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Chasing American Monsters: Over 250 Creatures, Cryptids & Hairy Beasts
STEP RIGHT UP and BEHOLD a stupendous COLLECTION of over 250 FEARSOME and FANTASTICAL CREATURES from Every State in the Union!
The Black Dog of Hanging Hills, the Tommyknockers of Pennsylvania, the Banshee of the Badlands--these beasts and hundreds more will hold you spellbound, unable to look away from their frightful features and their extraordinary stories. Come face to face with modern-day dinosaurs, extraterrestrials, dragons, lizard men, giants, and flying humanoids. This illustrated collection includes more than 250 monsters and cryptids that will make your hair stand on end when you hear something go bump in the night.
From Alabama to Wyoming and everywhere in between, these enigmatic abominations lurk in the darkest corners and the deepest shadows. This eye-opening book details the origins, appearance, and behaviors of these bizarre creatures so that if you should come across a terrifying beast in the wild, you'll know exactly what you're dealing with.
Praise:
"Jason Offutt does a special service to the field of cryptozoology with this new book Chasing American Monsters. By keeping all of us up-to-date and incredibly informed--beyond the scope of lesser guidebooks--we have a better head start on knowing where to look for these cryptids. Highly recommended."--Loren Coleman, author of Cryptozoology A to Z and director of the International Cryptozoology Museum
The Black Dog of Hanging Hills, the Tommyknockers of Pennsylvania, the Banshee of the Badlands--these beasts and hundreds more will hold you spellbound, unable to look away from their frightful features and their extraordinary stories. Come face to face with modern-day dinosaurs, extraterrestrials, dragons, lizard men, giants, and flying humanoids. This illustrated collection includes more than 250 monsters and cryptids that will make your hair stand on end when you hear something go bump in the night.
From Alabama to Wyoming and everywhere in between, these enigmatic abominations lurk in the darkest corners and the deepest shadows. This eye-opening book details the origins, appearance, and behaviors of these bizarre creatures so that if you should come across a terrifying beast in the wild, you'll know exactly what you're dealing with.
Praise:
"Jason Offutt does a special service to the field of cryptozoology with this new book Chasing American Monsters. By keeping all of us up-to-date and incredibly informed--beyond the scope of lesser guidebooks--we have a better head start on knowing where to look for these cryptids. Highly recommended."--Loren Coleman, author of Cryptozoology A to Z and director of the International Cryptozoology Museum
384 pages, Paperback
First published March 8, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
January 27, 2019
I'm so disappointed in this book, and I'm not even sure if it's fair for me to be this disappointed, but here we are. I love cryptid stories and literally spent countless late nights as a kid/teen (okay, who am I kidding, I'm 26 and it still happens frequently) digging through cryptid forums and sites and blog posts, devouring any stories I could find. Even if the stories took place thousands of miles away from me, it didn't stop me from loving them (though my favorites, of course, are the ones that took place in my home state of Georgia or surrounding states).
All of that said, as you can imagine, I was super excited to read this, but it wasn't what I expected at all. It's broken up by states, which was a cool formatting, but each state only has an illustration of one of its cryptids, and... honestly, I'm not convinced some of those illustrations weren't traced over old Neopets designs. Sorry.
Artwork aside, instead of giving history on established cryptids that a lot of people actually believe in, most of these were nonsense (one of the Georgia cryptids' sections claims that it's a widely held belief in this particular area, and having lived very near that region as a kid and knowing a ton of people from the town? No, it's not). Half of the stories given were basically just like, "This ONE PERSON in *insert year* claimed they saw this and now everyone believes it!" and, frankly, that's not how cryptid stories work from my experience. Maybe Offutt's circles run a little differently, but ask anyone in mine, and we'll all agree that a cryptid story isn't fun until there are enough corroborating stories to make it plausible.
Sigh. I didn't mean for this review to become a rant. I'm sure the author is a great person who thought they'd write something really fun and kooky, but the delivery wasn't there for me at all.
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
All of that said, as you can imagine, I was super excited to read this, but it wasn't what I expected at all. It's broken up by states, which was a cool formatting, but each state only has an illustration of one of its cryptids, and... honestly, I'm not convinced some of those illustrations weren't traced over old Neopets designs. Sorry.
Artwork aside, instead of giving history on established cryptids that a lot of people actually believe in, most of these were nonsense (one of the Georgia cryptids' sections claims that it's a widely held belief in this particular area, and having lived very near that region as a kid and knowing a ton of people from the town? No, it's not). Half of the stories given were basically just like, "This ONE PERSON in *insert year* claimed they saw this and now everyone believes it!" and, frankly, that's not how cryptid stories work from my experience. Maybe Offutt's circles run a little differently, but ask anyone in mine, and we'll all agree that a cryptid story isn't fun until there are enough corroborating stories to make it plausible.
Sigh. I didn't mean for this review to become a rant. I'm sure the author is a great person who thought they'd write something really fun and kooky, but the delivery wasn't there for me at all.
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
December 11, 2022
I don't have too much to say about this book. It could have been entertaining I think, but it was dry. One reason for this is that Offut organized the material by U.S. state. In a sense, this was interesting, because he opened each chapter with a little bio of each state-- some history, culture, famous people, that sort of thing.
Unfortunately, the information about the states distracts from his subject, monster myths, which suffered from this by-state organization. In part, this was due to repetition. For example, by the time the book gets to "Utah," he'd brought up Bigfoot so many times that I actually rolled my eyes and started counting letters in my head. How many states are left after "U"? Don't worry, there's a few.
Oh and, spoiler alert: he brought up Bigfoot again.
Rating 2.5 stars generously rounded up
Finished November 2022
Read this if you like:
👹 Monsters
🧛♂️ Myths and legends
🇺🇸 US history
📓 "Academic" nonfiction
Unfortunately, the information about the states distracts from his subject, monster myths, which suffered from this by-state organization. In part, this was due to repetition. For example, by the time the book gets to "Utah," he'd brought up Bigfoot so many times that I actually rolled my eyes and started counting letters in my head. How many states are left after "U"? Don't worry, there's a few.
Oh and, spoiler alert: he brought up Bigfoot again.
Rating 2.5 stars generously rounded up
Finished November 2022
Read this if you like:
👹 Monsters
🧛♂️ Myths and legends
🇺🇸 US history
📓 "Academic" nonfiction
June 27, 2023
There's really nothing groundbreaking or deep here; it's like a bathroom reader on cryptids, haha. A rundown of your average cryptid podcast or wiki page, but with only a sentence or two each.
It goes state by state, which has the double effect of giving some local history and context but preventing any kind of theme, and not allowing for easy comparison of the same creatures seen in different areas.
Some entries like the melon heads of Connecticut, the white stag in New Jersey's pine barrens, and most of the New Mexico ones were new to me, though.
It goes state by state, which has the double effect of giving some local history and context but preventing any kind of theme, and not allowing for easy comparison of the same creatures seen in different areas.
Some entries like the melon heads of Connecticut, the white stag in New Jersey's pine barrens, and most of the New Mexico ones were new to me, though.
December 10, 2018
Listing the states in alphabetical order and certifying that you're terrible at remembering all of the states in that manner, Offutt has arranged a breezy read that references (notable?) legendary monsters and the like, assigning a chapter to each state. The book is quite inclusive in its variety of unnatural wonders, spanning from banshees to pig-monsters to even just bones of unique creatures, but you'll also find, as pointed out by the author, that there's a peculiar amount of consistency in some types (your Bigfoot/Bigfeet and water serpents are quite numerous). It's interesting to see what legends you're familiar with, as opposed to what Offutt's dug up.
The book does have some things that got me wondering: Some entries were so bare-bones that I was curious as to why one would include them at all, presuming that Offutt had to make some editorial choices (and taking into account that creatures of folklore in the US are a-plenty); there are entries that I'd consider more of a "peculiarity" than anything, like the guy in the bunny suit terrorizing people, or the Drunk Bears---I wasn't sure why they made the list.
Each chapter houses a neat drawing of a selected creature from each state. A neat improvement would be for a drawing to accompany *each* entry. You do that and then give it to a kid with a thirst for folklore? That book'll get read until it's worn out.
As a TN native, I literally knew none of the entries for my state. Just wanted to put that out there.
If the cover and book description appeals to you, then you're likely to be satisfied. The book truly is what it says it is; it's not exhaustively detailed, which some might balk at, but I can see younger readers latching onto it and it sparking a love for the weird things that live where we don't dare go.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Llewellyn Publications for the advance read.
The book does have some things that got me wondering: Some entries were so bare-bones that I was curious as to why one would include them at all, presuming that Offutt had to make some editorial choices (and taking into account that creatures of folklore in the US are a-plenty); there are entries that I'd consider more of a "peculiarity" than anything, like the guy in the bunny suit terrorizing people, or the Drunk Bears---I wasn't sure why they made the list.
Each chapter houses a neat drawing of a selected creature from each state. A neat improvement would be for a drawing to accompany *each* entry. You do that and then give it to a kid with a thirst for folklore? That book'll get read until it's worn out.
As a TN native, I literally knew none of the entries for my state. Just wanted to put that out there.
If the cover and book description appeals to you, then you're likely to be satisfied. The book truly is what it says it is; it's not exhaustively detailed, which some might balk at, but I can see younger readers latching onto it and it sparking a love for the weird things that live where we don't dare go.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Llewellyn Publications for the advance read.
August 20, 2019
I have a lot of love for cryptozoology. If I see a book on the subject I'll probably pick it up. No matter how outlandish the story, how ridiculous it all is... I tend to eat it up. Even if the story makes next to no sense, there's usually a lot that can be drawn from it. Sociologically, anthropologically... Just the way that various indigenous cultures have seen their stories perverted over the years to fit the various whims of the less than honest cryptozoologists is a fascinating thing. What I mean to say with this is that most monster books inevitably have value - even if the value is only in learning something about the author and how they view the world.
This book... not really so much.
This book is a compendium of cryptozoological creatures found in the United States. There is no distinction made between the more interesting creatures (i.e. Mothman and all of that phenomenon, unknown birds) and the purely hoax made creatures (i.e. jackalopes, Jersey Devil, living dinosaurs). All are given space along with a winking speculation as to their reality. Did I mention every single state has a Bigfoot entry? Did I mention that these Bigfoot entries make no effort to distinguish regional variations? Did I mention that the Bigfoot encounters also include known hoaxes that are called hoaxes in the book? What?
This book makes no effort to be a viable compendium of creatures. It treats it all like a joke, all the while saying "maybe x is real, I want to believe" which loses its meaning when it's placed alongside a taxidermy gaff. This could've been fun, could've been great. Another reviewer mentioned that the illustrations bear a striking resemblance to Neopets and... they do.
I expected something better from this publishing house, as normally their books are quite fun. Oh well. Look to John Keel or Loren Coleman for more entertaining Cryptozoological creatures.
And if you want real science based cryptozoology look at Karl Shuker's blog ShukerNature
This book... not really so much.
This book is a compendium of cryptozoological creatures found in the United States. There is no distinction made between the more interesting creatures (i.e. Mothman and all of that phenomenon, unknown birds) and the purely hoax made creatures (i.e. jackalopes, Jersey Devil, living dinosaurs). All are given space along with a winking speculation as to their reality. Did I mention every single state has a Bigfoot entry? Did I mention that these Bigfoot entries make no effort to distinguish regional variations? Did I mention that the Bigfoot encounters also include known hoaxes that are called hoaxes in the book? What?
This book makes no effort to be a viable compendium of creatures. It treats it all like a joke, all the while saying "maybe x is real, I want to believe" which loses its meaning when it's placed alongside a taxidermy gaff. This could've been fun, could've been great. Another reviewer mentioned that the illustrations bear a striking resemblance to Neopets and... they do.
I expected something better from this publishing house, as normally their books are quite fun. Oh well. Look to John Keel or Loren Coleman for more entertaining Cryptozoological creatures.
And if you want real science based cryptozoology look at Karl Shuker's blog ShukerNature
September 15, 2020
Cataloging the monster sightings across America, Jason Offutt provides a comprehensive list of monsters organized by state. In this book, you will find anything from the many Bigfoot sightings to mysterious lake monsters and human sized talking cockroaches. Not one to skip over hoaxes, Offutt also includes monster sightings that are known hoaxes and notes which monsters are confirmed hoaxes. This book is sure to make a fascinating read whether or not you are a believer.
I picked up this book because I’ve always been fascinated by the different monsters and creatures that have been sighted over the years. When I started reading, I didn’t realize how many different monsters that are allegedly all over the states! While some creatures, such as Bigfoot, are well known, there are others that I have never heard of. I know I have never heard of the human sized talking cockroaches. Are those real? Who knows, but I certainly hope not!
I loved reading about all the various beings, like the Menehune in Hawaii and the Batsquatch in Washington. It was interesting to learn about the different sightings reported all over the states that include vampires and mysterious lake monsters. I also liked that Offutt noted when a monster sighting was a confirmed hoax while the others are up in the air, so people can choose to decide how real or fake the sightings are.
The book is organized very well. The states are listed alphabetically, and the monsters are listed on a state by state basis. The Bigfoot sightings did get a bit redundant after a while since they’ve been reported in most states. I was more surprised when a Bigfoot wasn’t listed among a state’s monsters. While the layout of the book worked very well, its only downfall was the sheer amount of Bigfoot sections.
Otherwise, I think it was a great book that gives a little information on each monster. I don’t think this was meant to be an extremely detailed list of monsters, but more of a monster encyclopedia, so don’t expect lengthy descriptions on each creature mentioned.
I picked up this book because I’ve always been fascinated by the different monsters and creatures that have been sighted over the years. When I started reading, I didn’t realize how many different monsters that are allegedly all over the states! While some creatures, such as Bigfoot, are well known, there are others that I have never heard of. I know I have never heard of the human sized talking cockroaches. Are those real? Who knows, but I certainly hope not!
I loved reading about all the various beings, like the Menehune in Hawaii and the Batsquatch in Washington. It was interesting to learn about the different sightings reported all over the states that include vampires and mysterious lake monsters. I also liked that Offutt noted when a monster sighting was a confirmed hoax while the others are up in the air, so people can choose to decide how real or fake the sightings are.
The book is organized very well. The states are listed alphabetically, and the monsters are listed on a state by state basis. The Bigfoot sightings did get a bit redundant after a while since they’ve been reported in most states. I was more surprised when a Bigfoot wasn’t listed among a state’s monsters. While the layout of the book worked very well, its only downfall was the sheer amount of Bigfoot sections.
Otherwise, I think it was a great book that gives a little information on each monster. I don’t think this was meant to be an extremely detailed list of monsters, but more of a monster encyclopedia, so don’t expect lengthy descriptions on each creature mentioned.
March 1, 2019
2.5 stars.
This might have been a better read for me had the cryptids been separated by creature type, rather than by state. While many states do have their own unique cryptids, there were many instances of similar/the same creatures occurring in a multitude of states (the "over 250 creatures" in the subtitle is a stretch). I felt it would have been more cohesive and much less repetitive to have these “common” monsters in their own section, while allowing more opportunity to focus on the state-unique creatures.
I found that I was more interested in the historical cryptids–ones that had been seen pre-1930s or so–as well as the ones that had more native mythology to them. More modern sightings of any creature I wasn’t interested in, so I tended to skim these bits. And given that many of the cryptid sightings are from after this, that was quite a lot of the book.
While many cryptids are a one-and-done sort of sighting or have very little written about them in general, I was still hoping for something more out of the entries, especially those about state-unique monsters. Rather than expanding upon some of these (which is what I originally thought the book would do), Offutt seemed to opt for quantity of quality, and included very brief entries about fleeting instances of weirdness instead. It just ended up feeling quite repetitive.
Overall, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book, but at the same time, it does cover a wide variety of cryptids and mysterious creatures throughout the US. Just not as extensively and in-depth as I was hoping it would.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy to review!
(Cross posted on my blog.)
This might have been a better read for me had the cryptids been separated by creature type, rather than by state. While many states do have their own unique cryptids, there were many instances of similar/the same creatures occurring in a multitude of states (the "over 250 creatures" in the subtitle is a stretch). I felt it would have been more cohesive and much less repetitive to have these “common” monsters in their own section, while allowing more opportunity to focus on the state-unique creatures.
I found that I was more interested in the historical cryptids–ones that had been seen pre-1930s or so–as well as the ones that had more native mythology to them. More modern sightings of any creature I wasn’t interested in, so I tended to skim these bits. And given that many of the cryptid sightings are from after this, that was quite a lot of the book.
While many cryptids are a one-and-done sort of sighting or have very little written about them in general, I was still hoping for something more out of the entries, especially those about state-unique monsters. Rather than expanding upon some of these (which is what I originally thought the book would do), Offutt seemed to opt for quantity of quality, and included very brief entries about fleeting instances of weirdness instead. It just ended up feeling quite repetitive.
Overall, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book, but at the same time, it does cover a wide variety of cryptids and mysterious creatures throughout the US. Just not as extensively and in-depth as I was hoping it would.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy to review!
(Cross posted on my blog.)
March 4, 2019
Jason Offutt’s Chasing American Monsters is an entertaining and interesting book cataloguing the spooky creatures inhabiting the United States. There’s everything from the well-known Bigfoot who is sighted in nearly every state to Maryland’s lesser-known Snallygaster and California’s horrifying giant talking cockroaches. Although I wish the book was better edited and that there were more details regarding some of these mysterious creatures, this book is a fun and interesting read!
I had no idea that there are so many fascinating creatures lurking in the United States! The book includes lots of stories about the popular Mothman, gigantic sea creatures, and werewolves. However, I didn’t know anything about half of the strange creatures in here and I loved reading about the sightings of Hawaii’s menacing Menehune, Indiana’s creepy Crosley Monster and Pennsylvania’s sad Squonk.
The book is well-organized and each state has its own concise chapter. Offutt begins each chapter with a brief and sometimes lightly humorous history on the state. I don’t know much about American geography and history so I really appreciate this information. It’s also a nice touch to immerse readers in the environment. While I would have liked pictures of all the monsters mentioned in the book, I do like that there is an artistic depiction of just one of the monsters in each chapter.
Offutt’s writing style is light, witty, and approachable. However, the book could have been better edited. Some of the sections are very sparse with information and stories. I would have liked to see a lot more details. Also, I am not sure why stories like the drunken bears and the man in the bunny suit are included because they don’t fit with the rest of the book. These sections could have been cut in favour of Offutt paying much more attention to the lesser-known monsters.
Chasing American Monsters is a great introduction to the mysterious creatures of America. While I would have liked more pictures and much more details on some of the monsters, the book is a quick and entertaining read. If you love cryptozoology and the paranormal, this book is a good place to start. I will definitely read more of Offutt’s work!
Thank you to NetGalley and Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd. for this book in exchange for an honest review.
🐲 🐲 🐲 ½ spooky dragons out of 5!
I had no idea that there are so many fascinating creatures lurking in the United States! The book includes lots of stories about the popular Mothman, gigantic sea creatures, and werewolves. However, I didn’t know anything about half of the strange creatures in here and I loved reading about the sightings of Hawaii’s menacing Menehune, Indiana’s creepy Crosley Monster and Pennsylvania’s sad Squonk.
The book is well-organized and each state has its own concise chapter. Offutt begins each chapter with a brief and sometimes lightly humorous history on the state. I don’t know much about American geography and history so I really appreciate this information. It’s also a nice touch to immerse readers in the environment. While I would have liked pictures of all the monsters mentioned in the book, I do like that there is an artistic depiction of just one of the monsters in each chapter.
Offutt’s writing style is light, witty, and approachable. However, the book could have been better edited. Some of the sections are very sparse with information and stories. I would have liked to see a lot more details. Also, I am not sure why stories like the drunken bears and the man in the bunny suit are included because they don’t fit with the rest of the book. These sections could have been cut in favour of Offutt paying much more attention to the lesser-known monsters.
Chasing American Monsters is a great introduction to the mysterious creatures of America. While I would have liked more pictures and much more details on some of the monsters, the book is a quick and entertaining read. If you love cryptozoology and the paranormal, this book is a good place to start. I will definitely read more of Offutt’s work!
Thank you to NetGalley and Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd. for this book in exchange for an honest review.
🐲 🐲 🐲 ½ spooky dragons out of 5!
January 26, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book.
First off, despite the reasonably low rating of three for me, I did enjoy this book. I just thought that by going state by state and essentially repeating stories about the same kind of cryptoid, that it had worn thin long before I finished. Bigfoot-again. Pterodactyls- again. Sea serpents/lake monsters- again. I also felt that by starting each chapter with a history of each state was boring- I'm Australian, so I learned bucketloads about America- most of which I instantly forgot because there was too much to remember. I will remember that the Colonel wasn't born in Kentuckey every time I eat KFC though.
However, SOME of the monster stories were interesting, and kept me reading. Mostly they could have been more detailed, which was probably why I didn't like any of the information outside of them- I wanted more monsters and less celebrities. I should add that as a Kindle book this one doesn't really work- the writing is spread over pages awkwardly, the pictures don't always line up and https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4... think the information would be better presented in a physical book that you can switch back between the states with better ease.
Three stars- A good concept, just not as well presented as it might have been.
First off, despite the reasonably low rating of three for me, I did enjoy this book. I just thought that by going state by state and essentially repeating stories about the same kind of cryptoid, that it had worn thin long before I finished. Bigfoot-again. Pterodactyls- again. Sea serpents/lake monsters- again. I also felt that by starting each chapter with a history of each state was boring- I'm Australian, so I learned bucketloads about America- most of which I instantly forgot because there was too much to remember. I will remember that the Colonel wasn't born in Kentuckey every time I eat KFC though.
However, SOME of the monster stories were interesting, and kept me reading. Mostly they could have been more detailed, which was probably why I didn't like any of the information outside of them- I wanted more monsters and less celebrities. I should add that as a Kindle book this one doesn't really work- the writing is spread over pages awkwardly, the pictures don't always line up and https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4... think the information would be better presented in a physical book that you can switch back between the states with better ease.
Three stars- A good concept, just not as well presented as it might have been.
January 3, 2019
Cryptozoology - it's a guilty pleasure of mine and this is a neat encyclopedic listing of cryptids and creepy critters of all shapes and sizes. Blew threw this book pretty quickly; it's a straight-forward, dry kind-of read. Every U.S. state is entered here with their very own cryptids, and I found the names and even the people who reported the sightings, to be just as bizarre and interesting as the creatures themselves. It lacked photos, but then not everyone owned a camera around the time some of these creatures were reported - your imagination is forced to compensate for that, which ain't a bad thing. There were, though, well-drawn black and white renderings of what some cyptids may have looked like - some of my favorites were: the blackwoods monster, chupacabra, the white screamer, jersey devil, the st. augustine monster - all of it physiologically impossible and outrageous and pages of fun.
February 17, 2020
The chapters of Chasing Monsters are alphabetical by state with 4-7 very short snippets about a local cryptid or monster lore. Many subjects are repeated because similar stories (and folklore motifs) aren’t contained by state boundaries. (The only state without a Bigfoot-type creature is Hawaii.) Thus, a state by state layout is not a good way of presenting mysteries or paranormal ideas. It is disjointed, worse than alphabetizing by the first letter of the name. Worse than that, the entries are so short that the reader can’t really grasp the story. Most are woefully incomplete. Several subjects have widely known or readily available interesting proposed explanations or outright conclusions but these are not mentioned. We are left to think that there is some mystery that remains when there isn’t.
I couldn’t work out what this book aimed to accomplish. If this was to be an entertaining book of stories, the content is too skimpy. If it is meant to show cryptids are worthy of investigation, it is confounding. Tall tales and obvious hoaxes (squonk!) are right next to cryptids that many swear exist as real creatures. Is this about monsters or hidden animals?
Adding to the overall problems with this volume is the use of recent anecdotes pulled from unreliable internet sources (such as forum posts).
As other reviewers have noted, all the material in this book is recycled from the mystery-mongering website Mysterious Universe. On the whole, skip it - it’s redundant material lacking crucial explanatory information, context, and credibility.
2/5 because there were no blatant grammatical errors and the illustrations were quite good.
Longer review here https://sharonahill.com/2020/02/17/co...
I couldn’t work out what this book aimed to accomplish. If this was to be an entertaining book of stories, the content is too skimpy. If it is meant to show cryptids are worthy of investigation, it is confounding. Tall tales and obvious hoaxes (squonk!) are right next to cryptids that many swear exist as real creatures. Is this about monsters or hidden animals?
Adding to the overall problems with this volume is the use of recent anecdotes pulled from unreliable internet sources (such as forum posts).
As other reviewers have noted, all the material in this book is recycled from the mystery-mongering website Mysterious Universe. On the whole, skip it - it’s redundant material lacking crucial explanatory information, context, and credibility.
2/5 because there were no blatant grammatical errors and the illustrations were quite good.
Longer review here https://sharonahill.com/2020/02/17/co...
April 16, 2023
There's much promise here.
I like the state by state approach in terms of organization, but I also think it led to some of the problems with this book. Where Offutt couldn't find enough material for a state, he resorts to basically rephrasing content from other states, which gets old. Bigfoot gets several outings and, gosh, there sure are a lot of theropods running around, even in populated areas.
Also, he isn't really clear about what constitutes a monster vs a ghost vs aliens, etc. I suspect he wanted to write about cryptids, but had to expand his scope when he couldn't find enough to write about.
My biggest gripe, though, is that he presents "sightings" with just one occurrence in the same manner as those with historical records over decades or with multiple incidences. "Betty said she saw a pterodactyl on her way home from work last night," which is likely a mental health or substance abuse problem, does not deserve equal time with something like the Mothman, which was a social phenomenon. And unironically using creationist apologetics as sources is just inexcusable.
To be clear, I don't believe in any of this stuff. I do find it interesting how the mythology grows around various cryptids and what roles they play in how people view the world. With a little work, you can use this book as a starting place to get an idea of the kinds of lore common to different parts of the country. If you read the chapters in geographic clusters rather than in alphabetical order as presented, you can get a decent sense of regional mythology and some ideas for further research.
If you have no foundation in regional lore, this is an OK book to find things that might interest you, but honestly there is so much material out there, you can find a better starting place without too much effort.
I will say that I think this could be fun if you have a kid who's into monsters as it's illustrated and the entries are brief.
I like the state by state approach in terms of organization, but I also think it led to some of the problems with this book. Where Offutt couldn't find enough material for a state, he resorts to basically rephrasing content from other states, which gets old. Bigfoot gets several outings and, gosh, there sure are a lot of theropods running around, even in populated areas.
Also, he isn't really clear about what constitutes a monster vs a ghost vs aliens, etc. I suspect he wanted to write about cryptids, but had to expand his scope when he couldn't find enough to write about.
My biggest gripe, though, is that he presents "sightings" with just one occurrence in the same manner as those with historical records over decades or with multiple incidences. "Betty said she saw a pterodactyl on her way home from work last night," which is likely a mental health or substance abuse problem, does not deserve equal time with something like the Mothman, which was a social phenomenon. And unironically using creationist apologetics as sources is just inexcusable.
To be clear, I don't believe in any of this stuff. I do find it interesting how the mythology grows around various cryptids and what roles they play in how people view the world. With a little work, you can use this book as a starting place to get an idea of the kinds of lore common to different parts of the country. If you read the chapters in geographic clusters rather than in alphabetical order as presented, you can get a decent sense of regional mythology and some ideas for further research.
If you have no foundation in regional lore, this is an OK book to find things that might interest you, but honestly there is so much material out there, you can find a better starting place without too much effort.
I will say that I think this could be fun if you have a kid who's into monsters as it's illustrated and the entries are brief.
March 29, 2021
An interesting encyclopedia of American cryptids, but a bit misleading--it claims to feature "over 250 creatures, cryptids, & hairy beasts," but if you discount the duplicate entries (simply labeled as "Bigfoot, Thunderbirds, Living Dinosaurs, etc." for different states), there's probably only around 150 distinct entries here. Which still isn't bad.
Chasing American Monsters is written in an approachable, conversational style, which helps it, I think. A bit of tongue-in-cheek levity helps make the fourth time you're reading about pterosaur sightings a little more palatable. There's a good amount of detail for most of the creatures: not too wordy as to drag, but not scarce enough to seem like Offutt is skimping. Plus, he provides sources for every account, which is always nice to see in a book like this.
What isn't so nice to see is the logical fallacy that he uses to wrap things up. Basically, in an attempt to hedge his bets, Offutt states that, while he's never personally seen a monster, it's unreasonable to think that the thousands of people who claim to could all be wrong. It's a textbook appeal to incredulity, and it sours the experience here, a bit.
Still, Chasing American Monsters was a fun read, overall. If you're curious to see a decent (though by no means comprehensive) list of what monsters populate your state's folklore, or you're looking for some obscure trivia to whip out at an opportune time, there's a lot to like here. Just take it with a grain of salt.
Chasing American Monsters is written in an approachable, conversational style, which helps it, I think. A bit of tongue-in-cheek levity helps make the fourth time you're reading about pterosaur sightings a little more palatable. There's a good amount of detail for most of the creatures: not too wordy as to drag, but not scarce enough to seem like Offutt is skimping. Plus, he provides sources for every account, which is always nice to see in a book like this.
What isn't so nice to see is the logical fallacy that he uses to wrap things up. Basically, in an attempt to hedge his bets, Offutt states that, while he's never personally seen a monster, it's unreasonable to think that the thousands of people who claim to could all be wrong. It's a textbook appeal to incredulity, and it sours the experience here, a bit.
Still, Chasing American Monsters was a fun read, overall. If you're curious to see a decent (though by no means comprehensive) list of what monsters populate your state's folklore, or you're looking for some obscure trivia to whip out at an opportune time, there's a lot to like here. Just take it with a grain of salt.
March 7, 2019
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle ARC of
Chasing American Monsters.
I was really excited to read this, being some of my favorite X-Files episodes are the ones where Mulder and Scully are chasing monsters, like the Jersey Devil and the chupacabra.
There were parts of this book I really enjoyed, mostly the way the author had all the beasts and creepy crawlies organized by state.
I also very much liked the interesting factoids and trivia about the state as we went down the map.
But it soon got repetitive, which is not surprising since most of these state have an abundance of similar urban myths and legends, namely:
Bigfoot
Plenty of Nessie wannabes
Werewolves
Huge ass birds
Pterosaurs - lots of these hanging around the South and Midwest, apparently
Also, I would have liked more background on some of these sightings, which I understand would require more research and data and the book would have been much longer.
After awhile, all the monsters began to blur together and sounded like an overview the author (or anyone else) could have compiled from a search on Google.
Not a bad read, but I would have preferred more details and historical context.
I was really excited to read this, being some of my favorite X-Files episodes are the ones where Mulder and Scully are chasing monsters, like the Jersey Devil and the chupacabra.
There were parts of this book I really enjoyed, mostly the way the author had all the beasts and creepy crawlies organized by state.
I also very much liked the interesting factoids and trivia about the state as we went down the map.
But it soon got repetitive, which is not surprising since most of these state have an abundance of similar urban myths and legends, namely:
Bigfoot
Plenty of Nessie wannabes
Werewolves
Huge ass birds
Pterosaurs - lots of these hanging around the South and Midwest, apparently
Also, I would have liked more background on some of these sightings, which I understand would require more research and data and the book would have been much longer.
After awhile, all the monsters began to blur together and sounded like an overview the author (or anyone else) could have compiled from a search on Google.
Not a bad read, but I would have preferred more details and historical context.
December 17, 2018
I don't know if I hide it well or not, but for a while I've been really interested in cryptids and monsters like Bigfoot, the Jersey Devil, Chupacabra, and even a few in my state of Wisconsin. When I saw a book basically dedicated to these monsters, I was ecstatic. I was slightly concerned that the voice might make the book dry and hard to get through, but I was proven wrong nearly immediately.
Check out the rest of my review on The Book Deviant!
Check out the rest of my review on The Book Deviant!
December 16, 2022
For me personally I believe that this book is great it has something that I am fascinated in which is mythology.Such as in the book they talk about a swamp monster and a giant pig called Hog-Zilla.
Some of the monsters in the books are creepy others scary and a few are just plan silly and stupid.
Some of the monsters in the books are creepy others scary and a few are just plan silly and stupid.
April 20, 2019
I would like to thank Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd. for providing me with a free – temporary – electronic ARC of this book, via Netgalley. Although I required their approval, the decision to read this book is my choice and any reviews given are obligation free.
Okay, so I had a bit of a love hate journey with this book. As a child and teen I absolutely ADORED books on the unknown, monsters, mysteries and the like. I feel, from the introduction from the author, we share a similar passion. And so that is why I asked to read it. I then lost my copy, found my copy, had to read it quickly before my temporary access died… So there was a lot of anticipation for me in the lead up to reading ‘Chasing American Monsters’.
And, in a lot of ways, I really wasn’t disappointed. Yes it included some of the old stories from other books that I remember from my childhood, but there were also new (to me) tales of monster sightings, as well as updates to some I had read growing up.
I also loved the narrative of Mr Offutt, his humour and passion for this subject shines through and helped make the book enjoyable. I was even going to give the book a 4 out of 5 star rating… when I started reading it. But as the book unfolded and stories blurred together and were repeated in some ways… I started to get bored.
‘Chasing American Monsters’ was set out state by state alphabetically… and in doing so the reader got stuck with multiple explanations and tales of the same monsters… Like Bigfoot. I honestly feel this book would have worked better if the chapters were either broken down into regions of America (mid-west, east coast, etc.) or broken down into different categories of cryptids (aquatic, flying creatures, Bigfoot, etc.) In fact my inner copyeditor was, by the end, screaming to be given a raw copy to re-edit into what I saw would be a better lay-out of the data. To me, this shows I really liked the book, as I don’t tend to want to fiddle with ones I don’t like. ;-)
So, yes, it was an enjoyable read, very refreshing to see that such books are still being made in this era of the internet swamping us with so much cryptid information. It reminded me of my youth, my love for the unknown and “real” monster tales. Though, I will admit now that I loved having google to go to when reading ‘Chasing American Monsters’. This is the first book in this genre I’ve read electronically, and therefore had google easily accessible. And google I did, looking up certain monsters, people, places, etc. I feel it helped add to the excitement of reading a book of monsters. It brought out my inner child book nerd. :-D
I also would have liked a reference list in the back of the book that listed all the other books mentioned within ‘Chasing American Monsters’, just so I had a list I could chase up for further reading. It’s not a biggie that there isn’t a list, but nerd girl me would have loved one.
And, speaking of nerd girl me, the formatting of ‘Chasing American Monsters’ was okay… but not great. There are typos and a few clangers that gave the book a bit of an unprofessional look and not at the level I have come to expect from this publisher. Plus the chapters being for each state, rather than the monsters grouped in a way, did end up making it sound like a broken record. Especially every time something like Bigfoot was mentioned. Also, it would have been nice to either see a few more monster pictures, or at least have the ones shown appear in the book next to the actual page that describes said monster.
Would I recommend this book to other?
I would, but I would mention the reasons my rating of this book dropped as I read it. But I would also explain my love of books on this subject and say how happy I was to see such books were still being made for we die hard “real life” monster encounters.
Would I buy this book for myself?
Maybe, but not in its current layout. As much as I enjoyed reading it, ‘Chasing American Monsters’ could really use an overhaul as to how it is set out. For now it comes across more as a series of blog posts stapled into a book… It needs to flow better, not repeat itself so much, and at the same time not lose any of the lyrical narrative that makes it so entertaining.
In summary: An interesting modern look at “real life” monster encounters throughout the USA.
Okay, so I had a bit of a love hate journey with this book. As a child and teen I absolutely ADORED books on the unknown, monsters, mysteries and the like. I feel, from the introduction from the author, we share a similar passion. And so that is why I asked to read it. I then lost my copy, found my copy, had to read it quickly before my temporary access died… So there was a lot of anticipation for me in the lead up to reading ‘Chasing American Monsters’.
And, in a lot of ways, I really wasn’t disappointed. Yes it included some of the old stories from other books that I remember from my childhood, but there were also new (to me) tales of monster sightings, as well as updates to some I had read growing up.
I also loved the narrative of Mr Offutt, his humour and passion for this subject shines through and helped make the book enjoyable. I was even going to give the book a 4 out of 5 star rating… when I started reading it. But as the book unfolded and stories blurred together and were repeated in some ways… I started to get bored.
‘Chasing American Monsters’ was set out state by state alphabetically… and in doing so the reader got stuck with multiple explanations and tales of the same monsters… Like Bigfoot. I honestly feel this book would have worked better if the chapters were either broken down into regions of America (mid-west, east coast, etc.) or broken down into different categories of cryptids (aquatic, flying creatures, Bigfoot, etc.) In fact my inner copyeditor was, by the end, screaming to be given a raw copy to re-edit into what I saw would be a better lay-out of the data. To me, this shows I really liked the book, as I don’t tend to want to fiddle with ones I don’t like. ;-)
So, yes, it was an enjoyable read, very refreshing to see that such books are still being made in this era of the internet swamping us with so much cryptid information. It reminded me of my youth, my love for the unknown and “real” monster tales. Though, I will admit now that I loved having google to go to when reading ‘Chasing American Monsters’. This is the first book in this genre I’ve read electronically, and therefore had google easily accessible. And google I did, looking up certain monsters, people, places, etc. I feel it helped add to the excitement of reading a book of monsters. It brought out my inner child book nerd. :-D
I also would have liked a reference list in the back of the book that listed all the other books mentioned within ‘Chasing American Monsters’, just so I had a list I could chase up for further reading. It’s not a biggie that there isn’t a list, but nerd girl me would have loved one.
And, speaking of nerd girl me, the formatting of ‘Chasing American Monsters’ was okay… but not great. There are typos and a few clangers that gave the book a bit of an unprofessional look and not at the level I have come to expect from this publisher. Plus the chapters being for each state, rather than the monsters grouped in a way, did end up making it sound like a broken record. Especially every time something like Bigfoot was mentioned. Also, it would have been nice to either see a few more monster pictures, or at least have the ones shown appear in the book next to the actual page that describes said monster.
Would I recommend this book to other?
I would, but I would mention the reasons my rating of this book dropped as I read it. But I would also explain my love of books on this subject and say how happy I was to see such books were still being made for we die hard “real life” monster encounters.
Would I buy this book for myself?
Maybe, but not in its current layout. As much as I enjoyed reading it, ‘Chasing American Monsters’ could really use an overhaul as to how it is set out. For now it comes across more as a series of blog posts stapled into a book… It needs to flow better, not repeat itself so much, and at the same time not lose any of the lyrical narrative that makes it so entertaining.
In summary: An interesting modern look at “real life” monster encounters throughout the USA.
February 9, 2023
I have a lot of bad things to say about this book but I'll start with a few positives:
- I learned about a few new cryptids
- A few of the stories/anecdotes were a little interesting i.e. not the usual cryptid stories you hear over and over again
- Cataloging cryptids (or anything) by state is kinda fun, especially because it builds anticipating your one's own home state.
The bad things (too many to remember but here are a few):
- Organizing cryptids by state was a bad idea, actually. The author should have led with the several cryptids that appear in multiple states (Bigfoot, Chupacabra, variations on Mothman and thunderbirds, etc) and then saved the unique/endemic cryptids for the 50 state catalog.
- Maybe the print version is different, but the sources are either missing or entirely BS. Some white guy in the early 1800s on the frontier is not a reputable source. Nor are posts on Bigfoot spotter message boards.
- So many of these cryptid stories lean on "Native Americans used to believe...". It's a clunky, clumsy, and borderline offensive trope. I immediately discounted any entry in this book that cited "Native Americans" without referring to a specific tribe or source or the legend. That trope needs to be purged from "cryptozoology" books forever.
- There's this annoying tension between the desire for cryptozoology to be taken serious as a field of study and the blatant contempt the author has for "science" and anything "mainstream". Isn't cryptozoology a purported science? Don't cryptid hunters claim to use scientific methods and tools to search for monsters? Why do so many cryptozooheads simultaneously make these claims about participating in science but also being apart from it?
- The jokes sucked.
- Maybe it was the narrator's inflection, but I was highly annoyed by the cheeky tag on at the end of several entries along the lines of, "The ___ was never seen again....or was it?!"
- There was zero reason to list the famous people from each state. That added nothing to the book.
Edit
...and another thing!
- The author tacked on a few international entries at the end of the book, like Nessie and Yowies. But there was not mention of cryptids in the US territories?
- I learned about a few new cryptids
- A few of the stories/anecdotes were a little interesting i.e. not the usual cryptid stories you hear over and over again
- Cataloging cryptids (or anything) by state is kinda fun, especially because it builds anticipating your one's own home state.
The bad things (too many to remember but here are a few):
- Organizing cryptids by state was a bad idea, actually. The author should have led with the several cryptids that appear in multiple states (Bigfoot, Chupacabra, variations on Mothman and thunderbirds, etc) and then saved the unique/endemic cryptids for the 50 state catalog.
- Maybe the print version is different, but the sources are either missing or entirely BS. Some white guy in the early 1800s on the frontier is not a reputable source. Nor are posts on Bigfoot spotter message boards.
- So many of these cryptid stories lean on "Native Americans used to believe...". It's a clunky, clumsy, and borderline offensive trope. I immediately discounted any entry in this book that cited "Native Americans" without referring to a specific tribe or source or the legend. That trope needs to be purged from "cryptozoology" books forever.
- There's this annoying tension between the desire for cryptozoology to be taken serious as a field of study and the blatant contempt the author has for "science" and anything "mainstream". Isn't cryptozoology a purported science? Don't cryptid hunters claim to use scientific methods and tools to search for monsters? Why do so many cryptozooheads simultaneously make these claims about participating in science but also being apart from it?
- The jokes sucked.
- Maybe it was the narrator's inflection, but I was highly annoyed by the cheeky tag on at the end of several entries along the lines of, "The ___ was never seen again....or was it?!"
- There was zero reason to list the famous people from each state. That added nothing to the book.
Edit
...and another thing!
- The author tacked on a few international entries at the end of the book, like Nessie and Yowies. But there was not mention of cryptids in the US territories?
December 21, 2018
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 Rainier 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.
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 Rainier 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.
February 7, 2019
I love reading about the paranormal and anything that makes you ask questions about what we think we know. This book isn't a deep dive into mythical creatures, if you are looking for a detailed dive into each creature then this really isn't for you. It is however an overview of creatures and reported sightings in each state, a perfect light read for those starting out or interested in the mythical.
The book is split into chapters, each state is a chapter, this format works well. Within each chapter is one illustration of one of the creatures reported in that state.
It's a well written book, it's clear that the author is passionate about the subject.
I really like how it's split up into states, this makes it easy to keep track of each report per location. Ideal if you plan to visit certain states to see what creatures they've got to offer.
I enjoyed the little facts at the start of each state, although I'd like to see more descriptions of the states habitat as someone that isn't from the USA.
I'd really have loved to see illustrations of each creature, rather than just one from each state.
I'm not entirely certain all of these creatures should be included in the book as some are based on a single sighting from one person. I also noticed the mention of sightings/recordings that have been proven to be fake, i.e the 1940's wooly mammoth Russian video which is now known to be fake using footage from another documentary. Maybe these will be changed in future editions.
Overall I really enjoyed the book, it's very well-written and structured perfectly. I found myself having a good chuckle at the "fear of urine and Charlie Sheen" part and discovering sightings of creatures that I had no idea about, this has grown my interest in mythical creatures even more.
This book is a great starting point for those just getting into creatures and I'd certainly recommend it.
*I was given this book in exchange for an honest review, thank you to Netgalley.*
The book is split into chapters, each state is a chapter, this format works well. Within each chapter is one illustration of one of the creatures reported in that state.
It's a well written book, it's clear that the author is passionate about the subject.
I really like how it's split up into states, this makes it easy to keep track of each report per location. Ideal if you plan to visit certain states to see what creatures they've got to offer.
I enjoyed the little facts at the start of each state, although I'd like to see more descriptions of the states habitat as someone that isn't from the USA.
I'd really have loved to see illustrations of each creature, rather than just one from each state.
I'm not entirely certain all of these creatures should be included in the book as some are based on a single sighting from one person. I also noticed the mention of sightings/recordings that have been proven to be fake, i.e the 1940's wooly mammoth Russian video which is now known to be fake using footage from another documentary. Maybe these will be changed in future editions.
Overall I really enjoyed the book, it's very well-written and structured perfectly. I found myself having a good chuckle at the "fear of urine and Charlie Sheen" part and discovering sightings of creatures that I had no idea about, this has grown my interest in mythical creatures even more.
This book is a great starting point for those just getting into creatures and I'd certainly recommend it.
*I was given this book in exchange for an honest review, thank you to Netgalley.*
November 25, 2018
Chasing American Monster, 251 Creatures, Cryptids, and Hairy Beasts by Jason Offutt gives you a brief, fun and sometimes scary look into the stories of cryptozoology, monsters, and the folklore in the United States of America. This would be an excellent book for a coffee shop, an on the go read, or sitting next to the fireplace in your PJ’s.
What to expect: The about the author/foreword, I enjoyed more than I probably should have (oh Gary, I have two like you at home). The introduction does a nice job explaining our fascination with monsters, the history (ex. Luigi Galvani, H. G. Wells), and why we need monsters. I’m glad to see the author mentions the Okapi, giant panda, coelacanth, megamouth shark, and more (research if you don't know why this is important).
The main part of the book contains monsters from each state in alphabetical order. The author gives a brief description of each state (terrain, famous people, and events), followed by monsters (multiple per state, nice variety).
The conclusion consists of the author’s personal thoughts about monsters. He leaves you with the question of whether or not monsters exist.
The meh of the book (for me): Some of the descriptions are rather short, leaving you wanting more. I'd rather more detail in a couple than a bunch of small falling short, but could just be my personal taste.
Whether you are a skeptic, a believer, or some where in-between, this book will appeal to your inner curiosity. Overall I would recommend and I plan to purchase this book for my nephews.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
#ChasingAmericanMonsters #NetGalley #Monsters #Folklore #Cryptozoology #Llewellyn #JasonOffutt #UnitedStates #AmReading #Books
What to expect: The about the author/foreword, I enjoyed more than I probably should have (oh Gary, I have two like you at home). The introduction does a nice job explaining our fascination with monsters, the history (ex. Luigi Galvani, H. G. Wells), and why we need monsters. I’m glad to see the author mentions the Okapi, giant panda, coelacanth, megamouth shark, and more (research if you don't know why this is important).
The main part of the book contains monsters from each state in alphabetical order. The author gives a brief description of each state (terrain, famous people, and events), followed by monsters (multiple per state, nice variety).
The conclusion consists of the author’s personal thoughts about monsters. He leaves you with the question of whether or not monsters exist.
The meh of the book (for me): Some of the descriptions are rather short, leaving you wanting more. I'd rather more detail in a couple than a bunch of small falling short, but could just be my personal taste.
Whether you are a skeptic, a believer, or some where in-between, this book will appeal to your inner curiosity. Overall I would recommend and I plan to purchase this book for my nephews.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
#ChasingAmericanMonsters #NetGalley #Monsters #Folklore #Cryptozoology #Llewellyn #JasonOffutt #UnitedStates #AmReading #Books
February 20, 2019
When I read the description for this book, I was originally really excited to read this. Chasing American Monsters is a cross-country journey through each American state covering said state’s particular monsters, mysterious animals and strange creatures. I have a weak spot for cryptozoology, no matter how silly, I love reading cryptid encounters and learning the local folklore about different mysterious creatures. Chasing American Monsters seemed right up my alley at first, but I quickly realized this book wasn’t quite what I was expecting.
I think the biggest issue I had while reading this book was the lack of detail. Even though each American state is covered, the different creatures within each state are barely touched upon, sometimes even with only one brief paragraph. While I understand that American is vast and we certainly have no shortage of crazy cryptids and local legends, some of these topics could have been delved into way more. There is an absolute wealth of information about this kind of stuff out there but for some topics that are genuinely really popular, the author would only give one eyewitness account and then move on. Or he would sometimes make a blanket statement about there being “numerous” accounts over the years since then.
I also occasionally had a bit of trouble with the author’s way of phrasing things. There would be sentences that I assume were meant to be humorous, but really just came off in a flippant manner.
If you are looking for something that will just give you a very brief rundown of some of the “monsters” said to live in American states, then this book might be for you. The idea was certainly a good one and I think would’ve worked well if it had just been executed a bit differently, with WAY more detail.
I think the biggest issue I had while reading this book was the lack of detail. Even though each American state is covered, the different creatures within each state are barely touched upon, sometimes even with only one brief paragraph. While I understand that American is vast and we certainly have no shortage of crazy cryptids and local legends, some of these topics could have been delved into way more. There is an absolute wealth of information about this kind of stuff out there but for some topics that are genuinely really popular, the author would only give one eyewitness account and then move on. Or he would sometimes make a blanket statement about there being “numerous” accounts over the years since then.
I also occasionally had a bit of trouble with the author’s way of phrasing things. There would be sentences that I assume were meant to be humorous, but really just came off in a flippant manner.
If you are looking for something that will just give you a very brief rundown of some of the “monsters” said to live in American states, then this book might be for you. The idea was certainly a good one and I think would’ve worked well if it had just been executed a bit differently, with WAY more detail.
February 1, 2019
Are you interested in what might be going bump in the night near you? Or are you just curious about what folks around the United States claim to have spotted? Or maybe you just need something to keep you entertained while it is dark and stormy outside. Jason Offutt has you covered in Chasing American Monsters no matter what your reason may be.
Jason Offutt is providing a monster gazetteer of the 50 United States, opening with Alabama and meandering down to Wyoming. The format is simple - a brief introduction of the state with geographical features and famous people from the state followed by monster sightings from that state. Also included in each chapter is an illustration of one or more of the monsters found in the state.
Do not read Chasing American Monsters expecting to be convinced by mountains of evidence that monsters are real as that is not provided. Instead, Jason Offutt writes entertainingly about the accounts he has uncovered from around the country. So enjoy each brief chapter and wonder what you might see in your neck of the woods, or swamp, or city block.
Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this title.
Jason Offutt is providing a monster gazetteer of the 50 United States, opening with Alabama and meandering down to Wyoming. The format is simple - a brief introduction of the state with geographical features and famous people from the state followed by monster sightings from that state. Also included in each chapter is an illustration of one or more of the monsters found in the state.
Do not read Chasing American Monsters expecting to be convinced by mountains of evidence that monsters are real as that is not provided. Instead, Jason Offutt writes entertainingly about the accounts he has uncovered from around the country. So enjoy each brief chapter and wonder what you might see in your neck of the woods, or swamp, or city block.
Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this title.
August 15, 2019
2.5/5 stars
Chasing American Monsters was an okay read, nothing mind-blowing or particularly stand-out. It is not a book I would read in one sitting as it can get repetitive, and I admittedly got tired about reading about bigfoot and such and such’s state’s “lake monster/serpent”. It was broken down by states (in alphabetical order), with a little background about that particular states (and for some reason some famous people that came from that state). I wish there had been more illustrations/re-imaginings of some of the creatures rather than one per state, even more appreciated would’ve been an illustration per creature (not necessary for our repeat creatures - bigfoot and water serpent).
Despite the repetitive bigfoots and water serpents, there was some good variety, I just wished it had focused more on those unique creatures. Some of the entries were very sparse, and there were a few oddballs that didn’t fit at all (dude in a bunny suit, drunk bears). It was an okay read when taken in small doses. I feel like if I tried to read it all at once, it would have ended up in my DNF pile.
Chasing American Monsters was an okay read, nothing mind-blowing or particularly stand-out. It is not a book I would read in one sitting as it can get repetitive, and I admittedly got tired about reading about bigfoot and such and such’s state’s “lake monster/serpent”. It was broken down by states (in alphabetical order), with a little background about that particular states (and for some reason some famous people that came from that state). I wish there had been more illustrations/re-imaginings of some of the creatures rather than one per state, even more appreciated would’ve been an illustration per creature (not necessary for our repeat creatures - bigfoot and water serpent).
Despite the repetitive bigfoots and water serpents, there was some good variety, I just wished it had focused more on those unique creatures. Some of the entries were very sparse, and there were a few oddballs that didn’t fit at all (dude in a bunny suit, drunk bears). It was an okay read when taken in small doses. I feel like if I tried to read it all at once, it would have ended up in my DNF pile.
April 9, 2020
So, this was a book a picked up during my quarantine haul, although I'm an essential worker, reading is the best way for me to decompress after a long shift or a day off(Whenever those happen).
Anyways I picked this up because I'm into myths, folklore, etc. and Cryptids and tales of the supernatural are up my alley. It was a quick read, it only took me a couple of hours spread out between two days. I mean I hadn't expected much, I expected it to be a 3 star-read just cause I'm reading it for entertainment purposes.
If you're looking for the lore of American cryptids, you're better off finding a different book. I really liked this book in terms of reading about new cryptids, especially in my state, like Squonk, but it didn't really go into lore. Moreso just encounters or sightings of said cryptid in certain states. Which is fine, but I would have liked a little more backstory to the cryptids.
I would still recommend this book if you like Cryptids in general, it's a nice glossary and it does have some cool resources in it, which I've checked out. It's fun and the illustrations are cool, and it's pretty cool to read some of the encounter stories...and makes you wonder did it or did it not happen.
Anyways I picked this up because I'm into myths, folklore, etc. and Cryptids and tales of the supernatural are up my alley. It was a quick read, it only took me a couple of hours spread out between two days. I mean I hadn't expected much, I expected it to be a 3 star-read just cause I'm reading it for entertainment purposes.
If you're looking for the lore of American cryptids, you're better off finding a different book. I really liked this book in terms of reading about new cryptids, especially in my state, like Squonk, but it didn't really go into lore. Moreso just encounters or sightings of said cryptid in certain states. Which is fine, but I would have liked a little more backstory to the cryptids.
I would still recommend this book if you like Cryptids in general, it's a nice glossary and it does have some cool resources in it, which I've checked out. It's fun and the illustrations are cool, and it's pretty cool to read some of the encounter stories...and makes you wonder did it or did it not happen.
December 12, 2018
Thanks to Hunter Shea I've been reading more cryptid books this year and have been scouring both Kindle Unlimited and NetGalley for anything I could find. This is a NetGalley find and I've enjoyed it hugely!
Each chapter is one of the states in the good old U, S of A and has some 'monsters of note' who reside in said state like the Chupacabra, The Jersey Devil (in Jersey if you can believe it!) and a surprising amount of Bigfoots, Bigfeet? whatever the plural of Bigfoot is anyway, there's a load of 'em walking around all hairy and massive just doin' their thing.
There's also werewolves and a few creepy gnome things seemingly having the time of their lives attacking people.
I really enjoyed this, took my time with it over about a month as I wanted it to last and it's given me more ideas on cryptid and creature books for 2019. Cheers for that Jason!!
Will definitely be picking up mire books by this author in the near future.
*Huge thanks to Jason Offutt, Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own*
Each chapter is one of the states in the good old U, S of A and has some 'monsters of note' who reside in said state like the Chupacabra, The Jersey Devil (in Jersey if you can believe it!) and a surprising amount of Bigfoots, Bigfeet? whatever the plural of Bigfoot is anyway, there's a load of 'em walking around all hairy and massive just doin' their thing.
There's also werewolves and a few creepy gnome things seemingly having the time of their lives attacking people.
I really enjoyed this, took my time with it over about a month as I wanted it to last and it's given me more ideas on cryptid and creature books for 2019. Cheers for that Jason!!
Will definitely be picking up mire books by this author in the near future.
*Huge thanks to Jason Offutt, Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own*
February 25, 2020
If I was 10 years old, this would be the best book on my shelf. I'm not, but I can still appreciate it as a good collection of urban legends and cryptid stories for every state, though.
One of the recommendations from an author on the back cover refers to it as a guidebook, and that's exactly what it is. It's a lot like one of those "weird" travel books, but only featuring monsters. Practically speaking, I would suggest readers check out this book before heading to a new state to see what the local folk tales are like. You definitely don't have to read every state.
There is a fair amount of repetition--there is a Bigfoot story and a lake monster story from nearly every nook and cranny of the country, it seems. I actually found it useful because there were a couple of legends from my home state (NJ) that I had never heard of and now plan to read about and research further. It's a great resource for finding interesting leads because he cites his sources. If barely believable monster stories are your thing, this is a pretty fun read.
One of the recommendations from an author on the back cover refers to it as a guidebook, and that's exactly what it is. It's a lot like one of those "weird" travel books, but only featuring monsters. Practically speaking, I would suggest readers check out this book before heading to a new state to see what the local folk tales are like. You definitely don't have to read every state.
There is a fair amount of repetition--there is a Bigfoot story and a lake monster story from nearly every nook and cranny of the country, it seems. I actually found it useful because there were a couple of legends from my home state (NJ) that I had never heard of and now plan to read about and research further. It's a great resource for finding interesting leads because he cites his sources. If barely believable monster stories are your thing, this is a pretty fun read.
March 8, 2021
Usually when it comes to Llewellyn books I find myself somewhat discouraged with the subjects that are provided. Fortunately with the publishing of this book I have found something in their catalog that I have enjoyed reading. And what is better this whole book is about United States cryptids without a skeptical viewpoint.
Instead Jason Offutt splits the book into separate chapters with each focusing on one state. The chapter then starts off with a small introduction that explores the state, gives a bit of the history that it has been through, some geography that can be found there and a bit of a brief listing of famous people that came from there. And then it segues into a cryptid or two, which leads to the next part of the chapter. The entries following the introduction gives a brief half of a page to usually a two-page exploration of each individual creature or being mentioned via eyewitness accounts.
There were a few sketches of creatures mentioned with each chapter getting one sketch. This drawing was juxtaposed against an outline of the focal state while the details were a little too graphic just as a heads-up for those whose children may end up reading this.
All in all in this is a great starter guide to some of the legendary animals found in Americana folklore and the cryptids that may still be lurking in the unexplored parts of each state.
Instead Jason Offutt splits the book into separate chapters with each focusing on one state. The chapter then starts off with a small introduction that explores the state, gives a bit of the history that it has been through, some geography that can be found there and a bit of a brief listing of famous people that came from there. And then it segues into a cryptid or two, which leads to the next part of the chapter. The entries following the introduction gives a brief half of a page to usually a two-page exploration of each individual creature or being mentioned via eyewitness accounts.
There were a few sketches of creatures mentioned with each chapter getting one sketch. This drawing was juxtaposed against an outline of the focal state while the details were a little too graphic just as a heads-up for those whose children may end up reading this.
All in all in this is a great starter guide to some of the legendary animals found in Americana folklore and the cryptids that may still be lurking in the unexplored parts of each state.
January 19, 2019
*I was given this novel in exchange for an honest review*
Every chapter of this book is a different state, first it gives just a wee bit of info about that state and then it jumps right into the monsters that have been seen along with stories from those who have seen these monsters. It's a pretty fun to read book and I enjoyed it but honestly, I just wanted to know about the states I've lived in or just ones that are important to me. Still, it was fun learning about other monsters in other states.
It's written in a way that is so easy to understand and at times had be chuckling because the author has one of those voices that is just funny in the best way. Made the book even better in my opinion. Not going to lie, my favorite is the Mothman, I've been interested in him for about ten years now and anything about him just catches my attention instantly.
A fun book to read, I enjoyed it and even learned about quite a few monsters.
Every chapter of this book is a different state, first it gives just a wee bit of info about that state and then it jumps right into the monsters that have been seen along with stories from those who have seen these monsters. It's a pretty fun to read book and I enjoyed it but honestly, I just wanted to know about the states I've lived in or just ones that are important to me. Still, it was fun learning about other monsters in other states.
It's written in a way that is so easy to understand and at times had be chuckling because the author has one of those voices that is just funny in the best way. Made the book even better in my opinion. Not going to lie, my favorite is the Mothman, I've been interested in him for about ten years now and anything about him just catches my attention instantly.
A fun book to read, I enjoyed it and even learned about quite a few monsters.
March 8, 2019
Organized by state, Chasing American Monsters is a fine introduction to monsters found next door and across the United States.
With more than 250 monsters listed, this book is sure to have something to interest every monster fan. I didn’t know that the state I live in, California, has both evil gnomes and giant (six and a half feet long) cockroaches so expect some surprises.
While I liked the brief stories about the monsters, I didn’t see the value of the state overviews. Do I really need to know which state was the last to join the union or has the largest population? Also, I wish there were drawings of each monster rather than just one per state. Overall, Chasing American Monsters delivers on its promise to provide a brief overview of the most famous or unusual monsters in each state. However, fans of particular monsters will want to pick up more detailed books. 3 stars!
Thanks to Llewellyn Publications and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
With more than 250 monsters listed, this book is sure to have something to interest every monster fan. I didn’t know that the state I live in, California, has both evil gnomes and giant (six and a half feet long) cockroaches so expect some surprises.
While I liked the brief stories about the monsters, I didn’t see the value of the state overviews. Do I really need to know which state was the last to join the union or has the largest population? Also, I wish there were drawings of each monster rather than just one per state. Overall, Chasing American Monsters delivers on its promise to provide a brief overview of the most famous or unusual monsters in each state. However, fans of particular monsters will want to pick up more detailed books. 3 stars!
Thanks to Llewellyn Publications and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
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