Book Review: The Bigfoot Influencers

The Bigfoot Influencers: Compelling and Candid Conversations with Researchers, Scientists, and Investigators

Whitewolf Entertainment (Hangar 1), 304pp.

Tim Halloran's The Bigfoot Influencers is well worth reading. While I research cryptozoology, I've never been deep in the Bigfoot subculture and so have missed a lot (probably to my overall benefit, given the sniping and strangeness, although clearly I've missed great storytelling.) it appears certain). There is a lot in this collection of interviews with Bigfoot hunters I didn't know about.  The QR codes with extra content are a nice touch. The half-star I took off in my Amazon review is for the lack of skeptics: certainly a few merit the "influencer" label. (I hate the term "influencer," but that ship has sunk.) 

It's interesting to read all these people's responses to particular questions, including the most impressive non-personal sighting they know of and what funny or embarrassing memories of the hunt they have.

Some consistent themes emerge. A few think Bigfoot could be an ape, but most agree on a human-related primate. All agree only a body or a part of one would convince science, and no one says that's unreasonable, although there are a few "science won't listen" gripes. Almost all have the same view of why we haven't found it: they're rare, they're smart, they're elusive, and we just haven't gotten lucky enough. (No one, thankfully, goes for "they bury their dead.") Most who mention the PG film endorse it. A few endorse some evidence by known hoaxers, which is very dangerous ground.

The personal sightings vary from what you might call generic to Kathy Strain's very detailed account, which is one of those presenting a stark choice: she saw Bigfoot, or she's lying.

One thing that comes through is the sincere hopes of many researchers. These people want to find an unknown species. I 99 per cent doubt they will, but I hope they do.