American Cryptic

by Jim Towns

AMERICAN CRYPTIC is an open-minded cynic’s take on the uncanny and sometimes frightening things which border our accepted reality. Through thirteen stories and essays, author and filmmaker Jim Towns examines several legends native to his own roots in Western Pennsylvania, and recalls some of his own unexplainable experiences as well. From legends of Native American giants buried under great earth mounds, to a haunted asylum, to a phantom trolley passenger, this work seeks not only to present the reader with new and fascinating supernatural tales, but also to deconstruct why our culture is so fascinated by their telling and re-telling.

Genres: Nonfiction

139 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 18, 2020

Reviews

[J.A. Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ghosts and things that go bump in the night have always fascinated me, especially when the retellings are based on actual events. So, when I saw American Cryptic by Jim Towns, I couldn’t resist diving into these true paranormal stories.

Broken into three main areas, the book delivers 6 Ghost Stories, as well as 4 essays on Boogeymen and 3 covering Uncanny Places, providing a nice balance between firsthand accounts of strange activities, urban legends, and locations you may want to steer clear of (or, in my case, places you definitely want to visit).

The first section, ghost stories, was what I had been looking forward to most, but unfortunately, they didn’t quite scratch my specter-shaped itch. Describing mysterious shadowy figures, signs left by deceased loved ones, and even a spirit that hitchhiked across the country with a family, these encounters were interesting, but could have been told in a more effective way. To me, the best ghost stories unfold like fiction, with a set up, a climactic incident, and a conclusion. These beats build the story up to something frightening and when they aren’t all there in the right proportion the payoff is lessened for the reader.

However, the essays in American Cryptic were fantastic and this is where the author really shone. In the Boogeymen section, Towns examines how urban legends are created and how they are adapted to different time periods through retellings. He highlights the commonalities that appear in legends and how they tap into our collective fear of otherness. Well crafted and thought provoking, the essays probe into how boogeymen serve as warnings to younger people, as well as how creating these myths help society deal with tragedy.

The last essays in the book discuss creepy locations, specifically a forest, an asylum, and strange burial grounds. Here the author looks at the nuggets of truth behind our fears, like how knowing the atrocities endured within old mental health facilities can make us leery of abandoned hospitals, and how actual skeletons discovered in burial mounds of the Adena people helps build a belief in giants.

While this collection may not deliver tales of terror, it’s an interesting read for anyone keen on digging behind how legends create fear.

*Review first appeared on Kendall Reviews*

[Suz Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Things happen for a reason, everything has its proper place in the cycle of life, and the dead can sometimes still speak for themselves. “

AMERICAN CRYPTIC chronicles thirteen of artist, author, and filmmaker Jim Towns’s experiences with the ghostly and uncanny across the United States. The snippets he includes about his personal life add a nice context to the tales, while his artwork in the beautifully creepy cover and awesome internal illustrations contribute to the gothic atmosphere.

I’ve been a fan of the author since I read his fantastic noir short story “Bad Coffee and the Bomb” in issue 10 of Switchblade Magazine. I appreciate the research and historical information that accompanied several of the tales. His artist’s eye and natural storyteller’s heart infuse the collection with a melancholy mood as though Jim is whispering each story over a campfire. You can almost hear the crackle of wood and taste burnt marshmallows on your tongue as goosebumps travel up your arms. Your voice quivers just a smidge as you lean forward, shivering, and beg for more.

[Amanda Headlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can find my review of American Cryptic by Jim Towns at The Horror Tree: https://horrortree.com/epeolatry-book...

[Fred Holden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A series of short essays, stories about the weirdness of Western Pennsylvania. Fun reading, especially if you are from the area due to all the local references. Mr. Towns has a fine narrative voice. It's almost like listening to ghost stories over a late night camp fire.

[Leia John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm gonna be honest - I can't remember how Jim and I got to talking on Twitter. Knowing me, it was probably something perverted. That being said, he was one of the people who responded when I sent out a call for chapbooks to review.

I was mostly responded to with poetry, but Jim's book is a collection of ghost stories and I was up for something different and thought "what the hell, let's give it a whirl."

Book Details

6x9 in dimension
Approximately 126 pages
Printed by Anubis Press
$10 for the paperback and $4 for the Kindle edition
Glossy cover, glue binding and cream colored paper.

Content

American Cryptic is - as I said - a collection of ghost stories. What makes it different is that it's split into three sections; ghost stories that happened to him or to people he knew, creepy places located in his native wester Pennsylvania, and legends originating from the same area.

Review

I have to say that I'm one of those cynical folks who just doesn't believe in ghosts -- which is funny because I've had several strange things happen to me throughout my life. Still, though, here we are.

Even though I'm a non-believer, this was still a fun read. I was particularly interested in the urban legends section which gave me the same thrill as when I used to read Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark when I was a kid. It was interesting to see how some of the stories from his native PA (which isn't far from where I am in NY) bled over the state lines - like the Green Man - and how some I've just never heard of (like the Six Toed Man)

I was particularly fascinated by the story of his apartment in Philadelphia which he and his roommate got the fuck out of because it was so creepy. Or at least he said it was creepy - Jim's a bit light on the details here. I need to know what the roommate's girlfriend said was in the house, I need more creepy shit that happened there. That story in particular could be pretty interesting as a film, too!

Overall it was a good read - my only critique is that I'd have liked more details in some of the stories to shore up why things felt weird, or were creepy.

I'm shipping this book to my mom because I know that she will absolutely adore it!

[Ron · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a must read if you’re a fan of urban legends! If you’re from Pittsburgh or southwestern PA you will recognize most of these.

The author does an amazing job researching the myths origins and basis in reality on occasion.