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Need to Know: UFOs, the Military and Intelligence
" Above Top Secret is a bible for UFO watchers."- The Wall Street Journal "The evidence that Good has amassed is too overwhelming to ignore and it is clear that a more open debate is long overdue."- The Sunday Times (London) "I have the highest regard for Good's absolute integrity, his determination and skill as a researcher, and his wide and detailed knowledge of the whole fascinating UFO experience."-Lord Hill-Norton, Britain's former chief of defense In 1945, the US military recovered an alien spacecraft. The United States shot down several flying disks in the late 1940s, a period marked by an unprecedented wave of unexplained aircraft crashes. The facts have continued only to mount over the past six decades in the classified files of military and intelligence agencies worldwide. Pilots the world over have reported incidents with UFOs that have often been accompanied by electrical interference and communications difficulties. UFOs have prompted more secrecy and security-and deception-than any other concern ever on the part of military specialists and intelligence chiefs around the world. An acknowledged authority on the controversial subject of UFOs, and an indefatigable researcher, Timothy Good in this revelatory book tells us what we need to know. Timothy Good is widely regarded as one of the world's top experts on alien phenomena, which has led to speaking engagements at the Pentagon's Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office and the headquarters of the French Air Force. His first book, Above Top Secret, is widely regarded as the definitive book on the subject.
- GenresNonfictionParanormal
464 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
15 people are currently reading
275 people want to read
About the author
Timothy Good
32 books78 followersWorldwide research, interviewing key witnesses and discussing the subject with astronauts, military and intelligence specialists, pilots, politicians and scientists, has established Timothy Good as a leading authority on UFOs and the alien presence - the most highly classified subject on Earth.
He became interested in the subject in 1955, when his passion for aviation and space led him to read a book by Major Donald Keyhoe describing UFO sightings by qualified observers such as military and civilian pilots. In 1961, after reading a book by Captain Edward Ruppelt, a U.S. Air Force intelligence officer, he began to conduct his own research. Since then, he has amassed a wealth of evidence, including several thousand declassified intelligence documents.
Timothy Good has lectured at universities, schools, and at many organizations, including the Institute of Medical Laboratory Sciences, the Royal Canadian Military Institute, the Royal Geographical Society, the Royal Naval Air Reserve Branch, the House of Lords All-Party UFO Study Group, and the Oxford and Cambridge Union societies. In January 1989, following the dissolution of the Soviet empire, he became the first UFO researcher from the West to be interviewed on Russian television. He was invited for discussions at the Pentagon in 1998, and at the headquarters of the French Air Force in 2002. He has also acted as consultant for several U.S. Congress investigations. He is known to millions through his numerous television appearances and has co-produced several documentaries on the subject.
Timothy Good's first book, Above Top Secret: The Worldwide UFO Cover-up (1987) became an instant bestseller, and is regarded widely as the definitive work on the subject, together with the fully revised and updated book replacing it, Beyond Top Secret: The Worldwide UFO Security Threat (1996), which remained for five weeks on the Sunday Times bestseller list. Alien Liaison: The Ultimate Secret (1991) spent thirteen weeks on the same bestseller list. Alien Base: Earth's Encounters with Extraterrestrials (1998) went to No.4 on the Guardian bestseller list. His book, Unearthly Disclosure: Conflicting Interests in the Control of Extraterrestrial Intelligence (2000) was serialized in the Daily Mail. He has also edited a number of books on the subject, including the bestselling Alien Update (1993). Four of these books have a foreword by Admiral of the Fleet The Lord Hill-Norton, former Chief of the Defence Staff and Chairman of the NATO Military Committee. Need to Know: UFOs, the Military and Intelligence (2006/2007) is now published in paperback in the U.K., U.S and Canada. Good’s latest work - EARTH: An Alien Enterprise – is due for publication by Pegasus Books (New York) in November 2013.
He became interested in the subject in 1955, when his passion for aviation and space led him to read a book by Major Donald Keyhoe describing UFO sightings by qualified observers such as military and civilian pilots. In 1961, after reading a book by Captain Edward Ruppelt, a U.S. Air Force intelligence officer, he began to conduct his own research. Since then, he has amassed a wealth of evidence, including several thousand declassified intelligence documents.
Timothy Good has lectured at universities, schools, and at many organizations, including the Institute of Medical Laboratory Sciences, the Royal Canadian Military Institute, the Royal Geographical Society, the Royal Naval Air Reserve Branch, the House of Lords All-Party UFO Study Group, and the Oxford and Cambridge Union societies. In January 1989, following the dissolution of the Soviet empire, he became the first UFO researcher from the West to be interviewed on Russian television. He was invited for discussions at the Pentagon in 1998, and at the headquarters of the French Air Force in 2002. He has also acted as consultant for several U.S. Congress investigations. He is known to millions through his numerous television appearances and has co-produced several documentaries on the subject.
Timothy Good's first book, Above Top Secret: The Worldwide UFO Cover-up (1987) became an instant bestseller, and is regarded widely as the definitive work on the subject, together with the fully revised and updated book replacing it, Beyond Top Secret: The Worldwide UFO Security Threat (1996), which remained for five weeks on the Sunday Times bestseller list. Alien Liaison: The Ultimate Secret (1991) spent thirteen weeks on the same bestseller list. Alien Base: Earth's Encounters with Extraterrestrials (1998) went to No.4 on the Guardian bestseller list. His book, Unearthly Disclosure: Conflicting Interests in the Control of Extraterrestrial Intelligence (2000) was serialized in the Daily Mail. He has also edited a number of books on the subject, including the bestselling Alien Update (1993). Four of these books have a foreword by Admiral of the Fleet The Lord Hill-Norton, former Chief of the Defence Staff and Chairman of the NATO Military Committee. Need to Know: UFOs, the Military and Intelligence (2006/2007) is now published in paperback in the U.K., U.S and Canada. Good’s latest work - EARTH: An Alien Enterprise – is due for publication by Pegasus Books (New York) in November 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 17, 2011
Well researched but still managed to be incredibly boring. I think this book could be used as a textbook in a class on UFOs and aliens as they relate to our planet, but for someone who likes reading nonfiction about these things on a casual level...well... it just didn't do it for me. For such an interesting topic Good sure made his text awfully boring...
November 29, 2017
As other reviewers have noted, much of the information here has appeared in other books by Good, such as ABOVE TOP SECRET. And while there is a lot of good documented evidence of the National Security State’s interested in UFOs, there are also too many questionable sources being used. An example of a “factoid” that seems to get repeated in many books like this (Dolan, Blum) is the claim that “in 1962 Arthur Sylvester, Assistant Secretary of Defense, Public Affairs, told the press at a briefing that, if deemed necessary for reasons of national security, information about UFOs would not be furnished ot Congress, let alone the American public.” His footnote for this is Philip Corso, but if you trace it back to its origins it comes from Maj. Donald Keyhoe’s 1973 book Aliens From Space: “On October 29,1962, withholding information from the public was admitted by Defense Department Assistant Secretary Arthur Sylvester. If the ends justified it, he said, it was not wrong to keep the public in the dark. In AF Regulation 11-30, withholding 'in the public interest' is admitted as official policy. In AF Reg. 11-7, it is stated that sometimes information requested by Congress may not be furnished 'even in confidence.'"
Note that nowhere does this say anything about UFOs, and the date is crucial – October 29 1962 was during the Cuban Missile Crisis. A few weeks later, Arthur Sylvester was asked by a reporter about JFK's "cold" during the beginning of the missile crisis; and he explained, "it's inherent in government's right, if necessary, to lie to save itself when it's going up into a nuclear war. That seems to me basic." (12/7 New York Times)
This persistent misuse and repetition of debunkeable stories is something that doesn’t help the cause of legitimate UFO research. It’s a shame that this kind of thing is mixed in with a lot of otherwise worthwhile material.
Note that nowhere does this say anything about UFOs, and the date is crucial – October 29 1962 was during the Cuban Missile Crisis. A few weeks later, Arthur Sylvester was asked by a reporter about JFK's "cold" during the beginning of the missile crisis; and he explained, "it's inherent in government's right, if necessary, to lie to save itself when it's going up into a nuclear war. That seems to me basic." (12/7 New York Times)
This persistent misuse and repetition of debunkeable stories is something that doesn’t help the cause of legitimate UFO research. It’s a shame that this kind of thing is mixed in with a lot of otherwise worthwhile material.
August 17, 2019
A fascinating read for a sceptic.
As a sceptic attempting to approach the subject with an open mind, I was impressed. Early on the author claims to have dismissed unreliable and otherwise explained phenomena but still a lot of his evidence is verbal and third of forth hand. I also have to dismiss any sightings that cannot be corroborated by more than one other witness, of which there are a few. Nevertheless, the documentary evidence, which is a large part of the book's approach to the subject, is convincing. The absence of available material evidence due to alleged government intervention is frustrating, and if true is what prevents me from being totally convinced. The most convincing evidence for me were the anecdotal sightings over cities by multiple witnesses, sometimes tend or hundreds at a time. Still these usually come from journalists who may have another agenda. The book relies heavily on anecdotes from high ranking military officers. These are fascinating but military personnel can be as eccentric as anyone else, perhaps more after a life of high pressure and secrecy. A was not as impressed as I was expected to be. Having said all of that, I am a lot less sceptical of UFOs being of alien origins now than before I read this book and would like to read more.
As a sceptic attempting to approach the subject with an open mind, I was impressed. Early on the author claims to have dismissed unreliable and otherwise explained phenomena but still a lot of his evidence is verbal and third of forth hand. I also have to dismiss any sightings that cannot be corroborated by more than one other witness, of which there are a few. Nevertheless, the documentary evidence, which is a large part of the book's approach to the subject, is convincing. The absence of available material evidence due to alleged government intervention is frustrating, and if true is what prevents me from being totally convinced. The most convincing evidence for me were the anecdotal sightings over cities by multiple witnesses, sometimes tend or hundreds at a time. Still these usually come from journalists who may have another agenda. The book relies heavily on anecdotes from high ranking military officers. These are fascinating but military personnel can be as eccentric as anyone else, perhaps more after a life of high pressure and secrecy. A was not as impressed as I was expected to be. Having said all of that, I am a lot less sceptical of UFOs being of alien origins now than before I read this book and would like to read more.
December 5, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️ — Interesting Material, Uneven Delivery
Need to Know: UFOs, the Military and Intelligence by Timothy Good is packed with information, and that’s both its strength and its weakness. Good clearly did his homework, and the sheer volume of cases, declassified documents, and insider claims he presents makes this book a solid resource for anyone curious about UFO history from an intelligence and military perspective.
That said, the presentation can feel overwhelming. The narrative jumps quickly between incidents, interviews, and theories without always giving the reader a clear through-line. At times, the book reads more like a dense archive than a structured exploration, which can make it hard to stay engaged. Some claims are fascinating, others feel speculative, and the lack of consistent sourcing or context makes it tough to separate the compelling from the questionable.
Still, for readers who enjoy digging into UFO lore, military secrecy, and government cover-up theories, there’s plenty of intriguing material here. It’s a mixed bag—informative in places, frustrating in others—but undeniably interesting for those already invested in the topic.
Need to Know: UFOs, the Military and Intelligence by Timothy Good is packed with information, and that’s both its strength and its weakness. Good clearly did his homework, and the sheer volume of cases, declassified documents, and insider claims he presents makes this book a solid resource for anyone curious about UFO history from an intelligence and military perspective.
That said, the presentation can feel overwhelming. The narrative jumps quickly between incidents, interviews, and theories without always giving the reader a clear through-line. At times, the book reads more like a dense archive than a structured exploration, which can make it hard to stay engaged. Some claims are fascinating, others feel speculative, and the lack of consistent sourcing or context makes it tough to separate the compelling from the questionable.
Still, for readers who enjoy digging into UFO lore, military secrecy, and government cover-up theories, there’s plenty of intriguing material here. It’s a mixed bag—informative in places, frustrating in others—but undeniably interesting for those already invested in the topic.
April 2, 2020
I read this book, as like so many people I have so much time at home, and this book was in the bookshelf, wanting something different. Yet, I found this book so boring to read, but still full of so much interesting information.
April 17, 2020
I happen to think that Timothy Good is one of the better UFO investigator’s, but, his later books do seem to be slightly less discerning than his earlier offerings, this book suffers from this a little bit. Generally a solid and easy read, if a little uneven in parts.
January 23, 2024
One more his very good important books, on this specific case the author is more focused on aircraft encounters with ufo, very well documented as always. Some very good contribution. Some research on a supposedly early effort from the UFOs to down our planes. Very good indeed.
September 28, 2022
Good calls this "Need To Know" but really it exposes a Need To Believe. Full review: https://fakegeekboy.wordpress.com/202...
July 4, 2024
Pretty much average fare. Does not stand out.
October 1, 2011
Most people think UFOs are a joke and that people who believe in them are idiots. Need to Know is a very interesting read because it presents the facts as they are with links to credible people in the military, the airforce and the navy who have witnessed UFOs in their thousands. Timothy Good discusses an alien presence who pilot these craft and discusses where they come from, who they are, and what do they want. All accounts have strong evidence using reliable people in authority to make this book a strong, gripping read
November 15, 2008
Timothy Good talks about stuff that went on in the area I grew up, stuff I had heard about but did not have details or anything concrete to link it to. It's a typical UFO book with copies of documents and anecdotes, with dates, places and times. Fun to read if you are into that or interesting if you are looking for information.
September 21, 2015
Packed with fascinating information about military encounters with UFOs. Focuses mainly on the U.S.A. but does include some intriguing accounts of military incidents with UFOs from around the world. Includes references and copies of official documents (although some of these are difficult to read due to the small font size).
November 3, 2009
It's written in great technical detail with a lot of military codes and dates, which makes it hard work. The information is, though, extremely thorough and if you want to really know what's out there, this is the book.
March 21, 2015
I thought that this was a great book and contained a lot of great information on the UFO phenomena. I do wish though that he had included more accounts that people had with extraterrestrials. This book mainly focused on sightings and encounters with alien technology.
December 15, 2015
A very compelling read which presents a lot of evidence about UFO and USO sightings. Good is well known within the UFO community and his fame derives from his painstaking analysis of cases like the ones he discusses in his book.
A must read for everyone who has an interest in the subject.
A must read for everyone who has an interest in the subject.
August 4, 2014
Fascinating and informative if you believe what is written.
June 4, 2015
Timothy Good is and outstanding UFO researcher and this is very good follow up to Above Top Secret and an excellent supplement to the research of Richard Dolan.
April 7, 2017
Sort of okay. Nothing very special. More hype than insight Not a lot of evidence. Good argues that UFos were causing planes to crash but his evidence his a thin broth--more like broth-flavored water.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews