Four notable non-fiction cryptozoology books (with at least some emphasis on sightings of apparent living pterosaurs) are in print or available by publishing-on-demand. I list them here in order of Amazon sales for the combined months of May-June, 2010, with “market share” under the assumption that non-Amazon sales are similar and referring to these four books as if they’re the only ones with special emphasis on extant pterosaurs.
To the best of my knowledge, there is no cryptozoology book, as of July 1, 2010, primarily about living-pterosaur sightings around the world. Dinosaurs, Dead or Alive is about worldwide sightings, but dinosaurs, not pterosaurs, are the main topic; Searching for Ropens (second edition) is only about pterosaur sightings, but refers almost exclusively to the Southwest Pacific; Live Pterosaurs in America is only about pterosaur sightings, but relates only to the forty-eight states of the U.S.A.; Big Bird is about large flying creatures, be they bird-like or pterosaur-like, and emphasizes sightings in Texas.
Descriptions of these cryptozoology books are from Amazon.
Live Pterosaurs in America
LPA was by far the best-seller, with 47% of the sales for these four nonfiction books (Amazon.com sales for the combined months of May and June). On Amazon, it is categorized in Nature / Wildlife
Live “pterodactyls!” In the United States? Prepare for a shock if you thought they all died millions of years ago. In California, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and many other states, eyewitnesses have been shocked by featherless creatures flying overhead. Many of the apparent living pterosaurs are much larger than any bat; Many have long tails; many have head crests. Where are the news headlines? How did living pterosaurs avoid the media spotlight? Rare and nocturnal, they have always lived here.
Big Bird
BB had 26% of the sales for these four non-fiction books.
A LEGEND ON LEATHER WINGS! The Indians called it the Thunderbird, a winged monster so vast that the beating of its mighty pinions sounded like thunder. But this ancient beast is not to be held in the cage of mythology. Today, from all over the dusty U.S. / Mexican border come hair-raising stories of modern day encounters with winged monsters of immense size and terrifying appearance.
Searching for Ropens, second edition
SFR-2 had 15% of the sales for these four non-fiction books.
Expanded second edition: An American flight instructor, an Australian psychologist, many natives on tropical islands, an Australian couple, a Baptist minister, a teenaged farm-boy–each saw a giant living pterosaur. Each was amazed, or terrified, or shocked by a brown or dark-colored featherless creature: long-tailed and with a wingspan as great as fifty feet.
Dinosaurs, Dead or Alive
DDA had 12% of the sales. (No Amazon.com description is available.)
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Living pterosaurs have been reported in the United States, for years. Astonishing! Eyewitnesses had been afraid to come forward, for the most part; now those who choose can remain anonymous and tell of their encounters. Read the many astonishing eyewitness sighting reports by purchasing your own copy of this amazing nonfiction, yes NON-FICTION, book directly from the publisher: Live Pterosaurs in America, expanded third edition.
For the second edition of this book, one reader wrote the following review on Amazon: “I couldn’t put this book down. It is absolutely fascinating to read about eyewitness accounts of the people who have seen these creatures. To learn about these testimonies from such an open minded perspective is refreshing in the extreme! The way that our school systems and scientists alike are indoctrinated is sad. There is so much money out there being used for research, if only they would use it for good. I highly recommend this book to anyone! People should know the truth about what is going on. No one ever hears anything about this unless they conduct extremely specific internet searches, even then, information is minimal. Jonathan Whitcomb needs to write more books!” (review by “StrangeDream”)
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Recent calculations reveal even more popularity for “Live Pterosaurs in America.” For the combined months of May, June, and July (2010), Amazon sales appear to have been as follows for these four books: “Live Pterosaurs in America” had 51% of total sales; “Big Bird” had 23%; and “Dinosaurs – Dead or Alive” and “Searching for Ropens,” second edition, each had 13%.