In these crazy times, I have had a need to take a break from political research. What I found is as informative and interesting as it is scary. That is, reading up on Bigfoot-Sasquatch, which probably for the same reason I found, has hit an all-time high public interest cycle.
Bigfooters, or “Squatchers”, as they are called, have quietly been chasing these animals since the famous Patterson-Gimlin film of a female Sasquatch in 1967.
Now, in the internet and reality TV era, the phenomenon has exploded. Tons of new books and podcasts are available, some better than others.
The book I started with was “Bigfoot! – The True Story Of Apes In America”, by the great Loren Coleman. This was a great first book on the subject, and you can read the complete review here:
https://www.covertbookreport.com/review-bigfoot-the-true-story-of-apes-in-america/
Today’s review takes us further into the Ape Cave, we will look at two very good, and very different books on Sasquatch.
The first, and a real doozy, is “Raincoast Sasquatch”, by J. Robert Alley. This book was recommended to me by a friend who had a very real encounter and was chased out of the woods while hunting with friends.
“Raincoast Sasquatch” describes what seems like a hundred of such encounters by hunters, fishermen, campers, and people in cars. These are in many cases, first hand interviews as well as historical records, taking place along the west coast of British Columbia and Northern Washington State, and coastal southeast Alaska.
Not surprisingly, the area around Ketchikan Alaska seems to have an unusually high number of reported encounters. In particular, Ward Lake on the island of Revillagigedo has a ton of reported sightings and animal mischief.
I mean like picking up the back of cars that people are trying to flee in.
“Raincoast Sasquatch” explores the creature’s behavior through the personal experiences of witnesses.
It also documents the similarities and differences in interpretation of Sasquatch by indigenous native tribes. I was pleased to find pictures of native masks and costumes created by Don Lelooska, who our grade school class went to visit and learn from in the 1960’s. We saw the same Sasquatch traditional presentation that is shown in a photo in the book.
This highly entertaining read comes complete with detailed maps to follow the location of various encounters. I absolutely loved and recommend “Raincoast Sasquatch”, it will keep you on the edge of your seat.
*****
The second book we look at today is “The Discovery Of The Sasquatch”, by John A. Bindernagel, PhD.
The late Dr. Bindernagel, who was a wildlife biologist, put his reputation as a scientist on the line at a time when dabbling with Bigfoot – Sasquatch was a career shredder.
The subtitle of the book is “Reconciling Culture, History, And Science In The Discovery Process”.
This is the book you would use if you were going to convince a court that Sasquatch exists. It can be a bit difficult to read parts of Bindernagel’s presentation, but it is laid out in a clear, logical progression.
For instance, Here are some sample chapters to give you an idea about the books development:
The Sasquatch As A Cultural Phenomenon
Evidence
Scrutinizing And Interpreting The Evidence
Discovery
Reconsidering Prevailing Knowledge
Discovery Forestalled
Each of these categories have sub-chapters that go deep into (for instance) anatomy and behavior of known Great Apes, and how to use the scientific method to prove a hypothesis.
Each examination begins with a historical or recent account of a Sasquatch encounter. These stories open the door to explain how the science is used to either support or, in the case of hoaxing, disprove the event.
“The Discovery Of The Sasquatch” I received is in a large, tabletop paperback format, with over thirty pages of detailed supporting notes at the rear of the book. This is the most science-oriented Sasquatch book I have read yet, although I have Dr. Jeff Meldrum’s Sasquatch book on deck.
“Discovery” is a complex book as Bigfoot material goes. It’s probably best for people who have a working knowledge of the Sasquatch phenomenon, or people with a science background looking for a deeper level of research on these creatures.
I for one, believe there is simply no way that all the historical sightings are hoaxes, misunderstood sightings of bears, or spiritual hallucinations. While this may be true of some modern hoaxing, just too many encounters are deep in the wilderness, and in the case of hunters, the hoaxer would risk being shot out of fear, self-defense, or claim to fame.
In the case of one of my friends, who had a very dangerous encounter in Northern California, these people are true believers.
Dr. Bindernagel’s Book “The Discovery Of The Sasquatch”, which has a glowing review by none other than primate expert Dr. Jane Goodall, will convince you too.
John,
I notice here several books about Bigfoot. As a real estate appraiser (retired) I have travelled extensively in WA and OR rural areas and have never encountered a bigfoot. I had a friend (now deceased) who was an avid hunter and fisherman who lived in Day Creek in Snohomish County, WA. Although he had never seen a bigfoot he had heard them howling and smelled them on several occasions. He said the smell was awful and his dog used to go crazy on those occasions.
Mike
One of my friends was chased out of the woods by several Bigfoot while hunting. Took one good picture of a track. My other friend and I were screamed at while at a campfire in remote Oregon. Probably a cougar. Scared the crap out of our dogs.
I’m learning a lot, know what to look for now.