Bigfoot, Sasquatch, Yowie, Yeti...

The idea that monstrous man-apes lurk in the remote forests and high mountain valleys of the world is an enduring and popular one. Hardly a week goes by without some report of a fresh encounter.

In 1793 the Boston Gazette reported a sighting of what the Cherokee call a ''chickly cuddly'' or ''hairy man thing''. In 1818 the Watchman recorded the visit of a ''Wild Man of the Woods''. Ever since, hundreds of eyewitness accounts of a giant, elusive beast that stands upright on its hindlegs have come flooding in.

One creature was seen trying to catch a calf in a farmer''s field; a group of them used rocks to pound the walls of a remote cabin. More recently, four teenagers in rural America were startled when a huge hairy creature landed on the roof of their car.

Complete with remarkable photos and illustrations, Bigfoot takes a fresh look at the man-apes reported to exist in North America, South America, Australia, the Himalayas and Central Asia. It examines historic sightings as well as up-to-date ones - and poses the crucial question: are they really out there?