Much of what I know about New England folklore I owe to Joseph Citro, so it was his name on the cover -- more than any particular affinity for the legends of Vermont -- that caught my attention. Citro's introduction was high in its praise for author David Weatherly, so I knew the book must be worth my time. (Weatherly, I should note, has crossed my desk in the past; I favorably reviewed Haunted Prisons, which he co-authored with Ross Allison.)

The book is a nice summation of the various zoological oddities that have been reported in Vermont's long history. They fall primarily in two categories: Bigfoot and its variants, such as Old Slipperyskin and the Bennington Monster, and an assortment of water monsters, foremost among them the legendary Champ, the "Nessie" of Lake Champlain. The book concludes with several chapters on miscellaneous beasties, such as catamounts, giant rabbits, flying monkeys and vampires.

Weatherly does not appear to be a field researcher, seeking out his own evidence, but rather works through books and news accounts from the past, compiling an interesting collection of sightings and findings since the Green Mountain State was first occupied. (Yes, some of the stories he references date back to Native American legends predating the Europeans' arrival.)

Anyone with even a passing interest in cryptozoology or the history and lore of Vermont should enjoy this book.

By the way, Weatherly's work is not solely focused on New England. He casts a wider net with a series of books on the lore of various states. (I'm not sure if he's intending to publish books on all 50, but he's well on his way.) Vermont was an interesting start for me; I would like to see what he has to say on states such as Maine and Montana and, if he ever gets to them, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Maryland. Besides regional folklore, he also has written books on topics as diverse as haunted dolls, haunted ships, haunted churches and sasquatch.

[ visit the Eerie Lights website ]