Review 55: In the Valleys of the Noble Beyond: In Search of the Sasquatch

In the Valleys of the Noble Beyond: In Search of the Sasquatch by John Zada
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Here's a book with a great cover. The title fits the image and perks my interest, then we get to the sub-title...Sasquatch? Well, why not. My personal belief is much like aliens visiting Earth, so not likely. We would know if any of this was real, the cover-up is too much. I don't like conspiracy theories too much either. Anyway, I thought the book might be a fun read.

As I read the book it felt like we, reader and author, are sitting around a camp fire and he was telling stories. Zada has a lot of stories. This book is a collection of those tidbits her learned and he also writes of how he got those stories. The book has these short exciting stories, between longer periods of what's going on with the author and the people he meets.

The book takes place nearly entirely in the Great Bear Rainforest, which is located in British Columbia, on the west coast near the central and northern coastal region. It is one of the few areas where old growth still exists. There are small towns populated by people of different First Nations who have lived in the area for thousands of years. This area has the most Sasquatch stories, but also it is part of the oral history for the people.

Zada goes into the project with an open mind, trying to truly determine if Sasquatch is real or not, despite his boyhood fascination with the subject. There is only a little review of the history of "Sasqualogy" and some of the most important "Sasquoligists." Perhaps Zada believes people reading this book already knows all that came before. I didn't, but it doesn't really matter too much.

The book was entertaining enough, the writing well done. The story line got a little distracted and sometimes not very focused. For myself, the most interesting parts of the book to me where of the landscape and the First Nations people.

Book rating: 3.5 stars


Thanks to Atlantic Monthly Press/Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.