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Without a Trace: More Evidence from the Bermuda Triangle

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Without A Trace

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

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About the author

Charles Berlitz

119 books72 followers
Born in NYC, Berlitz was the grandson of Maximilien Berlitz, who founded the Berlitz Language Schools. As a child, Charles was raised in a household in which (by father's orders) every relative & servant spoke to Charles in a different language. He reached adolescence speaking eight languages fluently. In adulthood, he recalled having had the delusion that every human spoke a different language, & wondering why he didn't have his own like everyone else. His father spoke to him in German, his grandfather in Russian, his nanny in Spanish.
He began working for the family's Berlitz School of Languages, during college breaks. The publishing house, of which he was vice president, sold, among other things, tourist phrase books & pocket dictionaries, several of which he authored. He also played a key role in developing record & tape language courses. He left the company in the late 1960s, not long after he sold the company to publishing firm Crowell, Collier & Macmillan. He graduated magna cum laude from Yale Univ.
Berlitz was a writer on anomalous phenomena. He wrote a number of books on Atlantis. In his book The Mystery of Atlantis, he used evidence from geophysics, psychic studies, classical literature, tribal lore, archeology & mysteries & concluded that Atlantis was real. Berlitz also attempted to link the Bermuda Triangle to Atlantis. He claimed to have located Atlantis undersea in the area of the Bermuda Triangle. He was also an ancient astronaut proponent who believed that extraterrestrials had visited earth.
Berlitz spent 13 years on active duty in the US Army, mostly in intelligence. In 1950, he married Valerie Seary, with whom he had a daughter, Lynn. He died in 2003 at the age of 89 at University Hospital in Tamarac, FL.

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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Profile Image for Evan.
1,087 reviews906 followers
June 24, 2011
This was the kind of UFO trash I loved to spot on the revolving metal rack at the grocery store inside K-Mart back in the mystical days of youth in the late 1970s. I bet it cost something like $1.25 new, which was just about what I could get dad to spend on an extra ditty for me; but a buck twenty five was not necessarily chump change back then; I'm thinkin' pops could have bought another 6 or 7 cans of tuna for that.

I read this and Berlitz's The Bermuda Triangle more or less contemporaneously, and I can't remember why it was necessary for him to write two books on the subject other than sheer profit motive. Oh well, this kind of book went well with a tuna sandwich.
Profile Image for Genna.
907 reviews5 followers
February 19, 2014
Great book for Conspiracy Theory Bingo. More fun to read after consuming alcohol.
10.7k reviews35 followers
May 18, 2023
A FOLLOW-UP AND EXTENSION OF HIS PREVIOUS BOOK ‘THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE’

Author Charles Berlitz wrote in the Foreword to this 1977 book, “I am the author of ‘The Bermuda Triangle,’ a book that … has attained sales of over 5,000,000… what, one may ask, is the purpose of another book about the Bermuda Triangle? The aim of the present book is… to examine previously unrecorded and new incidents as well as current developments within the Triangle. These seem to fit within a larger picture as well as to lead further and deeper into mysteries of ever-broadening scope… I have received thousands of letters … and telephone calls … from people who personally had undergone unusual experiences in the Triangle... It was as if a great mine of untapped information had been inadvertently uncovered by the publication of ‘The Bermuda Triangle’ … that … seemed to be pointing to a possible solution so unusual as to be almost inconceivable according to our normal concepts… It is no longer necessary to bring the question of the Bermuda Triangle out into the open; it is already there. It is more pertinent to examine these new developments, not only to reconsider a zone of possible danger … but also to explore more deeply the attendant mysteries of our own environment, where familiar areas… may not always be what they seem.” (Pg. vi-vii)

He observes, “The greater number of these [new] reports are characterized by a common theme of aberrant electromagnetic activity… In addition, reports tell of shining and pulsating lights seen in the night sky or beneath the sea… the inexplicable loss or gain of time on air flights as well as the well-witnessed appearances of ‘phantom’ ships and planes appearing, disappearing or crashing… as if repeating an incident lost in time. Many of these reports touch on previously unreported phenomena which.. may be relevant to the over-all mystery of the Triangle.” (Pg. 5)

He adds, “even if all the disappearances of ships, planes, and people were the result of pure coincidence, it is still evident… that there exist within the Triangle unusual magnetic, weather, and perhaps gravitational anomalies and that they have affected… ships, planes---and their occupants… there could be something on the sea bottom itself, perhaps man-made and left over from another time, that was causing the unusual magnetic forces… An examination of the now considerably revised number of the disappearing ships and planes …should provide---if not an explanation---at least a convenient tally sheet of these voyages to oblivion.” (Pg. 17)

He explains that many of the new reports came from people who “had been cautioned by their superiors not to discuss these happenings publicly… These communications have come from ex-service or retired personnel of the U.S. Navy and Air Force… from members of the merchant marines of many nations... who have never forgotten their unusual and unexplained experiences in the Bermuda Triangle.” (Pg, 56-57)

He suggests, “The existence of presently unidentified sea monsters in oceanic depths, perhaps living underwater caverns or crevices such as those in the Bermuda Triangle, is far from incredible and may become even less so in the future as deep sea drilling for oil and submarine patrol activities at increasingly greater depths eventually bring more observers into more direct contact with previously unknown forms of undersea life.” (Pg. 74)

He proposes, “A drowned empire that has persisted in the legends of the human race as Atlantis may today lie under the waters of the Bermuda Triangle, perhaps a victim, in the distant past, of the same violent forces for which the area is still known… undersea research …may have uncovered what may be the first concrete proofs of the Atlantic legend.” (Pg. 86)

He notes, “There now exist considerably more numerous descriptions of circumstances which have been encountered by other individuals, which have been encountered by other individuals, who dd NOT vanish and lived to report some of the attendant phenomena which may have been the last view of life (as we know it) for others who did not survive to tell about it. These accounts may represent reports from the edge of disaster---from the fringe of the area of aberration---in other words, not well enough inside it to bring their observations, as well as their lives, to a definite conclusion.” (Pg. 106-107)

He states, “the fact that a psychological explanation of the influence of the Bermuda Triangle has been subsequently adduced in the case is illustrative of the spreading interest in, and concern about, suspected forces---natural or alien---in the area. These forces, whatever they are, give evidence of causing unexpected modifications of our accepted laws concerning matter, gravity, space and time.” (Pg. 130)

He summarizes, “whatever the explanation of UFOs may be… it appears to be fairly evident that UFO activities are somehow associated with the phenomena of the Bermuda Triangle and an examination of their reported activity in that area may indicate a connection that has previously evaded notice---possibly because it was so obvious.” (Pg. 152)

He goes on, “In the over-all picture of UFO appearances over the seas, coasts, and lands of Earth there is a basis for the conclusion that incidents are not only occurring with greater frequency but are being witnessed by an increasing number of qualified observers. Meanwhile informed opinion as to the provenance and purposes of UFOs has undergone a subtle change.” (Pg. 180)

He speculates, “the road to other worlds may be closer than we have previously imagined, if we can find it or if we wish to travel on it. Though we may already have taken the first step without knowing it---in 1943, almost as a by-product of a research experiment reportedly carried out by the United States Navy… [called] the ‘Philadelphia Experiment’ in books, magazines, … newspapers.” (Pg. 193)

He concludes, “Perhaps the Bermuda Triangle… is at the same time an indication and a beacon to stranger and even further voyages. Perhaps it is ALREADY serving other as a road, while for us, when we learn how to control the principles involved, it may prove to be the gateway to our one road to the start and to the multiple worlds of the galaxies which surround us.” (Pg. 208)

This book will probably appeal to those interested in the Bermuda Triangle and similar ‘mysterious topics.
Profile Image for Ross Blocher.
548 reviews1,449 followers
October 13, 2025
I've been reading through Charles Berlitz's books on fringe topics, and one theme becomes rapidly clear: Berlitz repackages the same book over and over. In Without A Trace, Berlitz says that after publishing The Bermuda Triangle in 1974, former military personnel emerged from the woodwork to offer their own stories of strange things they witnessed and were told never to share. "The aim of this present book is neither to refute, inform, nor educate critics of the reality of the mystery but rather to examine previously unrecorded and new incidents as well as current developments within the Triangle." Only about 20% of the book matches that description. The rest is Berlitz recapitulating the same anecdotes he's shared before, making completely new errors of fact and logic, and branching off into esoteric topics. He does make good on his promise not to address critics, though manages to work in a dig at Lawrence Kusche (author of The Bermuda Triangle Mystery-Solved) for conducting his [infinitely superior] investigations remotely.

One thing Berlitz muddles from the very start is the definition of the Bermuda Triangle, which you think he would have locked down by now. Usually, it is said to connect Miami, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico. In his introduction, Berlitz describes the triangle as "an area between Florida, the Sargasso Sea, and Bermuda". Florida is not a point on a map, and the Sargasso Sea is a large and amorphous patch that roughly centers on Bermuda and extends far north and east of the traditional triangle. In the introduction [2 pages later!] he defines it as "the general area bounded by Bermuda in the north, Florida in the west, and in the east, a point in the ocean in the vicinity of 40° west longitude." This last boundary pushes the triangle far east, nearly in line with the eastern tip of Brazil. These are incompatible definitions, and provide extensive wiggle room. On page 20, Berlitz further obscures the area of effect: "We do not know whether the area where the disappearances have occurred and are occurring is truly a triangle, a rectangle, or trapezoid..."

In a thirteen page chart listing boat disappearances between 1800 and 1976, many of the listed locations of disappearance don't even correspond to Berlitz's inflated triangles. The Caribbean? Nope. West Indies? Nope. East of Hampton Roads, Virginia? Nope. Southwest/North/West of Azores? Double nope. Those were just on the first page! Elsewhere, Berlitz talks about a similar anomalous zone near Japan called the "Devil Sea", and claims that it is located on the opposite side of the planet from the Bermuda Triangle. While that may jibe with some of his magnetic fluctuation theories, it contradicts other explanations such as the purported location of Atlantis. And once again, he's wrong on basic facts! Antipodal to the Bermuda Triangle is the sea off the west coast of Australia... not anywhere close to Japan. Wrong hemisphere, Bud.

When Berlitz asserts "calculated odds in the Bermuda Triangle of more than a thousand to one against the same number of unexplained disappearances taking place in another specified area of the same size" (I'd love to know who performed that calculation), he quickly offers an about-face. "This does not necessarily mean, of course, that a trip to or through the Bermuda Triangle is any more, or even nearly as, dangerous as taking a Sunday drive on an expressway." Well, then, why are we even writing this book?

In the category of esoteric diversions, here are some wild geese Berlitz chases in this book:
- A crew member of the Alvin submersible claims he saw a creature in the "Tongue of the Ocean" deeps (near the Bahamas). When Berlitz's associate J. Manson Valentine shows that crew member a drawing of a plesiosaur, the man says that's exactly what he saw. This implies that... the Loch Ness Monster has a cousin in the Bermuda Triangle?
- A diver from Miami is quoted as saying he spotted "an underwater abominable snowman". Sure, why not?
- Hollow Earth theory gets a mentioned here, in support of the notion that planes can travel through wormholes that open up rifts in time and space. Not only does Berlitz lend credence to the story that Admiral Byrd discovered a polar entrance to the center of the Earth; he also claims that Hitler traveled to Antarctica seeking to contact the wise ones who live in the Earth's interior.
- Glowing patches of the ocean, visible from space, are explained as bioluminescent diatoms. And yet, Berlitz feels compelled to offer: "Another theory, equally unacceptable to the scientific establishment, would be the existence of present day, underwater or submarine and subterranean power complexes administered by as yet unidentified entities."
- There are more UFO stories in this book than you can throw a stick at, and Berlitz speculates that stories of fairies, ghosts, gods, miracles, time travel, and cattle mutilation could all be attributed to these mysterious craft (and their inhabitants).
- The entire final chapter is about the Philadelphia Experiment, an alleged military operation to test a cloaking device that ended up killing and/or disabling most of the target boat's crew. It has nothing to do with the Bermuda Triangle, though something to do with vanishing. Berlitz even admits that "Whether the Philadelphia experiment actually took place or not is difficult to prove." And yet, this would constitute the subject of his next book, The Philadelphia Experiment (1979), which just happens to be the first work of Berlitz's that I read as an 8th grader.

And it wouldn't be a Charles Berlitz book without some racism sprinkled in. From the final paragraph of the book: "…One may observe, however we feel about the justice of the European incursion, that it subsequently proved unquestionably better for survival purposes, to have been a questing and curious European rather than a non-questing Amerindian, the greater number of which were destined for extinction." That's rich... implying that Indigenous Americans, whose ancestors came here first, lacked the capacity for discovery.

There are so many more inconsistencies and failures of logic listed in my notes, but the key phrase to describe Berlitz's approach is "anomaly hunting". Berlitz is uninterested in solving mysteries. He is in the business of selling mystery, and curates hearsay and speculation in support of his wild and contradictory theories.
Profile Image for Helsean K..
50 reviews1 follower
April 5, 2019
More or less the same things written in the previous book by Charles Berlitz, Bermuda Triangle.
Author 23 books120 followers
June 24, 2017
Many of these stories are compelling. I don't like extremes, so I don't just rack up every missing ship/plane as ordinary and ignore it, nor do I jump off to aliens and gateways. I like Berlitz and his attempts to track down as many people affected by the Bermuda Triangle as possible to get details. It speaks of a journalistic mind and open to get data. He is willing to debunk false reports. But some of these disappearances, noted by Coast Guard and Navy involving transmissions from ships weeks after they were gone and should be out of fuel, the ships perfectly intact but bereft of crew, are startling events needing more investigation. A good look into an ignored phenomenon.
Profile Image for Σταύρος Παυλίδης.
168 reviews4 followers
April 17, 2025
Το διάβασα στα Ελληνικά,σε έκδοση τσέπης κακής ποιότητας και κακομεταφρασμένο.Το τρίγωνο των Βερμούδων,UFO,εξωγήινοι,ταξίδια στο διάστημα αλλά και στο χρόνο,χαμένη Ατλαντίδα,πείραμα της Φιλαδέλφειας...Το βιβλίο τα έχει όλα!Το διάβασα όπως θα διάβαζα ένα μυθιστόρημα του Ιουλίου Βερν και όχι σαν σοβαρό,επιστημονικό βιβλίο.Με κούρασε λίγο με τις ατέλειωτες αναφορές σε εξαφανίσεις πλοίων και αεροπλάνων.Δεν ξέρω αν τα <<γεγονότα>> που περιγράφει έχουν κάποιο ίχνος αλήθειας πάντως το βιβλίο είναι βούτυρο στο ψωμί αυτών που δεν πιστεύουν σε τίποτα και τα βλέπουν όλα σαν θεωρίες συνωμοσίας.
Profile Image for Peter.
4,079 reviews807 followers
July 2, 2023
I love that speculative pseudo-science since I first came across it in the 80s. This book deals with disappearing people in the Bermuda Triangle, refers to messages from the missing and tries to find reasons why they are amiss. Atlantis, cosmic, extraterrestrial involvement, the phenomenon of time, roads to other worlds... everything sounds very fantastic but it is very intriguing and readable. Really recommended!
Profile Image for José Nebreda.
Author 19 books130 followers
August 30, 2017
Yo esto me lo tomo como literatura de ficción. Pero tiene su aquel.
Profile Image for Vicki Gooding.
917 reviews16 followers
February 6, 2019
Incredible. The Bermuda Triangle has been filled with strange and marvelous stories. Some accountable, many others none that we've failed to find. Years before this book the author wrote a book on the Bermuda Triangle. Dozens and dozens of responses came in. So with further evidence and additional stories came this book. Exciting read.
Profile Image for Joe.
23 reviews28 followers
June 6, 2009
Great book on the Bermuda Traingle.
Profile Image for Sergio ruocchio.
79 reviews
August 6, 2013
seguito di Bermuda :il triangolo maledetto. nuove testimkonianze , altri episodiautentici ma inspiegabile. teorie sconvolgenti
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews

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