Sunday, July 11, 2010

A unique source of books: Coachwhip Publications

I wanted to mention a unique publishing company. Chad Arment's Coachwhip Publications puts out books on zoology, herpetology, cryptozoology, and mystery stories, among other things. In all these genres, Chad not only publishes new works but republishes books that had long since gone out of print. Where else can you find time travel fiction dating to the 17th century, the book Raptors of the Northwest, and Chad's own indispensable study, Cryptozoology: Science and Speculation? There's a lot of great stuff here.
Chad's latest is called Varmints. In this hefty tome, Chad collects stories, most fro newspapers, of out of place or unidentified predators, large and small, from across the United States. From Alaska to Vermont, from wandering bears to odd-looking wildcats, it's a fascinating compilation. One that especially caught my eye was an article collecting accounts from Arkansas of a large, scary predator that people who knew their local animals described as neither wolf, bear, or feline. Reading this book is a most entertaining, and sometimes chilling, way to spend an evening.

No comments: