Morbid Curiosity Cures the Blues: True Stories of the Unsavory, Unwise, Unorthodox and Unusual from the magazine "Morbid Curiosity"

by Loren Rhoads

For ten years, Morbid Curiosity was a one-of-a-kind underground magazine that gained a devoted following for its celebration of absurd, grotesque, and unusual tales -- all true -- submitted from contributors around the country and across the world. Loren Rhoads, creator and editor of the magazine, has compiled some of her favorite stories from all ten issues in this sometimes shocking, occasionally gruesome, always fascinating anthology.

This quirky book is filled with tales from ordinary people -- who just happen to have eccentric, peculiar interests. Ranging from the outrageous (attending a Black Mass, fishing bodies out of San Francisco Bay, making fake snuff films) to the more "mundane" (visiting a torture museum, tracking real vampires through San Francisco), this curiously enjoyable collection of stories, complete with illustrations and informative asides, will entertain and haunt readers long after the final page is turned.

Genres: Nonfiction, Short Stories, Horror, Death, Essays

320 pages, Paperback

First published September 8, 2009

About the author

Loren Rhoads is author of 222 Cemeteries to See Before You Die, Wish You Were Here: Adventures in Cemetery Travel, and its sequel Still Wish You Were Here: More Adventures in Cemetery Travel.

Loren is also author of This Morbid Life, a morbid memoir, and Unsafe Words, the first full-length collection of her edgy, award-winning stories.

She's the co-author of Lost Angels and its sequel Angelus Rose. She's also author of the space opera In the Wake of the Templars trilogy: The Dangerous Type, Kill By Numbers, and No More Heroes.

Finally, she's editor of Tales for the Camp Fire, which raised money for survivors of 2018's devastating wildfire in Butte County, California.

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I want it on the record that this was a Good Reads win - lol.

Morbid Curiosity Cures the Blues is a compillation of over 40 short stories and articles (classified as non-fiction) culled from the editions of Morbid Curiosity magazine (which in my sheltered world I have never heard of). The cover title tells the reader immediately what to expect, and it doesn't lie, so you have been warned (i.e. True Stories of the Unsavory, Unwise, Unorthodix and Unusual).

Some of the topics covered in the 287 pages of quick reads were:
Necrophillia
True vampirism
Exotic dancing
Black Masses
BDSM
Assisted suicide (a particularly horrible story to read)
Porn films
Road kill
(you get the picture)

Now at this point, there are some readers who are ready to add this to your GR shelves, and I say good on you! Obviously, some people like and enjoy this kind of reading, and if you're into this kind of kink, then this book shouldn't disappoint. In fact, to be fair, there are actually a couple of really fascinating stories in this book: "Souvenir of Hell" by Brian Thomas recounts his visit to the Auschwitz concentration camp, and was very well written and presented. Likewise, I did have a morbid fascination of my own with Jessica Eisner's report ("Happy Trails in Southeast Asia") on the Southeast Asian culinary treat of the Durian fruit, which apparently tastes like almond custard (very ok), but smells like a latrine, dirty socks, and rancid cheese (not so ok!). These stories (and a few others), were unfortunately few and far between. The rest were just really disturbing and left a bad taste in my mind. To my way of thinking, finishing a book like this is akin to eating a tainted meal. You know something's *off*, but you continue eating until the end, and then you get sick and never want to see or smell that particular meal again. Likewise for me with this book, although there are those with a much stronger stomach out there that will enjoy this fare...

[Michael Jandrok · Rating 3 out of 5]

First up, I'll have to admit that I had never heard of the underground magazine "Morbid Curiosity" until I ordered this anthology somewhat on a whim. As I have stated in a couple of my reviews, I am a firm believer that certain books have their own time of the year when their covers are best cracked. It’s difficult for me to get into dark horror in the midst of spring, for example, when growing things are abundant and the cycle of life has turned to regeneration. Likewise, I have trouble reading gardening books in the dead of winter, when the air is cold and the soil unready for such musings. Obviously that doesn’t apply to ALL genres. I can read biographies and science-fiction year round. Maybe this feeling is tied to my Pagan feel for the wheel of year. There is much to be said for an enhanced tether to the cycles of nature, and this can be applied to many areas of life. Thus this book fit well with my fascination with tales of death and how we as humans deal with it on a conscious and unconscious level.

Here in central and south Texas, Dia de los Muertos celebrations are a big deal. We owe this cultural gift to a large Hispanic influence on our communities, and I for one love the symbolism and the spiritual aspects of these rituals. Enjoying a book like this is part of that spiritual reflection for me. It’s even more pertinent to me now than it was previously, as I am still fighting a battle with cancer. I certainly hope to put death off for quite a while yet, but there can be no doubt that I am more concretely aware that every day on this side of the ground is a definite blessing.

Morbid Curiosity was published annually from 1997 to 2006, the total print run covering 10 issues. A short internet query reveals a few back issues are still available for those who wish to delve deeper into the publication, but be forewarned, these stories are not for everyone. How would you know if you're the type of person who might like Morbid Curiosity? Just ask yourself a few questions and answer them honestly. Are you the kind of person who enjoys wax museums and carnival sideshows? You might find yourself intrigued by these tales. Do you find yourself drawn to graveyards by any chance? You'll get your kicks here. Do your pornographic tastes run more to the Marquis de Sade than "Playboy?" You're home.

Like most anthologies, this one is a mixed bag. The best stories (like Brian Thomas's harrowing "Souvenir of Hell," describing a visit to Auschwitz) cover a lot of ground, offering some serious food for thought among the carnage. The lesser stories (Christine Sulewski's somewhat pointless visit to Amsterdam) do little more than titillate. All in all, though, it's a mostly enjoyable collection, with a few of the stories doing a good job of actually giving me the creeps. It's definitely for an NC-17 audience, though, as there is enough explicitness to give pause to anyone who can't handle thorough descriptions of cadavers and/or mild sexual situations. This is a reasonably good sized book with a LOT of articles, too many to document one by one here. I could bore you with that, but honestly it’s not worth it.

This book has piqued my curiosity enough for me to actively go and locate back issues for sale. I'd like to purchase a few and see what the magazine was really like. I have often found that anthologies like this that come from magazine runs tend to do a poor job of representing the publication as a whole. You get no artwork here, no pictures. You get no advertising copy, no feel for what the actual magazine itself was truly about.

The need to confront the morbid isn't for everyone, but personally I enjoy it. There's a lot of fun to be had out on the fringe, and Morbid Curiosity was definitely out there chronicling some of it. I'd recommend this to anyone whose tastes run a little bit to the dark and dangerous side of the tracks.

[#ReadAllTheBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the macabre, the morbid, the dark, the stories that my sisters decide are just a little too strange for them. It would come of no surprise to them that this is a book I chose to read. They've seen me read things with worse titles.

But this book affected me more than some of the other things I've read, mostly because these stories are true while much of what I read is fiction. The stories in this book range from entertaining (a story of one girl's search for a good high in Asia) to downright horrifying (one guy's trip through Auschwitz & a first person view of the 1999 pub bombings.)

There were some stories in here that brought a chill to my bones, such as the Auschwitz story & some that just made me smile a little. I'm rather pleased with the editing of the book- for the most part, most of the heavy stories were followed up with lighter hearted fare. If the Auschwitz story (the one that sits in my mind the most) hadn't had a lighter story behind it, I admit that it would've taken me a while to get back into the book. As it was, I had to put the book down for several parts during the story just to let my mind chew over how horrible it was in concentration camps. Later during the book I would wince at one man's description of animal testing labs.

There are more stories in this book, some of which are equally as horrifying & sad, such as `Lock it Behind You'. Much of this book will remind the reader how darn good we really have it, to not have experienced most of this stuff first hand. But I will give a warning (one I've seen other reviewers here give as well)- don't read this all in one gulp. You'll be tempted to because these stories are pretty well written & the gems in the book will haunt you for quite a while afterwards. But don't. These stories NEED to be chewed over & digested afterwards, otherwise they lose their punch. Some of these stories are REAL horror stories containing REAL people & some of them will be hard to read. During the reading of this book, I couldn't help but feel thankful that my life has been mostly mundane in comparison. Forget Freddy or Jason- some of these tales are the stuff that generally give me the shivers. To me, these stories (both the horrifying, the humorous, the sad & the macabre) were given even more of an impact because the people writing them aren't the stuff of legends- they're mostly average joes & janes like you or me.

For the ones who like these types of books or have read the magazine, they'll adore this book. If you aren't sure, I'd give the book a try. There's bound to be at least one story that you'll like. If you don't like this type of stuff at all, then you'll probably want to pass this one by for now.

(ARC provided by amazon vine)

[Carole Tyrrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book in a competition on Facebook run by Morbid Curiosity’s editor and publisher, Loren Rhoads, and it introduced me to a magazine and a group of writers that I might never have read or heard of otherwise. The only writer I had had any previous acquaintance with was Mehitobel Wilson as we appeared in an anthology together.
The cover advertises the contents as ‘true stories of the unsavory, unwise, unorthodox, and unusual’ and I was immediately hooked. But I saved up reading it like a fine wine until I could give it my full attention.
A fascinating introduction by Ms Rhoads, recounts the founding of Morbid Curiosity magazine and the highs of its 10 year run. I’ve always considered that curiosity is an encouraging sign in a person even though we seem to be encouraged to mere consume and observe instead of questioning and maybe changing the status quo. Morbid Curiosity was an underground, or cult, magazine and it was, as the editor states, ‘intended to be a forum where people could step forward and tell their own stories….because ‘normal’ people don’t often have the opportunity to examine and discuss their lives.’’ And that’s what I enjoyed most this book; the wide variety of stories, not presented in a sensational manner but in a conversational way.
The stories range from running over a bicyclist, being slashed by a stranger, exploring mausolea at night and being caught up unwittingly in international politics amongst many others. Some are disturbing such as working in a vivisection lab or visiting a parent in a mental hospital. Very much a case of ‘that could have happened to me.’ There were also others where you realised that the experience being recounted had changed the writer’s life or sent them down a different path entirely. One minute it’s all sorted out, the next minute you’re somewhere else entirely.
I enjoyed this book immensely being an aficionado of the darker side and although a few of the contributions made me feel uncomfortable, I felt that the writers needed to share their experiences. The nastier side of life doesn’t go away because you ignore it.
The stand-out contributions were, for me, Brian Thomas ‘Souvenir of Hell’ about a visit to Auschwitz, Lee Smith’s ‘You Lock it Behind You,’ Jill Tracy’s ‘The Keeper of the Shop’ and Hughes Lebbac’s ‘Going into Tombs’ but there wasn’t one contributor I felt shouldn’t be in here. I know this is a best of collection and maybe it’s not really representative of Morbid Curiosity’s entire output but I’m sorry it isn’t still around.
It’s a shame that I only discovered Morbid Curiosity after it ceased to exist but I a very glad to have a copy of this book which I’m sure I will be returning to very soon.

[Allison Floyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Puppies, kittens, and sun-dappled meadows! Maypoles and pastels! I suspect that a substantial amount of the enjoyment I derived from this book is rooted in the fact that I spent a decent chunk of it thinking to myself, "Wow, I'm not that maladjusted." This was when I wasn't thinking, "Wow, I'm not that open-minded," or "Wow, this is profound/funny/gross/etc." These thoughts were peppered by the occasional shrug/sigh at the rare encounter with the sillier/more pretentious/simply less effectual bits. There was also a shudder or two elicited by things that, I'm sorry, are just gross. Or wrong. Or both. How very un-San Francisco of me. But there you have it. And I don't live there anymore. This anthology presented a unique goodreads shelving challenge, running the gamut as it does (I found myself simultaneously thinking fondly on my SF days and bidding good riddance to some of the terminally alternative clusterf**ckage--sorry, but there's no better word--that occasionally rears its head). That said, out of nearly three hundred pages worth of material, while some tales are definitely better-rendered than others, I'd venture that there's not a clunker in the lot (even the ones I found slightly silly/pretentious and more than slightly repugnant). Rare, that is. There are some particularly moving tales in the last section, entitled "Beyond Death: Exploring Behind the Curtain," notably Allegra Lundyworf's "Grandmarama" and Jill Tracy's "The Keeper of the Shop". Of course, a person can only spend so much time meandering through the mausoleum before she finds herself nursing a mother of a gothic hangover and needs to come up for the sunshiny air. And bake a batch of vegan cookies whilst listening to folk music and brewing herbal tea. Or knit sweaters for one's (imaginary) Scottie dog whilst perusing the latest Woman's Day. Which is perhaps the beauty of this book: it is possibly the ideal tool for unearthing your inner Sandra Lee. Because, damn it, the sun will come out tomorrow. Even over the cemetery.

[Robert Beveridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loren Rhoads (ed.), Morbid Curiosity Cures the Blues (Simon and Schuster, 2009)

One of my favorite books of the nineties was Apocalypse Culture, the Adam Parfrey-edited compendium of the weird and wonderful. I'd never found another book quite like it, and while Morbid Curiosity Cures the Blues doesn't entirely qualify, it's about the closest I've seen in the past couple of decades, and that's good enough for me.

This is a collection of personal essays (for the most part) that appeared in Morbid Curiosity magazine during its all-too-brief existence. (It's the “personal” aspect of the essays that differs from the more—I hate to use the word “scholarly”, but there you go—aspect of Apocalypse Culture.) Rhoads breaks the essays up into loose conglomerations of subject, but had they used a different grouping, you probably wouldn't notice. It doesn't matter what these people are writing about, it's usually fascinating. The subject matter ranges from a young boy wandering around an asylum by himself to the exploits of a chap who like to hang out in mausoleums for a year or so to tales of paranormal activity to spinal surgery, and a lot of places in between. Some of it is less fascinating than other bits (and what parts fascinate me may bore you to tears, and vice versa, so we won't go there), but the good definitely outweighs the bad. And you should probably jump at any chance you get to expose yourself to the work of cabaret artist Jill Tracy, who contributes my favorite essay here; it has nothing to do with music and it's still awesome. How cool is that?

I have no idea whether it will actually cure your blues or not. I do know that it will make you want to read pieces of it again and again, just like Apocalypse Culture does (and if you don't have a copy of that, then my god, what are you waiting for?). Definitely one to pick up. ****

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never heard of the magazine Morbid Curiosity before picking up this book, but now I wish I had. The sample of odd essays I found in this volume made me want more. I kept imagining the odd things from my life that I would write about if Morbid Curiosity was still being published. Topics in this book range from exploring a Nazi concentration camp to finding your landlord dead to offering up your body for a medical experiment that removes 2/3 of your blood and replaces it with saline solution. The essays are sometimes touching, sometimes humorous, but always fascinating. I'll be buying a copy of this for my morbid father.

[Nanci Svensson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This, of course, is a re-read, and still a favorite.
I realize now though, since this is a collection of the writings in Rhoads' Morbid Curiosity magazine, that I'm going to have to roam the attic for all my old issues of the zine. I reveled in them when I was in my 20s (precluding and possibly inspiring my actual career as a grad student in forensic pathology...).
So, yeah, this is in deed TRULY inspirational reading! Stay off Eat, Pray, Love, folks.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I've not picked up the actual book yet, I've read (and own) all the Morbid Curiosity magazines these essays were pulled from to create this book. I give my five star rating with confidence and can't to buy the book!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great compilation of short stories... all true, unfortunately. This book covers the gamut of all things disturbing. From waking up in surgery, to experiencing a Black Mass for the first time, this book opens you up to new worlds and experiences... most that I wouldn't want to try first hand.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A treasure trove of odd and provocative practices and pursuits.

[Athena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book rocks! It's very strange and fun and I recommend it.

[allegra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I'm allowed to give this five stars...

[Annie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Review deleted

[Bettina Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not for everyone. If you do not enjoy bizarre tales, then I suggest you don't read it. I, however, enjoyed this book.

[Alanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review can be found here: http://sheneverslept.com/newsandrevie...

[Sharon Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fine collection of nasties from Loren Rhoads.

[Schannon Mccloud · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was good. All the different stories in it are worth reading.

[Stephen Dedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unfortunately, it doesn't- but it might succeed in distracting you from them. All of the stories are interesting, and some are amusing, but be warned, several of them are also quite disturbing. And I'm a horror writer!

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Different, if a bit lengthy. A well curated selection of weird real life experiences.

[Caitlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was terribly disappointing. The annoyances were numerous including, but not limited to:

- The format of the book - It's printed in newspaper type with two columns per page as if it were still a zine. It makes reading it difficult.

- The introduction - This is printed as in a regular book and starts out okay, but quickly devolves into self-congratulatory drivel. Yes, yes, you are the coolest, gothest ever. We all bow to your amazingness.

- The writing - Almost universally mediocre. These were the 40 best items?

- The illustrations - If you had a goth friend in high school who doodled cartoons in their notebook, you'll recognize these.

Out of 298 pages and 40 or so essays only one of them was worth reading - Souvenir of Hell by Brian Thomas - about visiting Auschwitz and Birkenau. Thank you, Mr. Thomas, for writing about this experience in an intelligent and honest way.

This book got two stars because of Mr. Thomas' essay - a long-winded way of saying you might as well skip this.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mixed bag of true tales from Morbid Curoisity magazine. My personal favourites were 'Souvenir of Hell' (and is probably the best written piece), and 'Lock it Behind You', since these were the most emotive articles. But for sheer shock-horror factor, the best was one woman's experience of anesthesia awareness.
It's true there's nothing like a little horror to make you glad to be alive!

[kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

as dana below said: "While I've not picked up the actual book yet, I've read (and own) all the Morbid Curiosity magazines these essays were pulled from to create this book. I give my five star rating with confidence and can't to buy the book!"

exactly the same situation here!

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good stories here, but also some that surprised me by making the cut. If this book is supposed to reflect the best of Morbid Curiosity magazine, I'm not rushing to eBay to scrounge up back issues.

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Made up of select contributions from the defunct magazine Morbid Curiosity this collection feels a little uneven. I have to admit that the story about Auschwits will stick with me. That story really bothered me on a number of levels.

[Leslie Inglis · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a few really great reads in this book but there are also a number of little substance that felt like nothing more than the author's attempt to prove just how bad ass their alternative life style/ fetish etc is.. I give this book 3 stars for the 40% of intriguing reads.

[AM10000 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some stories were well-written, while others weren't so great...but overall very interesting.