Hear “abominable” and you may well think disgusting, detestable, disagreeable. Hear “snowman” and you think adorable. But put the two words together—Abominable Snowman—and you get a mystery. In this page-turner, students will read about people who claim to have seen the creature—even to have preserved body parts. Yikes. Other people and groups included in this book aim to debunk what they see as baseless myths. Readers will learn about both views of the Abominable Snowman as well as other legendary beasts in this provocative and riveting account. They can then come to their own conclusions.

Bigfoot, Nessie, and mermaids: what do these cryptids share in common? No matter how doubtful we are of their existence, a part of us persists in asking, "Could they be real?" With a skeptical tone, this title tracks the most popular cryptozoological creatures from their mythological origins to modern attempts to prove their existence. Scientific explanations-including archaeological records and alleged physical evidence-are presented and assessed. Regardless of their veracity, the place these beasts hold in television, movies, and books is a cherished one, and it merits a thorough investigation.

For millennia, tales of lost civilizations have captivated humanity, and foremost among them is the legend of Atlantis. In this guide to Atlantis and other lost lands, readers will learn to sort through fact and fiction, learning about the historical origins of lost-city legends, the lessons they teach us, archaeological digs for the truth, and—perhaps closest to home—their place in popular culture. The main focus is on the tale of Atlantis, with sidebars that highlight similarly “lost” mythical societies. For fans of the paranormal or seekers of the truth, this is the definitive book to read.

Whether or not you believe in them, the scientific investigation of ghosts is big business. Reality television shows that follow ghost hunters at work and the popularity of ghost tours in many U.S. cities prove that we are fascinated by the possibility that the dead may still be with us. This book examines evidence of the existence of ghosts and takes a critical look at what the scientific findings might actually mean. It also delves into the history of ghosts in cultures around the world and attempts to explain why the idea of being haunted by spirits of the dead continues to captivate us.

Given the vastness of the universe, it is not difficult to imagine the possibility of life—even intelligent life—beyond Earth. Yet whether any extraterrestrial beings have ever made contact with us and if any evidence of this contact exists, remains widely debated. Evaluating tales of alien encounters and UFO sightings with a critical eye, this absorbing volume considers the possibility of extraterrestrial life by carefully separating scientific fact from fiction, hoaxes, and the unprovable. It also examines “ufology” and alien life in popular culture, surveying the books, movies, TV shows, and more inspired by the idea of intergalactic contact.

The Wicked Witch of the West's cackling threat, "I'll get you, my pretty. . ." from the Wizard of Oz might be as memorable and instantly recognizable as a witch's iconic pointy-hatted crone image. This volume delves into the stereotypical image of witches and their newts, caldrons, and headwear and investigates their historical origins. Historical fact and imaginative fiction are carefully sorted through, with reference to literature, films, and other forms of pop culture. Modern-day news stories and events remind readers that witches and witchcraft are by no means a thing of the past, though they are ripe for reappraisal.

For nearly a century, big-screen tales of zombies have fascinated viewers, shambling their way from horror films to action thrillers and comedies. In recent years, there have even been news reports of real zombie-like behavior. But few know the truth behind Haitian folklore’s biggest contribution to global imagination. These pages get to the bottom of the origins of the zombie legend and its changes and development over time. The possible sources of “zombification,” including tropical drugs and poisons, are examined, and real stories of zombies are debunked. Real or not, zombies have invaded pop culture and there’s no escape.

Hear “abominable” and you may well think disgusting, detestable, disagreeable. Hear “snowman” and you think adorable. But put the two words together—Abominable Snowman—and you get a mystery. In this page-turner, students will read about people who claim to have seen the creature—even to have preserved body parts. Yikes. Other people and groups included in this book aim to debunk what they see as baseless myths. Readers will learn about both views of the Abominable Snowman as well as other legendary beasts in this provocative and riveting account. They can then come to their own conclusions.

This comprehensive atlas provides information on supernatural beings from around the world, presented in alphabetical order and including such creatures as changelings, the hydra, and werewolves. Sidebars and boxes highlight interesting facts, glossary, an index, and resources for further study conclude this meticulously illustrated book.

Last August, two men in rural Georgia announced that they had killed Bigfoot. The claim drew instant, feverish attention, leading to more than 1,000 news stories worldwide—despite the fact that nearly everyone knew it was a hoax. Though Bigfoot may not exist, there’s no denying Bigfoot mania. With Bigfoot, Joshua Blu Buhs traces the wild and wooly story of America’s favorite homegrown monster. He begins with nineteenth-century accounts of wildmen roaming the forests of America, treks to the Himalayas to reckon with the Abominable Snowman, then takes us to northern California in 1958, when reports of a hairy hominid loping through remote woodlands marked Bigfoot’s emergence as a modern marvel. Buhs delves deeply into the trove of lore and misinformation that has sprung up around Bigfoot in the ensuing half century. We meet charlatans, pseudo-scientists, and dedicated hunters of the beast—and with Buhs as our guide, the focus is always less on evaluating their claims than on understanding why Bigfoot has inspired all this drama and devotion in the first place. What does our fascination with this monster say about our modern relationship to wilderness, individuality, class, consumerism, and the media? Writing with a scientist’s skepticism but an enthusiast’s deep engagement, Buhs invests the story of Bigfoot with the detail and power of a novel, offering the definitive take on this elusive beast.