More on Greenwell
Posted by: Loren Coleman on November 5th, 2005
Richard Greenwell, who just passed away, reportedly had planned to write a book on cryptozoology, but never did. Few knew that he had co-edited two books. His first was Nutrition, Food, and Man: An Interdisciplinary Perspective by Paul B. Pearson and J. Richard Greenwell (ed), Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1980.
The second reflected his interest in ufology, which came before his cryptozoology involvement. It was Sightings: UFOs and the Limits of Science by Ronald Story and J. Richard Greenwell (ed.), NY: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1981, and London: New English Library. A paperbound version was published as well, New York: Quill, 1982. Greenwell’s name, therefore, is often found in early ufological works because of his analyses in that field.
About Loren Coleman
Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct).
Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015.
Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.
One of the first “professional” interviews I ever did was with Richard when I was 17 and writing a column called “File O’ The Damned” for an LA music magazine. He was witty and inspiring. I tried to play devil’s advocate, saying that it was very unlikely that any significant new animal species would be discovered on the planet, and he pointed out that there are still places on this planet where modern man has never stepped foot, and that oceans not only cover three quarters of the earth, but are three dimensional–more space for strange beasts to hide in! It may sound simple, but it was something I hadn’t considered…
Two years later, I was living in San Francisco, because the city college offered a course in zoology. On one of his Bigfoot expeditions, he stayed at my cramped apartment in the Mission district, and entertained me with stories of motorcycling through South America. I thought he was enchanting, even though he was short! I remember we tried to figure out how to get an expedition to search for the Mongolian Death Worm financed.
Richard, no matter where he was, always seemed to be dressed as though he were about to go on safari. Even his clothing had an air of adventure to it.
I had been out of touch with him for some time when I found myself in Phoenix unexpectedly a few months ago, and tried to convince my travelling companions that it would be worth the two hour drive to Tuscon to visit him… we didn’t make it, and a while later I recieved an upbeat phone message from him. He didn’t mention cancer, or being sick, just that he’d love to talk to me… I didn’t return his call, darn it. Richard was a huge inspiration to this young Fortean and I will miss him dearly.
Is this the Skylaire I met with Greg Bishop in La Jolla circa 2001?