Ivan Sanderson, b. January 30, 1911, Edinburgh, Scotland, d. February 19, 1973 in New Jersey, photograph found here at UFO scholar Richard Dolan's website

"This is why I am a "Fortean," and very proud to be labelled as such. I have never been able to understand why all things serious should have to be taken seriously; and, especially, all the time. Frankly, my personal approach to life, the world, the universe, existence, and all the rest, is precisely as that of this man. I think it all stinks; but I think it is all perfectly fascinating; and I also think that one should investigate it all "scientifically"-but not (invariably) in a ponderous manner. Like Fort, I do not believe a word anybody says. I don't give a damn what they say, and I simply cannot help chuckling at a lot that they do say. I am interested only in facts, and the more outrageous, annoying, or unpleasant they are, the more I am interested. Then, like Fort, I also tend sometimes to burst into roars of honest laughter. In fact, nothing makes me laugh more heartily than discovering some pompous ass who has misquoted his own book. (I have three superb cases on file; all doyens of a certain renowned establishment!).."- Ivan Sanderson, "Things" Epilogue

I devoured his book Abominable Snowmen:Legend Come To Life when I was in the eighth grade in 1962. Although I now doubt the existence of Bigfoot as a resident our our normal plane of existence (although he could well be a fleeting visitor,) this book led me to a lifetime interest in primates and anthropology.

Read more on Sanderson here by Mark A. Hall at virtuallystrange.net