When John O'Connor finished writing his blockbuster film script, "The Wrath of the Squatch," he figured he was pretty much done with Bigfoot. Little did he know it would launch him on a years-long odyssey through the American wilderness in search of his subject and its myth and meaning. Inhabited by an eccentric cast of characters – reputable men of science and deluded charlatans alike – The Secret History of Bigfoot: Field Notes on a North American Monster is a journey into the shadowy and zany world of Bigfooters, tracking their obsession from the “Wild Men” of European and Native American lore to Harry and the Hendersons, while examining the forces behind our ever-widening belief in the supernatural. By turns an ardent, philosophical defense of nature, an investigation into American's insatiable appetite for make-believe, and a gonzo trip into alternative reality, the book is the story of our Bigfoot mania – where it comes from, what it means – and the men (and a few women) driving it.
"Huxley's doors of perception slammed shut in the years after Nixon's war on drugs. John O'Connor kicks them wide open again with this tumultuous trip into the Colombian Amazon. He's in a quixotic search for magic plant potions which hold the secret of mankind's salvation. His companions along the tangled jungle path are irresistible shamans and crackpots. He emerges with a clear-eyed perspective on universal enlightenment and the 'pure poppycock' that its potent promise has all too often fertilized. Fans of Jack Kerouac, Bruce Chatwin and Redmond O'Hanlon are sure to get high on the result – nothing less than O'Connor's own psychedelic songline." ― Nicholas Shakespeare, author of Bruce Chatwin: A Biography
"A radical, unflinching, and occasionally harsh-toking reframing of Terence McKenna's legendary 1971 trip to the Amazon and its multi-decade aftermath, written from the far-crashed side of the Time Wave. Bittersweet and myth-shattering." ― Jesse Jarnow, author of Heads: A Biography of Psychedelic America
"John O’Connor’s new book takes us on a magical mystery meta-trip of trips: a journey back to a fateful day in the Amazon jungle a half-century ago when a pair of brothers tried to crack open the screen of reality and escape into hyperspace on the strength of a handful of hallucinogenic mushrooms, but also a journey forward in time unveiling the startling menagerie of characters at the origins of today’s renaissance in psychedelic research. A must read for all who are interested in the mysteries of consciousness and the quest to expand it." ― William Egginton, author of The Rigor of Angels: Borges, Heisenberg, Kant, and the Ultimate Nature of Reality
"A Short, Strange Trip streaks across the psychedelic landscape, offering a cutting clear-eyed corrective to the mythic idealism and reckless commodification of the enduring hippie dream. John O’Connor blends his own heart-felt memoir with a hilarious take-down of a neo-shamanic creation story. Devil’s Paradise, indeed." ― Don Lattin, author of The Harvard Psychedelic Club
"John O’Connor’s new book takes us on a magical mystery meta-trip of trips: a journey back to a fateful day in the Amazon jungle a half-century ago when a pair of brothers tried to crack open the screen of reality and escape into hyperspace on the strength of a handful of hallucinogenic mushrooms, but also a journey forward in time unveiling the startling menagerie of characters at the origins of today’s renaissance in psychedelic research. A must read for all who are interested in the mysteries of consciousness and the quest to expand it." ― William Egginton, author of The Rigor of Angels: Borges, Heisenberg, Kant, and the Ultimate Nature of Reality
"Hilarious. An unforgettable blend of comic hijinx, barnburing journalism, and beautiful writing. The Secret History of Bigfoot places a peculiarly American phenomenon on the continuum of crackpot ideas and believe-whatever-you-want fantasies embedded in our past and present, tracking its life and legend while parsing various subtexts of belief, from Salishan mythology to modern day 'cryptozoology,' from clear-headed skeptics to conspiratorial kooks. His affection for Bigfooters is matched only by his honest and revelatory assessment of their beliefs. Simply one of the funniest and most entertaining books I've read in a very long time." ― Kirk Wallace Johnson, bestselling author of The Feather Thief and The Fisherman and the Dragon
"Ostensibly, this is a book about the legend of Bigfoot and the cabal of seekers who studiously attend to its myth, but it is actually a book about wildness, desire, faith, hope, loss, and the various things we sense in our bones but cannot account for. John O'Connor is a deeply smart, funny, and tenderhearted writer, and The Secret History of Bigfoot is a remarkable debut, full of wit, insight, and a devout reverence for the mysteries at the heart of our existence. I loved this book. It made me feel as though both everything and nothing are possible." ― Amanda Petrusich, author of Do Not Sell at Any Price
"Tales of monsters dwelling in the forest dark endure around the world, but there is something conspicuously, poignantly, and outlandishly American about Bigfoot. John O'Connor takes us on a jubilant journey coast to coast and across the centuries to understand why a mythic figure that seems always to be disappearing just as it comes into view has such an enduring presence. The truth may or may not be out there; The Secret History of Bigfoot is a reminder of how much fun the search for it can be." ― Peter Manseau, author of The Apparitionist
"In The Secret History of Bigfoot, John O’Connor explores a piece of American culture that has often had a buff of exuberant goofiness on its outside, but what O'Connor's wonderful debut shows us is that beyond that sheen is something far more fascinating and profound than Bigfoot. Intoxicatingly adventurous and deftly insightful, this book is magical." ― John D'Agata, author of About a Mountain
“I might be a Bigfoot skeptic, but this book reinforces my belief in the power of great nonfiction writing. John O’Connor is a masterful and very funny guide through a subculture that is much larger and far more interesting than I ever imagined.” -- Sam Apple, author of Ravenous
“There’s nothing more fun than diving down a rabbit hole, and The Secret History of Bigfoot drops the reader into one that is deep, wide, and mysterious. Packed with fascinating characters and compelling history, O’Connor made me care about something I’d never given a moment’s thought before. A heckuva lot of fun.” ―Daniel Barbarisi, author of Chasing the Thrill
"The Secret History of Bigfoot is a smart, engaging, incredibly informative, hilarious, and wonderfully immersive journey not only into the history of Bigfoot in North America and the culture around but also a deep, honest, heartfelt look at the people who obsess about, the meaning of its myth's lingering appeal, and the psychology behind it." ―Gabino Iglesias, NPR
"Buoyant, wide-ranging book…O'Connor... proves to be a nimble writer…believe what you will about its existence, but there’s no doubting our culture’s fascination with the creature." ― The Wall Street Journal
"There’s some great stuff here. About myth and imagination. About the power and importance of wilderness and wildness to the human psyche. About belief, and the lies our own eyes relay to us each and every day." ― The Washington Post
"Playful and chock full of kooky characters (human and beast), this informative yet raucous account is perfect for fans of Louis Theroux." ― Booklist
"This is unlike the average book about Bigfoot… This wildly informative investigative narrative about Bigfoot is definitely worth reading. It’s best suited for nonbelievers, but readers convinced that Bigfoot exists will have a great time too." ― Library Journal STARRED Review