guide.
2. A transcription of every encounter with a creature ever.
3. A deep scientific study into the believability of these creatures
4. An attempt at providing backstories for every monster (when "backstories" from myths and legends were available, they are included.)
5. An attempt to convince YOU, the reader, that all of these monsters are real.
Overall, this was a really well-written book, and I look forward to checking out what other writings this author has to offer.
Read
November 3, 2022This was an interesting book that provided a lot of reports of first hand encounters of various creatures all across the United States (and Canada, dipping into South America). The author provided possible explanations, explained their reasons for believing or disbelieving these explantations as well as various forms of historical evidence from Indigenous Peoples as well as early settler accounts. I found this to be interesting and well worth listening to. Am I any closer to believing, probably not. This did remind me of an earlier experience I had with the supernatural, not cryptids, and how despite my explaining that I had checked for rational experiences, a professor still held me up as an example of people 'determined to believe'. Had I been a little older I would have mentioned that she was an example of someone 'determined to disbelieve' despite evidence that there WAS NO RATIONAL EXPLANATION. Could there be mass hallucinations spanning thousands of years, sure, maybe. Could there be a lot more out there than we understand, almost definitely. If you want to hear a lot of possible examples of Cryptids existing, then this is a good listen. If you are mildly interested in the subject then this is a great way of discovering a lot of people giving their testimonies. If you are not at all interested in the subject or just want to ridicule, maybe give this a skip.
January 24, 2021
I previously read Godfrey’s book Real Wolfman about the history and encounters of werewolves.
When I found American Monsters, the supernatural enthusiast in me wanted to read it.
I’ve always been fascinated by these mystical creatures, and Godfrey list just about every monster imaginable.
From monsters of the sea to the sky to the land, Godfrey delves into the history of these beings. She also adds in stories from eyewitnesses, and shared her own eerie encounters.
Godfrey does a good job in explaining the origins of the monsters along with their appearance.
I enjoyed reading about werewolves, Bigfoot, Mothman, dragons, and Chessie. But I also learned more details about creatures such as the Lizard Man, the zealous Cat, and Wisconsin’s Man Bat.
Some chapters ran longer than others, but I know the author wanted to include as much information as she could.
A few chapters, were short and I felt they could’ve been elaborated on more. But aside from that, this was an informative read for monster enthusiasts.
When I found American Monsters, the supernatural enthusiast in me wanted to read it.
I’ve always been fascinated by these mystical creatures, and Godfrey list just about every monster imaginable.
From monsters of the sea to the sky to the land, Godfrey delves into the history of these beings. She also adds in stories from eyewitnesses, and shared her own eerie encounters.
Godfrey does a good job in explaining the origins of the monsters along with their appearance.
I enjoyed reading about werewolves, Bigfoot, Mothman, dragons, and Chessie. But I also learned more details about creatures such as the Lizard Man, the zealous Cat, and Wisconsin’s Man Bat.
Some chapters ran longer than others, but I know the author wanted to include as much information as she could.
A few chapters, were short and I felt they could’ve been elaborated on more. But aside from that, this was an informative read for monster enthusiasts.
June 27, 2021
Entertaining enough if you want to read about a lot of eye-witness testimony. She is good at crediting various sources and providing room for people to discuss their sightings. However, it could use some more scientific elements. I didn't expect this book to prove that any of these cryptids existed, of course, and that's hardly even the purpose. As an exploration of various monster sightings and a look at some historical elements, it was enjoyable. The attempts to explain the monsters as natural animals was less successful because it was mostly tossed off in sections.
So don't read if you're expecting to find definitive proof of cryptids. Not really what she promised, even. But do read if you want to learn more about interesting sightings and some light history about monster legends. More comprehensive books on this subject exist, of course, but the author's enthusiasm and light humor made this an easy read.
So don't read if you're expecting to find definitive proof of cryptids. Not really what she promised, even. But do read if you want to learn more about interesting sightings and some light history about monster legends. More comprehensive books on this subject exist, of course, but the author's enthusiasm and light humor made this an easy read.
November 12, 2022
You know how on Buzzfeed Unsolved when Ryan offers a theory that has aliens as a possible reasonable explanation for something like Mothman or a kidnapping? This book has that vibe
This book took itself both too seriously and WAY too seriously. I think I need my folklore/cryptozoology books to take a much more objective view of the creatures. The author is a cryptozoologist and is definitely a believer, and that's not a bad thing, but she did say things along the lines of how now we know those historic sightings are the bigfoot that are common in this area.
Bigfoot and most of these creatures haven't been proven to exist yet, which makes those kinds of statements feel cringy.
This book really had a lot going for it, but I just would've liked it more if the author's earnestly in the belief of these beings wasn't so noticeable. It felt like a book that can't be enjoyed by those who aren't into cryptids
#BigHoot
This book took itself both too seriously and WAY too seriously. I think I need my folklore/cryptozoology books to take a much more objective view of the creatures. The author is a cryptozoologist and is definitely a believer, and that's not a bad thing, but she did say things along the lines of how now we know those historic sightings are the bigfoot that are common in this area.
Bigfoot and most of these creatures haven't been proven to exist yet, which makes those kinds of statements feel cringy.
This book really had a lot going for it, but I just would've liked it more if the author's earnestly in the belief of these beings wasn't so noticeable. It felt like a book that can't be enjoyed by those who aren't into cryptids
#BigHoot
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