Ryan Matthew Cohn

Going into The Witch's Door I wanted to love it as a lover of all oddities and all that is esoteric, it could have been a guide into the history of oddities and the esoteric items the authors had come across and brought into their collection. Instead, we received a memoir that came across as dismissive of the history of the items, and of the real lives they are tied to in the past and focused instead on the lives of the authors and how 'interesting' they are.

I want to tell you that I enjoyed this book, but I did not, it was deeply uninformative, did not hold my attention, and read like the memoir of those who are disconnected from their own privilege and wealth and instead see themselves as upstart oddities 'collectors' while not providing the context on the items the entire book is meant to be about. Picking this up I wanted to learn more about the weird and strange items they had handled in their lives, not about their personal lives and romance, or how they dated famous individuals.

I cannot recommend this book despite the editing and writing being well done as it does not contain the contact that both the blurb, cover, description, and advertising are promising. If you want a memoir this may be a book you would enjoy, but if you want to learn more about oddities and the history behind them this isn't the book you should be picking up.

I received an advance review copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts and opinions are wholly my own and unbiased.… (more)

As I've done with other primary sources, I'm not going to "rate" this work in the traditional way. I don't believe in giving a rating to someone's life experience as they saw fit to tell it. However, I would like to say that I found this work incredibly charming.

I never watched the Science Channel show "Oddities," so here I was greeted by Ryan and Regina for the first time. I am a natural history fan, so the idea of collecting bones, morbid ephemera, and other curiosities doesn't bother me. That being said, I can only aspire and admire these two for pursuing what they clearly enjoy.

It was refreshing to learn of the respect and dignity that Ryan has achieved for his collection. From self-taught tinkering to museum-worthy pieces. But when making a purchase, the reader finds out how slippery the slope can be. Ryan warns that thorough research, data, and photographs are necessary; assuring all laws are obeyed and with respectable sellers. In the Oddities trade, stolen items and fakes are a constant threat. Along the way, the reader will learn about the misconceptions of shrunken heads, the history of "exploded" skulls, cabinets of curiosities, reliquaries, anatomical wax sculptures, and more!

But what the reader also comes to learn about is the true fondness that Ryan and Regina have for each other. It was a quick courtship, but then again you get the impression that these two don't play by traditional rules. How refreshing it is to see two business partners, lovers, and hosts, work with such heart! In the end, it is a memoir of two people, their happiness, their passions, their struggles, and their friendships! It's a beautiful book inside and out, perfect for the witchy readers, collectors, Oddities Flea Market fans, or simply the curious!… (more)