The Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, the Abominable Snowman -- these are the names of the elusive beasts that have caught the eye and captured the imaginations of people around the world for centuries. Recently, tales of these "monsters" have been corroborated by an increase in sightings, and out of these legends a new science has been born: cryptozoology -- the study of hidden animals.

Cryptozoology A to Z, the first encyclopedia of its kind, contains nearly two hundred entries, including cryptids (the name given to these unusual beasts), new animal finds, and the explorers and scientists who search for them. Loren Coleman, one of the world's leading cryptozoologists, teams up with Jerome Clark, editor and author of several encyclopedias, to provide these definitive descriptions and many never-before-published drawings and photographs from eyewitnesses' detailed accounts. Full of insights into the methods of these scientists, exciting tales of discovery, and the history and evolution of this field, Cryptozoology A to Z is the most complete reference ever of the newest zoological science.

Cryptzoology also as a field includes a host of other strange creatures, many famous such as the sasquatch (or Bigfoot), yeti (or Abomininable Snowman), and the Loch Ness Monster, others fairly obscure such as the waitoreke (an otter-like mammal that may exist in New Zealand), the marozi (the enigmatic spotted lion of East Africa), and the buru (a large unknown monitor lizard of the remote valleys in the Himalayas). To an educated person who prides himself on having read a great many nature and science books, many "cryptids" (animals of interest to cryptozoologists) seem outlandish and improbable, such as the skunk ape of Florida or even the Loch Ness Monster (as the loch in question has been combed over extensively, and any air-breathing monster would have long been discovered and documented). It is with the creatures that *just may* exist, that don't sound so improbable, that gives to me cryptozoology (and this book) its charm. Surely hairy wildmen don't haunt the rain forests of Washington state, but who is to say with absolute certainty the buru or the marozi don't exist?

Coleman and Clark cover the field well, with entries for famous and not-so-famous cryptids, as well as large animals that have come to light in the 20th century. In part, it is these newly discovered animals - the Komodo dragon in 1910, the coelacanth in 1938, the kouprey in 1961 - that help make the science of cryptzoology at least partially legitimate. In addition, they have entries for famous cryptzoologists such as Matthew A. Bille, a leader in cryptocetology (the study of hidden or undiscovered whales) and Bernard Heuvelmans, the "Father of Cryptzoology," whose has written numerous works on cryptozoology, particularly on mysterious hominids such as the yeti.

Whether cryptozoology is a legitimate and cutting edge science or a collection of real animals, folktales, myths, and legends all mixed together is for the reader to decide. Coleman and Clark treat the subject with seriousness and professionalism, and the book is fun to browse through, complete with nice illustrations of cryptids and cryptozoologists. A nice bibliography is included, along with a list of cryptozoology musuems and exhibits, periodicals, and websites.


too many personalities   June 23, 2000
 26 out of 28 found this review helpful

While I've been appreciative of Coleman and Clark's older works, I felt this book dwelled too much on the personalities involved in the field of cryptozoology. Seriously how many works in similar fields devote so much space to the people active in their fields? Do you open an encyclopedia of meteorology and read about famous (and non-famous) meteorologists? No.

Too much of the book is devoted to cryptozoologists, both famous and rather obscure. There are pictures of virtual unknowns in the book who have virtually no serious scholarly work on cryptids and whose only virtue is having operated a web site and interviewed a few local yokels. These people compare with individuals such as Sanderson and Heuvelmans? No and they don't deserve to share the space.

It's my feeling that a lot of the name dropping in this book is nothing but that, and while the part of the book actually devoted to cryptozoological mysteries is worthwhile, it's sometimes spoiled by the frequent references to Mr. and Mrs. Joe Nobody.


Let's be Objective!   March 5, 2004
 26 out of 31 found this review helpful

The primary hurdle that Cryptozoologists have to face is that of potential ridicule. To suggest that large creatures previously unknown to science exist in this world requires--whether you like it or not--a greater deal of dicipline and scientific fact to back it up.
With that said, one must take an even greater step back to look at the facts. This book does not. Rather, this book argues minute details and tried to propegate, for the most part, the existance of the "legendary" beasts by refuting scientific evidence (not to mention COMMON SENSE).
The Minnesota Iceman is a case in point. Here we have a farmer with a rubber monkey frozen in ice displayed as a real "missing link". Mr. Coleman goes to great--and invalid--lengths to "prove" that this was a real cryptid. Even after the "original" disappeared and was replaced by a "replica", Mr. Coleman argues that the "original" creature was no doubt buried in an unmarked grave--humanity having lost its chance forever to discover a new creature. Bottom line is we had a farmer who wanted to make a couple extra bucks and concocted a sceme to do so. When the pressure got hot, the farmer ditched the frozen ape and made all sorts of excuses as to why the original was not still on display.
Before you rip me a new one for questioning the validity of undiscovered animals, know that I have investigated the subject extensively--and I believe they are out there. My concern is that if books like this continue to be published, the subject will never be taken seriously.


Author's Insights: From Cryptids to Exciting Bios   March 23, 1999
 17 out of 22 found this review helpful

JOIN THE ULTIMATE QUEST FOR THE WORLD'S MOST MYSTERIOUS CREATURESDid you know that in 1992 a new species of quadruped called the saola, the largest mammal to be discovered since 1937, was found in the Vu Quang Forest of Vietnam? Did you know that until New York socalite Ruth Harkness brought Su Lin out of the jungles of Tibet to the United States in 1937, that the existence of the giant panda still remained a mystery? Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, Abominable Snowman-these are the names of the elusive beasts that have caught the eye and captured the imaginations of people around the world for centuries. Recently tales of these "monsters" as well as an increase in the numbers of sightings has elevated these creatures, and many others like the saola and the giant panda, from the shadowy world of legend and footnotes in travelogues to the subjects of cryptozoology-the study of hidden animals.Cryptozoology A to Z, the first encyclopedia of its kind, contains nearly 200 entries of cryptids (the name given to these unusual beasts), new animal finds, and the explorers and scientists who search for them. Loren Coleman, one of the world's leading cryptozoologists teams up with Jerome Clark, esteemed editor and author of several encyclopedias, to provide many never-before-published entries, drawings and photographs from eyewitness' detailed accounts. Full of insight into the methods of these scientists, exciting tales of discovery, and the history and evolution of this field, Cryptozoology A to Z is the most complete reference ever of the newest zoological science.LOREN COLEMAN, a forty-year veteran of cryptozoological field expeditions and research, has written several books on nature's mysterious creatures, including The Field Guide to Bigfoot, Mysterious America, and Tom Slick and the Search for the Yeti, and has served as both on-and-off camera consultant to NBC-TV's Unsolved Mysteries and A&E's Ancient Mysteries. He is a university professor in Maine and lives in Portland. JEROME CLARK, author of several respected encyclopedias on the history of natural phenomena, including the award-winning Unexplained! He lives in Canby, Minnesota.


Great find   August 14, 2001
 13 out of 14 found this review helpful

This book is an incredible read, offering valuable insight on a lesser-known science. Loren Coleman is a fantastic chronicler of "cryptids", the names given to these scarce and unusual beasts. Beasts such as Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, the giant anaconda of the Amazon jungles, the giant octopus, the Kraken, Ogopogo, Champ, the Jersey Devil, the Thunderbird, megamouth shark, the Nandi Bear, the megaladon shark, and el Chupacabra. Cryptozoology is the study of hidden animals, and recently I have taken a big interest in it upon a sighting of Bigfoot in New Mexico's mountains (no joke).

This science should not be considered very low, and stereotyped as studied by clueless men and women, because it is not. It is a very intelligent science, offering one of the most intriguing searches--that being, the search for the unknown. Albert Einstein once said that the biggest adventure lies in finding things unknown. Hominology is also featured in this book, which is the study of humankind's closest relatives (Bigfoot, Yeti, Abdominable Snowman), besides apes. Hominology is the bridge between anthropology and zoology. This book will startle you with true accounts of some encounters, short bios of the people who are cryptozoologists, and cryptozoology organizations such as the International Society of Cryptozoology, and, of course, the cryptids themselves. Dig in.