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

In this fascinating nature narrative, freelance writer Zada searches for evidence of Bigfoot in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. Unable to shake his youthful “obsession” with the Sasquatch, Zada traveled to the remote Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia to find the creatures for himself. While exploring the landscape, he interviewed locals about Bigfoot and immersed himself with members of several First Nations tribes. Zada relates his adventures, including his encounters with bears (“growling, gnashing her teeth, and frothing at the mouth... she charged at full speed”), along with his observations into the collective unconscious of humans and how brains construct reality (“our brains are exquisitely skilled at building their models... but far less skilled at changing them”). He came to understand the threats to this wilderness—in the form of logging, and oil and gas pipeline projects—and realized that, in Sasquatch, “We are chasing after an aspect of our own nature that is vanishing with the disappearance of our earth’s nature.” He presents evidence both supporting and debunking the existence of the mythical creature, but rests on the theory that Sasquatch’s presence is best considered “philosophical.” Zada’s fun, well-written travelogue will interest environmentalists and armchair adventurers alike. (July)