Books that profoundly affected your world view on UFOs/Aliens

My first proper thread since I joined a couple of weeks ago! EEEK! Please be gentle, etc.


I'm sure most of you have a book in mind. Personally I have a couple, but I'll concentrate on just one to save you all begging for sweet mercy...



DARK WHITE (1994) By Jim Schnabel





Shortly after publication, I spotted it on a shelf and read the dust jacket which includes the tasty teaser:

A mystery that will lead him through the mesmerising underworld of putty-faced aliens, obsessed researchers, and undressed abductees, from the great airship invasion of the 1890s and the amazing Richard Shaver saga of the 1940s, to the 'case of the century' now unfolding in the 1990s - the sensational, multiple-witness abduction of an important world political figure from a limousine in lower Manhattan. Hang on to your hats, readers - 'Dark White' goes where no UFO book has ever gone before!

Holy Hynek! How could anyone resist? I remained hooked for a couple of days as Jim Schnabel grabbed everything I knew about UFOs and abduction theory, roughed it up in an informative, witty, yet incisive manner, and gave me a fresh determination to plough Truth in a field of excess manure. Oxford-educated Schnabel can comfortably be labelled an optimistic sceptic who previously wrote for the Washington Post, The Independent, and New Scientist among others until launching his own books on popular science:


'Round In Circles' (crop circles)
'Dark White' (UFOs/Alien abuction)
'Remote Viewers: The Secret History Of America's Secret Spies' (leading to an excellent Channel 4 documentary discussed on ATS),
'Forever Young' (medical 'immortality')
'Everything And Nothing: An Introduction To Quantum Probability' (arguably where Ufology finds itself today).


Schnabel becomes intimate with the late Budd Hopkins whose 1989 hypnosis sessions with the infamous “Linda N” (as the more eagle-eyed ATS members will notice) give the book its title, a transcript revealing:

BH: “Now we're just looking back. Your eyes are very clear. What do they look like?
L: “They're white. They look white. But a dark white – there's too much light”

Early on, we're reminded that the abduction mystery and attendant debunkers stretch back to 800AD when Agobard, Bishop of Lyons (and no doubt framed on Vallee's mantelpiece) criticised men who had...

“... sunk in such depths of folly, as to believe that there is a certain region, which they call Magonia, whence ships sail in the clouds... Three men and a woman who they said has fallen from these same ships; after keeping them for some days in captivity, they had brought them before the assembled multitude in our presence to be stoned. But truth prevailed.

Whether they had passports to Magonia is another matter, but thankfully stoning alleged abductees has since ceased. The lower Manhattan saga of Linda N is an outrageous tale that has been voraciously chewed and digested by ATS, but in internet-less 1994, the case was still 'live' as I read it excitedly with a healthy pinch of salt. However, before all that (which I shall spare you from), Schnabel whets our appetites with an old yarn popular among ufologists: the tale of anonymous biological scientist “Dr X”, as told to French ufologist Aime Michel in Nov 1968.

I'll summarise... Dr X, who endured a leg haemorrhage, noticed two large bright discs outside that illuminated the region. They coalesced, suddenly bathing him in a search beam before shooting skyward. Waking his wife, he realised his leg was healed. He later talked in his sleep, saying, “Contact will be re-established by falling down the stairs on 2 Nov”. On 2nd, he awoke with no memory of the UFO until... he tripped down the stairs, bumping his head. Bizarre UFO dreams ensued of discs and triangular craft, but they preceded depression, weight loss, strange triangular rashes, and fresh empathy for universal LIFE. Add in further healings, poltergeist activity, fugue-like journeys, and the sensation of ETs within his home.

It's a telling tale that can easily sum up the tone and content of 'Dark White' as a whole. Thankfully, Schnabel doesn't wrap Dr X's story up in a neat bow, allowing it to speak for itself regarding the parameters of ufology, associated psychological transformations, and paranormal/UFO hot-spots globally (eg Skinwalker Ranch – just bought by the Shermans in 1994 while I was reading).




The book doesn't dwell long on historic cases and I suspect it presupposes basic UFO knowledge to some extent as we skim through the 'airship' flaps of the 19th century; space-faring early 20th century pop culture; bizarre personalities such as Richard 'Amazing Stories' Shaver; a passing nod to Ken Arnold and Roswell; the various flaps since the 40s; and Travis Walton gets a paragraph or two before Budd Hopkins (above) becomes the book's driving force.

As a neutral, objective 'up close and personal' look into Hopkins' persona and techniques, and the numerous colourful characters around him, it's an invaluable work, leaving me very cautious but more fascinated than ever in the abduction phenomenon, despite the brazen absurdity of the central Linda N case.

I doubt Schnabel's mind is as open as mine about alleged abductees, and the book's carefully chosen closing words seem to somewhat belie the informative, addictive, vastly entertaining journey both he and I had been on:

I do not advocate that all ufologists abandon their vocation for less dangerous pursuits. I wish them well, and I hope that some day their phenomenon will become as apprehensible as thunderstorms or shooting stars or Saturn's rings... In the meantime, however, while ufologists wait for silvery saucers on the White House lawn, or for Plan B and planetary destruction, or even for a geo-hydro-atmospheric-electromagnetic explanation, I am not sure that I wish to be among them.

Jim loves us all really; don't let that dry tongue in his cheek discourage you from jumping onto this wildly entertaining ride, albeit twenty-four years late.



Anyway, enough waffle from me - what about YOU?

Say what you want about him, but Whitelys book Communion when I was 9 yrs old.

He’s passed the lie detector tests, has multiple eye witnesses,
Under went hypnotic regression from the worlds best - making sure not to lead or ask questions that would help make lead to a fabricated tale.
Once the whole story came out about his experience and he admitted to being anal probed, then the world began to ridicule him.

a reply to: ConfusedBrit

Val Valerian's Matrix series kinda wound me up a long time ago...I remember him refering to Hillary as a very high ranking alien outstriping ol Bill. I remembered that outa the blue when she ran for Prez.

Cosmic Voyage by Dr. Courtney Brown

a reply to: ConfusedBrit

I have only read some of the more popular books in the field for the most part and have no recommendations that interested people would not already be aware of.

I wanted to take a minute to say your first thread is excellent, articulate, and well put together. I look forward to more from you.

I'll be sure to drop back in to see if any of our great members have some hidden gems I'm not aware of.

If you're going down the 'bug-like extra-terrestrial' rabbit hole, you'll find nothing but inane mysticism. If you're going down the 'UFOs are WW2 German craft with normal human beings inside', you'll find a universe of censored material and questionable conclusions. I'd start with our jumbo jet aircraft. They are as close to a UFO as you've ever flown in your life. Consider: if one or multiple jumbo jet engines fail, only one jet engine is required stay in the air. There is no explanation yet from Boeing or NASA as to how Jumbo Jets can stay in the air with only a SINGLE ENGINE operating on ONE (not both) wings. Explanation? AG technology secretly keeps the planes afloat once the jet engines is running, while propellers are only used to move the plane forward.  This technology was built into the planes in such a way that their own pilots and engineers did not realize it. This was the only way they could get these teenage children into the planes and send them hundreds of miles on bombing raids. Smaller stunt planes do not need such technology to fly, but B29&B52 bombers absolutely did since they needed to carry a major payload in bombs. These 2 planes were responsible for over 15 million deaths during the 20th century as they dropped Napalm and other incendiary bombs over 3 thousand human cities towns and villages. This is how we won WW2. This is how North Korea, Japan & Vietnam were completely destroyed. This is why NASA is fake. This is why Jumbo Jets have not improved in design in over 70 *YEARS*. This is why all Jumbo Jets look identical. This is why they NEVER CRASH. This is why 9/11 Involved Jumbo Jets. This is why basically everything you know. #Communism won.
en.wikipedia.org...

The Roswell UFO Crash: What They Don't Want You to Know, by Kal K. Korff.

The absolute truth of the Roswell incident down to the last detail.

a reply to: ConfusedBrit



The Cosmic Conspiracy - Stan Deyo (PDF)

For 20 years, this book has been sold "under the counter" in America. The official resistance to the ideas and facts in this book was huge. Now, with the Internet, we are able to circumvent the normal controls on the release of this sort of information to the American people. In Australia (where the ex-patriot, Texan author lives) this book sold the equivalent of a "million-seller" in America. TV shows, documentaries and investigations have been launched as a result of this book which is now read in over 22 countries. It is one of the major books of this century; and was inspired after a 'near death' experience the author had in 1969.

The first 200 pages of the book tell about the author's discovery of a new method of aircraft propulsion using ionized plasma gases over a circular craft in 1970.... It tells about the author's recruitment by an ultra-secret, international research and development organization to finish his propulsion research in Australia.... It discusses the 'conspiracy' behind the US Government, the United Nations, The United States of Europe, The coming Arab Confederation and the Club of Rome to establish a new, global, political power to dominate the peoples of Earth.

A mathematical and 'lay' language explanation of the error in Einstein's relativistic limits to travelling faster than light's speed is also given in detail with illustrations. Photostats of key documents which substantiate the assertions are in the appendices of the book.

None.

In fact, I have read very Alien/UFOs books, and none have made me change my views about Aliens/UFOs, much less profoundly.

PS: good thread.

a reply to: ConfusedBrit

The book of ENOCH (interest ENOCH abduction and his interaction with the WATCHERS)

The book of TOBIT (interest LILITH)

The Kolbrin Bible (interest THE DESTROYER)

The Kolbrin, MAN:3:7

Thus it was in the Days of Heavenly Wrath, which have gone, and thus it will be in the Days of Doom when it comes again. The times of its coming and going are known unto the wise. These are the signs and times which shall precede the Destroyer's return.

The Bible tells us that we must all keep watch in constant anticipation, but only God knows the time of the next destruction.

Mark, 13:32-33

No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.

However The Kolbrin assumes that enough ancient material has survived history in order for the wise to learn about the Destroyer.

The Kolbrin, MAN:3:1

Men forget the days of the Destroyer. Only the wise know where it went and that it will return in its appointed hour.

Revelations 19
(interest the return of the son and those with he)

The Heavenly Warrior Defeats the Beast

Revelations 19:11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”[a] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

king of kings and lord of lords.

a reply to: ConfusedBrit

I remember reading Science encyclopedia we had that discussed the Roswell crash as a an alien craft with alien occupants this is in 58,as well as seeing them around Catalina Island

Above Top Secret (of course!!) by Timothy Good

(2nd) The Day After Roswell by Colonel Philip J. Corso

a reply to: ConfusedBrit
Way to kick it off. Excellent thread!
I have not encountered the book you mentioned But now you have my interest peaked. Thanks I’m Always looking for a new weekend project.
Rendezvous With Rama by Aurthur C Clark is a favorite of mine.

a reply to: ConfusedBrit
This book really opened my mind about the subject of UFOs and it says some things that are hard to believe. I think this researcher really put forth his best effort to investigate a number of UFO sightings, that was his salaried job at the time, to investigate UFO sightings, and interview UFO witnesses, which he did for over 1300 UFO reports as they occurred daily over a years time. I respect Jim Davenport keeping his UFO database but I don't think he gets into investigation as much as Allan Hendry did. This was my favorite book about UFOs because it changed the way I thought about them, based on first-hand research from a full-time researcher:


The Ufo Handbook: A Guide to Investigating, Evaluating, and Reporting UFO Sightings
by Allan Hendry

a reply to: ConfusedBrit

The Bible?

Schnabel certainly knows how to entertain! Great first thread C-Brit. 👍

a reply to: ConfusedBrit

Nice synopsis on your book Brit. It sounds comprehensive.

I have read a few books over the years to see what others were saying about their experiences. My own sightings came back in the late fifties to mid sixties so for a while read quite a bit so see what others had seen.

Over the years I quit reading expecting some kind of ''big'' event or eventual ''disclosure'' that would make it all out in the open for all to see. That hasn't happened and I now suspect that it will not.

One book that does stand out in my memory I still have a paper back copy of called, Operation Survival Earth by Stepfn Denaerde from 1969.

It was written as a SF novel. A man on a fishing trip to sea finds a strange body in the ocean and hauls it aboard only to find that it is alien and dying. He saves it's life and soon enough a ship rises out of the sea and for his act of heroism offers him one wish.

HIs wish is to come aboard their ship and be taught about their civilization. The civilization is remarkable yet similar to our own with a few major changes in belief structures.

The end of the book, the story, the author claims that the book is not fiction but rather completely true, but that once the message the aliens gave him had been presented to mankind, he would no longer claim it to be true but only fiction so as to not have people focus on him as an avatar or savior but rather focus on the scope of the message itself.

I think what attracted me most about this book was the manner in which the differences between our own civilization and that of the alien civilization, of which ours was pointing to collapse while theirs was pointing towards stellar expansion, were simple little points of conscious perspective which if given a chance here could completely alter humanities backward slide into barbarism.

The Law of One by Ra Humble Messenger, and to a lesser extent Oahspe

a reply to: pisces42

Was that not Horus and his Emerald Tablets?

Chariots of the Gods- Erik Von Danikan
Then Revelations -KJB
After Erik, Revelations never looked the same.