CHASING AMERICAN MONSTERS: 251 CREATURES, CRYPTIDS, AND HAIRY BEASTS by Jason Offutt will be published March 8th, 2019 by Llewellyn Publications
I’m not ashamed to admit that I believe in Bigfoot, and that I would love to catch a glimpse of him (or her) someday. As for other legendary cryptids – such as the Jersey Devil, Chupacabras, and werewolves (just to name a few) – I’d like to believe they exist as well. My interest in cryptozoology has led me to read various books, watch numerous TV shows (no matter how scripted and implausible they may be), and even visit Loren Coleman’s International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine. So, when I saw CHASING AMERICAN MONSTERS: 251 CREATURES, CRYPTIDS, AND HAIRY BEASTS on NetGalley, it was a given that I had to request it.
CHASING AMERICAN MONSTERS: 251 CREATURES, CRYPTIDS, AND HAIRY BEASTS is a quick, fun read for anyone interested in cryptozoology, monsters, myths, urban legends, or anything weird. It is not an in-depth book, but it does cover a lot of cryptids. Offutt breaks down the book in state-by-state chapters, and he gives brief examples of cryptids and legendary creatures that have been spotted in every state. Everything from Bigfoot to dwarves, and living dinosaurs to aliens have been spotted across the United States. Some of the creatures have been seen by many – such as Bigfoot, who has been seen in every state except Hawaii. Other creatures were only seen one time by one person under sketchy circumstances, which led to question why the stories were included when those pages could have gone towards providing more details on the more interesting creatures. And there were a few “creatures” that, while interesting, didn’t quite seem to fit – such as a bear that broke into a camper’s cooler and drank all the beer. We all know bears exist, so while it was funny to read about a drunk bear with a preference for Rainer beer, it didn’t quite seem to fit in with the rest of the creatures in the book. Neither did the man who would dress in a bunny costume and terrorize people…Though I would love to know more about that guy!
Overall, CHASING AMERICAN MONSTERS: 251 CREATURES, CRYPTIDS, AND HAIRY BEASTS is an interesting, enjoyable read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.