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American history is more than just what you read in your high school textbooks. There's a wild and weird side to America's past, filled with strange creatures, bizarre happenings, and fantastical figures. Researcher and writer Robert Damon Schneck has spent several decades devoted to sleuthing out these forgotten weird, grotesque, and mysterious gems of American history, such as- The man who preached good health through blood drinking. The California family driven insane by Ouija board séances, and the national panic that they ignited The West Virginia town named after its resident poltergeist, who was obsessed with cutting everything into crescent shapes. The Antichrist-obsessed cult leader whose disciples became brutal murderers, all in the name of saving her (and the world). You'll also learn about homemade guillotines, magical ape-men on Mount. St. Helens, the psychic who brought a crystal ball into the White House, and the origins of those baffling modern bogeys, evil clowns in vans. The historically researched, scrupulously verified, and always shockingly true tales in this collection come from an America that lies beyond the skyscrapers, cornfields, and suburban strip malls where we make our homes - a place where monsters guard buried treasures, schoolgirls develop stigmata, and there's weird lurking around every corner.… (more)
User reviews
I only wish that the facts might have been incorporated in the narrative a bit better. There were times that the reading was a bit dry even though the material was anything but. This book also screams out for an introduction, something to introduce the reader to the material and present some pointers in a concise manner before the reader delves into the evidence. I was thrown into the facts and names by page 4 or 5, pretty much right off the bat. I found my stride fairly quickly, but an introduction would have smoothed the process.
This was an enjoyable exploration of the odder side of American history. Religious cults, stigmata cases, and horned men definitely don’t make it into mainstream history texts so that is a nice addition to any non-fiction shelf. I’d definitely recommend it just for the oddity and rarity of its content. However, there are some issues that I believe detract from the enjoyment factor of the book. Filtering the dry facts with more “meat” and an introduction would add more to this novel and bring the rating up. But it’s still definitely an entertaining read.
Note: Book received for free via Good Reads First Reads program in exchange for honest review.