#cryptid-reading-list — Public Fediverse posts

A Natural History of Sea Serpents – A. Shine

A Natural History of Sea Serpents
Adrian Shine
2025, Whittles Publishing
256 pp

Shine is the definitive Loch Ness investigator. He’s been there for decades and has seen everything. More importantly, he has thought about everything. In this book, he guides us through the history of a creature that people have reported for centuries, how it changed, and what people probably saw, beginning with sea serpents prior to Loch Ness and the translation of those beliefs into the most famous lake monster. Shine blasts a few worn tropes clear out of the water and provides convincing explanations for the most famous accounts cited by cryptid proponents, supporting his conclusions with photographic examples. Even though no exotic cryptid is proposed as an explanation, his presentation is fascinating and eye-opening. His accumulated wisdom must be acknowledged and respected. This book is essential for any library on water cryptids or sea animals in general. Outstanding and exceptionally well-written.

#CryptidReadingList #CryptozoologyAnnotatedBibliography

A Natural History of Sea Serpents – A. Shine

A Natural History of Sea Serpents
Adrian Shine
2025, Whittles Publishing
256 pp

Shine is the definitive Loch Ness investigator. He’s been there for decades and has seen everything. More importantly, he has thought about everything. In this book, he guides us through the history of a creature that people have reported for centuries, how it changed, and what people probably saw, beginning with sea serpents prior to Loch Ness and the translation of those beliefs into the most famous lake monster. Shine blasts a few worn tropes clear out of the water and provides convincing explanations for the most famous accounts cited by cryptid proponents, supporting his conclusions with photographic examples. Even though no exotic cryptid is proposed as an explanation, his presentation is fascinating and eye-opening. His accumulated wisdom must be acknowledged and respected. This book is essential for any library on water cryptids or sea animals in general. Outstanding and exceptionally well-written.

#CryptidReadingList #CryptozoologyAnnotatedBibliography

The United States of Cryptids – J.W. Ocker

The United States of Cryptids: A Tour of American Myths and Monsters
J.W. Ocker
2022, Quirk Books
288 pp

This is a fun, well-written, and roundly researched compendium. Hitting the perfect bullseye of why and how we embrace modern cryptids, Ocker has produced the first, solid pop cryptid volume. The aim is to highlight infamous monsters in every state but the approach is more creative than that. There are many encyclopedias of cryptids that attempt to do this, but this book is different. Ocker is AWARE. He understands that cryptids is “a messy word”, that the social importance of cryptids is greater than the zoological importance, and that we don’t want to find cryptids as much as we want to just love them. These are critical and valid ideas about modern cryptozoology that too many old school cryptozoology types refuse to acknowledge – they reject that some of the world’s most popular cryptids are actually “cryptids” (e.g., Snallygaster, Squonk, Mothman, Pope Lick Monster, etc.). Cryptids are heavily steeped in social issues (past and present), contemporary legend, town identity, economic influence, and various worldviews. Ocker illustrates these themes with many examples; you cannot miss the implications.

I did not think the world needed another cryptid compendium, but this one is so smart, and written for smart, curious people who see and appreciate the broad cultural necessity of cryptids, that I’m putting it on the essential list.

#CryptidReadingList

The United States of Cryptids – J.W. Ocker

The United States of Cryptids: A Tour of American Myths and Monsters
J.W. Ocker
2022, Quirk Books
288 pp

This is a fun, well-written, and roundly researched compendium. Hitting the perfect bullseye of why and how we embrace modern cryptids, Ocker has produced the first, solid pop cryptid volume. The aim is to highlight infamous monsters in every state but the approach is more creative than that. There are many encyclopedias of cryptids that attempt to do this, but this book is different. Ocker is AWARE. He understands that cryptids is “a messy word”, that the social importance of cryptids is greater than the zoological importance, and that we don’t want to find cryptids as much as we want to just love them. These are critical and valid ideas about modern cryptozoology that too many old school cryptozoology types refuse to acknowledge – they reject that some of the world’s most popular cryptids are actually “cryptids” (e.g., Snallygaster, Squonk, Mothman, Pope Lick Monster, etc.). Cryptids are heavily steeped in social issues (past and present), contemporary legend, town identity, economic influence, and various worldviews. Ocker illustrates these themes with many examples; you cannot miss the implications.

I did not think the world needed another cryptid compendium, but this one is so smart, and written for smart, curious people who see and appreciate the broad cultural necessity of cryptids, that I’m putting it on the essential list.

#CryptidReadingList