Monstertalk

MonsterTalk begins its second season and its weekly release schedule with a look at the surprisingly mundane origin of the Tarot deck and how the practice of divination emerged in the late 1700s steeped in pseudo-antiquity. This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/monstertalk and get on your way to being your best self. Show Notes: Trick-Taking Games - card games where each round has a winner, usually seeking most points over the duration of multiple rounds. Playing card suits The Marseilles Deck (tarot.com) see also Wikipedia coverage. A lot of what we know about historical Tarot and its relationship to divination comes from Michael Dummett (1925 - 1911) an English philosopher and academic. The Game of Tarot: From Ferrara to Salt Lake City (1980) is out of print and way, way overpriced but you can read it on Scribd with a basic subscription. A brief history of Playing Cards and further reading on the same topic over at Britannica. A history of Cartomancy (wiki

Darren Naish joins us to catch us up on his latest project - a series of dawings and descriptions based on the cryptids of Bernard Heuvelmans! (Patreon Link) The Field Guide to Lake Monsters, Sea Serpents and Other Mystery Denizens of the Deep (Affiliate Link) Les Félins Encore Inconnus d’Afrique (Affiliate Link - French Edition) The Blue Tiger (Affiliate Link - leatherbound edition) Prehistoric Planet (Apple TV) Darren recently wrote a long piece on the present state of Cryptozoology - worth a read! Huevelman's On the Track of Unknown AnimalsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

We're joined by folklorist and anthropologist Dr. John Gutowski, a professor at Saint Xavier, to discuss the Beast of Busco and the festivals such creatures often inspire. Paper on giant turtle of Charbusco. Author of The Beast of Busco (currently out of print) Additional: The White River Monster - episode #204 (Joe Nickell) Our coverage of Mothman (several episodes) Arkansas policy on White River Monster Fisher's Ghost (Australia) has a festival The Mothman Festival Boggy Creek (Fouke Monster) Festival The Nantucket Sea Serpent Jackalopes Lizard Man Stomp Roswell UFO Festival Rhinelander, WI (Hodag) Festival Can’t get enough of monsters? If you’ve enjoyed this episode and want to listen to more from MonsterTalk, click here! Want to talk about a monster we haven’t talked about before? Send us an email! Catch MonsterTalk on All Your Favorite Podcasting Sites Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn Follow MonsterTalk on Facebook | Twitter | YouTube Support Love the show? Consider supporting MonsterTal

Dr. Brian Regal joins us again (actually his 6th appearance!) to discuss his latest work, The Battle Over America's Origin Story.  We know Columbus didn't "discover" America, yet there are so many competing narratives that seek to topple Columbus yet still not acknowledge the clear and obvious indigenous people who were already here when all of these explorers allegedly arrived. Regal's latest book looks at a broad swath of these fringe historian theories and gives them context in the bigger picture of people's search for national identity in the the United States.  Previous Visits from Dr. Regal: YetiPalooza #116 Montague Summers #110 His Story of the Jersey Devil #71 Searching for Sasquatch #36 Darwin vs the Wolf-man #06 Books by Regal: Searching for Sasquatch  The Secret History of the Jersey Devil  Pseudoscience: A Critical Encyclopedia Can’t get enough of monsters? If you’ve enjoyed this episode and want to listen to more from MonsterTalk, click here! Want to talk about a monster we haven’t talked ab

258 - The Winchester Mystery House 258_Monstertalk_Patreon.mp3 Karen and Blake are joined by Matthew Baxter to tell the true story of Sara Winchester and the sprawling mansion in San Jose. Legend says the estate was built to appease the spirits of the victims of the Winchester repeating rifle. But was it? No - but the story behind the story is fascinating.  Location: 525 S Winchester Blvd, San Jose, CA 95128 Want to visit it? Tickets here - but get your facts elsewhere. Karen's book Haunting America  1948 was the 75th anniversary of the Winchester 73 repeating rifle. Captive of the Labyrinth - a biography of Sarah Winchester Can’t get enough of monsters? If you’ve enjoyed this episode and want to listen to more from MonsterTalk, click here! Want to talk about a monster we haven’t talked about before? Send us an email! Catch MonsterTalk on All Your Favorite Podcasting Sites Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn Follow MonsterTalk on Facebook | Twitter | YouTube Support Love the show? Consider suppo

We are joined by the incomparable Dr. Irving Finkel to discuss the oldest recorded stories of ghosts in human history.  Pliny the Younger - Wikipedia  The tale of Athenodorus and the chained ghost How to write cuneiform (video with Dr. Finkel) By Dr. Irving Finkel: The First Ghosts The Ark Before Noah Dr. Finkel teaches how to play The Royal Game of Ur (youtube) PDF of UR rules A replica of the game of Ur  A quite expensive version of the game of Ur from the British Museum Can’t get enough of monsters? If you’ve enjoyed this episode and want to listen to more from MonsterTalk, click here! Want to talk about a monster we haven’t talked about before? Send us an email! Catch MonsterTalk on All Your Favorite Podcasting Sites Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn Follow MonsterTalk on Facebook | Twitter | YouTube Support Love the show? Consider supporting MonsterTalk on Patreon! Interested in Advertising with us? Contact sales@advertisecast.com!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.co

Coll "C.C.J." Ellis joins us to talk about the monsters and folklore of Wales. Their book Welsh Monsters & Mythical Beasts will be out soon and is available for pre-order. Wales is on the western side of the island of Great Britain, and part of the United Kingdom. Despite its size, it survives on a diet mostly composed of krill.    Monsters in the book are varied, but include: Dragons, beasts, the fair folk, and spirits. There are many stories, and many gorgeous illustrations.  I didn't want to reproduce the book illustrations here, but you can find them on Coll's website by clicking here.  And if you came here looking for Cog-Mech-Cog... here ya go! (click to see it) (illustration by WilliamRLiberto via Fiverr)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

Brought to you by DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT! A look at the fascinating and adventurous life of millionaire Tom Slick. Inventor, entrepreneur, philanthropist, science enthusiast, paranormal investigator, and - of course - monster hunter! Southwest Research Institute (1947) - independent and nonprofit applied research and development (R&D) organization. Institute of Inventive Research (defunct) - an applied science and innovation incubator (in a barn at ESSAR) - closed in 57 - Mind Science Institute - (1957) research facility to conduct consciousness studies  Texas Biomedical Research Institute started in 41 - became current name in 52 - largest privately own bio-agents research facility, largest cluster of statistical gene research computing The Argyle Club - run by Tom's sister - was used as a fundraising mechanism for the science institutes including promoting the relatively new idea of memorializing donations instead of sending flows. (Now quite common, but new at the time) … as they say now "in

Mike Brumm (author) and Jeff Mack (illustrator) bring young readers a new series about an intrepid gang of kid investigators dealing with the remarkably bizarre appearance of cryptids in their world.  Book one of the new series is subtitled Bigfoot Takes the Field and I'm joined by author Mike Brumm to discuss the book and its origin.  This is not some dry academic book about debunking bigfoot, nor is it a breathless account of hunting monsters.  Instead it's a delightful and silly fantasy world where smarts and chutzpah solves a mystery, and saves the day.  Check it out!  (This is not a paid advert for the book - but if you use the Amazon link our show does get a tiny bit of the sale.)  https://amzn.to/3xLZ5ZPBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

A conversation with Laura Krantz about season 3 of her show Wild Thing. It's not monsters, but it's science, history, and the topic has a ton of overlap with Blake's personal life history.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

Be sure and check out DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT! We're excited to talk with paleontologist Matthew Kolmann about a fish whose legendary ferocity ranks with the shark and the barracuda - the piranha! Are they capable of turning an animal into a skeleton in minutes? No. But they're still wicked cool. And don't worry - we manage to throw in some cryptid stories too!   Content Warning: We do talk a bit about testicles being bitten off by fish. Teddy Roosevelt's book about his trip to South America, Through the Brazilian Rainforest. Then there's the weird back-story about his seeing a cow eaten by the fish, apparently part of a staged event. The legend of the Swedish pacu fish that eats testicles came from a 2013 article that was referencing a less reputable paper that was, in turn, reprinting an urban legend. Pacu don't eat people's testicles, although they do eat nuts. The Piranha film series has done little to further our cultural understanding of these fascinating fish. I slightly messed up the title of the film

You've probably heard lots of yeti stories but often the ones that make it through the filter of newspapers, documentaries, and books shave off the weirdest (and sometimes most important) aspects of these tales. Can you really understand the Yeti if you don't even get the full story? We're joined by Eric Mortensen who relates some stories he's collected first-hand in his research and they will likely surprise you. From invisible cities to magic armpit stones, this isn't the yeti from MonsterQuest.  I wasn't sure how to write out some of the names Eric uses and here's some guidance he sent: "The creature's name, in Tibetan, is: nags myi rgod (Chinese: yeren). The local pronunciation (in Gyalthang) is close to: na nay gö. I hesitate to offer an "English" rendering (other than, perhaps, "wild people"), but if one had to phoneticize it, it might be something akin to: na-nay-gu (na nay gö is better). It is the same thing some folks render as: migö." and as for the Flying Yeti? Something like "Shershang dudu." Re

UFOs don't seem to be real - yet they're observed and experienced and have become integrated into cultures around the world. Author David Halperin's book Intimate Alien gives a deep and thoughtful survey of this weird topic and integrates it with biographical elements to tell a story of meaning and mystery. Links for further reading: David's website: http://www.davidhalperin.net/ David's Book (Publisher site) David's Book - Amazon Affiliate Link Additional Links: The Shaver Mysteries (From the MT Archives Part 1, Part 2) The Men In Black Betty & Barney Hill Can’t get enough of monsters? If you’ve enjoyed this episode and want to listen to more from MonsterTalk, click here! Want to talk about a monster we haven’t talked about before? Send us an email!   Catch MonsterTalk on All Your Favorite Podcasting Sites Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn   Follow MonsterTalk on Facebook | Twitter | YouTube   Support Love the show? Consider supporting MonsterTalk on Patreon! Interested in Advertising with

We take a look at the 1989 film Communion based on the 1987 paperback by Whitley Strieber. Part of our "deBased on a True Story" series. (affiliate links) Can’t get enough of monsters? If you’ve enjoyed this episode and want to listen to more from MonsterTalk, click here! Want to talk about a monster we haven’t talked about before? Send us an email!   Catch MonsterTalk on All Your Favorite Podcasting Sites Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn   Follow MonsterTalk on Facebook | Twitter | YouTube   Support Love the show? Consider supporting MonsterTalk Radio on Patreon! Interested in Advertising with us? Contact sales@advertisecast.com! MonsterTalk is part of the Airwave media family.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

Since ancient times up until today, we humans have used many different animals to represent our beliefs. One such animal is the owl—from the Greek goddess Athena’s favored animal, to harbingers of death in African and Native American narratives, to bringers of luck and prosperity in Asian cultures. In this episode of MonsterTalk, Blake and Karen welcome the Owl Research Institute’s Director of Communications Lauren Smith to share interesting facts about owls. Owl Links (Science): The Owl Research Institute Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Owls (wikipedia) Owl Links (Weirdness, Folklore, Pop-Culture, and Myth): "The Owl Guy" UFO researcher Mike Clellan on owls and death.  A blogger named Steven Miller has compiled a list of the many references to owls in the show Twin Peaks. 1976's Owl Man Owls in Myth and Folklore More on Owls and UFOs from VICE Kelly-Hopkinsville Goblins  Can’t get enough of monsters? If you’ve enjoyed this episode and want to listen to more from MonsterTalk, click here! Want to tal

This episode is a wide-ranging discussion of comic books and monsters with professor Richard Harrison of Mt. Royal University in Alberta, Canada. Superhero Life Lessons - MRU article about comics curriculum A Contract with God by Will Eisner (Amz Link) Comics and Sequential Art: Principles and Practices from the Legendary Cartoonist by Will Eisner The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America (Amz Affiliate Link) Seduction of the Innocent by Frank Wertham (The book that triggered the comics code crackdown) Maus by Art Spiegelman Concrete by Paul Chadwick Tales from the Crypt by EC Comics The Creature from the Black Lagoon (Amz Prime Streaming) Bernie Wrightson's Frankenstein (It's out of print and too expensive, but here it is) Catch MonsterTalk on All Your Favorite Podcasting Sites Apple Podcasts| Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn Follow MonsterTalk on Facebook| Twitter| YouTube Support Love the show? Consider supporting MonsterTalk on Patreon! Interested in Advertising with us? Conta

Blake and Karen are joined by Joshua Emms of the The New Mexico Herpetological Society to discuss reptile myths and legends. Footage of Sandhill Cranes (via Mr. Emms) Sandhill Crane Mothman Prophecies (Amz Affiliate Link) Gila Monsters Horned Toad Hoop Snake Joint Snake The Giant Gila Monster (trailer)  Catch MonsterTalk on All Your Favorite Podcasting Sites Apple Podcasts| Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn Follow MonsterTalk on Facebook| Twitter| YouTube Support Love the show? Consider supporting MonsterTalk on Patreon! Interested in Advertising with us? Contact sales@advertisecast.com!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

We take a look at the incredible horror franchise based on The Amityville Horror. Real tragedy compounded by alleged hoaxing forms the basis of films, sequels, books, and a lot of dollars. You can watch this interview on our YouTube channel.  The 1979 film (Amazon Affiliate Link) The 2005 remake (Amz) And a bunch of other movies, spin-offs, books, etc. (Also Amz) Can’t get enough of monsters? If you’ve enjoyed this episode and want to listen to more from MonsterTalk , click here! Want to talk about a monster we haven’t talked about before? Send us an email!  Catch MonsterTalk on All Your Favorite Podcasting Sites  Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn Follow MonsterTalk on Facebook | Twitter | YouTube Support Love the show? Consider supporting MonsterTalk on Patreon! Interested in Advertising with us? Contact sales@advertisecast.com!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

Blake, Karen and Matt continue their series looking at the true stories behind popular horror movies alleged to be based on fact. This week we cover The Exorcist and discuss the novel, the film, and the many spin-offs and sequels. Passing of "Roland Doe." (The Guardian) Seytan: The Turkish Exorcist The Exorcist (Amz Affiliate Link to MANY choices/versions/sequels/spin-offs) MonsterTalk YouTube The Exorcist novel (Amz Affiliate Link) Can’t get enough of monsters? If you’ve enjoyed this episode and want to listen to more from MonsterTalk Radio, click here! Want to talk about a monster we haven’t talked about before? Send us an email!  Catch MonsterTalk on All Your Favorite Podcasting Sites  Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn Follow MonsterTalk on Facebook | Twitter | YouTube Support Love the show? Consider supporting MonsterTalk Radio on Patreon! Interested in Advertising with us? Contact sales@advertisecast.com!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--626

Blake, Karen and Matt dig into the alleged true story behind 1980s ghostly chiller The Changeling.  A great spooky ghost story - but is there anything to the claims that it was based on a true story? Fantastic research article from Denver Library's Katie Rudolph: A Denver House that inspired a Horror Film Part 2 of her research Can’t get enough of monsters? If you’ve enjoyed this episode and want to listen to more from MonsterTalk Radio, click here! Want to talk about a monster we haven’t talked about before? Send us an email!  Catch MonsterTalk on All Your Favorite Podcasting Sites  Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn Follow MonsterTalk Radio on Facebook | Twitter | YouTube Support Love the show? Consider supporting MonsterTalk Radio on Patreon! Interested in Advertising with us? Contact sales@advertisecast.com!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.