Impossible Truths: Amazing Evidence of Extraterrestrial Contact

by Erich von Däniken

A highly readable introduction to Erich von Däniken’s astounding theories about alien contact with the Earth from earliest times, updated with new evidence from his research into formerly inaccessible sites.

Why do flying machines and astronauts appear in the artworks and sacred texts of all ancient cultures? What is the meaning of the immense earth drawings, impossible to view from the ground, that can be found all over the globe? How could prehistoric cultures have engraved diorite and other hard rock with such incredible precision without the use of modern tools? In this mind-bending new book, Erich von Däniken draws on his latest research to update his astounding theory that the inhabitants of other planets have kept in contact with humankind since the earliest times. • Assess for yourself the stunning visual evidence presented in some 200 photographs. • Examine previously unpublished testimony from expert informants. • Discover new research undertaken by von Däniken after the opening up of previously inaccessible regions, such as the jungle city “Buritaca 200” in Colombia.

Genres: Nonfiction, Space, Aliens

208 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 16, 2018

About the author

Greek: Έριχ φον Νταίνικεν

Erich Anton Paul von Däniken (1935–2026) was a Swiss author of several pseudoscientific books which made claims about extraterrestrial influences on early human culture, including the best-selling Chariots of the Gods?, published in 1968. Däniken was one of the main figures responsible for popularizing the "paleo-contact" and ancient astronauts hypotheses.

The ideas put forth in his books are rejected by virtually all scientists and academics, who categorize his work as pseudohistory, pseudoarchaeology, and pseudoscience. Early in his career, he was convicted and served time for several counts of fraud or embezzlement, and wrote one of his books in prison.

Reviews

[Richard West · Rating 3 out of 5]

While nothing he writes will come close to being as thought-provoking or controversial as his original "Chariots Of The Gods" you have to give Erich von Daniken credit - he keeps trying! The problem is, so much of what he covers is material he has covered in other books and repeating the same thing book after book does get tiresome. This time around however, he does include some new material, but then he goes back to discussing the Nazca lines in Peru - again.

The photos alone are worth the cost of the book since most of them are new and have not appeared in previous books of his, however, some of them are a bit on the dark side and fail to show the detail he would have liked to have shown.

This is one of those books you can read in a day if you put your mind to it - and even the slowest of readers can knock it out in a couple of days. It took me a couple of days when I could have read it in one because of other things I had going on at the time. The print is large and the book checks in at under 300 pages with tons of photos.

Must reading for the van Daniken follower. Those just discovering him should start with the aforementioned "Chariots Of the Gods" (50th anniversary edition with some new material promised is due out in the Summer of 2018)

[Lisa Kizer · Rating 2 out of 5]

So many things I can say about this. 1st I want to clear up, I do think there is the possibility that aliens may have visited earth in the pass. However I do not think Mr. von Daniken has proven it. This is the latest of several of his books I have read, and I am always left wondering if it just does not translate well. In this book he using texts like the Book of Mormon to 'prove' that angels were actually aliens or the Hopi legend of Kasskara (which is only mentioned by one Hopi elder in the 1960/70s). He gets some his facts wrong and that makes me question the rest of the book. Example: the statue being created in South Dakota is NOT of Sitting Bull but of Crazy Horse (p116). I come away confused if he is defending religion or science or if he is against both. I just really think he should present the unusual or fantastic places on earth and just wonder about its creation without trying to prove an alien connection.

[Pop Bop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once More, With Feeling

I was a young teenager in 1968 when "Chariots of the Gods" was first published. It was a cheesy paperback that cost $1.25, and it was a bombshell. Everyone knew the title and talked about extraterrestrial beings gifting Earth with advanced technology and knowledge, leaving behind ancient inexplicable structures and odd artifacts. Pyramids, Stonehenge, the heads on Easter Island - all the biggies. Remember, this was a year and a half before the first Moon landing and people were space crazy. Maybe it was hula-hoop silly, but it was still fun.

Well, we now have Ancient Alien TV shows, and four decades worth of E.T.-style movies, and "The Truth Is Out There" conspiracies, but I was delighted to see that Von Daniken is still poking around ancient ruins and revisiting classics, (Nazca lines, Machu Picchu), in order to confirm and expand his theories. I don't care if he's right or not; that isn't the point. It is undeniable that the places he takes us to and the things he shows us are cool, weird, inexplicable, and, in an odd way, romantic and thought provoking. Love him or hate him, buy it or debunk it, Stonehenge and Nazca and the like are still standing and daring us to figure them out.

So, what do we get in this new volume? Well, something old and something new. We start with Chavin de Huantar, which is in Peru and is arguably a copy of Solomon's Temple. Lehi, Nephi, and the Book of Mormon offer guidance here. We look at stonework and carvings in Cuzco, Peru before landing in Machu Picchu, which is always spectacular. We visit the platforms and terraces of Buritaca, Columbia. We re-examine Nazca, but also address lines in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the Atacama Desert, and elsewhere, all accompanied by fascinating, (and mostly original), photos.

And so it goes. In addition to the areas to which substantial attention is devoted there are literally hundreds of other references peppered into the narrative, as digressions or further illustrations of a point or as additional evidence for some argument being made. It's neat and it's fun and it pushes the boundaries, which are all good things. I was happy to revisit this world and to see that Von Daniken is still out there, finding things for us to look at.

(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

[Eileen Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a skeptic such as me, this was an interesting, but unbelievable read.
When Von Daniken first appeared on the scene, his theories were taken on board by people, with a vengeance, seeing ET in everything that was not plausible it seemed.
Hence the X Files became the most popular TV series at the time and still is, judging by the amount of repeats that are shown on TV lately.
Personally, I believe in the X Files and not Von Daniken, much more believable!!
(The Truth Is Out There).
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Watkins Publications via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.

[Stefanie Dettmers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Besonders beeindruckend die Bilder steinzeitlicher Blöcke / Bauten, die mit keiner der damaligen und der Technik darauf folgender Epochen bewerkstelligt werden konnte. Die Präzision ist unwahrscheinlich. Informationen über Vimanas und ähnliche Flugobjekte in der antiken Überlieferung.

[Dean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting and great color photos. Most that I have never seen before.

[Floyd Liff · Rating 5 out of 5]

He does it again

Erich von Damien does it again with another good book on a different aspect to history. Well worth the read.

[p.a.robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s an interesting book and I do believe aliens have been here before, this book however was not as long as his previous books but the photos in the book were good

[Mr S Jarvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting prospective on human history.