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John O’Connor
February 18 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Magic City Books is excited to welcome John O’Connor for an event celebrating his new book, The Secret History of Bigfoot: Field Notes on a North American Monster, on Sunday February 18. This free event will take place at 2:00pm in the Algonquin Room at Magic City Books, 221 E Archer Street.
“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
The Secret History of Bigfoot will be published on February 6, 2024 and will be available at Magic City Books. The book is available for pre-order at: https://magiccitybooks.square.site/product/the-secret-history-of-bigfoot/1921 and will be for sale at the event on February 18.
About The Secret History of Bigfoot:
From the shrouded forests of the Pacific Northwest to off-the-wall cryptozoological conventions, one man searches high and low for the answer to the question: real or not, why do we want to believe?
Bigfoot is an instantly recognizable figure. Through the decades, this elusive primate has been featured in movies and books, on coffee mugs, beer koozies, car polish, and CBD oil. Which begs the question: what is it about Bigfoot that’s caught hold of our imaginations?
Journalist and self-diagnosed skeptic John O’Connor is fascinated by Sasquatch. Curious to learn more, he embarks on a quest through the North American wilds in search of Bigfoot, its myth and meaning. Alongside an eccentric cast of characters, he explores the zany and secretive world of “cryptozoology,” tracking Bigfoot through ancient folklore to Harry and the Hendersons, while examining the forces behind our ever-widening belief in the supernatural. As O’Connor treks through the shrouded forests of the Pacific Northwest, listens to firsthand accounts, and attends Bigfoot conventions, he’s left wondering–what happens when the lines between myth and reality blur?
Perfect for fans of Bill Bryson and Douglas Preston, and with sharp wit and an adventurous spirit, this heartfelt exploration of a cornerstone of American folklore unpacks why we believe in the things that we do, what that says about us, and how it shapes our world.
John O’Connor, a self-proclaimed back country bumbler and incurable literary sleuth, is a journalist and regular contributor to the New York Times Travel Section and other publications. O’Connor also has developed many connections within the Bigfoot and cryptozoology enthusiast communities, as well as his fellow journalists (and the Venn diagram between the two is not what you might think)! He teaches travel writing and lives with his family in Cambridge, MA.
