Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science

by Jeff Meldrum

In this landmark work on a subject too often dismissed as paranormal or disreputable, Jeffrey Meldrum gives us the first book on Sasquatch to be written by a scientist with impeccable academic credentials. He gives an objective look at the facts in a field mined with hoaxes and sensationalism. Meldrum reports on the work of a team of experts from a wide variety of fields who were assembled to examine the evidence for a large, yet undiscovered, North American primate. He reviews the long history of this mystery--which long predates the "Bigfoot" flap of the late fifties--and explains all the scientific pros and cons in a clear and accessible style, amplified by over 150 illustrations. Anyone who has pondered the mysteries of human evolution will be fascinated and eager to join Dr. Meldrum in drawing their own conclusion.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Cryptozoology, Bigfoot, Paranormal, Animals, Nature

1 pages, Audio CD

First published September 19, 2006

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Almasty, Orang Pendek, Yeti, and numerous other names around the world that describe upright walking apes that indigenous cultures including one right in America’s backyard. Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science by Dr. Jeff Meldrum explores if there is scientific merit to investigating “Bigfoot” by looking at all the available evidence.

Meldrum begins the book by recounting how he actively started exploring the possibility of the upright walking ape in North America from his background as an anatomist and anthropologist. Following this up he goes into the history of looking for unknown animals from the 1700s to the present, including how the Abominable Snowman and Yeti entered the western lexicon. The 1950s beginnings of “Bigfoot” are discussed followed by the hoax claims of various individuals before Meldrum introduces the Native American view of Sasquatch. From this point on “legend” faded to the background as Meldrum begin scientifically looking at the evidence brought forth over the past 60 years including castings of body prinks and footprints, hairs, and the Patterson-Gimlin film from 1967 including analysis from numerous experts in their fields. In his conclusion Meldrum states while the available evidence does not prove the existence of a bipedal North American ape but does warrant the larger scientific community to realize that what is being found cannot be explained as men in costumes with wooden cutout feet or misidentifications of known animals.

The book’s larger than normal dimensions provide for numerous photographs and illustrations that add to the text they share on the page, but also help the scientifically jargoned impaired understand what Meldrum explaining. Yet Meldrum’s analysis of the Patterson-Gimlin film and his knowledge of foot anatomy in discussing purported foot tracks are the sections of the book that stand out the most, the former because it literally still is the best evidence for the existence of Sasquatch while also standing up to measurable scientific scrutiny and the latter because its evidence that Meldrum is professionally expert on that has him putting his reputation on the line.

Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science looks at the question of if a bipedal ape is roaming the North American wilderness. Dr. Meldrum does not claim at any point that there is indeed an actual animal, but the persuasive circumstantial evidence in his view warrants inquiry from the scientific community. If you’ve ever wonder if there is something to “Bigfoot” then I recommend reading this book.

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a none fiction about the Sasquath, big foot or whatever you want to call it and examine the scientific possibility of an for now undiscovered Nort American primate. Was expecting this to be more.. Hm.. Silly? Or I mean more towards the unbelievable goffy talk many books about unexplained things usually sounds. But this sounded very much grounded in reality and much more serious but was still as fun and very thought provoking. I love to think that there still is many species of life forms we still don't know about on earth and that some myths and legends has an bit of truth to it. Maybe not always what we think they are but very much real anywho.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve heard of Jeff Meldrum before reading this and thought he was along the same lines of Todd Standing—of whom I’m not a big fan. However, the synopsis is accurate in that this takes an objective approach. Meldrum even addresses his personal “belief” in Sasquatch in the final chapter as inconclusive (it’s a stereotypical “scientist” answer, but that’s expected lol).

I thoroughly enjoyed Meldrum’s inclusion of the widespread sensationalism about Bigfoot—the campy movies and books, the selling of sweatshirts, key chains, etc. (I’m 100% guilty of this. I love Sasquatch branded stuff).

If you’re expecting a creature feature book, with cool stuff about monsters, this ain’t it. Meldrum is thorough and sometimes even pedantic, but I find it necessary for such a controversial topic. The focus is academic but still has a bit of personality to make it more palatable.

Whether you’re a believer or not, but interested in Sasquatch, I’d recommend this!

[Cav · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting read. Talk of a legendary Bigfoot, Sasquatch, or mysterious Giant Ape has captivated a multitude of cultures spanning back thousands of years, to before the written record. Many ancient societies have these creatures in their stories and shared myths; the book mentions many of these myths.

I wasn't sure what to expect from a book about the Sasquatch, to be quite honest, as I tend to favor healthy skepticism and science over myth and fantasy. Thankfully, the book is not too big on the latter, and is actually an in-depth science-driven empirical look into the matter.
Author Jeff Meldrum is a Professor of Anatomy and Anthropology and a Professor of the Department of Anthropology at Idaho State University. Meldrum is also Adjunct Professor of Occupational and Physical Therapy. Meldrum is an expert on foot morphology and locomotion in primates, according to his Wikipedia page.

Author Jeff Meldrum:


Meldrum goes over the evidence for the existence of the extremely elusive North American bipedal giant ape here, and the writing can be very technical at times. He analyzes the evidence very carefully; and reports on how others have interpreted it, as well. From footprints found in the wild he discusses stride-length, depth of imprint, foot length-to-height ratio, and foot morphology in great detail. I was first a bit put-off by this extreme attention to detail, but then I realized a book of this nature needed to be sufficiently technical, if it were to be taken seriously within the scientific community.



Meldrum also discusses the now infamous 1967 Patterson–Gimlin film, which is the strongest piece of evidence available to this day. I had previously falsely thought that this video had been discredited and/or debunked. Although there have been many accredited scientists who have raised points of contention, there have also been many academics and scientists who have made analysis favorable for the case of the video's authenticity. Meldrum goes through them here; there are movement and gait specialists, primatologists, and many others who have picked apart the Patterson–Gimlin film, and it has still withstood scrutiny. There is actually a decent case for the video not being a fake. Meldrum lays out the evidence very well here.





Some interesting *Bonus* content related to the Patterson–Gimlin film can be found here, here, here, and here for those interested.
I'll admit that I was not familiar with most of the evidence for the existence of a large North American bipedal ape before reading this.
If I had have been asked about the possibility of one before starting this book, I would have probably dismissed it outright. However, after listening to Meldrum go over the evidence here, I am now more reluctant to dismiss the case for the existence of this mysterious creature...
So, I imagine this outcome would be marked as somewhat of a success for the author regarding the writing of this book. This is a super-interesting topic, and this book was well-done, as well.

Finally, of course - this book has gathered criticism. In the epilogue, Meldrum takes a few shots at Michael Shermer, a prominent voice in the skeptic community, the founder of Skeptical Inquirer Magazine, and author of many books debunking magical thinking and other pseudoscience. The team over at Skeptic took a shot back at Meldrum in their 2007 review of this book, a PDF of which can be found here.
So, take from this what you will...
Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science was still a super-interesting and thought-provoking read, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested.
4 stars.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meldrum certainly makes the case that there is indeed a large ape running around in our Pacific Northwest woods. No body or bones have been turned up, but Meldrum points out that the footprints that have been found provide compelling evidence that needs to be taken more seriously by the scientific community.He also defends the film of "Bigfoot" taken in the 60s as genuine, and not a hoax as some have maintained.
Jeff Meldrum is associate professor of anatomy and anthropology at Idaho State University in Pocatello.

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dry. Needs better explanation of technical ideas for lay people. I have no idea what a “midtarsal break” is but it seems to be very important. Looking at messy print casts through old grainy black and white photos is like looking at clouds. In the end I feel like you are deciding whether to accept another story (meldrum’s) or not, rather than evaluating the evidence on your own. Fortunately most of the primary source materials are on the web.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

My takeaway: while numerous accounts and evidences have been debunked as hoaxes, there are still varying accounts and evidences that are being analyzed by scholars across many fields of study. This was very scientific. Final verdict: Sasquatch cannot be confirmed or denied at this point. Popsugar reading challenge: a book featuring a mythical creature.

[Aeryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look into a scientific approach towards Sasquatch’s potential existence. Bigfoot is probably my favorite cryptid so I enjoyed reading this book especially since a good amount of the book was dedicated to prints and weight and movement in order to determine what was faked and what could potentially be authentic. However a good chunk of the book is basic information about stories and footage and locations around the world that if you know anything about Bigfoot then you would have heard it before so it felt tedious to spend time reading it.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look up a book on sasquatches (or "bigfoots," as I prefer) and you're sure to see recommendations for books on ghosts, aliens, and the Loch Ness Monster. In all honesty, a book like this does not belong in that category. Here, Dr. Jeff Meldrum (with a Ph.D. in anatomical sciences with an emphasis in biological anthropology) does a very good job of gathering and explaining the evidence for the existence of a population of large North American wood apes that walk on two feet. The footprint evidence itself can be divided into several subcategories and is so nuanced, it seems to defy any alternative explanations besides the idea that they were laid down by bigfoots. Meldrum is obviously convinced by the accumulated evidence, but does his best to remain objective. The fact is that objections to the the existence of bigfoots are usually made without knowledge of the kind of evidence that supports the bigfoot hypothesis, and are usually superficial. Asking why we have not found a dead body or why no one has shot one is not sufficient to explain away the facts we can observe in terms of footprints--with their signs of animation, consistency, length distribution, anatomical accuracy, etc.--eyewitness accounts, video footage, vocalization recordings, hand prints, body prints, and the congruity of purported bigfoot behavior with known ape behavior based on reports of many people who would not likely know how apes behave.

One of the pieces of evidence that really began to turn me around is the fact that footprint length averages (and therefore estimated body size averages), once all graphed, show a direct relationship with elevation. That is, they rise together. Assuming bigfoots are real, this would be because as climates become colder, larger body sizes help to make body heating more efficient as the body mass to surface area ratio of the animal increases (i.e., body mass increases faster than surface area, so larger animals have more mass compared to surface area, and are thus more efficient at keeping their body temperature up). This pattern is seen other large game, such as bears.

Footprint anatomy was also focused on and was compelling. The Patterson-Gimlin film is also analyzed in detail. But a summary of the evidence is not called for here. If you are interested in the subject, this is one of the best books you can get. If you don't have the patience for a book, check out BFRO.net.

[Dee Eisel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dr. Jeff Meldrum is a frequent sight on cryptid-related television. He is brought in as an expert in primate footprints, there to explain why a plaster cast is or is not a fake. He always interviews well, and I was accordingly happy to find this book. I am sad to say it was a complete disappointment. It took a long time to get through it - checking it out multiple times - and in retrospect, I should have just quit and called it good.

Meldrum comes across as snappy and peevish in tone through most of the work. He does exactly what I hope scientists would not do: he is claiming that his valuable insights are being suppressed. While he does attempt to address his critics’ arguments - and there are many - he can’t resist talking about how obviously wrong they are. I was not convinced, and I don’t think it was my lack of background in comparative anatomy of various primates. I think he’s making the cardinal error of underestimating the ingenuity of forgers and pranksters.

This has undermined more than a few scientists through the years, and I strongly believe Meldrum is among them. He repeatedly says that this or that cast must be legitimate, because no one could create a cast with the appropriate degree of realism. I have seen some amazing work done with rubber and plastic and foam in costuming over the years, and that’s at an amateur level of costuming expertise. It saddens me that he completely disregards the ability of interested amateurs to do what experts have not considered doing, just because they think it’s difficult.

Mostly, though, his tone annoyed me. At first I thought it was just snark. Over time I came to realize that no, he’s just grumpy and annoyed, and in doing so he made himself annoying. After this many years in the business I would have expected him to grow a thicker skin or at least some responses that make more sense than a movie mad genius’s rant. One of five stars.

[Trevor Cassell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fantastic! Jeff Meldrum in this book shows all the supporting evidence and shows how the evidence going against it is not good evidence against it at all. He points out every different thing against it and smashes it so to speak. Unlike some other books about sasquatch, the writer of this book has actually had experiences with a sasquatch and has seen everything he writes about including the Skookum cast. He's looked at footprints as well and owns several casts. His chapter on the Patterson Gimlin film is very good and it helps show how it is a real video and not a hoax. The chapter on Indians and sasquatch were very good as well and make good supporting evidence. It is also good how he ties ape behavior into it. It really shows that there really is a high chance of an elusive ape in North America. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, skeptic or believer.

[George Ilsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a serious approach to the topic, which examines evidence rather than jumping to conclusions.

However, the wide page format is difficult to read, and the index is nothing more than a feeble placeholder for an actual index. Many things are mentioned in the text but not in the index (for example, Harrison Hot Springs in B.C. which rather famously advertises Bigfoot connections and claims to be on their seasonal migration route).

Much of the science surveyed might only be of interest to specialists, so this book is not for the general enthusiast or curiosity seeker. I did not read great chunks of it.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say, I am obsessed with Sasquatch. I loved this book.

[Jess✧✵ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meldrum's extensive analysis of physical data, behavioral patterns, and accounts from documented sasquatch evidence was fascinating and insightful. This book did a great job of remaining objective while still fully considering each piece of evidence and attempting to debunk it. I learned so much about field researchers in reading this. Very well put together and super informative.

[Eddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always loved the mystery of sasquatch. Dr. Muldrow takes it seriously, and I enjoyed the treatment of the subject.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

GREAT book! If you have any interest whatsoever in the Bigfoot phenomenon, this is the book for you. The author, Jeff Meldrum, is an expert in primate/human locomotion and his book includes lots of rather fascinating analysis of purported Sasquatch footprints as they relate to primate/human locomotion. But, the footprint analysis is only one aspect of the exhaustively researched cryptozoological studies meticulously accumulated in the pages of this book. The evidence of Bigfoot is substantial, wide and varied. Although no body has ever been produced, the circumstantial evidence is pretty overwhelming. I had no idea that such a plethora of this type of evidence even existed. Major scientists, including the extremely well respected Primatologist, Dr. Jane Goodall, weigh in on the topic. The great majority of them find the possiblity of the existence of a large bipedal ape-like creature living in the vastly unexplored forests of the US to be not only very intriguing but also highly plausible given the amount/kind of evidence collected. Other experts consulted and cited in the book include fingerprint analysts, anthropologists, palentologists, biologists, primatologists and all manner of other scientists and field researchers. It convinced me, to a degree of relative certainty, that there is, indeed, a giant North American primate living in the Pacific Northwest of these United States. If you read it, I think it will make a believer out of you, too. One word to the wise, however, it IS written by a scientist and thereby is a little hard to understand/digest for the layperson. Or at least it was for me. Even though everything is explained fully, I ended having to re-read carefully over quite a few statistical passages before the numbers geled and made sense to my non-analytical brain. It was a relatively short book (276 pages), but it took me a long time to read because of the scientific and statistical depth present in many of the chapters. All in all, though, a great read and one that I would recommend to anyone interested in Cryptozoology.

[Jeff Mohr · Rating 4 out of 5]

A serious book about a mysterious subject. Dr Meldrum treats the subject of the Sasquatch from an objective and scientific point of view. A respected scientist and physical anthropologist, Dr. Meldrum draws from his extensive study of the subject and the contributions of other scientists with to take an objective look at this phenomenon which has been reported for hundreds of years by the indigenous peoples of the North American continent. The only thing that keeps this book from getting five stars is that some readers may be put off by a few sections that get highly technical regarding things such as bipedalism and foot morphology. Otherwise this is a recommended read for anyone interested in this phenomenon.

[Robert Kiehn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Jeff Meldrum has written a fine book about Sasquatch, Bigfoot
and the scientific case for their existence.

His book covers first hand exp. of Sasquatch and Bigfoot sightings, reports, encounters, historical reports (many by Native Americans of North America) scientific evidence for the existence of these creatures including dermal ridges from footprints, handprints, body casts, video footage (such as from the famous Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin film of "Patty" from the 1960's shot in (or near) Willow Creek, California) sound analysis of recordings of these creatures, DNA evidence including suspected hairs, fecal matter, saliva and even blood. A variety of experts have been consulted on these issues, some of whom are doctors and scientists.

This book also has a section on Cryptozoology.

This book has 16 chapters in it and is about 300 pages long.

Skeptics and their claims are also dealt with in this book to
a certain extent.

The book is very interesting to read though it is written in a very
scientific and technical manner that sometimes may be hard to read
for an average person like me who only know basic science, biology
and zoology.

I give Dr. Meldrum's book 4/5 stars for a well written book and
very interesting to read that deals with the Sasquatch and Bigfoot
phenomenon in a serious and scientific manner.

On a side note a video of the same name is also available on here
and youtube as well.

[Jostalady · Rating 5 out of 5]

When researching sasquatch, the bounty of information is unfortunately muddied. No wonder people are confused about the evidence, there have been hoaxes and a wide range of personality types drawn to the field. In surveying who is reliable, intelligent, qualified and approaching the topic scientifically-one man rose out clearly, Dr. Jeff Meldrum.

He appears in documentaries, conventions and for interviews, because he is the leading scientist currently working on sasquatch and he is very good at explaining the evidence even for those of us who do not have a science background. This book is the first place I will send people who are curious about Sasquatch. It is well written, has strong explanations and easily summarizes and enhances the previous documentary of the same name.

I am getting really into this topic so I am very grateful this book exists. I decided to go see the evidence for myself. Without doing that, I was not fully understanding the descriptions even with photos and videos highlighting the details. It took a physical demonstration for me to understand the metatarsal break and about the pressure ridge in the footprints. The way the bones of the foot can be accounted for in the prints and individuals identified. How the thumb makes any sense from the knuckle casts and feeling the clear thumbnail for myself. I completely trust Dr. Meldrum's conclusions.

[Rainboe Sims-Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sasquatch is a highly researched study presenting the possibility of an undiscovered North American ape. Meldrum argues that as homo erectus may have survived to the same time as modern Homo sapiens, it is possible that undiscovered homo-species could similarly be alive today. He presents archaeological and anthropological evidence of different species' of Homo and ape, cross-referencing accounts of “wildmen” from many countries and cultures before narrowing his study to the Pacific Northwest. Enlisting the help of unbiased scientific experts of various fields to evaluate evidence—including casts of knuckles, a buttocks, multitudinous footprints and the Skookum body cast (imprint of extremely large left forearm, hip, thigh, heel with Achilles tendon associated with bipedal species)—Meldrum shows that the possibility of sasquatch existing is not impossible. Hair and scat samples as well as photo, video, and audio evidence are also evaluated in the research. Meldrum proports that despite the disregard of the scientific community at large, there is some unidentified species wandering the Pacific Northwest and makes the possibility plausible. This was a thorough, unbiased source that would be an excellent supplement to anthropological and archaeological studies as well as folklore studies.

[Desirae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate books which at least attempt to keep a balance between opposing views. Dr. Meldrum does that, even if he lets the mask slip a bit at the end. However, I didn't find the book as satisfying as I had hoped. In particular, I thought that some areas were covered far too extensively, some not nearly extensively enough, and some not at all. Perhaps I can review some of these areas.
Dr. Meldrum specializes in primate locomotion. It is therefore natural that he would devote considerable space in the book to reviewing the footprint evidence. I'm sure Dr. Meldrum can differentiate between primate footprints and those of any other order and that he can detect clumsy fakes. However, human ingenuity is such that I'm not sure that he or anyone else can be certain that clever fakes can be ruled out, especially since footprint detail, as he admits, is by its nature ephemeral. I do think that the suggestion that the consistency of the size and shape of footprints is significant is not a valid point.There are so many representations in various media and I have been aware of what they looked like for at least 50 years. Anyone wishing to make a fake could easily have based it on readily available representations. Nevertheless, Dr. Meldrum's expert opinion is certainly better than mine and is the most persuasive argument for Sasquatch/Bigfoot (S/B)'s existence in the book. Whether the length and detail of the section is justified is another matter.

The various sections dealing with how things might have happened but for which there is no evidence take up far too much of the book. There was a giant Asian ape, Gigantopithecus, now extinct. Is there any evidence it was ever in North America? No. The land bridge over what is now the Bering Strait is the way many animals came and went between the Americas and Asia. S/B might have used that means of access to the Americas. Is there any evidence that it did so? No. Fossils are only created in certain specific conditions and many species die without leaving fossil remains. True, but so what? We're talking about a living species here, not fossils, even if there were any, which there aren't. Native American folklore tells of hairy men. That would only have probative value if all the other Native American legends had a foundation in fact. One of the most prevalent is the Thunderbird, a giant bird capable of lifting an Orca and whose wings make the sound of thunder. Does anyone believe that is a real bird? While all these discussions in the book MIGHT be possibilities, they have no evidential value. Dr. Meldrum brings out the old saying, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, but equally absence of evidence proves nothing. A scientific discussion should be about evidence, not speculation, so what does the evidence show?

It's at this point that the book fails to live up to its claims. Logic begins to go out of the window, some major issues are given little consideration and others are ignored completely. Just to go over a few: what does S/B eat? Dr. Meldrum vaguely says its diet is omnivorous, which would probably be right, but why so little discussion of the specifics? An animal weighing up to 800lbs and up to 8/9 feet tall (Dr. Meldrum's calculations) must eat a LOT of food. Since there is no indication that it uses tools, let alone traps, how does it collect its food, and why does it not do what every other animal including man does and establish a feeding pattern, returning to places where food is abundant? Animals are routinely trapped by putting food out, since all animals will eat the easiest food to collect. Why doesn't this work with S/B? No explanation of this is even attempted.
What does it do in Winter? Animals in climates with cool Winters either predate, migrate or go into hibernation/dormancy. Dr. Meldrum suggests that the latter is most likely, but animals in this state are easy to locate. Those that do stay awake are easier to see and must go to areas where food is available. A huge dark-haired bipedal primate searching for food in Winter must stick out like a sore thumb. No explanation.
What happens to the sick, injured or old animals? Typically such animals lose their fear of danger since they must try and find the easiest sources of food and they are therefore easy to find and catch. The only exception is animals which live in colonies, where less robust specimens are cared for, but is anyone out there suggesting that we have somehow missed colonies of massive primates? The whole S/B premise is built on them being solitary. Not only does Dr. Meldrum not offer a scientific explanation of the absence of sick, injured or old animals, he doesn't even raise it as an issue.

There are many other issues- where do mothers with young live, the fact that no-one in the nearly 50 years since Patterson/Gimlin has managed to capture as good, let alone better, footage of the creature (I had to laugh at the comment that because wildlife photography is difficult creatures ALREADY IN CAPTIVITY are used- why don't we try that? Oh, wait......), the fact that the last large primate discovered, the Mountain Gorilla, was found hundreds of miles into the African jungle the year before the Wright brothers managed to get a powered flying machine into the air, but we can't track massive primates in our own backyard with all our modern technology- but I'll conclude this review with a point that seems humorous but is actually quite serious. Of all the animals in North America, the only one that has NEVER been hit by a vehicle is S/B. How is that possible? In the area in which I live animal populations are actually estimated on the basis of how many are hit by vehicles. It's not as though S/B stays away from roads- many sightings are on or near roads. People, deer, coyotes, raccoons, even birds, all are struck by vehicles. S/B, not once.

Dr. Meldrum's book is a good read and streets ahead of most books on the subject, but there are far too many
unanswered and sometimes unasked questions to rate it as scientifically satisfying. At the risk of being dismissed as an armchair skeptic, I want to see a body, alive if possible (please don't kill one). That's really not too much to ask.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

My initial reason for buying/reading this book was to achieve a scientific viewpoint on this particular topic --- that is how the back cover / introduction is presented. In my opinion, Dr. Meldrum falls short here. To the casual reader, this book could certainly be viewed as 'too sciency' but to the more scientific audience, the scientific process has not been completed here. Dr. Meldrum is convinced that Sasquatch exists... given footprints, unidentifiable hairs, interesting dermal ridges of the footprint, and the Patterson-Gimlin film. Given that it is 2012, DNA inter-comparisons are the norm, GIS (Geographic Information System) analysis has been around 20 years, and more benchmark ecological work such as 'Why Big Fierce Animals are Rare' or 'How the Leopard Changed its Spots' is completely lacking.

As a hobby, I've read the Bigfoot books by Krantz, McLeod, Regal, etc. --- don't tell me about a PhD in anatomical science as a means to convince me --- USE THE OLD AND NEW INFORMATION TO SHOW ME. I agree with Dr. Meldrum that a lot of historical information suggests Sasquatch may exist, but I was hoping for an up-to-date view on the topic. You will not find that here.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prof. Meldrum has a tough job here: he has to write a solid, defensible assessment of real evidence of the sasquatch. At times the book gets mired down in data and science. However, if the author failed to take this course the book simply wouldn't accomplish what it has: it lays out the evidence of bigfoot and dares the skeptics to rebut it. I don't think there are many skeptics out there who can, given the quality and veracity of the growing body of evidence. Nicely done Professor, and my hat is off to you for your professional courage. It isn't easy to give the establishment a slap in the face, while living and working in it.

[Cody · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would recommend this book to anyone who's curious about the scientific search for Bigfoot of the Pacific Northwest. A couple of the chapters were hard to get through as they were a bit heavy on the scientific jargon. What I found most interesting is the ridge-lines found in several footprints. A detail no hoaxer would go to in my opinion oh and experts who examined the various prints concluded they could not have been hoaxed! Incredible stuff. Based on the evidence, I think such a creature exists. Although I asked the author if he believed in a supernatural explanation to which he said no, I still wonder about that possibility.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book might give even the most die-hard skeptic a little pause, as Dr. Meldrum lays out the evidence for the existence of an unknown bipedal primate in North America.

While it seems impossible for a huge upright ape to avoid verification as a species for hundreds of years of European occupation of the continent, Meldrum explains how a close look at the evidence actually supports this hypothesis.

Not for those looking for a definitive "yes or no" on the subject, but it's an intriguing "Maybe..."

[Caleb · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the sub-title indicates, this book is awfully sciency, to the point that some of the chapters can be a rather tough slog (The author is an expert on primate foot development, and talks about foot evolution in incredible detail). Author Meldrum occasionally seems overly credible of some rather controversial evidence (The Patterson-Gilmin film, for example), but to a complete amateur like me, much of that science seemed awfully convincing, even though the argument can essentially be boiled down to, "Eh, maybe Bigfoot is real...? Who know?"

[Linnae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not realize when I moved to Washington state that I was moving into prime sasquatch country! Meldrum, who happens to live very close to my little town offers compelling evidence for the existence of a large primate native to the Pacific Northwest area. He strives to keep it impartial, readily admitting the long-standing questions encircling such a claim (especially--where is one we can study up close?), but it is obvious that he is convinced they are real. Made for some good dinner table debates!

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm moderately embarrassed that this book was so compelling. I loved it and I'm going to send it to my dad right away because I know he'll love it too. There are like no words for how much fun this book is. I just think it's so amazing that the Earth is so vast and that there's so much possibility. Just awesome.

[Kcastro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know the author. He lives here in Pocatello and has endured much criticism by his scientific colleagues because of his firm stand that footprints point to the reality of something as yet unknown. He has done a program for me here in the Library. Nice guy.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very comprehensive study on the Bigfoot phenom. It's laid out for you to decide. You have to be a hard core Bigfoot enthusiast to really appreciate and enjoy this book. (Sometimes it reads like a textbook). We affectionately call it "Sasquatch: Fact or Truth"