Product Description

Bigfoot...Fact or Fiction?
Read this book before you decide!

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From recent footprints to ghostly figures painted on stone centuries ago, "Backyard Bigfoot" presents startling evidence that the hairy creatures who lurk in our world’s backcountry represent more than a figment of our collective imagination. Bigfoot expert Lisa A. Shiel lays out the evidence — physical and folkloric, ancient and modern — to prove that Bigfoot and its kin all over the world stand closer to us than we ever imagined.

If you’re a newcomer to the subject, you’ll learn valuable facts as the author guides you through the mine field of theories, counter-theories, and assumptions about Bigfoot. Knowledgeable researchers will find a treasure trove of little-known evidence and usually taboo concepts. In perfect detail, Shiel lays out her singular and astonishing revelations about Bigfoot, gleaned from years of research — both in the field and in the historical archives. Joining her odyssey, you’ll explore:

* Stick signs —purposeful symbols created with sticks and other material;
* Mane braiding, where intricate braids appear in horses’ manes overnight;
* Predominant Bigfoot theories, and why they don’t fit the facts;
* UFO-Bigfoot connection details typically dismissed by academic pedagogues; and
* Distorted human history and how it affects our perceptions of the Bigfoot enigma.

From human evolution to lost civilizations, from UFOs to ancient artwork, Shiel weaves disparate threads into one incredible yet thoroughly believable theoretical tapestry — and leaves you breathless.

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"This new book by Lisa Shiel is a skillfully written combination of field observations, academic perspectives, and discussions of other paranormal mysteries that may relate to the hairy hominid (Bigfoot) mystery. Lisa is daring in her approach: she articulates uncertain evidence, then develops a theory that unifies anthropological mysteries, the Bigfoot phenomenon, and a few other paranormal matters. I admire a person who is willing to put it all on the line, especially in Bigfoot circles where any attempt to articulate a coherent theory is as sure to inflame the opposition as it is to win new converts.

"I was particularly impressed with her concise presentation of anthropology vis-a-vis hairy hominids. I once tried to write an anthropology chapter for a Bigfoot book and I just couldn't do it. There was simply too much knowledge to assimilate and too many competing viewpoints. Lisa gets right in there and applies her keen grasp of the subject to challenge much of the conventional wisdom in paleoanthropology. She concisely summarizes many of the antropological discoveries and debates that I just could not find the words to articulate and she does a particulary good job of showing the reader the "skeletons in the closet," that is, the unresolved questions, the hidden problems, and the ongoing debates that riddle anthropology, especially as it relates to the hairy hominid phenomenon. Her command of the sometimes dry anthropology subject matter is enlivened by her irreverent tone and even a certain cynicism that I find refreshing.

"Elsewhere in the book, Lisa describes her attempts to interact with suspected Sasquatches in the Texas an Michigan woods by creating and observing stick markers on trails. She suggests a form of experimentation that many field people could apply to their own respective situations. The Bigfoot hypothesis has always lacked good opportunities for experimentation and Lisa outlines at least one experimental approach that can be replicated by any interested researcher. So, I decided to try it myself in my own woods and was immediately humbled. What sounded like such an easy job on paper became immensely daunting. I haven't given up but it suddenly became clear that Lisa Shiel has spent a great deal of time and effort studying the details of her local woods and that I had a lot of catching up to do.

"I found the information on orbs to be of particular interest because I have encountered them myself on several occasions. Again, I admire Lisa's courage for including this material in her book, since it will not be seen by every reader as being germane to the Bigfoot discussion. Because I've encountered the orb phenomenon while pursuing Bigfoot matters, I've tried to investigate and even debunk the view that orbs represent a paranormal phenomenon. I have found that the prismatic reflection of the camera flash on raindrop surfaces does show up as orbs, particularly in digital photographs. On the other hand, I have photographed orbs in very dry conditions and that seem to have a dinstincly different appearance than the raindrops-style orbs.

"With the number of Bigfoot-related books available these days, I appreciate authors who try to push the envelope of this genre by investigating and discussion the most controversial aspects of this suprisingly complicated subject. Lisa Shiel is to be commended for doing precisely that. She has brutally assessed the current state of paleoanthropology, and she has candidly shared her field research findings. Lisa has offered two original field research methodologies: one concerning stick signs and one concerning photography of orbs. Other researchers can independently verify or refute these finding if they are motivated to do field work of their own. Even if they do refute them, Lisa is to be commended for her years of field observations, and her thorough presentation of academic considerations, and her willingness to develop a coherent theory that unifies disparate academic and field matters. Lisa's book has everything I like to see in a Bigfoot book...*oops* pardon me...a hairy hominid book.
--Thom Powell, 'The Locals: A Contemporary Investigation of the Bigfoot/Sasquatch Phenomenon'

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #984218 in Books
• Published on: 2006-03-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 200 pages

From the Foreword by Nick Redfern, author of
Anyone wanting a unique, and intensely personal perspective on the Bigfoot controversy will not be disappointed.

Thom Powell, author of
A skillfully written combination of field observations, academic perspectives, and discussions of other paranormal mysteries.

From the Author
As the first humans trundled out of Africa 200,000 years ago, a giant ape known as Gigantopithecus roamed southeast Asia. Today, the descendants of both species endure—us and Bigfoot. This is the story told by most cryptozoologists. But is the story accurate? Or have both archaeologists and cryptozoologists ignored vital evidence in their quests to prove their theories?

This book presents evidence that suggests they have, and that our view of human and Bigfoot origins has been skewed to support the unproven theory of evolution. Only by reexamining the evidence for human evolution, in the light cast by forgotten evidence, can we understand the true nature of Bigfoot.

The annals of both UFO and hairy hominid sightings include thousands of rational, intelligent people who sought ordinary explanations for the extraordinary phenomena they witnessed, but failed to find one. I count myself among those people.

I’ve based this book on my own extensive research, first-hand encounters, and avid interest in all aspects of the phenomenon. Until a body is found, however—and perhaps even then—the subject of hairy hominids won’t make it into a science textbook. Instead of focusing on "proving" they exist, we should concentrate on figuring out what they are, why they’re here, and what those answers tell us about ourselves.

The hunt for truth never ends.