Sheppton: The Myth, Miracle & Music

by Maxim W. Furek

The Sheppton Mythology...In 1963, three miners were entombed more than 300 feet underground near remote Sheppton, Pennsylvania. Although two were eventually rescued, the other simply disappeared.Something fantastic happened in that soulless place devoid of forgiveness and light. It was a black hell, a total darkness where the ability to see depth or movement was eradicated. Vision was painfully ripped away by powerful forces and yet, even without the gift of sight, the trapped men were somehow able to see.While confined, the miners saw bizarre humanoid creatures and stairwells leading to a Golden City. They claimed to have been in the presence of his Holiness Pope John XXIII.Scholars, scientists and Vatican academics, all reached the same the survivors were telling the truth about their ordeal.Some researchers have suggested that Sheppton is entwined with the controversial “Hollow Earth Theory,” while others claim it provides proof of life after death. “Timothy,” recorded by The Buoys, eerily paralleled Sheppton as it introduced allegations of cannibalism.Steeped in the miraculous, the supernatural and the dreadful, Sheppton has become greater than the sum of its parts. ***************************************************************Maxim W. Furek is a Music Journalist and avid student of the Coal Region. His investigation into Sheppton’s urban legend probes the difficult really happened in the mine?

219 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 12, 2016

Reviews

[David Wimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I'm a Pennsylvania native and I can't believe I never knew about the Sheppton incident until recently. I'm really glad that I read this. The author does an excellent job of engaging the reader and getting you to empathize with the men trapped in the mine. He analyzes every aspect of the Sheppton mine disaster from various angles and perspectives, which provides a great deal of context. My favorite part of the book is when the author discusses the unscrupulous ways in which the powers that be in the mining industry would cut corners to save money, often with workers tragically paying for their selfishness and greed.

My only piece of constructive feedback is that the book has quite a few typos and could have used some closer proofreading, but that didn't necessarily reduce my enjoyment of the book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of Pennsylvania coal mining or the psychological nature of being trapped in total darkness for an extended period.

[Pat Padden · Rating 1 out of 5]

A book about a topic this highly-charged, dramatic, and mysterious, and containing so many different elements of interest, from the technology used to free the miners, to the weird visions and hallucinatory experiences they endured, to the charges of cannibalism leveled at the two survivors (a third man was never found) deserves to have been better written. Instead, the narrative style is terrible, there appears to have been no proofreading or editing, and of all things, there's a lengthy plug for The Buoys - the bar band that recorded "Timothy", a song about "the unnerving story of three men trapped in a collapsed mine, two of whom apparently resort to cannibalism against the third" according to Wikipedia's description. This is a shameful excuse for a book that doesn't take itself seriously, and that makes a mockery of its subject matter.

[Lilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating book! I could not put it down! It is very well written and researched and it talked about many aspects of the mining accident, not just the strange and supernatural parts. The bizarre happenings were described very well along with the possible explanations and theories. The author did not push any conclusions on the reader and let them reach their own conclusion.

[Maxim Furek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheppton: The Myth, Miracle, and Music explores the paranormal aspects of the 1963 Sheppton mining disaster. Allegations of cannibalism are connected to The Buoys' recording of "Timothy," a 1971 hit written by Rupert Holmes. The rescued miners believed Pope John XXIII, who had died several months earlier, remained with them during their entrapment.

[Mary Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cool mines and tragedy

An account of a particularly gripping rescue of two of three men in a mine after a tragic cave in

[Raymond Walton · Rating 5 out of 5]

True life mystery

The book does not slant the story to fit an agenda. It tell the story and lets the reader decide. Very interesting.

[Joy McGinnis]

Interesting history and music pieces but the paranormal was a little unsettling. Enjoyed breakfast with our book club and the author.