What do you think?
Rate this book
The Hynek UFO Report
UFOs recently made the leap back from folklore to news stories, when a cult claimed a UFO was following the Hale-Bopp comet. Originally released in 1977, this just-republished report by the world's foremost authority distills 12,000 "sightings" and 140,000 pages of Project Blue Book "evidence" into a coherent explanation. A U.S. Air Force-sponsored UFO-basher for years, Hynek had completely changed his tune by the late 1960s. Whether you believe in little green men or an official government cover-up policy, The Hynek UFO Report is must reading for your own analysis. * Can all the eyewitness reports be fantasy? * Are we victims of mass hallucination or just plain lies? * Have close encounters actually occurred? * Is the government concealing deep secrets at a hidden base? Here are answers to at least some of the mysteries...and educated guesses on others. New foreword by UFO expert Jacques Vallée.
290 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 1977
153 people are currently reading
591 people want to read
About the author
J. Allen Hynek
32 books71 followersUnited States astronomer, professor, and ufologist
He is perhaps best remembered for his UFO research. Hynek acted as scientific adviser to UFO studies undertaken by the U.S. Air Force under three consecutive projects:
Project Sign (1947–1949),
Project Grudge (1949–1952), and
Project Blue Book (1952 to 1969).
For decades afterwards, he conducted his own independent UFO research, developing the Close Encounter classification system, and is widely considered the father of the concept of scientific analysis of both reports and, especially, trace evidence purportedly left by UFOs.
He is perhaps best remembered for his UFO research. Hynek acted as scientific adviser to UFO studies undertaken by the U.S. Air Force under three consecutive projects:
Project Sign (1947–1949),
Project Grudge (1949–1952), and
Project Blue Book (1952 to 1969).
For decades afterwards, he conducted his own independent UFO research, developing the Close Encounter classification system, and is widely considered the father of the concept of scientific analysis of both reports and, especially, trace evidence purportedly left by UFOs.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
May 30, 2011
When Northwestern opened its astronomical observatory on the western shore of Lake Michigan my dad, an undergraduate there before being drafted into the Army, took me along for a tour of the place conducted by Josef Allen Hynek, Chair of their Astronomy Department. This was in the early sixties and although I was already familiar with some of the literature about UFOs, I don't recall recognizing that this was THE J. Allen Hynek of the U.S. Air Force's Project Blue Book. In any case, I don't recall directly speaking to him, but then I was probably about ten at the time. The biggest impression he--as opposed to the observatory--made upon me was his goatee. I'd never seen such a thing before, except in movies.
Hynek wrote only a handful of books for the public, but quite a lot for the U.S. government. The Air Force's chief scientific consultant on UFO's, he served as its chief debunker of any such accounts, a role he came to reject and regret before the end of his life. This book, drawing upon the records of Project Blue Book, is an account of his considered opinions on the matter after his break with the government. As ever, Hynek is dry and methodical. He was never a sensationalist.
Hynek wrote only a handful of books for the public, but quite a lot for the U.S. government. The Air Force's chief scientific consultant on UFO's, he served as its chief debunker of any such accounts, a role he came to reject and regret before the end of his life. This book, drawing upon the records of Project Blue Book, is an account of his considered opinions on the matter after his break with the government. As ever, Hynek is dry and methodical. He was never a sensationalist.
February 8, 2020
A re-issue of a book first introduced around 1970.
Anyone interested in exploring the topic of UFO's - historically or with renewed interest due to recent events due to released DOD and Navy videos - this book is a must!
Dr. Hynek was a consultant to the Project Blue Book and as a scientist and astronomer he was at first skeptical but over time - and because of the reports that kept coming into PBB - he began to believe that the subject should be taken more serious than his contemporaries in the military, government and the scientific world wanted.
He presents a range of cases - almost all of them with lingering unanswered questions - that conflict with the easy answers the Air Force supplied. Indeed, his later research would show that the data was often manipulated to present an image of a topic where the answers were easily arrived at and reflected only one of three options: mistaken identification of known objects, hysteria or hoaxes. Hyenk is a gentleman, often only hinting, at the biases and prejudices of the process, the players and the public. At other times, he is delightfully blunt at the failings in the process and the people tendered with a responsibility to use science to explore unknowns.
Hynek was not a wild eyed "believer" ( in cultural parlance he would be much more a "Scully" than a "Mulder") but he was committed to science. As he encountered a mounting number of cases that held aspects that were truly "unknowns" and "unexplained," he came to believe that the subject was one that science should be more open to exploring in depth. He did not close off the possibility of something new being discovered because "current science" felt such things were impossible. He would note often in his career the many "impossibles" those of science had declared were not and could never be a reality.
The story of the discovery and eventual acceptance of the concept of meteorites being rocks that fell from the sky was one notable example. "Scientists" had refused to accept the possibility. Others, more open minded scientists, had dared to prove them wrong and whole new vistas of scientific discovery were opened. That, in a nutshell, is all that Hynek ever wanted his fellow scientists and others to do - keep a mind open to the reality that new things might be out there waiting to be discovered.
Perfect and necessary for every science collection, every UFO Phenomena collection, American social history collection, and for every person willing to say, 'Hey, maybe we don't know everything yet' or willing to wonder, 'If we did this project again, how to make it better?'
Marilyn A. Hudson (M.L.I.S.)
Anyone interested in exploring the topic of UFO's - historically or with renewed interest due to recent events due to released DOD and Navy videos - this book is a must!
Dr. Hynek was a consultant to the Project Blue Book and as a scientist and astronomer he was at first skeptical but over time - and because of the reports that kept coming into PBB - he began to believe that the subject should be taken more serious than his contemporaries in the military, government and the scientific world wanted.
He presents a range of cases - almost all of them with lingering unanswered questions - that conflict with the easy answers the Air Force supplied. Indeed, his later research would show that the data was often manipulated to present an image of a topic where the answers were easily arrived at and reflected only one of three options: mistaken identification of known objects, hysteria or hoaxes. Hyenk is a gentleman, often only hinting, at the biases and prejudices of the process, the players and the public. At other times, he is delightfully blunt at the failings in the process and the people tendered with a responsibility to use science to explore unknowns.
Hynek was not a wild eyed "believer" ( in cultural parlance he would be much more a "Scully" than a "Mulder") but he was committed to science. As he encountered a mounting number of cases that held aspects that were truly "unknowns" and "unexplained," he came to believe that the subject was one that science should be more open to exploring in depth. He did not close off the possibility of something new being discovered because "current science" felt such things were impossible. He would note often in his career the many "impossibles" those of science had declared were not and could never be a reality.
The story of the discovery and eventual acceptance of the concept of meteorites being rocks that fell from the sky was one notable example. "Scientists" had refused to accept the possibility. Others, more open minded scientists, had dared to prove them wrong and whole new vistas of scientific discovery were opened. That, in a nutshell, is all that Hynek ever wanted his fellow scientists and others to do - keep a mind open to the reality that new things might be out there waiting to be discovered.
Perfect and necessary for every science collection, every UFO Phenomena collection, American social history collection, and for every person willing to say, 'Hey, maybe we don't know everything yet' or willing to wonder, 'If we did this project again, how to make it better?'
Marilyn A. Hudson (M.L.I.S.)
July 12, 2021
Proof Project Blue Book Was a Sham?
While I’ve given The Hynek UFO Report: The Authoritative Account of the Project Blue Book Cover-Up a 5 star rating, that is mainly because of Hynek’s scientific prowess, perspective, and frustration over the Air Force’s seemingly lackadaisical attitude and half-baked information collection and reporting procedures.
Although the Air Force brass and other top dogs within the various governmental agencies continue to insult the intelligence of the American Public – if not the world – with their ludicrous insistence that Unidentified Flying Objects do not exist, one very prominent and well respected
astronomer/astrophysicist whom the US Air Force actually recruited as the scientific consultant and field investigator for Project Blue Book, disagrees. According to Dr. J. Allen Hynek, Unidentified Flying Objects – in his learned opinion – most certainly DO exist.
Whether they are from outer space is another issue that he did not feel qualified to address.
If it weren’t for the fact that this book is one of five books in a stable of books published by M.U.F.O.N, I would be more likely to fully endorse it. Whether or not it is true that M.U.F.O.N has been infiltrated by at least one if not more of the governmental alphabet agencies, the possibility casts some doubt, at least in my mind, over whether any books produced in this series – especially those which are posthumous publications – should be fully credited.
If this is true, then it is also possible, if not probable, that some pertinent pieces of information were edited out while other bits of information might have been added. Since I’ve read several of Hynek’s books which either pertained directly to Project Blue Book or to which it was alluded as well as other books on Blue Book by other authors, what seemed consistent amongst the various authors and titles is that few of the reports were consistent. That is, either significant reports that were referenced by one author were not referenced by another – although the incidents to which those reports referred should and often were part of the ‘Unidentified’ or ‘Unknown’ categories – or pertinent bits of information seemed to be lacking. Why?
Overall, an excellent treasure trove of information on various UFO case incidents, most of which correlate, at the least, to those cases presented in other books on the subject of Project Blue Book specifically or UFOs in general.
While I’ve given The Hynek UFO Report: The Authoritative Account of the Project Blue Book Cover-Up a 5 star rating, that is mainly because of Hynek’s scientific prowess, perspective, and frustration over the Air Force’s seemingly lackadaisical attitude and half-baked information collection and reporting procedures.
Although the Air Force brass and other top dogs within the various governmental agencies continue to insult the intelligence of the American Public – if not the world – with their ludicrous insistence that Unidentified Flying Objects do not exist, one very prominent and well respected
astronomer/astrophysicist whom the US Air Force actually recruited as the scientific consultant and field investigator for Project Blue Book, disagrees. According to Dr. J. Allen Hynek, Unidentified Flying Objects – in his learned opinion – most certainly DO exist.
Whether they are from outer space is another issue that he did not feel qualified to address.
If it weren’t for the fact that this book is one of five books in a stable of books published by M.U.F.O.N, I would be more likely to fully endorse it. Whether or not it is true that M.U.F.O.N has been infiltrated by at least one if not more of the governmental alphabet agencies, the possibility casts some doubt, at least in my mind, over whether any books produced in this series – especially those which are posthumous publications – should be fully credited.
If this is true, then it is also possible, if not probable, that some pertinent pieces of information were edited out while other bits of information might have been added. Since I’ve read several of Hynek’s books which either pertained directly to Project Blue Book or to which it was alluded as well as other books on Blue Book by other authors, what seemed consistent amongst the various authors and titles is that few of the reports were consistent. That is, either significant reports that were referenced by one author were not referenced by another – although the incidents to which those reports referred should and often were part of the ‘Unidentified’ or ‘Unknown’ categories – or pertinent bits of information seemed to be lacking. Why?
Overall, an excellent treasure trove of information on various UFO case incidents, most of which correlate, at the least, to those cases presented in other books on the subject of Project Blue Book specifically or UFOs in general.
August 23, 2022
I recently watched the 2 season History Channel show Project Blue Book . The series notes that the show is based on Project Blue Book case files and it made me wonder about Dr. Hynek. So I checked this ebook out of my local library.
In this book Dr. Hynek reviews select cases to show how the Air Force (who ran Blue Book) was really not interested in doing science as much as they were interested in show that UFOs can't be so they aren't. This 1977 book essentially shows that there's sufficient evidence to say that there's something going on that should absolutely be studied and not the way Blue Book did it.
One of the most interesting aspects of the cases reviewed was having seen these cases portrayed in the History Channel series. When they say based, they mean based. They do not mean 100% accurate portrayal of each case. The stuff in the show are compilations of various cases and few are portrayed as they are actually described in the Blue Book files. But then that's why I read the book.
Oh and in case anyone cares, Project Blue Book the History Channel series is worthwhile even if it's only 2 seasons, ends on a cliff hanger (probably in part because of COVID) and is absolutely fiction only based on history. One of the things that the series well does is provide a feel of what it was like during this Cold War Era. This background feel left over from the series made reading the book more interesting. UFOs and the Cold War surrounding nuclear power are an interesting blend of topics.
Quote:
''It can't be, therefore it isn't.''
In this book Dr. Hynek reviews select cases to show how the Air Force (who ran Blue Book) was really not interested in doing science as much as they were interested in show that UFOs can't be so they aren't. This 1977 book essentially shows that there's sufficient evidence to say that there's something going on that should absolutely be studied and not the way Blue Book did it.
One of the most interesting aspects of the cases reviewed was having seen these cases portrayed in the History Channel series. When they say based, they mean based. They do not mean 100% accurate portrayal of each case. The stuff in the show are compilations of various cases and few are portrayed as they are actually described in the Blue Book files. But then that's why I read the book.
Oh and in case anyone cares, Project Blue Book the History Channel series is worthwhile even if it's only 2 seasons, ends on a cliff hanger (probably in part because of COVID) and is absolutely fiction only based on history. One of the things that the series well does is provide a feel of what it was like during this Cold War Era. This background feel left over from the series made reading the book more interesting. UFOs and the Cold War surrounding nuclear power are an interesting blend of topics.
Quote:
''It can't be, therefore it isn't.''
October 5, 2011
This was one of the most entertaining and insightful books I have read in a long time. The author debunks the arguments put out by Project Blue Book. Even if one is a cynic, this depressing times like these, this book is a good escape!
August 29, 2021
Dr. Hynek was right in the midst of the UFO investigations post Roswell. Feeling pressure to dismiss the sightings as not real or explained. I find him to be a man who “went along” as instructed by the govt but did his own investigations amidst Blue Book with an open mind to keep investigating what ended up changing his somewhat skeptic attitude initially. Very smart man
June 9, 2017
Serious report
One of the best reports on the subject
In one line with Dr Maccabi and Dr Friedman
His deep insights regarding blue book appreciated
One of the best reports on the subject
In one line with Dr Maccabi and Dr Friedman
His deep insights regarding blue book appreciated
June 9, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Interesting historical perspective, but a bit dry and repetitive
The Hynek UFO Report is a fascinating look at how the U.S. government investigated UFO sightings, particularly through the lens of Project Blue Book. Dr. J. Allen Hynek, a former skeptic turned believer in the need for serious UFO research, brings authority and insight to the subject. His shift in perspective and access to official case files makes this a valuable read for anyone curious about the history of UFO investigations.
However, while the content is undeniably interesting, the presentation can feel dense and repetitive. Many of the reports start to blur together, and the scientific tone—while understandable given Hynek’s background—can make parts of the book feel more like a technical manual than an engaging narrative. It sometimes lacks the energy or personal touch that could have made the stories more compelling.
Still, for those deeply interested in the history of UFO research or wanting a firsthand look at government handling of unexplained phenomena, this book offers solid insight—even if it’s not the most thrilling read from start to finish.
Interesting historical perspective, but a bit dry and repetitive
The Hynek UFO Report is a fascinating look at how the U.S. government investigated UFO sightings, particularly through the lens of Project Blue Book. Dr. J. Allen Hynek, a former skeptic turned believer in the need for serious UFO research, brings authority and insight to the subject. His shift in perspective and access to official case files makes this a valuable read for anyone curious about the history of UFO investigations.
However, while the content is undeniably interesting, the presentation can feel dense and repetitive. Many of the reports start to blur together, and the scientific tone—while understandable given Hynek’s background—can make parts of the book feel more like a technical manual than an engaging narrative. It sometimes lacks the energy or personal touch that could have made the stories more compelling.
Still, for those deeply interested in the history of UFO research or wanting a firsthand look at government handling of unexplained phenomena, this book offers solid insight—even if it’s not the most thrilling read from start to finish.
June 27, 2025
Dull to the point of being soporific, while inconclusive and lacking academic weight, this work basically says that Hynek believes there is something interesting (beyond of interest to psychologists) behind UFO allegations but cannot support that beyond claiming 'that many witnesses cannot all be wrong'. He does not produce anything more solid than that by way of evidence, and no evidence of the "cover-up" described in sensational terms on the cover. All he really shows is that most of the scientists and military personnel he worked with were convinced UFO claims were all nonsense: they were not pretending that to cover anything up, they really believed there was nothing out there and that the witnesses were either mistaken, deluded or fraudsters. Hynek himself admits that the vast majority of alleged UFO witnesses are indeed mistaken, deluded or fraudsters but seems to cling to the possibility that a few might not be, without showing much reason for thinking so
September 24, 2024
While I highly appreciate the effort and research that went into assembling this volume of eerily similar stories, I have to admit that, due to said similarities, I got REALLY bored of listening to them [audiobook]. My mind wandered a LOT once we got to the third, or fifth, or eighth example of whichever phenomenon was being explored. It kind of made me want to cry "UNCLE! I BELIEVE you. I SWEAR!" And I do. I'm not a UFO hunter or enthusiast, but I have to agree with Hynek that all these reports add up to something, and it's not thousands of cases of psychological imbalance or atmospheric inversion...
December 15, 2024
At the moment I'm watching the TV show Project Blue Book. But what about the real facts? Reason enough to pick up the book written by the man who was the scientific head of the project back then. Inside you'll find his evaluations statements on all major cases, the experience itself, strange encounters, mysterious lights at night, flying discs in the daylight, radar UFOs, photos and some statistics where most of the sightings were and who reported them. Very useful background information on the series and very easy to read as the author has a fluent prose. I only missed photos. Project Blue Book was closed but the UFO riddles never solved. Really recommended.
Read
February 3, 2022Ann Arbor'da bir sahafta cillop gibi bir ilk baskısını bulduğum bu kitap, ufoloji için hayli önemli. J Allen Hynek, yüzlerce uçan cismi bilimsel bir bakış açısıyla sınıflandırıyor ve bunu yaparken yalnız "last resort" olarak yaptığı ufo açıklamalarını adım adım okuyorsunuz. Ayrıca kitaptaki ilginç bir kısım, zamanının devlet kurumlarının balon vs dediği raporları tekrar masaya yatırıp debunk ettiği kısım. Hynek Project bluebook ve öncesinde tam anlamıyla bir skeptik iken kendisinin raporları okudukça inanmaya başlaması da ilginç bir detay.
August 21, 2022
Bei der deutschen Übersetzung "Ufo Report - Ein Forschungsbericht" von Verlag Grenzwissenschaften von 1978 wurde der Projekt Name Blue Book leider in Blaues Buch übersetzt. Ich fand das sehr störend, aber habe es geschafft automatisch Blue Book zu lesen.
Der Inhalt ist sonst gut, man muss aber bedenken das dieses Buch von 1978 ist und daher nur ältere Fälle beinhaltet. Ich finde es interessant die Ansichten von J. Allen Hynek zu lesen, der an mehreren Projekten zum Thema Ufos beteiligt war.
Der Inhalt ist sonst gut, man muss aber bedenken das dieses Buch von 1978 ist und daher nur ältere Fälle beinhaltet. Ich finde es interessant die Ansichten von J. Allen Hynek zu lesen, der an mehreren Projekten zum Thema Ufos beteiligt war.
November 4, 2022
This is a groundbreaking historical reporting of cases from the late 1940s to the 1970s. I was very interested in knowing more about this period and this report pretty much covered everything I was hoping it would. Yes, it is dated because the content has been discussed in other books, media, and documentaries, but it's great to get a report directly from Dr. Hynek.
April 27, 2024
Again, I think this tome is more for the scientifically inclined, and not for the casual reader. An entire chapter later on is dedicated towards analysing the analysis conducted by Blue Book in terms of the frames of reference they used or classification of the UAP observed. I enjoyed it, although I can see why some readers wouldn't. It's certainly no one for the sensationalist!
May 2, 2019
A great read on UFO's and the back story of Project Blue Book, from the man himself! Far more interesting than the History Channel's rendition of him. I've been meaning to read this for a while, as his work was a significant chapter in the history of UFO research. Fun stuff :)
July 28, 2023
Informative.
I read this because I hoped for insight that changed Hynek's opinion on UFOs. I think the only drawback was the use of mentioned diagrams, but no photos, as discussed in text.
I read this because I hoped for insight that changed Hynek's opinion on UFOs. I think the only drawback was the use of mentioned diagrams, but no photos, as discussed in text.
May 21, 2024
The importance of Hynek's work cannot be overstated, but this book is more of a reference material than anything else. It can get very dry reading the same type of case report over and over (even about UFOs).
April 2, 2019
Project Blue Book Explained
Exactly what the History Channel TV series isn’t - an in depth factual analysis without any X Files type speculation
Exactly what the History Channel TV series isn’t - an in depth factual analysis without any X Files type speculation
Read
June 9, 2019I have the slovenian edition: NLP
September 17, 2021
"The question we must puzzle over is simply this: What [is the] level of objective reality?"
November 25, 2021
interesting information to ponder.
October 16, 2023
I'm interested in UFOs but I don't "believe" in them. Hynek's report is full of information and some speculation, but I'm afraid it's written as dry as a poorly preserved mummy. Hence three stars.
January 15, 2025
Boring and very repetitive.
June 30, 2020
J. Allen Hynek, a Dayton, Ohio-based astronomer was in 1947 enlisted by the Air Technical Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to provide a professional, scientific review of some of the very first official UFO reports. He went on to take part in the United States Air Force's various study projects and panels. Project Blue Book, the final, longest, and best-known of these projects, lasted nearly two decades (1952-1969). The project, headed by a small staff of low-level military officers, apportioned with a minuscule budget and dependent on a non-existent filing system, rarely conducted any in-depth investigations of UFO reports, largely due to a constant lack of manpower and resources. Hynek readily acknowledged his frustrations with the Project’s limitations, which were more than just budgetary.
According to Hynek, as with its predecessors, the Project's unofficial mandate was to disprove the existence of UFOs; to quote Hynek, "if it can't be real, it doesn't exist." With Blue Book, the Air Force, which had long before the Project's inception already concluded that UFOs did not present a threat to national security—their foremost concern from the start—essentially ran a public relations clearinghouse the mission of which was to explain away UFO sightings with an overreliance on mundane explanations. Indeed, project directors encouraged, if not required, investigators to provide conventional explanations for witness's anomalous experiences, e.g. clouds, birds, weather balloons, atmospheric phenomena, or the planet Venus. Initially a skeptic, Hynek at first relished debunking UFO reports, and his responses helped to set the parameters of Air Force investigations for the next several decades. Yet as reports began to proliferate in number and intricacy, it became increasingly apparent to Hynek that the Air Force was too quick to dismiss evidence and too ready to propose solutions to various sightings without a careful weighing of the evidence. As a result, Hynek's skepticism wavered, and he gradually came to view UFOs as a complex phenomenon deserving of scientific analysis.
Unlike Hynek's previous work, the classic The UFO Experience: A Scientific Report (1972), in which he provides a comprehensive scientific overview of the phenomenon and introduces the now-famous classification system of close encounters of the first, second, and third kind, his follow-up effort, The Hynek UFO Report is a rather more didactic work. Indeed, several chapters in the Report are given over to a case-by-case examination of several hundred of the over 12,000 sightings (roughly 144,000 document pages) in the Blue Book files, some of them classic cases (Socorro, Kelly-Hopkinsville, Exeter, the Father Gill sighting), including strange lights, flying discs, radar contacts, and close encounters of various kinds. It is these analyses that, some 43 years later, are perhaps of greatest interest to contemporary readers. Hynek's preliminary historical analysis and critique of the US Government's investigations, while necessary to frame his subsequent analysis, is a jargon-free, if somewhat dry summary of the official investigations conducted up to that point. Furthermore, there are significant limitations to the scope of Hynek's work: as a scientist he deals primarily with solid, "objective" physical and perceptual evidence, largely taken at face value, and he fails to delve into deeper metaphysical or psychological considerations.
The Hynek UFO Report was first published in 1977 to coincide with the release of Stephen Spielberg's Hynek-inspired blockbuster film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and is now back in print to accompany the recent television programme Project Blue Book (2018-2020), in which a fictional Hynek is protagonist. (A Hynek-inspired character also appears in the Spielberg film.) Hynek ``didn't come to the UFO field looking for answers to something he already believed," Hynek's children explain in a brief yet insightful foreword new to this edition. "He didn't 'believe' in UFOs, he accepted the validity of a growing number of UFO reports." This new edition reproduces Hynek's helpful charts, graphs, and illustrations, yet regrettably omits the photo reproductions of the original; alas, it does not correct the original's omission of an index. Given its vintage, Hynek's report is perhaps best enjoyed as an historical artifact. It provides an opportunity to relive a moment in UFOlogical history, as well as a stark reminder of the inherent limitations of bureaucratic, linear, and rational responses to a bafflingly elusive phenomenon that almost by design resists simple explanation. -- Eric Hoffman, Fortean Times
According to Hynek, as with its predecessors, the Project's unofficial mandate was to disprove the existence of UFOs; to quote Hynek, "if it can't be real, it doesn't exist." With Blue Book, the Air Force, which had long before the Project's inception already concluded that UFOs did not present a threat to national security—their foremost concern from the start—essentially ran a public relations clearinghouse the mission of which was to explain away UFO sightings with an overreliance on mundane explanations. Indeed, project directors encouraged, if not required, investigators to provide conventional explanations for witness's anomalous experiences, e.g. clouds, birds, weather balloons, atmospheric phenomena, or the planet Venus. Initially a skeptic, Hynek at first relished debunking UFO reports, and his responses helped to set the parameters of Air Force investigations for the next several decades. Yet as reports began to proliferate in number and intricacy, it became increasingly apparent to Hynek that the Air Force was too quick to dismiss evidence and too ready to propose solutions to various sightings without a careful weighing of the evidence. As a result, Hynek's skepticism wavered, and he gradually came to view UFOs as a complex phenomenon deserving of scientific analysis.
Unlike Hynek's previous work, the classic The UFO Experience: A Scientific Report (1972), in which he provides a comprehensive scientific overview of the phenomenon and introduces the now-famous classification system of close encounters of the first, second, and third kind, his follow-up effort, The Hynek UFO Report is a rather more didactic work. Indeed, several chapters in the Report are given over to a case-by-case examination of several hundred of the over 12,000 sightings (roughly 144,000 document pages) in the Blue Book files, some of them classic cases (Socorro, Kelly-Hopkinsville, Exeter, the Father Gill sighting), including strange lights, flying discs, radar contacts, and close encounters of various kinds. It is these analyses that, some 43 years later, are perhaps of greatest interest to contemporary readers. Hynek's preliminary historical analysis and critique of the US Government's investigations, while necessary to frame his subsequent analysis, is a jargon-free, if somewhat dry summary of the official investigations conducted up to that point. Furthermore, there are significant limitations to the scope of Hynek's work: as a scientist he deals primarily with solid, "objective" physical and perceptual evidence, largely taken at face value, and he fails to delve into deeper metaphysical or psychological considerations.
The Hynek UFO Report was first published in 1977 to coincide with the release of Stephen Spielberg's Hynek-inspired blockbuster film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and is now back in print to accompany the recent television programme Project Blue Book (2018-2020), in which a fictional Hynek is protagonist. (A Hynek-inspired character also appears in the Spielberg film.) Hynek ``didn't come to the UFO field looking for answers to something he already believed," Hynek's children explain in a brief yet insightful foreword new to this edition. "He didn't 'believe' in UFOs, he accepted the validity of a growing number of UFO reports." This new edition reproduces Hynek's helpful charts, graphs, and illustrations, yet regrettably omits the photo reproductions of the original; alas, it does not correct the original's omission of an index. Given its vintage, Hynek's report is perhaps best enjoyed as an historical artifact. It provides an opportunity to relive a moment in UFOlogical history, as well as a stark reminder of the inherent limitations of bureaucratic, linear, and rational responses to a bafflingly elusive phenomenon that almost by design resists simple explanation. -- Eric Hoffman, Fortean Times
January 30, 2011
got this at library books sale for like $1 and didnt getto go to the library last week so i was scrounging and ended up reading it... SUCKS if you want ot learn more about alien beings, would proabbly be a lot better if you go into this book excited to read all about how dots move on radar screens or like what a hubcap would look like if you threw it... NOT ENOUGH CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE 3RD KIND (CEIII) but here are humorous or interesting headings for cases that dr. hunek describes
The Case of the Puzzled Airport Tower Operator
A UFO Dogfight
The Case of the Michigan Spaceship
The Night of the Full Moon
The Vertical Red Dive
A Bright Star Getting Brighter
The Two Red Bluff Policemen
UFOs are Not For the Birds
The Case of the "Negligent" Operator
The Case of the Missing Report
The Case of the Tricky Disc
Flying Discs and the Taffy Apple
The Radar Case Condon Couldn't Crack
Aircraft, Plasma, Stars???
The Provincetown Baffler
Blue Book Boner
The Case of the Dogs and the Derby Hat
The Case of the Terrified Bull
The Case of the Leisurely Boomerang
The Case of the Blue Egg
The Case of the Flying Tadpole
The Lieutenant's Blimp
The Case of the Bawling Cattle
The Case of the Former Mayor
The Mysterious Baseball Cap
Which Craft in Salem, Massachusetts?
A Strange New Device of You Americans
The Case of the Puzzled Airport Tower Operator
A UFO Dogfight
The Case of the Michigan Spaceship
The Night of the Full Moon
The Vertical Red Dive
A Bright Star Getting Brighter
The Two Red Bluff Policemen
UFOs are Not For the Birds
The Case of the "Negligent" Operator
The Case of the Missing Report
The Case of the Tricky Disc
Flying Discs and the Taffy Apple
The Radar Case Condon Couldn't Crack
Aircraft, Plasma, Stars???
The Provincetown Baffler
Blue Book Boner
The Case of the Dogs and the Derby Hat
The Case of the Terrified Bull
The Case of the Leisurely Boomerang
The Case of the Blue Egg
The Case of the Flying Tadpole
The Lieutenant's Blimp
The Case of the Bawling Cattle
The Case of the Former Mayor
The Mysterious Baseball Cap
Which Craft in Salem, Massachusetts?
A Strange New Device of You Americans
June 23, 2021
Deriving its greatest power from its sheer boring, meticulous plodding through the data points of thousands of cases, this book contrasts with the histrionics so often associated with the subject. J. Allen Hynek's classic study documents the evidence that turned him from a (paid) military consultant and debunker to an ardent advocate for disclosure after his work on Project Blue Book. This was one of the books that launched the UFOlogy phenomenon and embedded the subject in the collective consciousness (no Scully and Mulder without Hynek.) Hynek also invented the official designations for encounters, such as "Close encounters of the Third Kind." Full of interesting insights into the committees and working groups, including the infamous Condon Report, Captain Edward J. Ruppelt, the beloved scientist Carl Sagan's mysterious back-and-forth on the subject, and much else. Fascinating, required reading for anyone interested in the subject, regardless of where their convictions lie.
March 1, 2017
Ik had dit boek via via gekregen in de jaren '90, toen ik in m'n UFO-periode zat en er enorm door gefascineerd was. J. Allen Hynek is (was?) een grote naam in het wereldje en dit boek een van de meest gekende, toch voor zover ik me het herinner. Best wel spannende lectuur. Vele jaren terug - toen ik het kreeg, zag het er al erg gebruikt uit - is het boek dan op het containerpark beland, net als andere boeken met dit thema.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews