Monster Mash: The Creepy, Kooky Monster Craze in America 1957-1972, by Mark Voger

 If you're my age (45), or close to it, and male, chances are you were crazy about monsters when you were a kid. You may or may not have gotten over that as you grew older......I didn't. Nothing stops my channel-surfing faster than stumbling across a monster movie. Good or bad, if it's got a monster in it, I'm there. Stop-motion, man-in-a-suit, CGI....whatever. Monsters = fun.

 Author Mark Voger, a dyed-in-the-wool monster maniac, has crafted, with publisher TwoMorrows, a gorgeous, loving look at the heyday of America's love affair with monsters, MONSTER MASH: THE CREEPY, KOOKY MONSTER CRAZE IN AMERICA 1957-1972. TwoMorrows always delivers beautiful books, and this one is no exception. Voger packs the book with full-color photos of tons of monster magazine covers and toys from the era, and numerous pictures of monster-movie/TV celebrities taken by his late wife, Kathy Voglesong.

 Voger covers every aspect of monster culture in-depth, touching on magazines, toys, TV shows, movies, comics and comic strips, music, trading cards, artwork, games, model kits, breakfast cereal, novels...he doesn't miss a thing. I had a great time reading this book...it was a wonderful trip down memory lane, and as much as it pains me to say, being the crabby cynic that I am....it made me (Gasp, choke...!) happy. This is a must-have for monster fans, and I can't recommend it highly enough.