#073 – SPEAK OF THE DEVIL

MonsterTalk welcomes back Bible scholar Robert M. Price to discuss the biggest and most well known villain in Western culture: Satan. Who is this character and how has he changed over the history of Judeo/Christian religions? From servant of God to dark villain, we track the evolution of the Devil. This episode contains a dramatic reading of an excerpt from this interview with […]

MONSTERTALK SPECIAL 003: Seeing is Believing

“I KNOW WHAT I SAW.” So say many witnesses to the bizarre and unusual—and even the mundane. But do you really know what you saw? In this special episode of MonsterTalk, memory expert Elizabeth Loftus and psychologist Richard Wiseman explain how perilous and frail are the tools and materials we use to build our fortresses of certitude. About Our Guests Richard […]

#072 – THE WARREN OMISSION

WAS THE STORY OF The Conjuring the true story of how Ed and Lorraine Warren fought demonic forces in Rhode Island? In this special episode of MonsterTalk, we hear a different side to the story of America’s first family of ghost hunting. Features interviews with investigators Joe Nickell and Steven Novella. Interviewed for this episode Dr. Steven Novella is a neurologist and notable skeptical […]

#071 – HIS TORY OF THE JERSEY DEVIL

Kean University History Professor, Brian Regal, has tracked the Jersey Devil back to its astonishing historical roots. Religious in-fighting, self-publishing, snarky founding fathers, sorcery and political intrigue make the idea of a flying horse-faced monster almost seem tame. Dr. Brian Regal previously joined us on MonsterTalk to discuss the demise of the Werewolf at the hands of Charles Darwin, and the history of […]

#070 – MORE MAP MONSTERS

Medieval Art expert Asa Mittman discusses his love of monsters, the kinds of monsters that populate medieval land maps, and the persistent practice of monsterization as a cultural method for labeling “out-groups” in human interaction. Books by Asa Mittman Maps and Monsters in Medieval England The Ashgate Research Companion to Monsters and the Monstrous Inconceivable Beasts: The Wonders of the […]

#069 – THE KEY TO THE LEGEND OF THE MAP MONSTERS

Join us for a fascinating look at the mysterious sea monsters that decorated medieval maps. We talk with Chet Van Duzer about his recent book Sea Monsters on Medieval and Renaissance Maps, which brings to light the remarkable sources behind the strange looking creatures which populate the seas of these beautiful old documents. Chet Van Duzer is a writer and researcher […]

MONSTERTALK SPECIAL 002

The Tetrapod Zoology Podcast Super Cross-Over Tetrapodcats (sic erat scriptum) MonsterTalk host Blake Smith teams up with paleontologist Darren Naish and artist John Conway to introduce MonsterTalk listeners to this entertaining and educational podcast known as The Tetrapod Zoology Podcast. Topics include cryptozoology, pterosaur controversy, whale penis commentary and a scientist’s take on the film Cloverfield. Related Links Buy Darren Naish & John Conway‘s All Yesterdays book Visit […]

MONSTERTALK SPECIAL 001

[Note – this kickstarter did not fund, so this is being left here for archival purposes only.] In this episode of MonsterTalk, we take a brief break from our break to bring you breaking news about Ben Radford’s monstrous new project Undead Apocalypse—a board game featuring zombies, vampires and other horrors. The interview features artist Jeff Zornow, whose drawings were used to […]

067 – WHAT’S GOOD FOR THE MONGOOSE…

ON THE ISLE OF MAN, between the World Wars, a lonely hilltop was home to a family of hardscrabble farmers. The father was a former piano salesman, and he struggled to make ends meet for his wife and daughter in their windswept cottage. And then one day, from up in the attic and behind the walls they began to hear […]