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Wendigo Lore: Monsters, Myths, and Madness
No other legend invoked as much fear, panic, and dread as the Wendigo. For hundreds of years people in Canada and the United States have told stories of a giant cannibalistic monster that could devour an entire community- or worse yet, possess you and turn you into a Wendigo. Almost everything that has previously been written about the Wendigo comes from an anthropological or sociological perspective, often failing to even address the supernatural component of the lore. Not this book! The result is one of the most comprehensive explorations of the Wendigo legend ever written. While not for the faint of heart, Wendigo Lore is a treasure trove of information for those seeking to learn more about this unique legend of the Northwoods.
260 pages, Paperback
Published May 15, 2020
57 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
Chad Lewis
67 books31 followersFor nearly two decades Chad Lewis has traveled the back roads of the world in search of the strange and unusual. From tracking vampires in Transylvania and searching for the elusive monster of Loch Ness to trailing the dangerous Tata Duende through remote villages of Belize and searching for ghosts in Ireland’s haunted castles, Chad has scoured the earth in search of the paranormal.
With a Masters Degree in Psychology, Chad has authored over 15 books on the supernatural, and extensively lectures on his fascinating findings.
The more bizarre the legend, the more likely you’ll find Chad there.
With a Masters Degree in Psychology, Chad has authored over 15 books on the supernatural, and extensively lectures on his fascinating findings.
The more bizarre the legend, the more likely you’ll find Chad there.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 12, 2021
Groundbreaking Compilation of the Lore
This was an excellent account of the history of Wendigo lore among the many Native American tribes. The subject is treated with respect and the authors have done an extensive amount of research, including traveling to the primary locations to view for themselves and interview others. They also note the incredible amount of bias in many early reports. The information is presented straightforwardly and no attempts are made to influence the reader. Readers can make up their own minds. A ground breaking work.
This was an excellent account of the history of Wendigo lore among the many Native American tribes. The subject is treated with respect and the authors have done an extensive amount of research, including traveling to the primary locations to view for themselves and interview others. They also note the incredible amount of bias in many early reports. The information is presented straightforwardly and no attempts are made to influence the reader. Readers can make up their own minds. A ground breaking work.
August 9, 2023
The most comprehensive deep dive of a mythic creature out there—wish there was one like this for all of them.
August 30, 2020
Finally, someone tackled this mostly unknown monster legend. I have read a lot about the Wendigo, yet much of what I found was just basic details that seemed to be cut and pasted from similar websites. Let me just say that this book is thorough and well-researched. It covers the history of the monster, historical accounts, modern interpretations, and various similarly described creatures.
On a personal level, my favorite chapter was Wendigo Metamorphosis, which explained what the Wendigo is, the various ways in which one becomes a Wendigo and the strange workings of the Wendigo.
I also enjoyed the chapters on how to cure a Wendigo and how to kill it. It was really fun to read about the authors' various research trips in search of this creature. I was afraid this might just be another academic treatment of the literature without any actually first-hand research.
On a personal level, my favorite chapter was Wendigo Metamorphosis, which explained what the Wendigo is, the various ways in which one becomes a Wendigo and the strange workings of the Wendigo.
I also enjoyed the chapters on how to cure a Wendigo and how to kill it. It was really fun to read about the authors' various research trips in search of this creature. I was afraid this might just be another academic treatment of the literature without any actually first-hand research.
December 30, 2023
Wendigo Lore: Monsters, Myths and Madness by Chad Lewis and Kevin Lee Nelson is a fascinating overview into the fearsome creature from North American mythology, the wendigo. As a Brit I knew very little about this supernatural entity, other than reading Algernon Blackwood's classic horror tale and seeing its various cinematic incarnations. The authors are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their subject and there is a great deal of historic evidence of wendigo instances from the archives. The book also covers the psychological possibilities of what 'going wendigo' might mean, delving into the physical aspects of malnutrition and starvation. Some of the documented reports are both compelling and chilling in equal measure.
This really is a fantastic book. If you are at all interested in the subject, you can't go far wrong in reading this book. Recommended.
This really is a fantastic book. If you are at all interested in the subject, you can't go far wrong in reading this book. Recommended.
September 8, 2020
I had no idea that there were so many cases of this weird creature. The wendigo was one of those monsters that I knew little about. Luckily this is a well-researched book with a sprinkle of travelogue inserted for good measure. Outside of providing a thorough history of the monster, the authors spend a lot of time traveling to locations with the hopes of encountering the legend for themselves. I have to say that I really liked the on-site investigations. A few of the chapters dealt with some morbid cases, especially the swiftrunner guy, but I should have expected that. Overall I would highly recommend this book for anyone into the supernatural or paranormal.
January 13, 2025
This is a great book from Back Roads Lore, the best of theirs I have read so far. It was respectful, in-depth, and very well researched. The authors focused on older lore, pre-antlers, which was great. They also showed well how the lore changed over time, like the addition of the silver bullet as a kill-mechanism once Europeans had lived in the region a while. They also addressed topics like how physical issues or diseases could have contributed to the lore, as well as the history of wendigo psychosis. An awesome book for the wendigo-curious.
April 30, 2023
As an aspiring writer, I found this book an absolute treasure trove of well-researched lore and first hand accounts. As someone with a science-centric background, I was impressed with the writing style. This book has been a fantastic resource for me- not only to make sure I get my fact straight, but also as a source of literary concepts.
December 30, 2025
I actually got this book because my kiddo wanted to study wendigo as a part of her mythical creatures unit study and this was a great pick! I am so happy we went w this one. Keeping in mind this isn’t for the feint of heart but my teen handled it just fine. Excellent references, stories, and touches on modern lore vs the origins and regional aspects of the wendigo. Highly recommend it!
February 3, 2023
A respectful and informative in depth examination of the wendigo legends and their history. This is fascinating resource for those looking for more information on this both terrifying and intriguing creature/spirit.
February 3, 2023
Amazing
This is not just a good read of stories about wendigos, but a Informative history of how and why they even exist. Homework was done by Chad and Kevin and I found it beyond amazing. Thank you and be safe.
This is not just a good read of stories about wendigos, but a Informative history of how and why they even exist. Homework was done by Chad and Kevin and I found it beyond amazing. Thank you and be safe.
March 19, 2023
Outstanding Wendigo Knowledge
This is THE book that has the most comprehensive information about the terrible Wendigo, which haunts the minds of many northern dwelling Indigenous peoples during the cold, hard winter months. Fantastic!
This is THE book that has the most comprehensive information about the terrible Wendigo, which haunts the minds of many northern dwelling Indigenous peoples during the cold, hard winter months. Fantastic!
August 8, 2020
Great overview of the Wendigo legend! Explores all the facets of the legend as well as the regional and tribal differences. If you are a fan of Chad Lewis, I would highly recommend!
November 28, 2025
Interesting subject. Author covered the lore from the point of view of various cultures and time periods. Well done.
May 20, 2020
Finally, someone tackled this mostly unknown monster legend. I have read a lot about the Wendigo, yet much of what I found was just basic details that seemed to be cut and pasted from similar websites. Let me just say that this book is thorough and obliviously well-researched. It covers the history of the monster, historical accounts, modern interpretations, and various similarly described creatures.
On a personal level, my favorite chapter was Wendigo Metamorphosis, which explained what the Wendigo is, the various ways in which one becomes a Wendigo and the strange workings of the Wendigo.
I also enjoyed the chapters on how to cure a Wendigo and how to kill it. It was really fun to read about the authors' various research trips in search of this creature. I was afraid this might just be another academic treatment of the literature without any actually first-hand research.
.
On a personal level, my favorite chapter was Wendigo Metamorphosis, which explained what the Wendigo is, the various ways in which one becomes a Wendigo and the strange workings of the Wendigo.
I also enjoyed the chapters on how to cure a Wendigo and how to kill it. It was really fun to read about the authors' various research trips in search of this creature. I was afraid this might just be another academic treatment of the literature without any actually first-hand research.
.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews