The Mysterium: Unexplained and extraordinary stories for a post-Nessie generation

by David Bramwell, Jo Keeling

Discover the unexplained mysteries and unsettling oddities of the modern world, from a beach in British Columbia awash with human feet, to the 'tulpamancers' who claim to be channelling the living spirit of My Little Pony. Ponder terrifying thought experiments (can you think yourself to death?), and reflect on life's great questions (was the Garden of Eden located in Bedford?).
In THE MYSTERIUM David Bramwell and Jo Keeling (authors of THE ODDITORIUM), present a user guide to the strange and unexplained corners of modern life. THE MYSTERIUM catalogues a host of bizarre, funny and intriguing stories for a post-Nessie generation still fascinated by the unknowable. Drawing on contemporary folklore, unsolved mysteries, and unsettling phenomena from the dark corners of the internet, this book celebrates the joy of asking questions and the thrill of finding answers which stop you dead in your tracks.
Featuring a group of men who scared themselves to death, Space's version of the Bermuda Triangle, a cat who can sniff out the dying and the tale of Slenderman, the monster who stepped out of Photoshop and into our nightmares, this fascinating book is a catalogue of the extraordinary, the strange, the mysterious and the downright creepy.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 19, 2017

About the author

David Bramwell es un botánico, explorador, y profesor inglés. Bramwell estudió Botánica en la Universidad de Liverpool.

Premio a la "Conservación Excelente del Instituto de Investigación Botánica de Texas, en Estados Unidos.

Llegó a Canarias a principios de los 1970s para hacerse cargo de la dirección del Jardín Botánico Canario Viera y Clavijo, situado en la isla de Gran Canaria, uno de los jardines botánicos más importantes del mundo y el más importante en flora macaronésica, hasta finales de noviembre de 2012.

David Bramwell is Director of the Jardin Botanico Canario 'Viera y Clavijo'- Unidad Asociada CSIC. His current research interests include the monitoring and mapping of wild populations of threatened species, the preparation of a Flora of the Macaronesia, mapping species decline worldwide, molecular studies of genetic diversity in small populations and the effects of climate change on island plants. Juli Caujape-Castells is Head of the Department of Molecular Biodiversity and DNA bank at the Jardin Botanico Canario 'Viera y Clavijo'- Unidad Asociada CSIC. His research uses molecular data to investigate problems related to the origins, taxonomic identification, microevolution and conservation of terrestrial vascular plants endemic to, or occurring in, Macaronesia

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

People are drawn to the strange and the unknown, those stories that even after a second time of hearing make little sense. Some of these are deeply rooted in our oldest legends, but there are a number of mysteries and contemporary folklore that still managed to defy explanation in our modern, always connected, internet age.

In the Mysterium, we will encounter mysteries that have been around for years like the number stations, tragic deaths that no expert has been able to explain such as when a girl was found in the water tank of a hotel after CCTV showed some very peculiar behaviour when she was in the lift. There are entities that have slipped from the virtual domain to become the elements of our nightmares and words that appear embedded in the road. We will learn from those that hear a hum in the place that they live, and of dunes that sing, You may have heard of the darknet, a place where various nefarious activities take place but have you have ever heard of the Deep Web? Me neither.

Some of the stories that David Bramwell and Jo Keeling have collected are seriously creepy and they have managed a fascinating sum up of the current raft of mysteries and what can now be considered modern folklore. It is nicely written as they take care to explain the background to the story. I particularly like the way that they have given pointers to other things that you go and read or watch if a specific tale interests you. A great little collection of the truly bizarre.

[DJ_Keyser · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would have preferred a book about some of the world’s most curious conundrums to have been a little less dry.

[Mark Forrest · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very entertaining read which works best as an introduction to the bizarre, the mysterious and the just plain odd, rather then as a full blown or in depth examination of such phenomena. But it is a lot of fun, written in an easy going, engaging style which makes me want to hunt out more work by the different contributors.

[Julian Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Living up to its title, this is an entertaining. curious and intriguing collection of mysterious happenings, thoughts and the unexplained.

Filled with strange occurrences and even more bizarre characters, it also has links for those who like their oddities to have more space than just one reference book.

An unusual, engaging and thought-provoking collection of the downright weird.

Worth escaping into.

[Hettie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some very incredibly interesting articles. But a lot were of no interest or where too long.

[Stephen Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book for dipping into, not a book to sit and read for long periods. Can be good for those of us who like to follow up on the stories as there are links for further reading and research.

[Kitzel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for anyone interested in the word, the eerie, the uncanny. Great mixture of science, internet and good old human quirks.