The UFO Phenomenon

Mysteries of the Unknown

by George Constable (Editor), Janet P. Cave, Laura Foreman

Discusses sightings and controversies regarding unidentified flying objects. Topics include alien encounters, the Roswell incident, and allegations of government cover-ups.

Genres: Paranormal, Nonfiction, Mystery, Reference, Aliens, Occult, Pseudoscience

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

Reviews

[Max Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a kid I was fascinated by aliens and UFOs. One night, my mom let me stay up and watched the Unsolved Mysteries abduction episodes. The light at the end of our long driveway terrified me from then on. And then I went and found some books on the subject (see my review on Frank Edwards's Stranger Than Science for the more detailed story). Needless to say, the lavish, metallic-ink pictures in this staple of every used bookstore's "Paranormal" shelf only fueled the fire. It has some strange factual errors (I believe it claims that Billy Meier's photos and films are the best-supported evidence for the phenom, and these have been completely debunked), but the wonder is all there. This rates five stars for nostalgia alone.

[Dania · Rating 5 out of 5]

My dad owns this book and it has been there in our house library since I was very little. I believe he bought it before I was even born. He used to read the book to me frequently and I remember how I was so amazed of everything! I used to bring this book to my primary school and my friends would take turn to borrow it. Because who doesn't love UFOs, right?

This book uncovered famous sightings that people claimed to witness which turned to be plain hoaxes and also a few real ones. It also told everything about UFOs and aliens scientifically. I also learned from this book that there was this one sighting that took place in my home country, Malaysia.

All in all this book is a good read. I love it.

[Rob · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though it's a decent overview of "the UFO phenomenon"†, the prose isn't terribly compelling. The layout and the typeface doesn't help -- the way the words are put down on the page seems to make the eyes wander. There are plenty of fun little historical and anecdotal nuggets about UFO sightings and alleged alien abductions and the author(s) have tried to keep it nice and even keeled -- plenty of room for this stuff to be true but plenty of room for it all to be hoaxes and misunderstandings.

But the pictures make it fun.

★★★★ for the pictures. ★★ for the writing.




† = Well, I thought it was a bit "U.S.-centric" but some might argue that there is something a bit U.S.-centric about modern UFOlogy anyway.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Do we have neighbors in the cosmos? Or is their existence no more than a mirror of our fantasies? Perhaps in the infancy of our species we are like children in the dark. We peer into the blackness, fearing it yet seeking within it some reassurance that we are not alone. We cling to the notion that somewhere in the void are beings not unlike us, but maybe wiser, better--creatures who can tell us secrets that will save us from ourselves."

[P.S. Winn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently 'inherited' boxes of time life books. I am slowly working my way through them. I have found each of them well written with beautiful pictures and illustrations. I am fascinated by UFO's and found this book informative and intriguing. So much great information going back years. I'd say this is a great one to pick up.

[Sean McNulty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic for the field especially for younger generations of ufo enthusiasts, the book provides a wide breath of classic encounters as well as a basic history of the field and its prominent figures. While the book doesn’t have the benefit of being updated with additional material, it’s an superb (if not long winded at times) beginner book for anyone interested in the field of ufology.

[Earl Truss · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good early history of UFO research by the Air Force and other Federal agencies. It attempts to cover some of the most important of sightings from 1947 to the mid-80s in an objective manner. I've read some of the books mentioned in this book also.

[Gabriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently found this in my garage. I used to read it all the time as a kid. UFOs have always been fascinating to me. Of course, I know now it's all weird conspiracy stuff, but this book instilled a great sense of wonder in little me.

[Coleman Wigger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plenty of facts here.

[Rick Vickers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book on UFO's from the Time life series

[Ashleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 and 1/2 stars

[Brennan Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

An honest, non-partisan look at the UFO phenomenon.

[Erik Graff · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought a bunch of the books from this series at once, planning to give them all away to Mike Miley when I next visited him. This one, however, I kept to show to my stepbrother, Erik Badger, who had recently moved in with me after some years living in Haiti. He hadn't done a UFO book before and this was an attractive survey of the field for someone unfamiliar with it. As intended, he went on to read several more books--all more serious than this craven piece of rank sensationalism.

[Roopkumar Balachandran · Rating 5 out of 5]

I firmly believe we are not alone.

This book had given me some information about Allen Hynek and Keyhoe. Which I am trying to obtain the books written by them.

The Air force/Project Blue Book always denied the UFO sighting phenomenon as some kind of natural occurrence. When a couple of patrolman tried to follow the oval light for over an hour, they (Project Blue book) made a ridiculous statement that they chased the morning star!

[Sunu · Rating 3 out of 5]

just trust!!!
mothership has come near us...

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

i have had this book in my "coffee table book" collection for years. It is interesting and has great photos. A must for all people interested in UFO's!

[Steve Mitchell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Put together as an encyclopaedia that deals with the subject from the starting point that UFOs are alien spacecraft that actually do exist rather than showing the evidence impartially

[Kenneth Sarmiento · Rating 4 out of 5]

its ok

[Dominik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wie so vieles zum Thema UFOs ist der Inhalt wahrscheinlich größtenteils Unfug, aber immerhin ist es unterhaltsamer Unfug.

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview of the controversial subject.