Post by hopeful on Jan 23, 2008 23:53:10 GMT -5
A review from The Sasquatch Research Initiative website: www.sasquatchonline.com/content/view/88/47/
Bigfoot Sasquatch Evidence
Review Written by Mark Banta
Monday, 22 January 2007
Bigfoot Sasquatch Evidence
by Dr. Grover S. Krantz/Hanthingy House Publishers 348 pp.
Dr. Grover S. Krantz, a former Professor of Anatomy at Washington State University, will forever be known as one of the first academics from the scientific community to take a serious look into the sasquatch phenomenon. Having become interested in the phenomenon in the mid 1960’s, Dr. Krantz took an active interest in sasquatch studies until his death in 2002. Dr. Krantz studied sasquatch evidence at the risk of his career and faced ridicule from colleagues.
A person could write a separate book just trying to explain the plethora of knowledge in this book. I will attempt to do my best to briefly summarize what the reader can expect from this book.
This book begins with a short overview of the history of sasquatch studies and the people who sparked the author’s interest in further study. Unlike other sasquatch books to precede this one, Dr. Krantz does not focus on documenting reports and events, but instead focuses on the gathered evidence and offers his scientific theories and opinions to explain such evidence.
He starts his study by exploring sasquatch footprints. He goes into considerable detail about the anatomy of the type of foot it would take to make such prints. He explores the number of track finds and monumental effort it would take to hoax so many track ways. He leaves the reader with little doubt the public would be aware of it if anyone attempted such a hoax. He also touches on some of the limited handprint evidence found. Using the data he gleaned from the study of footprint evidence, he then compares the data with that of known primates.
Dr. Krantz then begins a detailed account of the Patterson Film. By studying the film, Dr. Krantz feels he has accurately been able to determine the creature’s height, speed, and stride, all of which are inconsistent with any known animal. Some of this information is dependent upon the film speed Patterson was using at the time he shot the film. Most who have studied the film in detail, including Dr. Krantz, believe the film was shot at 18 frames per second. Dr. Krantz explores the locomotion and anatomy of the film subject based on these calculations and comes up with some very convincing data.
Dr. Krantz devotes chapter 5 of this book to explore some of the other evidence submitted to date, such as blood, feces, hair and skin scrapings. He discusses many of the various samples that have received study and offers the findings. In this section of the book, he also touches on The Iceman controversy and Native American accounts.
In the next few chapters, Dr. Krantz attempts to determine what the sasquatch is and whether or not it is already catalogued in the fossil record. In these sections, he touches on anatomy, ecology, society and intelligence. The methods he uses to come to his conclusions appear to be solidly scientific, but do leave room for doubt. He devotes a good portion of this section to possible candidates for sasquatch, such as Neanderthal, Homo Erectus, Australopithecus and Gigantopithecus blacki, giving the most credibility to Gigantopithecus blacki.
In chapter 8, Dr. Krantz offers his opinions on likely distributions based on examination of the many regions in which sasquatch-like creatures have been reported. These areas include the United States, China, USSR, Australia, East Africa and the Islands of Indonesia. He closes the chapter with his opinion that sasquatch likely inhabits much of North America and part of Asia. He theorizes that the reports from other areas may represent different species, but doesn’t offer concrete backing on this theory, since he hasn’t studied the evidence from those areas in-depth.
I found chapter 9 of this book to be the most interesting. Dr. Krantz uses this chapter to explore the different types of people involved in the sasquatch field. These include hunters, novices, tranquilizers, recorders and “professionals.” He does a fantastic job of illustrating how these different groups work against one another. He unveils many of the hidden motives present in this field that slow and hinder the advancement of research.
The next chapter offers considerable detail about why the scientific community has been so reluctant to get involved in sasquatch research. He uses himself as an example of how one’s career can be negatively affected by getting involved. He talks about the funding problems and the status quo of the scientific community, an educational lesson for the novice.
Dr. Krantz closes the book by discussing what type of evidence is needed to finally prove the existence of sasquatch. In short, he feels a body must be taken. He talks about the ways in which this may occur, such as the possibility of finding a deceased sasquatch or actually killing a sasquatch. He offers his opinions on some likely scenarios that could result in the harvest of one of these creatures and the costs associated with it.
For those who have the most recent edition of this book, published by Hanthingy House in 1999, they will find an addendum that makes several corrections and recent changes since Johnson Books originally published the book in 1992.
I would venture to call this book a must read for serious researchers of the sasquatch phenomenon. Although some of Krantz’s theories have been brought into question, such as that about dermal ridges, there is still considerable solid educational information you will not find elsewhere. The book can be a little dry at times and you may have to read a few sections twice to understand what he is saying, but the effort is worth it. Dr. Krantz made a considerable contribution to this field and brought validity and solid logic to a struggling field.
ISBN: 0-88839-447-0
348 pages, 86 black and white photos, 45 illustrations
8 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches, trade paper
Hanthingy House Publishers
Address: 1431 Harrison Avenue, Blaine, WA 98230-5005
Address: 19313 Zero Avenue, Surrey, BC, Canada V3S 9R9
Toll Free Ph: 1-800-938-1114
Toll Free Fax: 1-800-983-2262
Bigfoot Sasquatch Evidence
Review Written by Mark Banta
Monday, 22 January 2007
Bigfoot Sasquatch Evidence
by Dr. Grover S. Krantz/Hanthingy House Publishers 348 pp.
Dr. Grover S. Krantz, a former Professor of Anatomy at Washington State University, will forever be known as one of the first academics from the scientific community to take a serious look into the sasquatch phenomenon. Having become interested in the phenomenon in the mid 1960’s, Dr. Krantz took an active interest in sasquatch studies until his death in 2002. Dr. Krantz studied sasquatch evidence at the risk of his career and faced ridicule from colleagues.
A person could write a separate book just trying to explain the plethora of knowledge in this book. I will attempt to do my best to briefly summarize what the reader can expect from this book.
This book begins with a short overview of the history of sasquatch studies and the people who sparked the author’s interest in further study. Unlike other sasquatch books to precede this one, Dr. Krantz does not focus on documenting reports and events, but instead focuses on the gathered evidence and offers his scientific theories and opinions to explain such evidence.
He starts his study by exploring sasquatch footprints. He goes into considerable detail about the anatomy of the type of foot it would take to make such prints. He explores the number of track finds and monumental effort it would take to hoax so many track ways. He leaves the reader with little doubt the public would be aware of it if anyone attempted such a hoax. He also touches on some of the limited handprint evidence found. Using the data he gleaned from the study of footprint evidence, he then compares the data with that of known primates.
Dr. Krantz then begins a detailed account of the Patterson Film. By studying the film, Dr. Krantz feels he has accurately been able to determine the creature’s height, speed, and stride, all of which are inconsistent with any known animal. Some of this information is dependent upon the film speed Patterson was using at the time he shot the film. Most who have studied the film in detail, including Dr. Krantz, believe the film was shot at 18 frames per second. Dr. Krantz explores the locomotion and anatomy of the film subject based on these calculations and comes up with some very convincing data.
Dr. Krantz devotes chapter 5 of this book to explore some of the other evidence submitted to date, such as blood, feces, hair and skin scrapings. He discusses many of the various samples that have received study and offers the findings. In this section of the book, he also touches on The Iceman controversy and Native American accounts.
In the next few chapters, Dr. Krantz attempts to determine what the sasquatch is and whether or not it is already catalogued in the fossil record. In these sections, he touches on anatomy, ecology, society and intelligence. The methods he uses to come to his conclusions appear to be solidly scientific, but do leave room for doubt. He devotes a good portion of this section to possible candidates for sasquatch, such as Neanderthal, Homo Erectus, Australopithecus and Gigantopithecus blacki, giving the most credibility to Gigantopithecus blacki.
In chapter 8, Dr. Krantz offers his opinions on likely distributions based on examination of the many regions in which sasquatch-like creatures have been reported. These areas include the United States, China, USSR, Australia, East Africa and the Islands of Indonesia. He closes the chapter with his opinion that sasquatch likely inhabits much of North America and part of Asia. He theorizes that the reports from other areas may represent different species, but doesn’t offer concrete backing on this theory, since he hasn’t studied the evidence from those areas in-depth.
I found chapter 9 of this book to be the most interesting. Dr. Krantz uses this chapter to explore the different types of people involved in the sasquatch field. These include hunters, novices, tranquilizers, recorders and “professionals.” He does a fantastic job of illustrating how these different groups work against one another. He unveils many of the hidden motives present in this field that slow and hinder the advancement of research.
The next chapter offers considerable detail about why the scientific community has been so reluctant to get involved in sasquatch research. He uses himself as an example of how one’s career can be negatively affected by getting involved. He talks about the funding problems and the status quo of the scientific community, an educational lesson for the novice.
Dr. Krantz closes the book by discussing what type of evidence is needed to finally prove the existence of sasquatch. In short, he feels a body must be taken. He talks about the ways in which this may occur, such as the possibility of finding a deceased sasquatch or actually killing a sasquatch. He offers his opinions on some likely scenarios that could result in the harvest of one of these creatures and the costs associated with it.
For those who have the most recent edition of this book, published by Hanthingy House in 1999, they will find an addendum that makes several corrections and recent changes since Johnson Books originally published the book in 1992.
I would venture to call this book a must read for serious researchers of the sasquatch phenomenon. Although some of Krantz’s theories have been brought into question, such as that about dermal ridges, there is still considerable solid educational information you will not find elsewhere. The book can be a little dry at times and you may have to read a few sections twice to understand what he is saying, but the effort is worth it. Dr. Krantz made a considerable contribution to this field and brought validity and solid logic to a struggling field.
ISBN: 0-88839-447-0
348 pages, 86 black and white photos, 45 illustrations
8 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches, trade paper
Hanthingy House Publishers
Address: 1431 Harrison Avenue, Blaine, WA 98230-5005
Address: 19313 Zero Avenue, Surrey, BC, Canada V3S 9R9
Toll Free Ph: 1-800-938-1114
Toll Free Fax: 1-800-983-2262