The Beast of Boggy Creek: The True Story of the Fouke Monster

Does Arkansas have its own Sasquatch? In The Beast of Boggy Creek, author (and amateur cryptozoologist) Lyle Blackburn pens what can be considered the definitive history of the Fouke Monster, a Sasquatch-like man-ape long-rumored to haunt the swamps and bayous of the Sulphur River basin in and around the town of Fouke, Arkansas. Brought to national notoriety by the cult horror film, The Legend of Boggy Creek, Blackburn's research is exhaustive - from eye-witness accounts, to folklore, to the making of the legendary film (and it's stinker sequels), to monster memorabilia, Blackburn covers it all - which certainly raises this book a rank above standard Bigfoot fare, which too often falls into the trap of endless speculation and elaborate theory with little actual payoff. Blackburn takes a different tact and examines a legend, which real or not, has certainly had profound effect not just on the town of Fouke and its surrounding communities, but also on Hollywood film-making as The Legend of Boggy Creek can clearly be seen as a precursor to the "found footage" sub-genre of modern horror movies. Eye-witness accounts, including the harrowing attack on the Ford family in 1971, are scrupulously told and Blackburn is careful to be objective while at the same time conveying much of the tension that these encounters engendered. But this book isn't just a collection of folklore; Blackburn's recounting of the making of the Boggy Creek film (and the unfortunate fallout the movie's success had on many local residents) is just as solidly entertaining. Perhaps, the best part of the book, though, is Blackburn's own detective work - not just on the legend itself - but his own foray into a decrepit building deep within the swamp and the strange decaying corpse found within. Blackburn's retelling of these events makes for chilling reading and his subsequent investigation into the riddle of that body is incredibly compelling. That, coupled with copious photographs, and the incomparable Dan Brereton's Creepy magazine style sketches make for a great overall package. Bigfoot fans take note; this book is for you. But folklorists, local history buffs, film historians, and casual readers, will also find much to love in this book. The only way The Beast of Boggy Creek, could have been better is, after turning the last page, it took you immediately for a cola at the infamous Fouke Monster Mart and you could catch one more monster story first-hand from the locals.

The Beast of Boggy Creek by Lyle Blackburn documents the history of a Sasquatch-like creature that has been making appearances in the vicinity of Fouke, Arkansas for decades. Also known as the Fouke Monster, it originally catapulted to fame when it became the subject of the 70s film The Legend of Boggy Creek. Blackburn recognizes the movie, which he first saw as a youngster, as being a significant contributor to his eventual adult interest in cryptozoology. Finding a dearth of solid documentation regarding the monster, the author took it upon himself to pursue the topic and become the beast's "biographer." A biography almost seems to be an appropriate summary for the book, too. The author does not invest heavily into trying to prove nor disprove the reality of the creature. He does include a summary of some common theories in one of the later chapters, and although it's made fairly clear that none of the suggested debunkings seem to hold much water, the work ultimately shies away from forcing an explanation. The focus is clearly on recording the story for what it is; who saw what, where, and when. Colorful stories abound, and it's clear that Blackburn has put a lot of effort into getting around and unearthing every scrap of information he could. Remote sites were visited, living witnesses were interviewed, and news reports were meticulously scavenged for details on the creature. He even manages to tie nearly every scene from the Boggy Creek film to the real life event that inspired it. And the end result is impressive to say the least. Every mystery beast should be so lucky to have such a dedicated biographer. I really loved this book. It reminded me of all the things I enjoy in a good old fortean mystery. There are colorful characters aplenty, and a constant stream of the odd and intriguing incidents that you just can't help but want to believe. The author manages to hit pretty much every aspect of the story, too. From the history of the location and early sightings, to the infamous film and the resulting monster craze, and many of the locals who wound up at the core of the situation (right up to present day), there's rarely a dull moment. The writing is clear and accessible and the pace keeps you turning the pages. Blackburn really manages to express his own love of the mystery and the atmosphere surrounding it to the reader, and his enthusiasm is contagious. Highly recommended. Existing knowledge of the Boggy Creek film is also by no means a requirement. While I'm sure it adds some extra depth for those who have seen it, The Beast of Boggy Creek easily stands on its own merits.

Author Lyle Blackburn has a mellow, easy-going writing style that informs the reader without sensationalizing the events. He doesn't jump to wild conclusions or shove half-baked theories in your face. Too many "authors" in this fringe field of study throw together thin, poorly-written "books" on the subject that are just re-hashed internet mish-mash, full of wild speculation and conspiracy theory BS, with little or no proof of ANY kind to back up their claims. Most of these "studies" leave you wandering just how tightly cinched their tinfoil hats are. Sadly, that kind of dreck only succeeds in further eroding what little respectability the truly dedicated creature hunters out there have within the mainstream scientific community. (Read = ZERO.) I felt that The Beast of Boggy Creek was a well-researched book that managed to collect a lot of scraps of information from several sources in an honest attempt to piece together the most complete account possible of one of the world's (and certainly America's) most famous cryptids. I found it to be a good, entertaining read, whether you're a fan of such subject matter or not. I am a sort-of believer, but am admittedly also far more skeptical now of such things than I was in my youth. Blackburn's book is certainly a must-have companion for fans of cult movie classic "The Legend of Boggy Creek." Helps fill in the gaps and more thoroughly explain the details behind the accounts portrayed in that famous film. Makes me want to seek out more from this author.

Blackburn does not attempt to speak on the existance of a big hairy hominoid that reportedly terrorized the residents. He aimed, instead, to "provide an entertaining and comprehensive account of the creature". In my opinion, he succeeded. I very much enjoyed this book. The author includes background to the Fouke/Jonesville Arkansas area in order for us to understand life here. It's very different than what we might be used to. There is a feeling I get when imagining living in a remote area without modern conveniences at the mercy of whomever or whatever is hiding in the shadows. It is not a peaceful, tranquil feeling. It's scary as hell. Blackburn does a good job of fairly examining the reports - the only evidence we have of the Fouke monster phenomena. I must mention the fabulous drawings by Dan Brereton that accompany the account write-ups depicting the monster as a very muscular, intimidating, hairy, Sasquatch-like animal. They are dramatic and add greatly to the book. Yes, they are exaggerations because we can only use the stories that still exist so, I'm torn about their accuracy and the possibility that they skew the story, but they are very cool. The book not only chronicles the history of the creature sightings before and after the pivotal Ford incident but does a fine job of analyzing the movie, The Legend of Boggy Creek, in terms of the actual reports that inspired each scene. This makes this book a must have for those who seen the movie and are interested in Bigfoot reports. Note that the Fouke monster was not tied to Bigfoot at the time of the incidents but the success of the movie was aided by the surging interest in Bigfoot in the early 70s and the idea that it might be real. In addition, Blackburn covers the aftermath of the movie and it's influence on Fouke citizens. I'm not sure if people who have not seen this movie will enjoy the book as much as if they did but it should prompt them to see the film itself. This is a well-done bit of research put into a readable and highly interesting book from many angles. Recommended.

I remember back in 1974, my parents took me and my brother to the drive-in. They were playing a double feature. The first movie was "The Legend of Boggy Creek". Now, I had heard of this movie and wanted to see it. Well, the lights went out and the movie started. The first thing that came on was a single sentence "This is a True Story". I thought is this some kind of a warning? I sat there in our station wagon with just my eyes gazing over from the back seat, scared out of my pants, watching this movie. When the movies were over, we headed home and I was so scared and didn't even remember the second movie. All I could think of was this large hairy bipedal monster walking through the woods. We got home and as usual, I had to take the dogs outside to do their business. As I looked out at our dark back yard. I thought of the Fouke Monster. I wondered if he had left Fouke and was now in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Was it waiting for me, knowing that I just saw a movie about it? I went and got my little brother to go out with me. I figured I could run faster than him and if it was there, it would get him, instead of me. It turned out it was out there, but that didn't stop me from always looking over my shoulder when I went into the woods. As you can see the movie left a lasting impression on me. Later I got into monster hunting and I owe all of it to "The Legend of Boggy Creek. This movie is considered the quinessential Bigfoot movie, among cryptozoology fans. After reading Lyle Blackburn's book on the Fouke Monster, I have come to release that I am not the only one, that movie effected and inspired. Lyle has done what nobody else has. He has done the most complete and thorough research on the legend of the Fouke monster. The book is, to put it in one word "Awesome". This is not a book that Lyle took a couple of stories and slapped a cover on it. He has done his homework,that I suspect, involved a lot of road trips to Fouke and Jonesville and to the local newspapers. Not only is it well researched, but the whole format keeps you glued to the pages. It really is hard to put down once you start reading it. The illustrations are excellent. This is a must for anybody who is a fan of "The Legend of Boggy Creek". It has a lot of information about the movie that you probably didn't know. The book not only goes over the movie but the legend as well and you will come to find out that the sightings of the Fouke monster are continuing, to this very day. I highly recommend it to anybody who loves reading about cryptozoology. After you read it, you'll want jump right up and go on a monster hunt. Just make sure you take a flashlight, you never know what's out there in the dark.

Any book by Lyle Blackburn is wonderful. His research is through, covers various aspects of his subject and does so with humor and heart. Here we learn the history of the Fouke Monster, which much older than many know. My favorite part is the film coverage, from idea, to shooting and the amazing aftermath. Many inside tips are included. Star Wars fans, did you know the great Ralph McQuarrie did the original poster for the Legend of Boggy Creek?! The book also covers the other film ripoffs, the aftermath around the town and up to today. The Boggy Creek film remains a personal favorite of mine, having seen it back in the 1970s and I still enjoy it today. A wonderful book for the films fans and cryptid lovers. The audiobook addition is welcome, though the narrator is a bit rote.

I heard Mr. Blackburn on a podcast recently and was intrigued by the topic of the book. I saw the movie (The Legend of Boggy Creek) when I was 10 or 11 years old, and it scared the hell out of me. The book is very well written, and laid out in a manner that keeps the story/history from becoming to much like a retelling. Blackburn has done a great deal of very good research into not only the subject but the history of the surrounding areas as well. As well as interviewing actual witnesses he has spent a great deal of time combing through newspaper articles and historical society archives to find reports and stories dating back to the early 1900's. The author also provides a timeline of sightings and reports of the "Monster". Another point I will make is that the author does not push an agenda or his beliefs either way. What he does do is lay out a very good case for the creature existing or possible existing at one time. He includes information and stories on hoaxes as well as what are believed to be real encounters and sightings. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history or legend of the Fouke Monster as well as anyone with an interest in Bigfoot or Sasquatch.

Not a bad book. Could have been written more succinctly because some of it is repetitive. I did like the backstory of the movie the best. I saw the movie when it first came out. My husband and I took our toddler son (Yes, I know better now!) to see the flick, and I fell asleep in the dark, cool theater for a few minutes. So I don't remember it being particularly scary. The only way I would find the beast scary is if I ran into him accidentally, and that's not likely to happen. I think the beast is a Bigfoot, even with 3 toes. Anyway, something's out there. All those good Southern people can't all be wrong or mistaken or crazy. If you like Bigfoot, pick up a copy of this book and then watch the film it's based on. I intend to go back and watch the film again. I'll try to stay awake this time since I know the backstory.

passionnant! pour les amateur de "bigfoot-sasquatch se déguste comme une aventure grace au style de Lyle Blackburn qui entraine le lecteur dans son enquete

Enjoyed the book, it was interesting to learn about the background that made that movie so many years ago that had us at parts on the edge of our seats with suspense.

Lyle Blackburn has certainly captured a centre flavour with his book about the Best of Boggy Creek. A monster that has been part of my psche ever since I saw the infamous docu-drama "The legend of Boggy Creek" as a child, it was interesting to see that this wasn't just a series of urban myths and PR for the film masquerading as evidence. Blackburn has a well known reputation in the circles of Cryptozoology and having read several of his articles and seen him interviewed several times, I hoped the book would match the persona. What I found was a well written, investigative book that gives an excellent overview of the whole scenario, the continued sightings and where the monster goes from here. A really, really interesting book.

After watching the film 'The Boggy Creek Monster' years ago as a kid the history of the monster has me caught in its mystery and this is an excellent read to answer those questions and add others. A very enlightening read as to the history and background to the monster, the people, the town and dotted within each chapter are histories of sightings from early to later accounts. Just don't read this when your a passenger in a car on a lonely forested road at night ;-)

Written with enthusiasm and considerable first hand research Lyle Blackburn presents a thoroughly entertaining Cryptozoological journey into Arkansas murky swamps and keeps a fascinating legend alive for the next generation of monster Hunter.