Weird Illinois is a mix of stories, speculation and ghost lore from my home state, Illinois. And it is really weird.

The chapters cover topics from local legends and lore to bizarre beasts and roadside oddities. But I’m not sure how true it is.

The road-side attractions seem to be the “most real” part of this book, but the legends and ghost stories could be simply myths or urban legends.

It makes me want to put together an investigation, or several, to go find out what is true or not. That is part of the charm of this book.

My favorite chapter was about the “bizarre beasts” of Illinois which is a collection of animal oddity or cryptozoological stories from the area. I really want to see the “Albino Squirrels of Olney” mentioned on page 95.

I was creeped out by the stories of the “Murphysboro Mud Monster” on page 84. That’s not very far from here!

I think this book could be useful for travelers who are looking for entertainment that is off-the-beaten path in Illinois or trivia fans.

Make sure to read it with a discerning mind, as I said, I’m not certain how much of this is “non-fiction.” I can say: it’s good fun.

Thanks for reading!

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