Book Review
by Tom Yamarone
Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science
by Jeff Meldrum
(A Forge Book, published by Tom
Doherty and Associates, New York)
Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science by Jeff
Meldrum is one of the most comprehensive
treatments of the subject since Sasquatch –
The Apes Among Us by John Green (Hancock
House, 1977 & 2006) and Meet the Sasquatch
by Christopher Murphy in association with
John Green and Thomas Steenburg (Hancock
House, 2004). In this book he shares his ten
years of research with us along with in depth
analyses of the topics touched upon in the
ground breaking documentary Sasquatch:
Legend Meets Science (produced by Doug
Hajicek, White Wolf Productions, 2003).
Indeed, the book project was intended as a
companion piece to the documentary – and it is
– but it also contains much more. In many ways
this book takes the various facets of sasquatch
evidence and research to a new level thanks to
the insight of Dr. Jeffrey Meldrum.
For many years Dr. Meldrum has contributed
to the body of bigfoot research with his analyses
of the footprint casts and his research on bipedal
locomotion – not to mention his personal field
research and his recent association with the
North American Ape Project.
The introductory chapter is a personal journal
of Jeff Meldrumʼs journey in the world of
bigfoot. Itʼs a fascinating account of his
association with prominent sasquatch researchers
such as Dr. Grover Krantz (to whom the
book is dedicated), Richard Greenwell, Paul
Freeman, Doug Hajicek and others. I had
always heard about the expedition into the
Siskiyou Wilderness with Richard Greenwell
and itʼs a story thatʼs been retold at many a
campfire in Northern California. Herein, we get
the first-hand account of that expedition along
with some fantastic photographs from the
“early years” of Dr. Meldrumʼs exploration.
We also are treated to the account of his first
major track way discovery while visiting with
Paul Freeman near the Blue Mountains of
Washington in 1996.
Chapter 1 is about Cryptozoology. Now, you
might be expecting a general definition of the
search for unknown animals and the usual
treatment involving the coelacanth and the
okapi. He takes it a huge bound further and
tackles in a very convincing manner the topics
of the yeti, the Shipton footprint photo, the
recent discovery of Homo floresiensis, some
early accounts of the sasquatch in anthropology
research in the Pacific Northwest and bigfoot
in California. He concludes, “A growing
number of scientists no longer perceive the
sasquatch as an extraordinary possibility. For
some, it boils down to a question of the
probability or likelihood that such an animal
could exist unconfirmed at this time in this
place.”
Chapter 2 tackles the Ray Wallace wooden
feet fiasco – mostly a fiasco with the media,
I might add – and settles that claim once and
for all. Itʼs a very thorough accounting of what
went on in the Bluff Creek area in 1958 and
soon thereafter with Jerry Crew, Bob Titmus,
Al Hodgson and other key players at that time.
Comparative illustrations and original photographs
are utilized to further his explanation
of this matter.
Chapter 3 deals with the Native American
traditional knowledge of this animal and,
again, Dr. Meldrumʼs insight takes us a level
deeper. He delves into some of the early
treatment that the Wildman of the Woods
received and cleverly finds parallels in the
behavior of the great apes – something only
brought to light in the last few decades thanks
to the research in primatology since the late
1950s. “For the Native American as with
many ethnic populations around the world, the
realms of the ʻnaturalʼ and the ʻsupernaturalʼ
exist as one seamless reality. Sasquatch is a
definite feature of that reality.”
Chapter 4 is about Gigantopithecus and he has
some unique opinions that differ with what we
have come to know about this ancient giant
ape. One is that he believes there is evidence
in the wear on the tooth enamel that indicates
it was more than just a bamboo eater; indeed,
it was likely more of the general omnivore like
a chimpanzee. And he also makes the case for
bipedalism that Grover Krantz championed in
his day. This chapter ends with an in-depth
treatment of the “where are the bones?”
question. Like most of the subjects dealt with
in this amazing book, the author is always
adding fascinating details and examples that
arenʼt found in previous books featuring
similar topics.
The rest of the book continues with excellent
coverage of the following topics: the Skookum
cast, the Patterson-Gimlin film, behavioral
parallels with the great apes, alleged bigfoot
vocalizations, statistical analyses of footprint
data, the evidence of footprints, dermatoglyphics,
DNA and physical evidence. He was
B I G F O O T E R ' S D A T E S
October 13-15, 2006 Texas Bigfoot
Conference Jefferson, TX
www.texasbigfoot,com
intricately involved in the initial analysis of the
Skookum cast and has many personal insights to
share. There is a chapter retelling the Patterson-
Gimlin film event utilizing the personal recollections
of Bob Gimlin – indeed, some rare
insight into that momentous occasion.
The book succeeds not only due to the outstanding
writing, but thanks to the contributions
of a multitude of researchers who
cooperated on this project. There are some
amazing photographs that have never been
published – one especially remarkable
photograph of John Green showing the residents
of Agassiz, B.C. a footprint cast in the late 1950s
or early 1960s.
The foreword is an illuminating essay by the
renowned gorilla researcher George B. Schaller.
He states that he is intrigued by this subject, but
is neither a believer nor does he reject the
possibility that the sasquatch exists. He profoundly
reminds us that “so far searches for these
humanlike beings have been based on short
expeditions, casual outings or dependent on lucky
encounters. A good field study of a species is
based upon months and years of work, of living
in the wilderness to examine spoor and monitor
shadowed forest trails, hoping for contact.”
Appropriately, Jane Goodall is thanked in the
authorʼs acknowledgments “for affording the
time to read and endorse this book and to hazard
an open position of acknowledgment of the value
and need for this inquiry.” Perhaps we will
someday witness the results of just what Dr.
Schaller is calling for – and be privy to the reports
of a future “Jane Goodall” in sasquatch research.
If so, we will know that this book will be in the
possession of that researcher in that isolated
forest canyon deep in the North American
wilderness.
Any sasquatch enthusiast will treasure this book
because it covers the subject thoroughly and is
punctuated with fantastic photographs. The information
contained in these pages will not only
bolster the search for a resolution to this mystery,
it will convince many skeptics that indeed there is
a great possibility that we share our world with a
large, hirsute unknown hominid. Congratulations,
Jeff Meldrum and all who worked on this project.
It is a landmark publication in the realm of
sasquatch research and information.
Additional Information:
The book contains 16 chapters, a selected
bibliography, an index and is 304 pages.
It will be released September 19, 2006 and can be
pre-ordered at Amazon.com.
The hard cover edition sells for $17.61 there,
discounted from the $27.95 list price.
Here is a link to the amazon.com page:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0765312166