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The unknown. It lies at the root of all fear, and has inspired legends, superstition, folklore, customs, hysteria, and even murder throughout history. Still today we feel the shadowy presence of our ancestors' struggles to explain the mysterious in almost every facet of our lives. Whether it be in the form of religion, urban legends, pop culture, ghost stories, superstitious rituals, and so much more we are still just fighting to keep our monsters in the dark. Welcome to The Strange and Unusual Podcast.
116 Episodes
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In this episode, we head back to school, but not the way you remember it. From abandoned high schools and haunted classrooms to urban legends whispered in bathrooms and tragedies that linger in lecture halls, autumn brings with it eerie campus lore.We’ll uncover chilling, and often sad, tragic tales from New Jersey, Texas, Africa, Cambodia, and Mexico. These are the stories that blur the line between history and folklore, fact and nightmare.
For this episode we're exploring harvest folklore throughout the world, and how it connects to the genre of folk horror. From the sunlit dread of Lady Midday stalking the fields of Eastern Europe to the vengeful rice paddy ghosts of Japan, nearly every farming culture told tales of spirits among the grain. We’ll wander those stubbled fields and deserted farms, listening for the whispers of harvest-time spirits: the Harvest Watchers and Field Spirits that people once believed lurked within the furrows.
In this episode, we'll explore the folklore of the night, from the Sandman to Sleep Paralysis demons, and more. We'll get into the history of the lore, the scientific studies, and how these creatures manifest around the world.
In this episode, we dig into the topic of urban legends come to life, These are legends that either others have actually brought to life and urban legends that are surprisingly based on fact. These legends include: The Bunny Man, Cropsey, Hook man, Slender Man, Polybius, The Babysitter Murder, Body in the Bed, Charlie No Face, and Laced Halloween Candy.
Join me on this summer road trip to some of the world's creepiest abandoned amusement parks. Our stops include: Lake Shawnee Amusement Park, Pripyat, Ukraine, Land of Oz, Gulliver’s Kingdom. And Honorable Mentions: Berlin’s Spreepark, Diversiones Grano de Oro, Western Village.
In this episode in the Haunted Waters series, we explore ghost ships from around the world, which include The Carroll A. Deering, The Mary Celeste, The Flying Dutchman, El Caleuche, S.S. Valencia, The Baychimo, Eliza Battle, and MV Joyita
In this episode of the Haunted Waters series, we explore sea monsters of myth from around the world. These frightening creatures include the Lusca, Umibōzu, Akhlu, Morgawr, and Ningen, as well as the 1734 account of a sea monster off the coast of Greenland by Hans Egede.
On this episode in the Haunted Waters series, I cover lighthouses with haunted reputations, as well as the history of lighthouses. We explore Smalls lighthouse in Wales, Pharos of Alexandria, Tower of Hercules, Big Bay Point in Michigan, South Manitou lighthouse in Michigan, South Solitary lighthouse in Australia, and St. Augustine in Florida.Stirrings: https://www.youtube.com/@StirringsStories
Join me for a new 'Haunted Waters' series. In this first episode I explore lakes, marshes, and ponds and their legendary ghosts. Our stops in this episode include Bell Island in Canada, Haunted Lake in New Hampshire, White Rock Lake in Texas, Deadman's Pond in Canada, Big Moose Lake in New York, and Lake Lanier in Georgia.
In this episode, I explore the Nahanni Valley of the Northwest Territories in Canada, which has been given the nickname Valley of the Headless Men. This due to a series of deaths of goldhunters and fur trappers after they entered the valley.
In the conclusion to this series on Russian Hill, I delve into the events which affected Pat Montandon and her friends and family at 1000 Lombard Street, as well as the occult resurgence in the 1960s, including the role of Anton LeVay.
In the second episode of this series, I tell the story of a young, widowed migrant during California's Gold Rush, and the horror of what she found in her new home on Russian Hill.
In this episode we explore some of the strange goings-on in the earlier days of Russian Hill in San Francisco, including the ill-fated union of a Russian count and Spainish maiden, the first legal execution in California history, seances, the arrival of Fanny Stevenson to the hill, the earthquake of 1906 and more.In part 2, we get into the experimental '60s, Anton LeVay, mysterious deaths, and many more strange goings-on during that time.
A short series coming to the strange and unusual podcast
In 1991, the New York State Supreme Court decided on a case that would set a legal precedent for house haunting in the state for years.
We reach finally the conclusion of Frankenstein, where we discover the fates of Frankenstein and the Creature
In this episode, we follow Victor Frankenstein to his wedding day, which ends in tragedy, and the dominos really begin to fall.Though I thought I could cover the remaining chapters of Frankenstein in this episode, that was before I realized the final chapter was like two chapters in one. So, I will be releasing the final episode in week, instead of the usual two weeks, to finish up this epic tale, before we begin Halloween season spookiness!
In this episode, we cover chapters 20-21, in which Victor struggles with whether or not he will create a mate for the creature, and is confronted and threatened by the creature as well. Victor is then faced with an unexpected shock.
This week's headline comes from The Inter Ocean, published on December 21, 1890. This article covers the "buried alive" convent of nuns in Naples, Italy. The convent is raided when strange rumors spread of this order of nuns, and things are changed for these nuns forever.
In this week's episode, Alyson explores the phenomenon of being scared to death through real life examples, folklore, pop culture, and medical mysteries.
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I love her voice, it's so calming 😌 great story telling!!! 💖
Love this whole podcast! She's a very good writer, and she does thorough research. I hope she's okay. Wish her the best of health. Can't wait until the next new episode!
Excellent episode!
Very nice and well done episode. I enjoyed it a great deal. I have one point of correction for you. You spoke if the Cult of the Saints and holy relics in the past tense. I'm not offended and I'm certainly not trying to be a pendantic ass. As a Roman Catholic I wanted to let you know the Cult of the Saints and the practice of venerating holy relics are still living traditions. Even if they aren't as big as they were in the Middle Ages, thank goodness.
So glad to have you back! Excellent episode, very Halloween vines going.
just listened to episode 1 & loved it! great job, I subbed ♡
I'm so happy you are going to be on a more regular schedule. Take care of yourself and be well.
I LOVE THIS SO MUCH
New listener, and you're killing it. Gave me chills from beginning to end. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
not for me unfortunately, the stories are ok but the way the presenter leaves pauses in the wrong places makes it hard work to listen. But lots of people seem to enjoy it.
❤
💐❤️
Special voice with a warm sound
🄶🅁🄴🄰🅃 🄿🄾🄳🄲🄰🅂🅃 5 🇸 ͓̽🇹 ͓̽🇦 ͓̽🇷 ͓̽🇸 ͓̽
Apollo isn't the best roll model.
Nice! Like this podcast.
OMG, this is the best episode I've ever heard on any podcast. You are just amazing!
macrabe? universiality?
All of us have a monster within. To say otherwise is because you havent seen yours, and those are the most dangerous.
Why cant a woman killing herself over a man be plausible? They never said it was the only reason a woman would do this...