I found this book very interesting. I was intrigued from the first couple of pages and loved reading about bigfoot.

A Secret History of Bigfoot is not just a book about the mysterious Sasquatch that wanders North America, but about the places it has been sighted in, the people who have sighted them and discerning credible accounts from hoaxes.

There is a lot of information contained within these pages and John O'Connor is an engaging writer, keeping my interest with an immersive narrative that flows beautifully from one chapter to the next

I requested this book because I visited New Hampshire a few times over the last cople years and my friends told me that sightings (or claims thereof) had increased in recent years, alongside the increase in commercial souveniers of the same. I considered my friends comments to be made with an amount of cynicism and I can truthfully say that this book has given me some wonderful insight (plus an extensive armoury of perspectives) about which to banter about on my next foray into the mountains of North-East America

A wonderful book for fans of the squatch and mysteries in general, also those who enjoy the ecology and natural environment of North America

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher Sourcebooks and the author John O'Connor for this enjoyable and enlightening ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

The Secret History of Bigfoot by John O'Connor is categorized as History, Nonfiction and Travel which grabbed my attention immediately. However, after reading political barb after political barb (I'm not even American) and nothing about travel, I disagree. My hopes were to learn more about Bigfoot but the social commentary quickly overshadowed the allure of Bigfoot. What a shame. The wit was sometimes humorous but other times missed the mark completely.

So many disappointments here prevented me from finishing this book. Not at all what I had envisioned when requesting the ARC.

I was hoping for some good narrative nonfiction or travel writing, but this fell a little flat for me. It was almost as if there was a line of humorous and serious that was being walked and the story didn't know which side to walk on.

I am such a fan of myths and "urban legends" so I was really excited to get this book. It was an entertaining and enjoyable read. I eat up anything Big Foot or Loch Ness Monster so I flew through this one.

This book is definitely very well written and I did like the adventure that it catalogues throughout. The only problem I ended up having is that for a book that says it's about Bigfoot I felt like he was more of a side character to everything. Still very much worth reading.

This isn't just a book about Bigfoot. This is a book about nature, the environment, history, and animals in general. It is funny and so interesting I couldn't stop reading once I started.
I felt this in my soul. Yes it can be male centric but bigfooting is kind of a man's sport.

Protect our wild spaces!
I loved every single word.

I enjoyed all the parts that specifically had to do with Bigfoot, however, the author did go off on many side tangents that made it less interesting to me. I sometimes skimmed to get back to the actual Bigfoot stuff. I did enjoy the added bits of humor, and the facts and history he added surrounding Bigfoot.

Interesting look at Bigfoot hunters and why they do what they do. I found there were way too many political references in the book for a non-political topic. I was hoping for more observations made by the author himself rather than rehashing sightings made by others. Instead, this felt more like cheap shots at a segment of the population that the author doesn't agree with masquerading as a informative guide on Bigfoot and how to find him.

My review for this book is published in LIBRARY JOURNAL. The link is provided. I nominated it for a starred review, and it was accepted. This was a pleasure to read, surprising in so many ways

I like the perspective this story takes. Instead of focusing specifically on evidence for or against the existence of bigfoot, It looks at the hype around why people are so focused on the potential of its existence or proving that it doesn't exist. I think the author's beliefs in regards to bigfoot are clear, but I think the book can be enjoyable even if yours are different. The humor was fun in some areas, but felt out of place at times.

My dirty little secret has always been my love of cryptids and the unexplained. I love cryptozoology and am an avid follower of sightings around the United States, both of Bigfoot and the others. So when I was approved to read this I immediately dived in and was glad I did. John O’Connor’s humor throughout made it fun to read and overall was very informative. I would recommend this book to all of my fellow paranormal junkies!

"Playful and chock full of kooky characters (human and beast), this informative yet raucous account is perfect for fans of Louis Theroux..." - full review to appear in BookList

A look into the American myth and legend - Bigfoot. I wanted to like this more because my husband and I love cryptids, but the writing just felt a little chaotic for me. Still interesting, just thought it could have been less all over the place in terms of writing style.

In THE SECRET HISTORY OF BIGFOOT: FIELD NOTES ON A NORTH AMERICAN MONSTER, John O’Connor recounts some of his adventures on bigfoot hunts and at conventions. He speaks with both believes and naysayers throughout his adventures.

I’ve never had an encounter, but I’m a believer in Bigfoot. That being said, I didn’t really learn anything new about Bigfoot from reading this book. The author is neither a believer or a disbeliever, and he makes it clear that none of his experiences will sway him either way. The title is also misleading—there are no secrets revealed and it doesn’t really go into too much of the history of Bigfoot. There were also a lot of unflattering comparisons between Bigfoot believers and Trump supporters. In the end, there are some interesting sections in the book that are worthy of checking out.

A delightful romp of a journey through Bigfoot's history and the links that belief in the unexplainable create in the long story of humanity. O'Connor crafts both a wistful travelogue through Bigfoot's territories and navel-gazing examination of why people believe. Rather than a linear examination of the historical record of Bigfoot stories, O'Connor meanders from topic to topic seeking not the capital T Truth about Bigfoot, but the individual truths of Bigfoot hunters. Highly recommend.

After the hot mess that 2023 proved to be, I thought what better way to close it out than to read a book about BIGFOOT!

As I read this book, it became clear that, as John O'Connor pointed out, there are two basic types of folks. There are those who live in the world of facts, evidence, and the verification of the aforementioned facts and evidence. Then there are those folks who have, shall we say, less affinity for facts and lean far heavier on the mythic, the folklore, and non-verified but believed *facts* in their known world.

And whether we apply the above to the search for say BIGFOOT, SASQUATCH, YETI, UFOs, and other assorted things that add mystery and wonder to our world, we can absolutely apply the same dynamic to other aspects of our lives. It is fair to say that America is a land of contradictions, strongly held beliefs (and opinions), and an ever burgeoning quest to understand our world and our place within it. As O'Connor posits, perhaps it is both divergent positions that have always informed human nature. By embracing both, we might be better equipped to understand ourselves better; and through that knowledge bring more clarity (and unity) to our shared world.

Thanks to the author, his publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of "The Secret History of Bigfoot."

This book has an anticipated publish date of February 6,2024.

#thesecrethistoryofbigfoot
#johnoconnor
#netgalley
#bigfoot
#mysteries of our naturalworld

Having bigfoots, cryptids, and classic poets like Keats all mentioned in the same book was something I'd never expected to read. John O'Connor's vast knowledge really makes this an interesting read.

Fun book to read, although I'm not sure how much truth it holds. After so many years looking for this monster, why haven't we found him besides a few out-of-focus videos and pictures?

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Sourcebooks for an advanced copy of this history and study of the Bigfoot phenomena, the people involved, and what the effect that the nature and the woods have on people, the mysteries and truths that people seem to be always looking for.

My first introduction of Bigfoot was television. I would like to act all smarter than my age and say it was from watching the Leonard Nimoy hosted In Search of show, but I know it was the Bigfoot episodes of Six Million Dollar Man that made me a fan. Watching Steve Austin, played by Lee Majors and Bigfoot, played by Andre the Giant which probably made me love professional wrestling later, start as enemies, and become friends fighting for justice, I was in. Later finding books in the library about Sasquatch stories, and even better Yeti stories, made me look at the woods behind me house with a little bit more trepidation. And a bit of longing. The same feeling seems to have infected a lot of other people, people braver than I. While I was content to look out my window, sip coffee and think about Big Foot, hundreds if not thousands were hitting the woods, dealing with cold, mechanical injuries, strange woos at night, and the sometimes eerie feeling that nature gives us. Bigfoot has become big money, with specials, movies, tourist trap events, and wilderness tours. And few answers. Journalist John O'Connor in The Secret History of Bigfoot: Field Notes on a North American Monster has written a guide and history not just to the Bigfoot Phenomena, but to the people who have tried to find the truth, stay skeptical, or make money, while showing the beauty and draw that nature holds on us.

John O'Connor first became interested in Bigfoot as a fan of the writer, Peter Matthiessen. Famed nature and fiction writer, co-founder of the Paris Review and employee of the CIA Matthiessen was introduced to the idea of Bigfoot while encountering a strange creature in Tibet. That encounter stirred something in the writer, sending him out in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, looking for Yeti clues and evidence, even writing a book that was never finished. From here O'Connor hits the woods, where even without Bigfoot O'Connor finds that th woods are not only dark and deep, but dangerous, with many people going missing, strange noises, sometimes human related, sometimes not and more. O'Connor spends nights camping in tornado weather in New England, meeting strange people deep in the woods, and attending tourist festivals for Bigfoot. Readers meet believers, sceptics, professors, and professional trail hikers, all with their own take about Bigfoot, nature, and what lies in the woods.

The book is both a history of Bigfoot, the idea of creatures like Bigfoot, and how people come to believe these kind of things. This is not a paranormal, cryptozoology book, but a book about why people believe things, with a lot of nature discussion. O'Connor is a very good writer, able to capture moments be it factual, or historical, or almost Gonzo style living in the story moments. There might be a little too much humor for a lot of people, and also readers who tend to do their own research and vote for red hats will not like some of the comments, but that is their problem. There are a lot of weird people in the woods, and I am glad I don't spend much time there. No answers are given, only lots of questions asked, just as many about humans and our behavior as about Yeti, and Sasquatchs.

For people just starting in the world or cryptids or even in the world of fringe thinking and why believe what they believe. Also for nature fans, because even with all the weird that seems to exist beyond the tree line, O'Connor has a way of making the outdoors sound fun, and worth caring for.