The Bigfoot Encyclopedia

 

The Bigfoot Book

By Nick Redfern

Bigfoot-type creatures have been reported all over the world, with the highest concentration of sightings in the Pacific Northwest of North America. Evidence of their existence remains scant—primarily footprint casts and eyewitness accounts. While this is not considered conclusive proof by mainstream science, these creatures are classified as cryptids: animals whose existence is claimed but not yet scientifically verified. New species continue to be discovered every year, reminding us that we still have much to learn about the natural world.

Stories of these hairy, ape-like hominids date back centuries. Native American tribes have long told tales of these beings. Some describe them as protectors of the forests, guardians who ensure humanity respects the wilderness. Others view them as elder brothers—wise beings sent to warn or protect mankind when society strays too far from balance. However, not all accounts are benevolent. There are also reports of aggression and violence.

One of the most famous incidents occurred in 1924 at Ape Canyon, near Mount St. Helens in Washington State. A group of gold prospectors was attacked by several large, ape-like creatures. The beings reportedly bombarded the prospectors’ cabin with rocks throughout the night in an attempt to break in. The men held them off until dawn, after which they fled and never returned to the area.

In Theodore Roosevelt’s book The Wilderness Hunter, set in Montana, Roosevelt recounts a story told to him of two hunters who were harassed by a massive, hairy giant while camping. The next morning, one hunter returned from a solo outing to find his partner dead—apparently killed by the creature.

Another historical tale describes Native Americans and white settlers joining forces to battle a group of Bigfoot-like creatures that had abducted several young girls. The humans ultimately prevailed and rescued the captives.

These hairy hominids appear in legends and reports across the globe, each region giving them different names. In the Himalayas and parts of Russia, they are known as the Yeti or Almasty—described as similar to Bigfoot but with white or lighter fur suited to snowy environments. In Florida, they are called the Skunk Ape, while in Australia the creature is known as the Yowie. Reports also exist from India, China, and across Europe, including Britain. Ancient legends even claim that Alexander the Great encountered tribes of these hairy beings during his campaigns in India. Some researchers suggest that Green Man statues and carvings in Europe may depict similar creatures. Author Nick Redfern has compiled an extensive encyclopedia cataloging these hominids, documenting their regional names, locations, and characteristics.

Not all such creatures are described as large and imposing. Some are smaller and hairier, such as the Menehune of Hawaii or the “luxes” reported in Mexico.

Bigfoot and its counterparts have left a significant mark on popular culture. These creatures have appeared in countless movies, television shows, books, and documentaries, cementing their place in modern folklore

The Lost Knowledge of Imagination

The Lost Knowledge of Imagination 

By Gary Lachman

 Starting in the mid-to-late 1700s, there was a subtle but profound shift in human consciousness. For centuries, early humanity relied heavily on the right brain—its creativity, intuition, and imagination—to navigate the world. People believed in animism, forest spirits, gods, angels, and countless other unseen forces. Then, around the Enlightenment, the left brain began to dominate. Everything became scientific and material. Reality was reduced to cause-and-effect in the physical world, with little room left for spirit, myth, or imagination.

Lachman traces this evolution through the ideas of various philosophers and scientists. One thinker (whose name escapes me as well) made a striking distinction: there are the rules of geometry and the rules of imagination. Each mode of consciousness, he argued, operates according to its own valid set of principles.

Chapter 2 explores Owen Barfield, a member of the Inklings and close friend of J.R.R. Tolkien. Barfield proposed a radical idea: imagination actually fuels language, rather than the other way around. While many believe we first experience the world and then develop language to describe it, Barfield suggested we are born with imagination and linguistic capacity already within us. We then project that inner reality onto the physical world we encounter.

Another perspective Lachman covers is the notion that the outside world is essentially an illusion. What we perceive as reality—sights, sounds, smells, and textures—may simply be data fed into our brains, much like being plugged into a computer that generates all sensory input. In this view, our perception shapes how the physical world appears to us.

Throughout the book, many thinkers advocate for a fusion of right-brain and left-brain consciousness—merging science with imagination—to arrive at the fullest, most perfect form of truth. Yet if the world is ultimately an illusion, the very concept of objective truth becomes slippery. What we call “truth” may simply be the things we can all agree upon.

Overall, Lachman’s book is a fascinating exploration of how we lost touch with the imaginative faculty that once defined human experience. It’s thought-provoking and worth reading if you’re interested in consciousness, philosophy, and the hidden history of ideas.