Real Wolfmen: True Encounters in Modern America by Linda S. Godfrey

The U.S. has been invaded – if many dozens of eyewitnesses are to be believed – by upright, canine creatures that look like traditional werewolves and act as if they own our woods, fields, and highways. Sightings from coast to coast dating back to the 1930s compel us to ask exactly what these beasts are, and what they want. 

Researcher, author and newspaper reporter Linda S. Godfrey has been tracking the manwolf since the early 1990. In Real Wolfmen she presents the only large-scale cataloguing and investigation of reports of modern sightings of anomalous, upright canids. First-person accounts from Godfrey’s witnesses – who have encountered these creatures everywhere from outside their car windows to face-to-face on a late night stroll – describe the same human-sized canines: They are able to walk upright and hold food in their paws, interact fearlessly with humans, and suddenly and mysteriously disappear. 

Godfrey explores the most compelling cases from the modern history of such sightings, along with the latest reports, and undertakes a thorough exploration of the nature and possible origins of the creature.

 This is a reporters collection of myths, folklore, and eye witness accounts of wolfmen or dogmen. It's not your typical hollywood or smexy shifter beast that we encounter in contemporary entertainment, but a collection of stories that have something simular with each other. It's this simular reporting that caught Godfrey's attention to write this book.

Now, before you scoff at the stories, the author does her homework. She does try to debunk when possible and she does not also come to a conclusion as to if the wolfmen are in fact real. It's just a presentation of stories and she allows you to come to your own conclusion. I find the fact that she took from so many sources and had certain aspects come up in a eerily consistant pattern interesting. She even looks into blatant hoaxes and how she identified several of this nature.

The most interesting part of this book for me was when she looked at the Native American mythology. Not just one aspect, but several. She didn't just get her information from unnamed sources, but actually talked to tribal leaders to get this information.

I don't know if I believe in the wolfman or dogman, but then while it remains unproven, it has not been disproved as well. All I know is that I personally do not have all the answers in the universe and while I remain skeptical, I also remain open to the possibility. What if there is more to the world than what we know? If nothing else, it is a fun curiosity.

I give this book 3 stars. I think I would have liked it better categorized within the chapters, but I did love the fact she did not lead you to a conclusion. I recommend it to anyone who loves eye witness accounts, folk lore and mythology concerning this paranormal phenomenon.

I received this ARC from the publisher and no compensation for my review was given.