REVIEWS OF THE MYSTERIOUS KIND

Strange Creatures of London

2012-01-10T06:24:00.000-08:00

This just in from Jon Downes at the Center for Fortean Zoology:

The Centre for Fortean Zoology’s Mystery Animals of the British Isles series continues to put out detailed guides to the weirder side of Britain’s zoology, and Neil Arnold’s latest book, Mystery Animals of the British Isles: London is no exception.

Every aspect of the capital’s strange fauna is analysed, with sections on Alien Big Cats, the Highgate Vampire, sky and water beasts, as well as a look at the weird goings on in Harrods and the Tower of London, making this book an extremely detailed reference guide to the strange goings on throughout the years in London.

Though still a sprawling metropolis, London is still a hub for odd happenings. Take for instance, the vultures in the parks, the London Goatman, the beast of Ruislip, giant catfish in the canals, scorpions in the supermarkets, huge rats in the sewers, the Brentford Griffin, fish-falls, Spring-Heeled Jack and spectral horses, and you end up with a city far stranger than one would expect!

Elegantly written in an engaging style, Arnold manages to weave together the complicated zoological mysteries surrounding London into a comprehensive volume vast in scope, but still prefect for bedtime reading. You will never walk the streets of London in quite the same mindset ever again…

Mystery Animals of the British Isles: London by Neil Arnold is available from CFZ Books at www.cfz.org.uk

Neil Arnold is available for interview.

Monster Mojo!

2012-01-05T11:39:00.001-08:00

In 2010, I wrote an article for Penthouse magazine titled Sex and the Supernatural, which covered such wacky issues as human-alien sex, hot action of the ghostly variety, and the sex life of Bigfoot.

And, on this latter point of what Sasquatch likes to do when it is not out foraging for food or scaring people on lonely stretches of road late at night...

There's a new series of fiction books available - penned by author Virginia Wade - that offer the Bigfoot student a wealth of fun and entertaining tales on Bigfoot and its monstrous Mojo.

The overall title of the series is (wait for it...) Cum for Bigfoot! Yes, really! Brilliant!

And, hot on the heels of the newly-published first volume, there's another one, ahem, coming soon!

As the blurb below from the publisher demonstrates, while undeniably fun to read, they may not make the best present for Granny (that is, unless Granny has a thing for animalistic sex of the hairy-giant variety, in which case the old lady will absolutely love it!).

Talking of the publishers' blurb, here it is:

If you go into the woods today…

On a weeklong outing in Mt. Hood National Forest, what begins as a flirty, fun filled trip soon turns into a nightmare, when an ape-like creature kidnaps a group of teen girls with the purpose of procreating with them.

This story contains oral sex, fingering, forced consent, penetration with a large object, and ménage à trois. All characters are eighteen and above. Adult 18+

Well, who knew that Bigfoot ever had such fun??!!

All I can say is: bring on Volume 3!

To find out more about the Cum for Bigfoot series, check out Virginia Wade's website, which also includes info on a forthcoming title that may be of interest to the fan of all things weird - Cum for Frankenstein!

In fact, I can see a whole range of additional titles surfacing - Cum for Nessie: Lust in the Loch; Cum for the Chupacabra: Sucking on a Goat; and Cum for the Michigan Dogman: Doing it Doggy-Style!

Reflections of a UFO Investigator

2012-01-04T13:40:00.000-08:00

There's a new book out right now from UFO author and investigator Kevin Randle, and here's the good folk at Anomalist Books to tell you all about it:

Reflections of a UFO Investigator by Kevin Randle.

Trade Paperback, 270 Pages, 70 Illustrations.

$15.95, ISBN: 1933665564.

Genre(s): UFOs.

This is the journey begun by a teenager who had a question about a UFO sighting.

This is the story of that boy who became a UFO investigator and used every opportunity he had to investigate cases throughout the United States.

This is a report on investigations as diverse as the Carroll Wayne Watts contact case and the Roswell UFO crash.

This is a history of UFO research from the mid-1960s until today, told by someone who was there and who saw much of it himself.

This is the account of a researcher who fought to let the facts speak for themselves in the midst of heated arguments within the UFO community

This is the memoir of an adult who found a few answers to the UFO mystery but in the process came face to face with dozens of new questions.

This is REFLECTIONS OF A UFO INVESTIGATOR by Kevin Randle.

About the Author:

KEVIN D. RANDLE is a retired military officer who served in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot and in Iraq as an intelligence officer. He has been investigating UFOs for more than 40 years and has traveled throughout the U.S. on his quest to learn the truth. He has written more than 20 books on UFOs, has interviewed hundreds of people about their experiences, and has lectured throughout the country about one of the most puzzling phenomenon in our times.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Excerpt from Chapter 4: The University Years

In a newsletter sent to various Air Force functions around the world, it was announced that the Blue Book files were housed at Maxwell Air Force Base and anyone who got there could take a look at them. All you had to know was where they were and that they had been declassified...

So just after the new year began and while still on break from the university, I set out for Alabama with my friend and colleague at the time, Robert Charles Cornett, and a letter of introduction from the AFROTC detachment commander so that we might use the facilities on the base.

Cornett was a strange man. He had entered the university with the idea of majoring in Russian and physics, two of the most difficult fields. He quickly decided that this wasn’t for him and began to look at his other passion, writing. Together we would write a number of action adventure books, science fiction novels, and magazine articles. This was our first joint venture.

We arrived at the archive at about eight in the morning, found our way to the desk where we could make our requests, and ran into the first roadblock. They weren’t inclined to help us. They didn’t want us looking at the files. They didn’t want us on their Air Force base. And they were unimpressed with our letter of introduction or the fact that we were in the AFROTC. They couldn’t have been more unpleasant.

But then a fellow, identified as “Mr. Smith” from Washington, showed up and talked to us. He looked at our letter of introduction, asked us a few questions, and told us to “wait here.”

Twenty minutes later he was back, said nothing to us, didn’t even acknowledge our presence, but told the staff at the archives, “Give these guys whatever they want.”

I don’t know who this man was, what his role at the archives might have been, or if he really was from Washington. All I know is that those behind the desk then told us how things worked, that the copy machines were few and far between, and that we could use any of the vacant study rooms, but if anyone in the “real” Air Force needed the room, then we had to surrender it. Since there didn’t seem to be an overflow crowd, we just nodded. In all the days we were there, I don’t remember ever seeing anyone else using the study rooms.

So now we had to come up with something. We didn’t know what was in the files or how the system worked. I remembered a couple of cases and asked for the files on those. One of them was the Kinross disappearance, which involved a jet fighter and a UFO. The fighter had disappeared during the intercept attempt...

Unbelievable: A Monster Lurks in Wales...

2011-12-21T06:06:00.000-08:00

Unless someone shoots a Bigfoot, or a Nessie washes up on the shore of Loch Ness in the next few days, this will likely be my final post before the holidays. Fortunately, the subject matter is a very good one!

Available right now is a brand new graphic novel written and illustrated by a friend of mine who lives in Wales: Simon Wyatt. Its title is Unbelievable: The Man Who Ate Daffodils.

If you have read my book, The Real Men in Black, you will have seen Simon's excellent artwork contained within its pages. Specifically, the drawings of two Men in Black and of the legendary Mothman of Point Pleasant, West Virginia.

So, with that said, what is Simon's book all about? Well, I'll tell you! And probably the best way for me to do that is by including here the Foreword I wrote for Simon's book, and which reads as follows:

"Not only is Simon Wyatt a highly-skilled artist and a gifted story-teller with a fine imagination, he's also a mate. And so, when Simon asked me if I would be willing to write a foreword for his latest mighty, monstrous tome, my answer was a quick and enthusiastic 'Yes!'

"So, after a copy of the manuscript made its way across the Atlantic to my home in Dallas, Texas, I sat down on what was an appropriately dark, stormy and windswept night to read Simon's story. And, I'm very pleased that I did!

"Simon has skilfully weaved together a swirling tale of magical, Gothic, cryptozoological and sinister proportions that rather reminds me of a perfect combination of those classic old Hammer horror-films of the late 1950s and 1960s; The Hound of the Baskervilles; Primeval; Scooby-Doo; The Secret Seven; and a good old adventure tale of the type that are sorely missed today. And all told in Simon's own unique style and brand, too, of course.

"Hideous killer-beasts roaming around the darkened, shadowy streets of a small Welsh town; creepy and eccentric characters with black secrets and hidden agendas; a few adventurous kids who are at the heart of the puzzle; fantastic myths and tales of centuries past; and much more all combine to create a suspense-filled story that will appeal to anyone and everyone with an appreciation of all-things weird and ominously atmospheric.

"Part-detective story, part-monster hunt, and part-whodunit, the story Simon tells will keep you entertained right up to (and including, of course!) the absolute last page.

"And the very good news is that more volumes - and more dark goings-on - are destined to follow! Keep 'em coming, Si!"

And, if that has caught your attention (and hopefully it has!), here's a bunch of links where you can find more about Simon's work, his new book, Unbelievable, and how and where to purchase your very own copies.

Click on the links for all the info:Markosia's Website listing and order details: http://www.markosia.com/wordpress/titles/unbelievable-the-man-who-ate-daffodilis/

A review by Starburst magazine: http://www.starburstmagazine.com/reviews/comic-reviewscomics-a-graphic-novels/1098-comic-review-unbelievable-the-man-who-ate-daffodils-by-simon-wyatt

Free preview: http://www.myebook.com/index.php?option=ebook&id=91245

Official Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Unbelievable-The-Man-Who-Ate-Daffodils/227365990640745?sk=wall&filter=12

And last but not least, Simon's blog, StrangelyDrawn; http://simonwyatt.blogspot.com/

Lost Civilizations and Secrets of the Past

2011-12-20T08:11:00.000-08:00

Just published is a new title from New Page Books: Exposed, Uncovered, and Declassified: Lost Civilizations & Secrets of the Past.

Edited by Michael Pye and Kirsten Dalley, it's the third in the Exposed, Uncovered, and Declassified series, and includes from me a paper on government interest in ancient mysteries, including (a) the saga of Noah's Ark, (b) Contactee George Van Tassel's theories that alien visitation provoked many of the accounts recorded in the Bible, and (c) claims that the Pyramids of Egypt were constructed via the means of levitation.

And here's the blurb from New Page Books outlining the books' contents:

Exposed, Uncovered, and Declassified: Lost Civilizations & Secrets of the Past.

Authors: Michael Pye and Kirsten Dalley.

Subject:Ancient Mysteries.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60163-196-1.

Pages: 224.

Dimensions: 6 x 9 inches.

Format: Paper.

Price: $15.99.

Original Essays by Erich von Daniken, Philip Coppens, Frank Joseph, Nick Redfern, Thomas G. Brophy, Steven Sora, Marie D. Jones & Larry Flaxman, Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, Scott Alan Roberts, Freddy Silva, Micah Hanks, Patrick C. Chouinard, Adrian Gilbert, William Bramley, and Paul Von Ward.

"Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man’s desire to understand."—Neil Armstrong.

Were Atlantis and Lemuria factual places?

Who built the pyramids and for what purpose?

How advanced was the technology of ancient cultures?

All this and more is covered in Exposed, Uncovered, and Declassified: Lost Civilizations & Secrets of the Past—the latest in the all-original series that is already sparking lively debate.

Erich von Däniken, best-selling author of Chariots of the Gods, examines the Egyptian pyramids, studying their astronomical implications and what message they were meant to convey. Thomas G. Brophy, PhD, focuses on the mysterious Nabta Playa site in southern Egypt and its connection to African history.

Intrepid explorer of ancient America Frank Joseph covers archeological scandals and attempts to suppress evidence, including the Smithsonian’s "loss" of Maya skulls discovered in the Aleutian Islands. Researcher Steven Sora, author of The Lost Colony, delves into evidence that Scotland’s Picts originated in North America and were connected to the ancient Micmac tribe of the Americas.

Philip Coppens of the History Channel’s Ancient Aliens explores an ancient Celtic network of roads that may be connected to a 4,000-year-old land-based reproduction of Atlantis. Scholar and mystery explorer Oberon Zell-Ravenheart brings together the Garden of Eden, the Tree of Life, the great deluge, and the sinking of Lemuria.

Marie D. Jones & Larry Flaxman (11:11: The Time Prompt Phenomenon) explore what ancient civilizations knew about sound and resonance, and how they may have used them to build megaliths and pyramids, and achieve altered states. Journalist Nick Redfern reveals the U.S. government’s abiding interest in our ancient past, religious mysteries, and enigmatic artifacts.

Evidence of these ancient mysteries is everywhere—if you know what to look for. Whether you’re a believer, a skeptic, or somewhere in between, Exposed, Uncovered, and Declassified: Lost Civilizations & Secrets of the Past is sure to entertain and educate.

Michael Pye has been an acquisitions editor for New Page Books since 2003 acquiring hundreds of books in that time. He developed a healthy appetite for the unexplained by watching far too many episodes of In Search Of hosted by Leonard Nimoy after school instead of doing his homework, which turned him into a reader of books on the strange and unexplained. He earned a BA in English from Southern Connecticut State University.

Kirsten Dalley has functioned in various editorial capacities at New Page Books since 2004. She is coauthor of The Nightmare Encyclopedia, along with Jeff Belanger. She graduated from Columbia University with a BA in comparative literature, which has proven to be of use in both her career and her leisure pursuits (reading fiction and riding sportbikes).

Fiction of the Fortean Kind

2011-12-12T07:35:00.000-08:00

This is very good news: the Center for Fortean Zoology has set up yet another publishing company (alongside CFZ Press and Fortean Words). The new one is called Fortean Fiction and, as its name suggests, it's solely dedicate to publishing novels on matters of a Fortean nature.

You can find out all about Fortean Fiction at this link at the CFZ's blog, including a new title from the CFZ's Richard Freeman, and a title on the Loch Ness Monster.

Top Cryptozoology Books: 2011

2011-12-10T09:51:00.001-08:00

Over at Cryptomundo, Loren Coleman provides us with info and images on his favorite cryptozoological books of 2011, and also gives us some insight into what's coming next year. In fact, 2012 looks to be an excellent year for crypto-titles!

Here's the link.

A Filmography of Bigfoot

2011-11-30T07:20:00.000-08:00

Coming in January: The Bigfoot Filmography by David Coleman.

Here's the blurb for the book, which I'm sure most Bigfoot enthusiasts will want to get their hands on:

"The 'Sasquatch' film genre, devoted to the legendary and notoriously elusive creature also known as Bigfoot, and its Himalayan counterpart, the Yeti, is the focus of this illustrated reference guide. Here is a fascinatingly detailed look at the cinematic history of Sasquatch, from the earliest trick films of Georges Melies to the most up-to-date CGI efforts. Critical insights regarding the genre's development are offered, along with an exhaustively researched filmography that includes every known film or television appearance of Sasquatch, Bigfoot and Yeti in both fictitious and documentary formats. Included are in-depth interviews with such filmmakers as Kevin Tenney, Adam Muto, Ryan Schifrin, Tim Skousen and Michael Worten, as well as reproductions of rare movie stills, posters, lobby cards and behind-the-scenes production photos. Renowned cryptozoologist Loren Coleman provides an insightful foreword to the text."

Grave Concerns

2011-11-30T06:33:00.001-08:00

There's a new book coming imminently from the British-based Center for Fortean Zoology's new publishing house, Fortean Words, that I'll be reviewing here shortly.

Written by Kai Roberts, its title is Grave Concerns: The Follies and Folklore of Robin Hood's Final Resting Place:

And here's the CFZ's Jon Downes to tell you about the book:

Whilst the existence of Robin Hood’s grave is scarcely a secret, appearing on the definitive map of the area and referred to in countless non-fiction sources concerned with the legend of Robin Hood, for the last fifty years it has been regarded as nothing but an annoyance by its custodians.

It lies on private land without any right of access and visitors are categorically discouraged. Whilst this situation has improved over the last decade, opportunities for anybody wishing to glimpse the burial site of this legendary hero remain few and far between. For Robin’s modern followers, it has become an immensely contentious issue.

The subject of this book is a location rather than an individual. Countless volumes have been written on the topic of Robin Hood by some of the finest scholars of medieval history and literature in Britain and this tome does not seek to rival them.

Arguments pertaining to the historical reality or otherwise of the outlaw will be discussed here only where they directly concern his grave. With regard to Robin Hood, the question for this book is not whether he is really buried at Kirklees but, for want of definitive proof either way, how that tradition became so firmly attached to the site. Hopefully, it will illustrate that Robin Hood’s grave is a site of historical interest quite irrespective of its ‘authenticity’.

For Kirklees certainly seems to attract strong beliefs, and in many cases changing perceptions of the site itself have coloured the content of those beliefs. Studying Kirklees and the various legends to have grown up around it allows us an insight into the reciprocal relationship between people and place.

Of particular interest is the extent to which the state of Robin Hood’s grave in the modern era and all the associated disputes have determined the interpretation of the paranormal phenomena witnessed in the vicinity of the site today. In this regard, it is a study in modern myth-making.

Allingham & Kraspedon Return!

2011-11-29T06:04:00.000-08:00

This is excellent news for fans of Contactee cases both old and massively controversial! Tim Beckley's Global Communications company has just released a new book titled From the Golden Age of Flying Saucers.

And it's title does not exaggerate! It contains reprints of two absolute classic Contactee-based titles: Flying Saucer From Mars by Cedric Allingham, and Dino Kraspedon's My Contact With Flying Saucers.

As devotees of all-things long-haired and Space-Brotherly will know, both Allingham and Kraspedon were highly intriguing characters - but for very different reasons!

And, if you're not aware of the reasons behind those controversies, well, you're in for a big treat because the book contains new Introductions to each title, that provide some highly entertaining and juicy nuggets of data on the pair!

Collectively, this is an excellent and highly entertaining blast from the Ufological past that Tim should be congratulated for bringing to a new audience. If 1950s/1960s-era Ufology, UFO contact cases, alien landings, and deep controversy are your thing, From the Golden Age of Flying Saucers is a book you won't want to miss.

Here's the link to the book, which is now available on Amazon.

Cops and the Paranormal

2011-11-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

This looks to be an interesting read: The Police and the Paranormal by Andrew Owens. Put out by the Center for Fortean Zoology's Fortean Words publishing company, it contains (as you'll see from the press-release below) a number of cases in which police officers have investigated, or been witness to, cryptozoological creatures, UFOs, and much more.

As soon as I have read the book, I'll be reviewing it right here.

Here's the press-release from the CFZ's Jon Downes:

Police officers are widely regarded as amongst the most highly credible of eyewitnesses. And yet here they risk professional ridicule by revealing their otherworldly encounters with things that shouldn’t exist - but do.

They include:

* Crime Scene Investigators sift through the grisly remains of Cattle Mutilations and Spontaneous Human Combustion - and reach some startling conclusions;

* A Constable is hypnotised to recount his alien abduction;

* Detectives enlist psychics to help crack murder cases;

* Patrols see panthers and pumas at close quarters;

* A Detective reports the longest-ever sighting of Nessie;

* Officers’ close encounters of the first kind, second kind, third kind and deadly kind

Gathered together for the first time, this unique collection of true-life encounters between the police and the paranormal is utterly compelling and highly believable, suggesting that the long arm of the law extends way beyond this world and into the next.

The Lonely Sense

2011-11-22T12:06:00.000-08:00

People occasionally ask me, as an author, what types of books I enjoy reading. Well, I'm a big fan of Jack Kerouac's work (aside from his poetry, which I think is a collective, appalling, rambling mess), Hunter S. Thompson's Gonzo-driven titles, and the UFO/paranormal-themed books of Gray Barker, John Keel, and my good mate, Jon Downes.

However, most of the books I read tend to be biographies and autobiographies, mainly of actors, rock-stars, and various and sundry celebrity types (particularly of the bygone, Golden-years of Hollywood).

So, when Anomalist Books' Patrick Huyghe sent me a review copy of their just-published title, Robert Cracknell's The Lonely Sense: The Autobiography of a Psychic Detective, I knew this was going to be an interesting read.

And it was!

With a Foreword from a true legend in the field of paranormal-themed research and writing - Colin Wilson, no less - The Lonely Sense tells the story of one Robert Cracknell, a man with extraordinary psychic skills, and one whose powers pushed him down some strange, bizarre and supernatural pathways. They even led him to extensive liaison with officialdom on unsolved murder cases.

But, Cracknell's book is far more than just that.

It's a brutally honest, open and highly entertaining study of the author's life, that takes the reader from its very beginnings, his time spent in the British Royal Air Force, and to a profound experience that occurred during that same time spent with the military that sent him on the road to becoming a definitive psychic detective.

That's when Cracknell's life begins to change drastically.

Not surprisingly, Cracknell reveals that coming to grips with his surfacing powers of the psychic kind was not easy. In fact, parts of his story are downright traumatic as he struggles to understand and utilize the near-unique talents at his disposal, as well as how his awakening to a new, previously-uncharted world resulted in problems close to home, with family, friends, and work colleagues.

But, as The Lonely Sense demonstrates, like so many people who came before him - and doubtless like so many who will follow in his footsteps - Cracknell ultimately found himself elevated, empowered, and ready to make use of the skills given to, or developed by, him.

In fact, one could say Cracknell's transformation and elevation eerily paralleled that of ancient Shamanic figures, who realized they were not quite like everyone else, but who used their differences to ensure positive change and results via means of a psychic, paranormal, and spiritual nature.

And it's from this moment on that we see Cracknell plunged into a whole new world, one in which he is sought out by the public, the media, and even the British Police Force, on harrowing and distressing murder cases and much more.

Again, Cracknell is open and honest about the nature of those cases, and the effects that immersing himself in them had on his mind and soul. He also provides a fascinating, behind-the-scenes account of the time he met Uri Geller, which makes for interesting reading alone.

As the book comes to a close, we read of Cracknell's retirement on Cyprus, of his studies of the Jack the Ripper saga, and of much more, too.

So, what we have with Robert Cracknell's The Lonely Sense (it runs to just over 300-pages) is not just yet another study of psychic phenomena. Rather, it is a unique account of how one man found himself in a world that he did not ask to be plunged into, but who accepted the challenge - and both the good and the bad that came with that acceptance - and did something positive with the powers at his disposal.

The Lonely Sense is, then, a must-buy for those interested in psychic phenomena, life-after-death, and the mysterious abilities of the human mind.

But, it's also required reading for anyone who wants a deep, revealing insight not just into the world of psychic phenomena, but into the swirling, turbulent and emotion-filled heart of the psychic individual, too.

Real Nightmares, Vol 1 & 2

2011-10-31T06:57:00.000-07:00

One for Halloween: at my regular Lair of the Beasts column at Mania.com, I have just reviewed Vol's 1 and 2 of Brad Steiger's latest release: Real Nightmares, an e-book-based series that, as well as covering all things ghostly and paranormal, will be of deep interest to fans of cryptozoology.

Werewolves, Bigfoot, weird snakes and more - they're all in here!

And here's the link to the review.

Empire of the Wheel

2011-10-04T11:49:00.000-07:00

If you're looking to immerse yourself in a non-fiction tale of dark, conspiratorial, Gothic and truly unsettling proportions, you can now stop looking.

Empire of the Wheel: Espionage, the Occult, and Murder in Southern California is the one for you!

Penned by Walter Bosley and Richard B. Spence, Empire of the Wheel can best be described as a swirling and sinister combination of (A) an early 20th Century Mullholland Falls; (B) the occult and ritualistic aspects of the "Zodiac Killer" murders; (C) a wild Sherlock Holmes story; (D) shadowy and lethal espionage agents; (E) centuries-old black rituals; and (F) a great deal more too.

Basically, Empire of the Wheel is a packed, near-300-page title that tells the uncanny and macabre (and certainly little-known) story of a series of deaths - of men, women and children - that hit the San Bernardino area of California in the early-to-mid 1910s.

But what, at first, seems to be evidence of tragic suicide and accidental death - although certainly not without a few odd and attendant puzzles attached - becomes something much more ominous. In fact, outright malignant foulness would be a far better term to use.

Indeed, as the pages turn, so the body-count increases.

There's the mysterious and unknown woman who throws herself (or was she thrown?) into the lake at Urbita Springs Park.

There are the kids dropping like flies - maybe at the hands of some deranged, master purveyor of poisons.

And I cannot omit mention of the enigmatic character found dead - in a kneeling position, with one hand covering his mouth, and with a Freemasonry pin attached to the lapel of his suit, no less - amid a pleasant bunch of walnut trees in San Bernardino Valley's Little Mountain.

All the while, trying to make some degree of sense out of this escalating mayhem - and ultimately out of much more growing weirdness and death, too - is Chief of Police, Walter Alexander Shay.

In other words, all the ingredients for a fine, captivating and mesmerizing real-life detective story...but one that soon turns into something very different.

Indeed, as the book progresses, thrown into the tumultuous mix are German, American, and British espionage agents, the forever-enigmatic and controversial Aleister Crowley, ritual slaughter according to ancient teachings, ley-lines, earth-energies, the groundbreaking work of Nikola Tesla, the ancient goddess Hekate, and even Harry Houdini!

In fact, possibly the only things missing are the words, "It was a dark and stormy night!"

What we have here, then, with Empire of the Wheel, is a tale of power-wielding characters of a truly ominous nature, the dark activities of shadowy figures following the controversial beliefs and traditions of times long-gone, cold-hearted ritualistic slaughter for reasons diabolical, and the San Bernardino Valley transformed into the focal point for years of Lovecraft-like wickedness.

Complete with a fine selection of photographs both old and new, Empire of the Wheel by Walter Bosley and Richard B. Spence will appeal to the Fortean, to the devotee of the weirder side of crime, to anyone and everyone who has been fascinated by the world of Aleister Crowley, and to all those who love a good old story that is all-parts murder, occult-driven and conspiracy-loaded!

Mystery Animals of the Northern Isles

2011-09-26T05:38:00.000-07:00

Over at Mania.com, you can find my latest, weekly Lair of the Beasts column, which is a review of the new book from Glen Vaudrey (and published by CFZ Press), Mystery Animals of the British Isles: The Northern Isles.

Here's the link to the review.

The Werewolf Book

2011-08-20T08:14:00.000-07:00

Over at Mania.com, you can find my latest Lair of the Beasts column, which is a review of Brad Steiger's new title, The Werewolf Book, a must-read for all fans of hairy man-beasts, a full moon, and silver-bullets!

Spirit Voices

2011-08-19T12:04:00.001-07:00

When Anomalist Books' Patrick Huyghe recently mailed me a copy of their newly-published title - Spirit Voices: The First Live Conversation Between Worlds by Mark L. Cowden - I have to confess that, at first, I viewed it with a degree of trepidation.

Not, I should stress, because I had any specific qualms about dealing with, or confronting, the subject-matter, but simply because although I read a lot of books - and write a lot of books too! - on UFOs, cryptozoology, and conspiracy-theories, I have to admit that ghosts, spiritualism, and life-after-death have never really been my thing.

But, since Patrick asked me if I would review the book, and I had said "Yes," I figured I would see what the author had to say. And I'm very glad that I did!

Spirit Voices is most certainly not your average book about chain-rattling spooks, shrieking specters and things that go bump in the night. Rather, it's a very readable, highly engaging, and thoughtful study of one man's quest (Mark himself) to seek out the truth about life-after-death, the nature and heart of the phenomenon, and its reported interactions with our plane of reality.

This is the type of subject that could have easily been turned into one of those horrible, sickly, belief-driven, self-help, "love and light"-style books written by hippie-types with names like "Eagle," "Cloud," and "Dolphin," that I totally, totally despise. Fortunately, there's none of that here - at all.

Rather, what we get is an utterly absorbing study of how Mark - an audio-visual technician from Oklahoma - found himself in Ireland, in 2010, investigating apparent contact from beyond the grave. And when I say contact, I mean precisely that: the capture and recording of apparent conversations with discarnate entities from beyond.

And what particularly stands out for me is that Spirit Voices is as much about the potential for something, some essence, maybe - call it what you will - surviving bodily death, as it is about Mark's very own, and deeply personal, quest to come to terms with the incredible data and experiences that crossed his path during the course of his adventurous trek in search of the truth.

Written in somewhat of a diary fashion (which is a good thing, I should stress), Spirit Voices expertly captures the essence of the investigation, as Mark grapples with such issues as whether or not (from the perspective of Christian teachings) it's ethical, moral or right to try and contact the dead, the profound positive implications for society and science that interaction with the spirit-world undoubtedly provokes, and the effect that exposure to such phenomena - in a conversation-style setting - can have on the individual.

And that Mark has a background in the audio-visual world is a major bonus, too, and particularly so when we see him in-the-field (or in the proverbial spooky old house or haunted castle), utilizing technologies to capture the voices of the dead, rather than simply employing the tired, well-worn tools of some old Gothic novel.

In other words, Spirit Voices - and its many attendant revelations, implications, and discoveries - offers us some hope that death is not the end. And - this being one of the most important aspects of the book - it shows that growing advances in human technology and fringe-science may actually play significant, future roles in contacting the dead, and validating that physical death may not mean literal death.

But, perhaps above all else - and I base this on Mark's very own forthright and refreshing style of writing - Spirit Voices shows the sheer extent to which people can find themselves propelled to new levels of thought, understanding and appreciation of the mysteries of this world and beyond when they address the controversial question that each and every one of us want answering: What happens to us when we die?

Whatever your views on life-after-death, Spirit Voices is an extraordinarily good, solid look at its subject-matter, written by a man who offers us an undeniably personal and near-unique look at a phenomenon that is as misunderstood as it is mysterious.

I will leave you with what I consider to be one of Mark's most important statements in his book. Of the revelations that might await us, he says the day may come when "the world's religious leaders finally accept that there does not need to be one specific explanation for our magical existence, with the copyright holder of this information being the strongest, wealthiest, most agenda-driven organization capable of reaching the most people."

Amen to that!

John Michell: From Atlantis to Avalon

2011-08-16T09:32:00.000-07:00

Paul Screeton has been a busy chap recently. Last week I reviewed Paul's latest title, I Fort The Lore, which is a highly entertaining anthology of his writings spanning the 1960s to the present day. But, that's not the only book Paul has written and had published in the past year.

His 2010 biography of a true character within esoteric circles, titled John Michell: From Atlantis to Avalon, is available from Alternative Albion (an imprint of Heart of Albion Press), and is - I can say for sure - definitive and required reading for anyone with an interest in (a) 20th Century Forteana (British and otherwise), (b) its history and development, and, of course, (c) one of the most significant players within the field - John Michell himself.

I read a lot of biographies and autobiographies (generally on non-Fortean individuals), and the ones I find most satisfying are those that tell the whole story - warts and all, as the old saying goes - rather than simply offering a one-sided, misty-eyed picture designed to portray or project this or that image.

Fortunately there's none of that here.

Rather, Paul provides us with an unbiased, highly in-depth, and near-unique study of Michell, focusing upon the intricacies of his character, upbringing, life, and undeniably-major influence upon British culture, folklore, mythology, and the domain of the unexplained.

Granted, we are specifically told that "this book is not a biography," but my use of the term is meant to imply that it's a definitive study of the man's life. Which it most certainly is.

Where this title differs significantly from many others that might be said to fall into the Biography category, however, is that it's not just a study of Michell and his 76-years (he passed away in 2009). It's also an examination of Michell's astonishingly huge influence on all manner of people, places and events that helped to sculpt and nurture the face of 20th Century Britain and its attendant mysteries and puzzles.

As anyone who knew John Michell, or who was acquainted with him, will tell you, he was more of a phenomenon than just a man - legendary with Fortean circles, incredibly influential, and almost near-magical and mystical in some respects. And I don't exaggerate when I make that latter observation.

Certainly, one can practically imagine a cloaked-Michell striding purposefully across England's ancient greenery early on some summer's morning, before vanishing into an ethereal fog, as the old sun begins to rise, as a Crop Circle forms nearby, and as a ghostly black dog, with blazing eyes, manifests on some old well-trodden pathway.

And, one gets the distinct and uncanny impression from reading the book that Michell seemed practically near-destined to be born at a time that would ensure he met the right people, at the right locale, and under the most profitable of all circumstances, to ensure his considerable place in the Fortean arena, and his ability to spread the word on all-things mysterious and mystical.

Things, therefore, seemed to happen around John Michell, and to those that gravitated towards him - one of who was Paul himself, who first met Michell back in 1970.

One also comes to realize (well, I did anyway) that Michell's introduction to UFOs, to ley-lines, to the world of ancient Glastonbury, and to the culture of the 1960s (whether the growing and developing music scene, drugs and their ability to influence mindset from a positive perspective, and a more open-minded attitude towards sex) seemed to have been the work of some grand designer. If you haven't yet read the book, you may disagree with me. But, read it, and your views may soon change...

And that Michell went on to pen a number of highly influential and controversial titles (check out The Flying Saucer Vision and The View Over Atlantis, if you haven't already), also serves to demonstrate that his time spent exploring and negotiating such realms - and the positive aspects of those same realms, too - was not wasted at all, and also seems to have been provoked by some unfathomable, ethereal, string-puller.

As Paul Screeton demonstrates with insight, with affection, but always with a balanced and careful mind, John Michell was a man who carved a refreshing and illuminating swathe across the British landscape, who - without any apology, and rightfully so, too - provoked radical new thoughts and paradigms, who well and truly left his mark, and who will not be forgotten by those that knew him, or those who came to appreciate his life, theories, ideas and work - which is, perhaps, all that any of us can ever hope to achieve.

If you're in the UK, you can purchase John Michell: From Atlantis to Avalon right here. In the US, click here. And to contact the publisher, go to this link.

I Fort The Lore

2011-08-11T11:28:00.000-07:00

A couple of years ago, my good mate and self-elected Prime-Minister of the Center for Fortean Zoology, Jon Downes, was inspired by Patrick Huyghe's Swamp Gas Times book to publish a series of compilations of the writings of various players in the Fortean field.

The first (from Jon's CFZ Press) was Andy Roberts' Strangely Strange But Oddly Normal, which was published in 2010. And my very own Space Girl Dead On Spaghetti Junction followed earlier this year. And, now, we're up to No.3: Paul Screeton's wonderfully-titled I Fort The Lore (I have yet to ask Paul if the lore won...).

As anyone and everyone familiar with the writings of Paul (truly, a punning linguist) will know, his style is equal-parts witty, informative, intriguing, and entertaining. Which, when you're dealing with issues of a Fortean nature, is pretty much essential! After all, there's nothing worse than reading some deathly-dull waffle on how many bodies were found at Roswell, the square-mileage of Area 51, or the shagging habits of Nessie. And, thankfully, you get none of that with Paul.

What you do get with I Fort..., is an excellent collection of hard-to-find (in some cases, very hard-to-find) articles from Paul that date from the 1960s to pretty much the present day, and that cover a wide and varied range of what passes for "weird shit."

Whereas my Space Girl... chaotically and wildly jumped from articles on UFOs to Hollywood scandal, music to monsters, and Foot-and-Mouth Disease to the Cardiff Giant, Paul (obviously a far more organized person than me!) elected to split his title into specific, clearly-delineated sections. Ye Gads!

So, we are treated to a fine selection of Paul's writings on such issues as Cryptozoology, UFOs, rock music, urban myths and the media (if you're interested in this issue, you must read Paul's hilarious Mars Bar And Mushy Peas - reviewed here), British folklore (for which, it's abundantly clear, Paul has a deep passion and knowledge) and much more.

Certainly - for me, at least - one of the biggest treats was getting to read (for the first time since I was a teenager) Paul's article for the old British newsstand publication, The Unexplained, on the infamous werewolf-themed saga of the Hexham Heads. It has been years since I even opened my bound-volumes of the old mag, and so to see the article once again - and for a new audience, too - was very good news. For devotees of all-things of a full-moon and monstrous nature, this piece alone is arguably worth the price of the book.

Then, there's Paul's notable - and certain Fortean in the absolute extreme - account of his very own encounter of the "Black Panther" variety as published in The Shaman in 1997. If big-cats are your thing (so to speak) this article should not be ignored.

Want something on UFOs? Well, you have it! Ley-lines, the notorious Van Tassel, and rock'n'roll & aliens abound.

For me, however, the most entertaining parts of the book are those articles that deal with Paul's time spent in the mainstream media - albeit often with respect to matters profoundly mysterious. Paul writes with affection on the years he spent earning a crust in the exciting (well, sometimes exciting) realm of journalism, the tabloids, and the multifaceted band of curious characters that it attracts. Gyrating totty, ever-flowing beer, deep scandal, outrageous entertainment and high-jinks, in other words. And who can resist all that? Not me! And, hopefully, not you!

And where I Fort The Lore really scores is in its definitive "Englishness." Us Brits are a quirky, odd bunch (but in a good way!), and the British Isles are rum indeed. And Paul's book underscores this, as he gads around the nation writing articles on whatever, or whoever, crosses his path, such as Peter McMahon - whose poignant story of true English eccentricity mixed with a dose of deep tragedy and Forteana is a true highlight.

But, you most certainly don't have to be a Brit to appreciate IFTL. Nope! As long as you have a love of high-strangeness, can appreciate the absurdities of the subject-matter at hand and embrace them, and enjoy digging deep into the sometimes-scarce works of Fortean players such as Paul Screeton, then I Fort The Lore will keep you entertained for many an hour.

You know what that means: buy the bloody thing and read it!

If you're in Blighty, here's where I Fort The Lore can be found, and if like me you reside in Obama-Land, click right here.

Para-News: Update & Interview

2011-08-01T14:06:00.000-07:00

Back in May, I mentioned here that I had just written the Foreword for the first book from Richard Thomas, PARA-NEWS - UFOs, Conspiracy Theories, Cryptozoology and much much more.

You can find a new interview with Richard at Binnall of America, where Henry Baum is asking the questions.

In the interview, Richard makes a very good point that champions of the UFO Disclosure movement would be extremely wise to keep in mind:

"A lot of UFO researchers tend to romanticise what they call 'Disclosure', the day when the world is finally told the truth (whatever that is) about what the US government and others really know about UFOs. I'm more cautious. I think if Disclosure ever really does occur (and that's a big if) we have to be careful that the existence of extraterrestrials or whatever isn't used as a justification to turn the world into a giant police state. Rahm Emanuel said 'You never want a serious crisis to go to waste' and his words sum up the mentality of the globalists perfectly."

And here's the link to the complete Q&A.

Grassroots UFOs

2011-07-19T11:58:00.000-07:00

Grassroots UFOs is a brand new book that is as alternative as it is refreshing and informative. And it's one that should be in your UFO library, too. Like now.

Written and illustrated by UFO authority Michael D. Swords and published by Anomalist Books, Grassroots UFOs is, essentially, a large and varied collection of witness-testimony secured - under truly near-unique circumstances - by a man named John Timmerman.

For more than a decade, Timmerman was the brainchild behind a "traveling UFO exhibit" (for the Center for UFO Studies - CUFOS) that surfaced in shopping-malls just about here, there and everywhere across the United States. Its intention was to both inform and entertain those with an interest in UFOs.

There was a notable spin-off effect to the exhibit, however. It brought forth hundreds of people who were willing to quietly share with Timmerman the details of their very own UFO experiences and encounters.

And it's in the 250-pages of Grassroots UFOs that those cases are now revealed.

For me, Grassroots UFOs harks back to the days of such books as Dr. J. Allen Hynek's The UFO Report, Leonard Stringfield's Situation Red, and Coral Lorenzen's Flying Saucers. In other words, it's a book packed with previously-unseen witness testimony (all captured via Timmerman's trusty tape-recorder) on pretty much every aspect of Ufology, and one destined to become a fine resource tool for both present-day- and future-researchers.

Granted, some of the cases were perhaps not as deeply investigated as we might prefer, but this doesn't detract from the most important issue of all. Namely, that Timmerman collated an incredible, and previously-untapped, body of ufological data and experiences, and valiantly did so with the limited time, resources and circumstances available to him. And, with Swords at the helm, it's all there for us to digest and ponder upon.

Even though some of the case-reports might only take up half-a-page or slightly more, it's the sheer scale of encounters, and the spanning of numerous decades, that impressed me - as well as the deep similarities and trends present in certain reports, also spanning many years and varied locales.

Grassroots UFOs also highlights some tantalizing and intriguing stories that, to this reviewer anyway, are highly suggestive of much more. Take, for example, the story on page 22 of a number of people who - way back in the summer of 1945 - witnessed unusual aerial activity in the vicinity of Oquawka, Illinois. Strange basketball-sized spheres of light kept the witnesses transfixed for nearly an hour - that is, until each and every one of them "went to sleep." An early report of "alien abduction" or some altered-state interaction, perhaps?

Maybe.

And, there are many such reports in Grassroots UFOs that suggest the accounts told by the witnesses might actually represent only the bare-bones of what really occurred, and that perhaps there was far more to be uncovered than initially met the eye.

But, this does not distract from the significance of the data that we do have in-hand. Vehicle-interference cases; close encounters with entities of an unusual, non-human, and at times ominous, nature; radar-reports; and military whistle-blowers with tales of crashed UFOs and dead aliens, abound in the pages of this book.

Notably, Grassroots UFOs also reveals that contrary to what many people within Ufology assume, the so-called Flying Triangle-style of UFO is most assuredly not a new one. In fact, Timmerman's data reveals sightings of just such craft from the 40s and 50s.

That's one of the things that makes this book so important: by citing early FT reports and what sound very much like 1940s-era abduction stories, Grassroots UFOs challenges much of what has previously been reported within the domain of Ufology - namely that abductions began with Betty and Barney Hill in 1961, or that the FT's are simply next-generation Stealth aircraft. Of course, those are just two issues. I could cite countless more in Grassroots UFOs that push back the barriers of when the subject really began in earnest.

Equally importantly, Grassroots UFOs demonstrates the incredible extent to which the UFO phenomenon (whatever it may be or represents) has played a long, massive, and at times intensely personal, role in American society.

Timmerman, Swords, and Anomalist Books' Patrick Huyghe and Dennis Stacy are to be applauded for not just sharing the hundreds of cases that pack the pages of Grassroots UFOs, but also for demonstrating that, within Ufology, there is nothing more important than the eye-witnesses.

Weird Waters

2011-07-18T05:09:00.001-07:00

Lars Thomas' Weird Waters: The Lake and Sea Monsters of Scandinavia and the Baltic States is an excellent new book published by CFZ Press, and which I have reviewed for my most recent Lair of the Beasts column at Mania.com. Without doubt, this is a superb, regional study that deserves your attention!

Atlantis in the Amazon

2011-07-13T08:37:00.000-07:00

If you're one of those people who - like me - have a nagging, deep suspicion that, as a species, we have tragically lost to the fog of time an incredible and sensational body of data on cultures, civilizations and cities long, long-gone, then Atlantis in the Amazon is most certainly a book for you.

Published by Bear and Co. - who put out countless excellent titles, and whose catalog I heartily recommend - the book is part-road-trip, part-real-life adventure, part-detective story, and all-things enlightening.

Written by Richard Wingate - check out his movie Atlantis in the Bahamas - this new title presents the reader with data, facts and theories on a scenario that is as thought-provoking as it is disturbing.

The story essentially begins when we are introduced to Wingate's personal, on-site studies of the much-talked-about controversies surrounding Father Carlo Crespi - an Italian priest who moved to Ecuador in the early years of the 1920s - and his curious and captivating collection of priceless artifacts of gold and bronze.

But, there's much more to the story - at least some of those same artifacts appeared to portray evidence of ancient, fantastic technologies of a type that science and mainstream history tell us simply cannot have existed in the distant past.

But, utterly against all the odds, what if they did? And, if so, who were the makers of such astounding machines - including possibly even early, ancient aircraft (yes, you did read that right!)? How and why did they flourish only to vanish beneath the waves in the millennia-old cataclysms and catastrophes that numerous, priceless old texts tell us pummelled the Earth - and those that called it home - all those thousands of years ago?

These (and many more) are the questions that Wingate seeks to answer in Atlantis in the Amazon. Of course, numerous locales have been suggested as the origins for the tales of Atlantis and its mighty people. But, Wingate's theory is a particularly fascinating one, and he ties it in with the Father Crespi saga in a fashion that held my attention throughout.

For me, certainly, the most notable part of the book was that dealing with the Mahabharata - one of the two prime Sanskrit depictions of ancient India, the other one being the Ramayana.

Atlantis in the Amazon discusses the Mahabharata from the perspective and possibility that, in very distant times, the ancients possessed the secrets of the atom and may have tragically unleashed its terrifying power on the battlefield, thus laying to waste entire, largely-forgotten cultures and their fantastic technologies in the process.

Controversial? Certainly! But, I urge you to read Wingate's words on what sounds eerily like an incredibly old atomic skirmish - and one that may have radically altered the course of history and civilization.

Indeed, Wingate suggests that perhaps an early branch of humankind - who may have flourished in ways beyond our wildest dreams - was ultimately reduced to a struggling rabble in the wake of ancient nuclear exchanges. The result: they chose to destroy, or hide, any and all remaining evidence of the fantastic technologies that led to their disastrous downfall, and of which we - today - occasionally stumble upon enigmatic evidence and legends.

Could such a scenario be true? Are we merely the latest in possibly even a long line of civilizations that have surfaced, flourished, and ultimately reached the point of near-complete exterminaton? Are we now teetering on the brink of destruction? And if the unthinkable happens, will our world one day be viewed - tens of thousands of years from now, by the people of that era - as nothing more than the stuff of legend and folklore?

These are just some of the issues and questions that Richard Wingate's book brings to mind.

Atlantis in the Amazon is an excellent study of a forgotten, buried past that may have been as fantastically advanced as it was ultimately tragic. Let's hope we don't go the same way as those that came before us, and become merely the stuff of fairy-tales and mythology.

Monsters of Wisconsin

2011-07-11T10:53:00.001-07:00

This past weekend, I reviewed Linda Godfrey's latest book - Monsters of Wisconsin - for my weekly Lair of the Beasts column at Mania.com. Here's the link to the review, which, if you want to find all the latest news on Bigfoot, werewolves, lake-monsters, flying nightmares, and even out-of-place wallabies and kangaroos, you'll definitely want to read!

Investigating the Impossible

2011-06-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

The guys at Anomalist Books - Patrick Huyghe and Dennis Stacy - have been busy lately, as is evidenced by the fact that they have unleashed upon us an excellent selection of new titles that I'll be reviewing right here, including Grassroots UFOs by Michael D. Swords and Robert Cracknell's The Lonely Sense.

But, there's yet another new title from Anomalist Books, and it's one that I finished reading over the weekend: Ulrich Magin's Investigating the Impossible: Sea-Serpents in the Air, Volcanoes that Aren't, and Other Out-of-Place Mysteries.

This is a wonderfully weird collection of articles and papers from Magin that are presented to the reader via an intriguing format. The book is basically split into four-sections, titled Air, Earth, Fire and Water.

So, in the Water section we get to read about sea-serpents and Nessie. In Fire it's the aforementioned volcanoes that aren't. In Earth it's sacred landscapes, crop circles and...well, you get the picture by now, right?

Let's start with Air, a section that devotees of all-things of a Mothman nature will definitely want to read. Did the glowing-eyed, winged beast put in an appearance at Italy's Lake Garda just a couple of years ago? Was something strange and diabolical really roaming the skies? Or was the entire affair provoked by far more down-to-earth phenomena? The answers can be found in a fine and intriguing piece of detective work!

In the same section, for fans of secret-aircraft, UFOs pre-dating the Kenneth Arnold era, rumors of advanced German technologies, and perhaps even a bit of skillful psychological-warfare, there's an excellent article titled The German Border Patrol In Their Flying Machines. And who can resist a feature on one of the more bizarre aspects of cryptozoology: winged serpents? Not me!

When it comes to Water, whatever your views on tales and traditions of sea-serpents and lake-monsters, this is a section of the book that most assuredly will not disappoint. And, indeed, it was the section that I found most engaging and thought-provoking.

Magin's approach to the controversy surrounding the Loch Ness Monster is as refreshing as it is insightful, and focuses on what we really know (which may actually not be what many think they know!) about the very earliest years of Nessie-themed research and reports.

Also of particular interest is the odd saga of the weird-looking critter of Spain's Rio Genil. This is a case - from the 1950s - with which I was not overly familiar, but that most certainly strikes a significant chord in the high-strangeness stakes. What was it that was dwelling in the waters of the Rio Genil more than half a century ago? Good question!

In Earth, Magin tackles the controversial 1678 story of the so-called "Mowing Devil" - an affair that some Crop Circle researchers conclude may offer evidence that the now-legendary formations in the fields are far older than many assume.

The Mowing Devil controversy has been addressed in a number of books; however, I'm pleased to note that Magin looks at the matter from a somewhat different - although certainly related - perspective, demonstrating that the story is far from dead and buried, and one still worthy of commentary and study.

Tales of allegedly out-of-place ships and boats (very out-of-place!) also dominate this particular section of the book, and demonstrate Magin's ability to dissect and entertain us with quirky tales from the fringes of Forteana. Legend, rumor, reality? Well, half the fun comes from reading Magin's words and conclusions, so I won't spoil things for you, except to say that this is an undeniably captivating aspect of Forteana that will not disappoint.

Finally, there's Fire and those mysterious volcanoes that aren't...or weren't...or maybe, for a while, really were! If that sounds somewhat cryptic, well it's meant to be!

You might think that volcanoes and Forteana make for strange and highly unlikely bed-fellows. Well, after reading this section of the book you will likely be forced to change your opinion.

It's clear that this is an area of research for which Magin has a great deal of time, interest and affection, and he regales us with tales of near-phantom-like volcanoes surfacing, provoking havoc, and then mysteriously vanishing into the murky depths from which they first surfaced. Or did they really surface at all? Might all the tales be simply that - tales? If so, were they just fanciful stories and hoaxes? Or did they have some basis in reality - albeit of a more down-to-earth nature?

I've never really been that interested in volcanoes, but Magin crafts a superb story (across several papers) of how they have come to play a significant and long role in folklore, mystery and Forteana.

And, with that all said, I will leave you with the following words: Ulrich Magin's Investigating the Impossible is a first-class, highly-enjoyable, and deeply informative study of a wide variety of infinitely odd phenomena that Forteans everywhere should have on their book-shelves. Charles Fort would be proud and pleased!

Tabloid Man

2011-06-21T11:08:00.000-07:00

When people ask me about my favorite books, I'm often met with surprise when I tell them that most of them have very little - and, more often than not, absolutely nothing - to do with the realms of Ufology, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and the many and varied similar topics that occupy much of my time.

Amongst my most cherished of all titles are Keith Waterhouse's Billy Liar; Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles; and Jack Kerouac's Big Sur.

But, if I was put on the spot and asked to name my all-time favorite, it would have to be Hunter S. Thompson's The Rum Diary, which tells - in a definitively-masterful, and definitively-Gonzo style - the entertaining story of Thompson's early years and journalistic adventures on Puerto Rico, a place for which I have a great affinity, having worked there on a number of occasions.

And, it's perhaps because - having spent more than 20-years in the field of freelance-journalism myself - I can deeply relate to Thompson's literary romps in and around San Juan, that I immensely enjoyed Tabloid Man & the Baffling Chair of Death by Paul Bannister, which is a new book written very much in the spirit of the Gonzo-master's own work. And a fine piece of work Tabloid Man is, too, being equal-parts illuminating, hilarious, insightful and adventure-driven.

Bannister, like me, is a transplanted Brit, now living in the United States, and someone who - also like me - spends his days and nights earning a crust in the realm of freelance journalism. And, as Tabloid Man demonstrates - and as I can attest, too - it's a realm that can be as rewarding as it can be harsh, and as bizarre as it can be unpredictable (but in a very good way, if you keep your wits about you, and have a love of getting into the thick of things in search of a rollocking good story).

Basically, Tabloid Man tells the story of Bannister's life as a near-constantly-on-the road journo for numerous tabloids, but chiefly for the National Enquirer and its legendary boss, Generoso Paul "Gene" Pope, Jr., a fascinating character with a somewhat ruthless flair for business, a brilliant mind, and near-Machiavellian links to none other than the CIA.

Given that Bannister spent many a year paying the bills courtesy of the Enquirer, we get to learn a great deal about his excursions to foreign and far-away lands in search of all manner of story - but very often relative to Hollywood scandal, sensational murder cases, and much more of an entertainingly controversial nature.

Particularly jaw-dropping are the stories Death by Python and Cougar Attack, which are as graphically horrific as they are fantastically captivating. Much the same can be said for Mafia Hit Man - a Sopranos-style affair from Bannister that provides a unique insight into the world of the hired assassin. In other words, Bannister is someone who has literally been there, done that, and lived to tell the tale.

But, one of the reasons I am so keen to review Tabloid Man is because our fearless author was someone who was at the absolute forefront of covering stories of a definitively paranormal nature for the Enquirer.

Indeed, the book's sub-title (...& the Baffling Chair of Death) is a direct reference to an engagingly-weird story of an old, seemingly innocuous-looking, chair that, for many years, stood in a Yorkshire, England pub, eagerly inviting one and all to sit in it. The problem is that those who chose to do so often met with very quick and fatal ends. Or, at least, so the legend goes. Of course, for the Enquirer, as Bannister notes, this story was practically Manna from Heaven. Yep, the tale of the chair was a controversial one; but, by God, for getting one's foot in the door, it was a good one too!

It was also a story that - having helped secure for himself a good position and a "can-do" reputation with the Enquirer - led Bannister to be dispatched just about here, there, and everywhere in hot pursuit of further supernatural-themed stories, including tales of spectral Roman soldiers, encounters with the psychic-spies of the CIA, the spoon-bending exploits of Uri Geller, and a multiplicity of all-things ghostly and ghastly.

Coupled with highly amusing stories of (A) carefully-modified expense-claims (surely not!), (B) copious amounts of free-flowing booze, (C) adventures in exotic climes, (D) the undeniable camaraderie that comes with working with fellow-freelancers on breaking, historic stories, (E) last-minute flights to the other side of the planet, courtesy of the Enquirer, and (F) doing whatever needs to be done to get the story and earn the dollars, Tabloid Man is a first-class account of what goes behind the scenes in the the world of freelance journalism and its links to Hollywood, deep scandal, and all-things supernatural.

But, Tabloid Man is far more than just that. It's also a celebration of what it means to live rather than just to exist, of doing things on one's own terms, of grabbing the proverbial bull by the horns, and of the always-unpredictable adrenalin rush that accompanies the words of your forever-demanding editor: "Get on a plane to Thailand; someone has just seen Elvis!" Or, something like that anyway!

To purchase your own copy of Paul Bannister's Tabloid Man, go to: www.bannisterbooks.com. Disappointed, you won't be!

Para-News

2011-05-24T10:58:00.000-07:00

Some of you may know of Richard Thomas, who has written for Binnall of America and Stuart Miller's now-closed down Alien Worlds magazine. Well, Richard has his first book out right now, titled Para-News (for all the details, click on this link).

Richard asked me if I would write the Foreword for his book, which I was pleased to do. And although this blog essentially focuses on my reviews of new books, the Foreword (copy-pasted below) will give you a good idea of its contents, style and scope.

Here it is:

When Richard Thomas asked me if I would be willing to write the foreword for his very first book, saying "Yes!" was not a problem at all. Over the last few years, I have followed Richard's work at Binnall of America, and in the pages of Stuart Miller's unfortunately short-lived Alien Worlds magazine. And not only have I followed his writing: I have also seen it grow and develop in scope, depth, subject-matter, and style.

Plus, as is very clear from his written output, Richard has a great passion and enthusiasm for those puzzles, people, and places of the outer-edge variety that he pursues. All of these are (or certainly should be!) essential character traits when it comes to investigating weird phenomena, and/or interviewing Fortean experts in their respective fields.

There's nothing worse than tired, old has-beens, utterly jaded and worn by their time spent chasing the ufological, the cryptozoological, the paranormal, and the supernatural. Thankfully, Richard is none of these! What he is, is someone who is constantly striving to learn more, share his data with others, and to do the latter in an informative, entertaining and thought-provoking fashion.

So, if your interests include (A) strange and ominous beasts of a type that science says cannot, and do not exist, but that cryptozoologists say otherwise; (B) weird and enigmatic outer-space conspiracies; (C) the intricacies of time-travel; (D) spooks and spectres from the other side; (E) the way in which science-fiction and science-fact often cross paths to truly astonishing degrees; and (F) and the ominous Orwellian road that our society seems to be evermore traveling down, then this is most certainly the book for you!

Monstrum! Buy Now! By Gad!

2011-05-09T10:15:00.000-07:00

Originally published more than twenty-years ago, Monstrum! A Wizard's Tale is a book that, if you didn't read it first time around, you most definitely should now. Why? We'll, here's why: the good folk at CFZ Press (Jon & Corinna Downes and Co.) have just made available a brand new edition of this mighty, monster-driven classic.

Penned by the legendary Tony "Doc" Shiels - truly a phenomenon as much as a man - it's one of those books that should not just be carefully devoured by cryptozoologists everywhere, but also by ufologists, ghost-hunters, and just about anyone and everyone with more than a passing interest in what has come to be known as Forteana.

I read the original edition of the book around 1992, re-read it a few years later, and still continue to do so now and again - most recently, of course, when Jon Downes generously forwarded me a copy of the new edition for review.

It has to be said from the outset that Monstrum! is the type of book that will most certainly polarize its readers into two camps: (A) those who (like me and Squire Downes) believe that Shiels has perhaps come closer than most to truly understanding the real nature(s) of the many and varied anomalies of our world (and particularly so that curious band of enigmatic critters that includes the Loch Ness Monster, Owlman, Sea-Serpents, and Mothman); and (B) those souls who outright reject the words of its author, largely because they don't understand (or fail to fully comprehend the significance of) Shiels' character, his outer-edge talents, and precisely what it is that he is telling them, revealing to them, and even inviting them to partake in - if they dare, that is.

That Shiels is part-"Wizard of the Western World," part-Trickster, part-stage magician, a conjurer of "things," and someone whose approach to monster-hunting hardly endears him to regular cryptozoology ("regular cryptozoology," of course, perhaps being the ultimate oxymoron!), has led more than a few observers to view Shiels' words, findings, conclusions and photographs (of Nessie, no less) to be less than sound.

Too bad for them.

Those who hold such views have utterly failed to understand and appreciate what it means to be Doc Shiels. His is a world filled with a deep understanding of the real nature of magic (chaos and ritualistic), the secrets of invocation and manifestation, of the game of the name, of twilight realms just beyond - and that occasionally interact with - our own, and that aforementioned Trickster-like phenomenon.

Doc's is also a domain where, when we dare to imagine the fantastic, when we decide to seek it out, and when we finally accept its reality (but not forgetting that it can be as manipulative and malignant as it can be illuminating and playful), we perhaps provide it with some form of quasi-existence.

If you're someone for whom the Nessies just have to be plesiosaurs, the Bigfoot are giant, presently-unclassified apes, and sea-serpents are simply hangers-on from an era long gone, and who stubbornly refuse to go the way of the Dodo, then take careful heed: for you, I can say with absolute certainty, the journey is most definitely going to be a distinctly bumpy one.

If, however, you recognize there are deep - very deep - problems borne out of the fact that the Bigfoot never get hit by cars, and they never finish up shot dead in the forests; that lake-monsters are often seen poking their long-necks and multi-humped-backs out of ridiculously small bodies of water that just could not adequately sustain them; and that a literal, giant bird-man simply cannot be lurking in the darkened woods of Cornwall, England - even though you're fully aware that people have clearly seen the nightmarish entity on many occasions - then the winding, rollercoaster trip will be as welcome as it will be informative and enlightening.

That Shiels is a skilled, excellent and atmospheric story-weaver is a major-plus, too, when it comes to digesting and comprehending the message that Monstrum! projects. He carefully captures our attention from Page 1, takes us back to an era-long gone - the mid-to-late 1970s, when strange, dark and disturbing things were afoot in ancient Cornwall, England - and sets the scene for what sounds like a sadly-never-made 1960s Hammer horror-film, starring such stalwarts of the scene as Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Barbara Shelley, and Michael Ripper.

The main-act takes us into the hidden realms of the wee-folk of centuries-past, of occult high-jinks, of witches and ritual, of the raising of monsters, of dark goings-on in ancient woodland (often, appropriately, at the witching-hour), and of torturous and terrible things - some called upon, others manifested, and some, perhaps, resurrected in new guises to suit the mindset of the latter part of the 20th Century.

And out of all this intriguing high-strangeness, spill forth the undeniable stars of the saga: the Owlman, Morgawr, and the creatures of Loch Ness. And not forgetting the Shiels clan itself, in all its surreal (in the truest sense of the word) glory.

When most of the action took place, I was barely 10 or 11 years old. But, I still have vivid memories of that blisteringly-hot summer of 1976 when the British Isles were hit, blighted, blessed (take your pick) by a wealth of definitive monstrous madness and a pummelling sun. And Shiels was deep in the heart of it. Hell, an extremely convincing argument can be made that had Shiels not been on the scene, there would not even have been a scene - at all.

It's important to note this is not a veiled allusion on my part to Shiels-inspired hoaxing or fakery. Rather, it's a reference to the (in my humble opinion) undeniable fact that the monsters of our world need us just about as much as we need them. And when mood, mindset, and setting are at their most harmonious, then reality, fiction, surreality, fantasy, hoaxing, magic, and trickery blend in ways that many dismiss, that others ignore, but that some - hopefully you! - come to appreciate as the means by which, in simple terms, weird shit really does happen, and the creatures of the deep, of the shadowy woods, and of monolithic, snow-capped peaks, come calling.

The worst thing you can do is to ignore Monstrum! Carefully reading it, and understanding it, may be one of the defining moments of your life.

If you're in the United States, you can buy Monstrum! by clicking on this link. And if you're in Britain, here's where to go get hold of a copy.

Real Aliens: A New Steiger-And-Steiger Title

2011-05-06T08:06:00.000-07:00

The very latest in an excellent series of titles from the husband-and-wife team of Brad Steiger and Sherry Hansen Steiger, Real Aliens, Space Beings, and Creatures from other Worlds, is yet another winner, I'm pleased to say.

Running at almost 400-pages, and packed with superb artwork (paintings, photographs and drawings), this is one of those books that is not only highly informative, but (just like all the books from our Iowa-based Dynamic Duo) it's written in an entertaining and atmospheric style that captures the imagination of the reader from page-one, and holds their attention throughout.

With that said, what about the content? Well, now we get to the really good stuff. Whether you're a Ufological veteran or a relative newcomer to the scene, Real Aliens will serve as a perfect resource tool - one from which you'll (a) learn a great deal about the nature of the UFO puzzle, (b) gain new insights and appreciations of cases old and recent, and (c) come to realize the sheer enormity and multifaceted nature of the phenomenon.

The book is split into specific sections, which I particular enjoyed, as it allows the reader to dip into whichever area they choose to first, and doing so doesn't affect one's ability to understand and appreciate the data under scrutiny either.

So, we get sections on the many and varied types of entity that have been reported over the decades, including, of course, those pesky, black-eyed dwarfs: the Grays. Detailing intriguing and, sometimes, harrowing data, as well as the possibility that the Grays may well be time-surfers, this is an excellent section that gets to the heart of the agenda of the pasty, skinny abductors from beyond.

Those long-haired hippie-like E.T.'s that came tumbling out of the deserts of California, Arizona and Nevada in the early-1950s - the Nordic Space Brothers - are also the subject of an excellent chapter that provides a very good, solid account of this particularly engaging (to me anyway) aspect of the UFO issue. Who are the Nordics? Are they friends? Messengers? Deceptive entities with devious agendas? You know what to do to get those answers: buy the book!

Our fearless authors also take another very welcome blast into the past: in search of hairy humanoids, such as those diminutive types that popped up in the early '50s, and, of course, the world's most famous hair-covered man-beast: Bigfoot. I've said it before, but that won't stop me saying it again: Bigfoot is not just weird and elusive. Rather, Bigfoot is just too damn weird and elusive! And Brad and Sherry make this amply clear in Real Aliens, by chronicling a number of significant cases that push Bigfoot into distinctly Fortean territories.

I was very pleased to see a whole chapter devoted to one of those ufological beasts that doesn't usually get the attention it deserves, and as a result, often languishes in somewhat of a degree of enigmatic obscurity: the Praying Mantis. Insect-like, slightly ominous (and almost echoing imagery of the classic 1950s movie, Them!), one gets the feeling from reading this particular chapter that these entities (whatever their origins) play a substantial, and under-appreciated role in the non-human agenda.

And there are further chapters on the other-world critters too, including the more-than-ominous Reptilians, and robotic types reminiscent of Gort from The Day the Earth Stood Still (I mean the 1951 original; not the recent remake).

Moving on from specifically the alien entities themselves: if you're into stories of underground bases, underwater installations, and cavernous abodes of a type that would have had Richard Shaver and Ray Palmer foaming at the mouth, you're in for a treat. Have beings from other realms of existence secretly established outposts on (and under) our world? Do they secretly move among us, at night, after surfacing from their darkened abodes? Might some of these creatures represent the last vestiges of a very ancient race of terrestrial - rather than extraterrestrial - origins? You'll find a great deal of food for thought on these very issues in this particular chapter.

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to have sex with a blistering hot, Barbarella-style space-babe? Go on, admit it: of course you have! After all, who could say no to Truman Bethurum's flirty and curvy Aura Rhanes?

Certainly, the most famous of all such cases - described in detail in Real Aliens - is that of a certain Antonio Villas Boas of Brazil, whose October 1957 encounter with an attractive chick of the cosmic kind, is now near-legendary. But, as the Steiger's correctly note, some such cases seem downright malevolent, and appear to demonstrate characteristics suggestive of encounters with incubus and succubi, rather than with flesh-and-blood E.T.'s. So, after reading this chapter, you might want to be very careful with respect to what you wish for...

Kind of on a similar path, the highly controversial issue of alien-human hybrids is also given the Steiger treatment. To many, this issue is all indicative of a clandestine, genetic program - and maybe one that has a disturbing agenda. Namely: to infiltrate our society with human-looking aliens. Sleepers, in other words. I was, however, pleased to see that Brad and Sherry note the deep and undeniable parallels between alien abduction, hybrids and kidnapped babies, and the centuries old stories of people who claimed to have met the fairy-folk. Are we dealing with real E.T.'s? Or is this a presently unfathomable puzzle that, depending on the culture, the people and the time-frame, manifests in a multiplicity of forms: extraterrestrials, fairies, goblins, Djinns, etc, etc? All in all, this is a very good section of Real Aliens that demonstrates one of the weirder aspects of the entire phenomenon.

Certainly, in my opinion, the most fascinating chapter is that titled Aliens: Deceivers or Deliverers? This one gets to the very crux of the saucer enigma, and demonstrates (a) the undeniable fact that just because some entity, or disembodied voice, claims to have alien origins, it may be pure folly to take it at its word, and (b) the notable crossovers and parallels between messages from alleged aliens and those communications secured via psychic means. Friendly entities from far away, or our ultimate nightmare manifesting in kindly, camouflaged form? I hope the former; however, I often suspect it's really the latter...

And, in summary, you'll also find a wealth of data in the packed pages of this book on the E.T. connection to religion (both in times-past and times-present); astronaut encounters with UFOs; an absolutely classic early Man in Black experience; connections between the Nazis, UFOs, and the occult realm; presidential knowledge of UFOs; and a great deal more.

Real Aliens is a highly enjoyable, deeply absorbing, and immensely informative title that - by covering so much wide and varied territory - makes it abundantly clear that there is a very real UFO presence in our world. And it's one that has been interacting with us for a very, very long time - and often at a deeply personal level, too. But, it's also a phenomenon that clearly has the upper-hand. Sometimes it exhibits friendliness, at other times it displays Trickster-style characteristics, and on more than a few occasions it's downright malevolent and malignant.

So, in summary with respect to Real Aliens, what can I say but: A definitive encyclopedia of the extraterrestrial variety!

Haunted Skies: Vol II

2011-03-21T05:21:00.000-07:00

Well, hot on the heels of Haunted Skies, The Encyclopedia of British UFOs: Volume I, 1940-1959 (which I reviewed at this blog in January), comes Volume II! As was the case with the first volume in this ongoing series, authors John Hanson and Dawn Holloway have done an excellent job of providing the reader with a truly massive (and I do mean MASSIVE) amount of data - much never, ever before seen - on the high-strangeness that was afoot in the skies of Britain from the early-to-mid 1960s.

This is definitive, classic Ufology - complete with accounts of UFO-landings, flying saucers hovering over sensitive installations, weird creatures roaming around, alien encounters, links between UFOs and ancient, historical sites, and much more.

The thing that most impressed me about Volume II of this series is precisely what impressed me about Volume 1. Instead of simply regurgitating what had already been written about with respect to this long-gone era of Ufology, the authors have gone out into the field, chased down old cases and provided significant new data on those same cases, uncovered a startling number of new reports, and in doing so have given us a new appreciation and insight into this long-gone ere of Ufology.

Crop-Circles, huge cigar-shaped craft, vehicle-interference cases, pilot encounters, Mothman-style entities, the Alex Birch photo controversy, and strange craft skulking around the skies by the dead of night, are just some of the many and varied treats you will find within the packed-pages of Haunted Skies, Vol. II.

There's no doubt that John and Dawn are well on their way to providing us with the definitive, multi-volume history of British Ufology. Roll on Vol. III! Here's the link to the book, which you will not want to miss!

UFOs & Demons

2011-03-17T05:15:00.000-07:00

If you have read my 2010 book, Final Events, you'll know that for years, elements of the U.S. Government have secretly investigated the UFO phenomenon from the perspective that - rather than being alien in nature - it has literal demonic origins.

And, while the idea that UFOs could be anything less than extraterrestrial is most assuredly not what the vast majority of people within the realm of Ufological research want to hear, the demonic theory is one that attracts a substantial following.

And this is made abundantly clear when one reads the new book from Timothy Green Beckley, Round Trip To Hell In A Flying Saucer: UFO Parasites, Alien "Soul Suckers" - Invaders From Demonic Realms.

If you're interested in exploring further the idea that what many believe is at the heart of Ufology (namely that we are being visited by extraterrestrials from far-away star-systems), may not actually be what's going on at all, Round Trip may well be the book for you.

This is without doubt one of the biggest collections of data, case-files, interviews and more on the one facet of Ufology that - more than any other - usually gets relegated to the sidelines.

And for that reason, Tim Beckley has done us a fine service in compiling 300-pages of packed material on this issue, all under one cover.

So, what does the book tell us? Well, I'll tell you! After an Introduction from Tim B himself, in which the general theories relative to demonic UFOs are outlined, we are treated to a very-hard-to-find gem from the early-1950s: a full reproduction of Cecil Michael's book, Round Trip To Hell In A Flying Saucer (which, yes, is the same title as Tim's book, so don't get confused!).

If you have not read Michael's book, then you should. It's part horror-story, highly Contactee-themed, and infinitely weird in the extreme. Replete with strange tales of ethereal, human-like entities that manifest before Michael; out-of-body experiences; a cosmic trip in a UFO to the Planet Hell (really!); and tales of alien wisdom, this is a highly entertaining, rip-roaring read that absolutely typifies much of the early-50s Contactee movement.

We may never really know to what extent Michael's story had a basis in some form of non-human reality, if his experiences were purely internal and subjective, if he was a hoaxer and fantasist, or if - as I strongly suspect was the case with many of the Contactees - the answer might very well be found within a combination of all the above. However, the reproduction of this old tome most definitely sets the scene for the darkness that comes next.

Following on from the Cecil Michael book, we get an excellent article from Tim Beckley himself, titled UFO Possession And Mind Manipulation, which includes welcome and thought-provoking data from Brad Steiger, and additional material demonstrating some of the converging points between UFOs and matters of the occult kind.

Next up is a 9-page interview with me about my Final Events book, and the beliefs and conclusions of the Collins Elite. They are a shadowy, U.S. Government body that believes predatory, demonic entities, masquerading as aliens, are farming the Human Race as a means to secure a form of energy-based "food" from the human life-force: the soul. Even by my standards, the story of the Collins Elite is a disturbingly weird one.

Brad Steiger surfaces again (not from some dark, underground realm, I should stress!), in a first-class paper: Extreme Warning To Potential UFO Contactees. As Brad makes very clear, there is a definitively dark-side to Ufology, and to enter the scene and engage other-world entities can be physically and mentally hazardous in the extreme. You have been duly warned.

Not surprisingly, the late-and-legendary John Keel gets a significant mention in the pages of Round Trip To Hell In A Flying Saucer. As students of Ufology will know (or certainly should know!), Keel was hardly a champion of the extraterrestrial hypothesis when it came to UFOs. Instead, he drew parallels between the UFO encounter experience and the realms of the occult, the paranormal, the supernatural, and the downright devilish. And, we get to see the results of Keel's notable findings in the pages of this very book.

And Tim Beckley's work contains much, much more, too: (A) data on Satanic-themed blood-rituals and the way this may tie-in with cattle-mutilation events; (B) the theories of numerous UFO witnesses and investigators in relation to the "Demonic UFO" theory; (C) fears that those of us involved in UFO research are being manipulated and deceived by entities that masquerade as extraterrestrial, but that may actually prove to be our absolute worst nightmare; (D) occult connections to the puzzle of the menacing Men in Black; (E) shape-shifting entities; (F) the legendary, ghostly black-dogs of old England; (G) the disturbing world of Jinn (or Djinn, depending on which version you prefer); and a great deal more, too.

If you have a fascination with UFOs, but are not rigidly caught up in that one particularly-popular belief-system (namely that UFOs have extraterrestrial origins), and are looking to explore other potential points-of-origin for our mysterious visitors, Round Trip To Hell In A Flying Saucer will prove to be a welcome, vital and excellent addition to your UFO library.

Haunted Skies: Vol. 1

2011-01-25T11:41:00.000-08:00

As someone who has written extensively about the issue of UFO encounters in the British Isles, I know how incredibly difficult and time-consuming it can be to research - and write about - such an infinitely complex topic. And when that same research and writing also encompasses cases that date back decades, then the whole process becomes even more of a challenge.

And, this is one of the reasons why I take my hat off (metaphorically speaking!) to John Hanson and Dawn Holloway, who have done a superb job in chronicling the early years of British Ufology in their new book, Haunted Skies: The Encyclopedia of British UFOs, Volume 1, 1940-1959 (CFZ Press).

To say this is one of the most important of all books that address the history and nature of the UFO puzzle in Great Britain, is not an exaggeration. Not only have the authors uncovered an incredible amount of new data and hitherto unknown incidents, but they have also been able to shed a great deal of very welcome new light on old cases - cases that many researchers, I am sure, assumed had reached a point beyond which they could be taken no further. Well, those same researchers are dead wrong.

John and Dawn have done not just a great service to British Ufology, but to worldwide Ufology, too. With a foreword from Timothy Good, Haunted Skies is a book that will astonish you with the sheer wealth of fascinating and - in many cases - never-before-seen data on truly startling UFO encounters.

Given the fact that this volume covers the period from 1940 to 1959, we are, of course, treated to an amazing body of reports from the Second World War. Needless to say, many students of Ufology will be aware of the fact that the 1940s saw the emergence of the Foo Fighter puzzle - and many have concluded that, as far as UFOs are concerned, the Foo Fighters were a solitary ufological phenomenon of that era. Not so.

I was very intrigued to learn that John and Dawn had uncovered copious amounts of data, cases and testimony relative to close encounters with structured, classic, flying saucer-style craft, other-worldly entities, and much more in this very same, war-torn period. That this section of Haunted Skies alone now requires us to majorly revise what we thought we knew about the UFO puzzle during the Second World War is not a matter of any doubt whatsoever.

And with the 1947 commencement of the era of the Flying Saucer, we get to learn a great deal about how the mystery impacted on, and manifested within, ye olde Blighty. Again, it's clear that Britain played a truly significant role in that legendary year of our lord, Kenneth Arnold.

Haunted Skies also treats us to an absolute treasure-trove of material relative to 1950s UFO sightings, landings, police reports, Adamski-style Contactee cases, British military and governmental interest in the phenomenon, and remarkable firsthand witness testimony concerning encounters with all-things incredible, saucer-shaped, and other-worldly.

And let's not forget Cynthia Appleton and her Venusian baby! This is one of those definitively weird tales of yesteryear that John and Dawn tackle in fine fashion, and which I found particularly intriguing. And you will, too!

For anyone and everyone interested in the UFO issue - and particularly so from a historical perspective - Volume 1 of Haunted Skies is a book that I cannot champion enough. Without doubt, it's one of the most significant UFO-related books of the last few decades - and that's not stretching things. It's an undeniable fact.

If Ufological history is your thing, Haunted Skies is indispensable.

And, as there are two more volumes to come from John and Dawn in this series, we're all in for further treats of the Ufological kind!

Big congratulations to John and Dawn for writing the book, and to Jon Downes and CFZ Press for publishing one of the finest UFO books I've read in a long, long time.

Silent Invasion: Bigfoot & UFOs

2011-01-24T11:27:00.000-08:00

Stan Gordon is a well-known, long-term researcher, writer and authority on many things of a Fortean nature - as is clearly evidenced by his new book, Silent Invasion: The Pennsylvania UFO-Bigfoot Casebook.

Now, I know for sure that any book suggesting Bigfoot may somehow be inextricably linked with the UFO phenomenon - and vice-versa, of course! - is bound to raise hackles in certain quarters.

However, the fact of the matter is that there is surely not a Bigfoot researcher out there who has not been exposed to (at the very least) a few creature cases that absolutely reek of high-strangeness, and that place the hairy man-beasts into definitively Fortean - rather than zoological or cryptozoological - realms.

Whether those same Bigfoot researchers are willing to admit they have come across such cases - or are willing to give such reports some degree of credence - is a very different matter, however!

Fortunately, there are a number of researchers who recognize that as much as it would be preferable to place Bigfoot in a purely flesh-and-blood category, there is a significant body of data and testimony that points in a very different direction. And it's a direction that, to his credit, Stan Gordon does not shy away from. Indeed, Stan's new book is a first-class study of a truly weird wave of Bigfoot-UFO activity that swamped the good folk of Pennsylvania in the period from 1972 to 1974.

In many ways, reading Silent Invasion reminded me of John Keel's classic The Mothman Prophecies and Jon Downes' The Owlman and Others - as a result of the fact that it focuses on the in-depth research of a dedicated, investigative author who duly finds himself up to his neck in monstrous bizarreness, ufological weirdness, and downright Fortean menace!

Silent Invasion is a swirling cauldron filled with dark and ominous woods; glowing-eyed beast-men prowling the countryside by night; strange lights in the sky; UFO landings; neighborhoods gripped by terror and fear; and much, much more, too. And, it's thanks to Stan's research, as well as his in-depth files prepared back when all the dark drama was going on, that we're now able to appreciate the curious chaos and calamity that collectively hit the unsuspecting folk of Pennsylvania all those years ago.

But, that's not all: macabre Men in Black, paranormal activity, psychic possession, secret government interest in Bigfoot, and prophetic visions of a dark and foreboding future all come to the fore in a book that is guaranteed to make you think twice about the true nature of Bigfoot.

To his credit, Stan does not take the simplistic approach that Bigfoot is some sort of "pet of the aliens," as some might assume. Instead, he logically, forthrightly and with supportive data in-hand, makes it abundantly clear that - even if we don't have all the answers - addressing the Bigfoot controversy from a purely zoological perspective does not work - at all.

He notes the problematic lack of a body (even just one would be nice!), the meager evidence of Bigfoot's eating habits, and its uncanny ability to always avoid capture - not to mention that the beast appears to be nigh-on bullet-proof. And I do mean that literally! And Stan hammers home, time and again, that where Bigfoot turns up, so - very often - do a host of other Fortean favorites.

Something strange and diabolical was afoot in Pennsylvania between 1972 and 1974. Bigfoot, UFOs and a plethora of paranormal activity were all in evidence. Somewhere, somehow, there is a connection - even if it's one we're not fully able to understand, just yet. Until we do, however, Silent Invasion will provide you with much to think about, to muse upon, and to ponder. And it may just make you totally revise your views on North America's most famous ape-man.

A great, atmospheric and uncanny tale best devoured by a flickering candle as the witching-hour looms!

Paranormal America

2011-01-20T11:23:00.000-08:00

Countless books have been written - by believers and skeptics alike - on such paranormal topics as UFOs, Bigfoot, lake-monsters, ghosts, demons, the Bermuda Triangle, ESP, tarot-cards, and astrology. And on quite a bit more, too!

The problem is that not only do the vast majority of those same books very often (albeit not necessarily deliberately) reflect the subconscious prejudices of their respective authors, but they tend to focus more so on the data, than they do on the witnesses to the respective phenomena and the personalities that investigate them.

In other words, what has long been sorely lacking in the domain of paranormal research is a definitive, unbiased, careful, agenda-free and expert study of the mysteries at issue - but with an emphasis on those individuals that take the plunge and dare to immerse themselves in those very same mysteries.

Thankfully, that situation has now been rectified by Christopher D. Bader, F. Carson Mencken, and Joseph O. Baker. Their recently-published title Paranormal America: Ghost Encounters, UFO Sightings, Bigfoot Hunts, and Other Curiosities in Religion and Culture, is a truly excellent treatment of its subject matter, and one that I deeply recommend to those fascinated by all-things paranormal.

And the three are well-qualified to write about, comment upon, and critique such issues: Bader is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Baylor University, Waco, Texas; Mencken is a Professor of Sociology at Baylor; and Baker is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at East Tennessee State University.

But, and here's the important point: this particular trio is not looking to force-feed you any specific theory, idea or notion with respect to Bigfoot, UFOs and all the rest of the high-strangeness that dominates the lives of so many. Rather, they are merely looking for answers - whatever they may ultimately prove to be. And there's none of that annoying, condescending, self-importance and self-congratulatory huffing and puffing that fills the pages of so many skeptical studies of the supernatural to be found in this book either.

It's clear from the outset that the authors are not seeking to demolish any notions that hairy man-beasts are roaming the woods, that aliens may really have crashed at Roswell, New Mexico all those years ago, that ET is abducting earthlings for bizarre reasons of a genetic nature, or that life-after death is a reality. But, they're not looking to do all they can to uphold such beliefs, either.

Instead, what they are doing is taking the refreshing approach of spending as much time as possible studying, and understanding, the witnesses to, and believers in, paranormal phenomena as they are examining the alleged phenomena. And, it is with respect to the witness - or participant - issue that Paranormal America really scores points and hits home.

As the book makes abundantly clear, paranormal research is filled with characters that range from the depressingly boring, to the overwhelmingly obsessed. And, in between, there are - for the most part - those that are open-minded, others who it could be argued are somewhat too open-minded, and many who are just fascinated by the notion that the world as we see it may not actually represent all there is to see.

To their credit, our Three Musketeers do not sit on their laurels as they seek to determine what on earth (or off it!) is afoot. No: they stake-out haunted locales, they hit the road in search of Bigfoot, and they track down key and integral players in the world of the paranormal.

Citing, time and again, thought-provoking statistical data on the nature of belief systems relative to certain, alleged supernatural anomalies said to be in our midst, Bader, Mencken, and Baker show that the field of paranormal research is not at all unlike that of mainstream religion: belief and faith in "something," without any hard evidence of its actual existence, is rampant.

That same paranormal belief, just like religion, on occasion, utterly transforms lives. And, in some cases, a belief in Bigfoot, UFOs and the rest of their motley ilk appears to offer some meaning to the existence of people for whom religion plays no real part.

But, it's crucial to note that while Paranormal America makes it very obvious that - in terms of how people incorporate such controversial issues into their lives - a belief in God (or a belief in a God, or countless Gods) and the way he/she/it/they impacts/impact on the lives of people is not that different to having a belief in Bigfoot, this does not mean that the many and varied phenomena under scrutiny are simply brain-borne fantasies of a definitively X-Files like "I want to believe" nature.

No: our authors are extremely (but not uncritically) open to the idea that certain paranormal phenomena may indeed be a reality, and that just maybe aliens really are flying around, that it's not a waste of time for grown-men to chase Bigfoot on weekends while their wives sit at home rolling their eyes, or that perhaps the dead really can return to either comfort us or scare the you-know-what out of us.

But this is all very much secondary to the undeniably fascinating story at the crux of Paranormal America: namely, the way in which the paranormal - as a medium, and even as an outright culture - has spread astonishingly far and wide across the United States, the means by which belief-systems flourish and mutate, the nature of our deep-seated desires for there to be more to life than just 80-years and then a never-ending "lights-out" scenario, how cultural background, class, geographic location, and even monetary income deeply impact on such beliefs, and how and why people accept, need and yearn for the existence of fantastic, amazing, and occasionally terrifying "things."

Paranormal America is a book that should fascinate anyone and everyone with a deep interest in its subject-matters. Whether you are a full-on believer in the world of the paranormal, a die-hard skeptic, an open-minded interested soul, a combination of all three, or something more, you will gain much satisfaction from digesting this fine, scholarly, and always-entertaining work.

And you'll find yourself exposed to those most fascinating and mysterious of all realms that have led to the ever-present fascination with, and belief-systems relative to, the paranormal: the strange depths and complexities of the human-mind.

Japanese Monsters: Yokai Reviewed

2011-01-14T07:40:00.001-08:00

Richard Freeman's new book, The Great Yokai Encyclopedia: An A to Z of Japanese Monsters, is an appropriately Godzilla-sized book (it runs to 416 pages!) and is a definitive look at the strange creatures and beasts of Japan, both in times past and the present day. A wealth of dedication, hard work and diligent study has gone into making this book a triumphant tour de force on one of the most sadly overlooked aspects of cryptozoology, monster-hunting and strange creatures.

Collectively known as the Yokai, the monsters of Japan are largely unknown in the West. But by addressing the cultural background that gave rise to these legends, and then listing the creatures in detailed encyclopedic form, however, Richard Freeman has now firmly and decisively rectified that situation for one and all.

This is a truly magical title that demonstrates not only Freeman's love and appreciation of Japan's rich folklore, history and mythology of a monstrous nature, but that also reveals his profound knowledge of the subject, too - not to mention his patience in putting the mighty tome together in the first place! Freeman writes in an informative and entertaining style that ensures you'll keep turning the book's pages to learn what is coming next.

I recommend The Great Yokai Encyclopedia to anyone and everyone that wishes to learn more about the fantastic beasts, mythical monsters, unknown animals, and creepy critters of Japan. Winged monsters, dragons, man-beasts, water goblins and much more - they all feature within the packed pages of this book. Invest in a copy and you won't be disappointed!

True Giants

2010-12-21T04:55:00.001-08:00

Countless books have been written about Bigfoot, the Yeti, the Yowie and the Yeren. A significant number of words have been written about the massive, presumed-extinct, ancient ape known as Gigantopithecus. And, more than a few of those words suggest that the many and varied unknown man-beasts that are said to roam amongst us are examples of surviving, relic populations of that very same Gigantopithecus.

But what if something else, something even more fantastic in its implications than the idea that Bigfoot is Gigantopithecus, is actually afoot? That's the scenario we are treated to in the new book from Mark A. Hall and Loren Coleman, True Giants: Is Gigantopithecus Still Alive?

This is a book that, if you're interested in Sasquatch and its hairy ilk, you'll definitely want to read. It may not, however, be the book you're anticipating or expecting. But, as I'll demonstrate, that's a very good thing.

The theory that Bigfoot, the Yeti, the Yowie (the list goes on) are indeed surviving pockets of Gigantopithecus is an attractive one. After all, at least some of the old stomping grounds of Gigantopithecus do broadly correspond to locales from where, today, we get reports of unknown, large apes. So, the theory does seem to make sense - at first glance.

The problem is that, for the most part, while Bigfoot and most of the rest of the hairy man-beasts among us are certainly big compared to the Human Race, they're not that big. Creatures of 7-, 8-, or maybe 9-feet in height are typically what we hear of from those who are fortunate enough to encounter such animals.

But, just occasionally, a rare, rogue case will come along where the witness is certain that the creature they saw is far larger - maybe, rather astonishingly, in the region of 12-to-15 feet in height.

I've heard people say words to the effect of: "Well, sometimes, we see humans reaching 7- or 8-feet, so why shouldn't there be a few over sized Bigfoot?" Fair enough, you might say. But, there's another explanation too: we may be looking at different animals, rather than simply enormous versions of just one type. And, maybe those rare and rogue cases are not so rare and rogue after all! Cue True Giants.

So that there can be no misunderstanding of where they are coming from, Hall and Coleman note their position carefully, and early on, in the book: "These True Giants are not 'Bigfoot,' despite some efforts to make simple comparisons with creatures such as the one seen in the famous Roger Patterson-Robert Gimlin motion film of a Neo-Giant in California in 1967...They are of a different genus of primate."

And it's with respect to this different genus of primate that we get to learn so much about the truly massive Gigantopithecus in the pages of True Giants. The reader is treated to an excellent account of how Gigantopithecus came to be discovered and classified; its place in both zoology and cryptozoology; how and why the assumption has been made that it, Bigfoot and the Yeti are one and the same; and most importantly, why that assumption suffers from some major flaws.

And as the authors detail extensively and authoritatively in their book: a significant number of worldwide cultures tell of huge giants that once lived among us - the 12-15-foot-tall entities, and maybe a few taller ones, too. They were a marauding, violent breed, with cannibalistic tendencies, but who also seemed possessed of a certain degree of intelligence that allowed them to fashion a degree of clothing, crude tools, weapons, homes and dens (very often in caves or underground) and perhaps even primitive rafts and boats.

Of course, much of this flies in the face of accepted wisdom that Gigantopithecus, the True Giant, was just a huge ape. The theory that it could have been something more - something much more - is a controversial one. But it's a theory that Hall and Coleman back up with a wealth of fascinating accounts from times past that encompass Asia, North America, Europe, South America and numerous other places, too. And, in doing so, the authors make a very good, thought-provoking case.

In fact, they are clear on the issue that dismissing Gigantopithecus as a gigantic ape is way off-track: "...the fossils that have been found for this particular giant primate have been attributed not to a giant man but, erroneously, to a giant ape...Some people have suggested that the fossils, known as Gigantopithecus, are gigantic men. We believe that view will one day be proven correct."

And it's with this viewpoint in mind that the pair provide us with some truly fascinating accounts that actually sit very well within just such a scenario. And it's a point of view that provoked a lot of graphic imagery as I was reading the book.

Indeed, one of the things that really hit home upon digesting True Giants is how much of our own history we appear to have lost and forgotten - or that we have simply chosen to relegate to the realm of fantasy. Priceless tales of times long-past when gigantic beast-men roamed the world, perhaps competing with us for food, water, and a place to call home, fill the pages of this book.

But, numerous cases from the last couple of centuries and even up to the present day suggest that these huge, lumbering beast-men have not gone the way of the Dodo, but may still be found deep in the ancient forests, and the hard-to-access, huge mountain peaks that continue to dominate the wilder parts of our world.

In conclusion,True Giants is a book that is as groundbreaking as it is thought-provoking and paradigm-challenging. Hall and Coleman detail a remarkable theory - and a rich history, too - that serves to explain the many and varied accounts of huge, hairy giants in our midst. In the process of doing so, they weave a complex and fascinating story of something gigantic, something definitively monstrous but equally definitively man-like too, and something that has lived alongside us for so long, carefully shaping and sculpting our legends and folklore as it does so.

And, it's very difficult to read True Giants and not come away with a deep sense of regret and loss, borne out of the probability that the full, fantastic history of these Goliath-like man-apes - and their ancient connections to, and interactions with, the Human Race - will likely never be known to us. However, unless or until we do learn more about not just the true nature of Gigantopithecus, but about our fog-shrouded history too, True Giants represents without doubt the best treatment we have thus far on this fascinating and engaging subject.

It's Alive!!!

2010-11-29T12:29:00.000-08:00

Dr. Bob Curran's latest release, Man-Made Monsters: A Field Guide to Golems, Patchwork Soldiers, Homunculi, and Other Created Creatures, is a superb addition to the long-line of titles that Curran has written for New Page Books. And, as you'll immediately understand from it's title, this new one deals with creatures that have to thank (or even curse) us for their existence.

And a wide and varied bunch of beasts they are, too!

As you might guess, we get to learn much about Frankenstein's Monster. But, rather than just looking at Mary Shelley's famous creation in the world of fiction, Curran tells the truly fascinating story of how Mary Shelley may have been influenced by some real-life equivalents of Dr. Frankenstein himself.

Were they scientific visionaries, or definitive mad-professors, complete with the near-ubiquitous Eastern European accents? Well, maybe, they were a bit of both. But this chapter alone makes Man-Made Monsters well worth reading, as it delves into the shadowy and dangerous worlds of body-snatching, medical skulduggery, the mysterious Mr. Pass (you'll have to read the book to find out about that sinister character...) and much more. And, in many ways, Curran demonstrates that the truth of the matter may be even more horrific and Gothic than Shelley's novel itself!

Of course, in a book like this, much attention is given to such creations as the legendary Golem and Homunculi. Curran's study of the two most certainly does not disappoint, and he skilfully dissects and details the legends, tales and mythologies that surround both.

For me, the most entertaining and thought-provoking section of the book was that dealing with so-called "Warriors of Brass." If, having read those words, your mind is thinking "Robots," well you would be right! However, these are not the modern-day, human-like machines that have for so long dominated the genre of science-fiction.

No: here we are talking about secret science, ancient computers, and highly-advanced technologies that may have been in the hands of our long-gone ancestors. From such places as ancient Greece and China we learn tale-after-tale of created-machines that sound astonishingly like complex, modern-day robots built for entertainment, work, and even on the battlefield.

No, we're not talking about anything as near as sophisticated as The Terminator, but we are talking about constructions - fashioned by human hand - that strongly suggest in centuries-past there existed some definitively mechanical marvels that today, unfortunately, are utterly lost to the fog of time.

And, with sections on Tulpas and thought-forms, alchemy, ancient magic, and much more, Man-Made Monsters is an excellent study of its strange-yet-engaging subject-matter. Whether for you, a friend or family member, it will make a fine Christmas gift!

The Michigan Dogman

2010-11-23T04:43:00.000-08:00

If you have followed the written output of Linda Godfrey and her work on werewolf-style entities seen in the United States, then you'll definitely want to grab a copy of her brand new book: The Michigan Dogman: Werewolves and Other Unknown Canines Across the U.S.A.

Linda has carved for herself a well-deserved reputation as the leading U.S.-based investigator, researcher and author - in a non-fiction setting - of data on such matters, as is evidenced by her previous titles, The Beast of Bray Road; Hunting the American Werewolf; and Werewolves.

And, The Michigan Dogman is a fine addition to Linda's previous titles. You might possibly wonder: what can be said about such matters that hasn't already been said in Linda's previous three books on werewolves, lycanthropy and more? Well, the answer is quite a lot!

One of the chief reasons why Dogman is such an important and captivating read is because we're treated to countless new cases, eye-witness reports, and incidents and testimony - from all across the United States, and the decades, too.

And this is a significant factor: whereas The Beast of Bray Road was very much a regional study of werewolves in one particular part of Wisconsin, Linda's new book skilfully demonstrates that, in reality, these things - whatever they may be - have been seen, and are still being seen, all across the United States. In other words, this is not a localized, regional phenomenon. Rather, there appears to be be something - or some thing - among us that has carefully avoided classification and capture for...well, who knows how long? But, it's also something that pops us just about here, there and everywhere, and appears to be somehow intimately connected with us - which I'll expand upon shortly.

The sheer range and variety of reports makes The Michigan Dogman essential reading for devotees of hairy, fanged werewolves. But, as interesting as the reports, are the notable similarities in the actions, characteristics and appearances of the creatures under scrutiny.

In other words, people from all across the United States - unconnected to, and unknown to, each other - are reporting sightings of what sound very much like the exact same creatures. Typically, they are large, hair-covered, possess muzzles and pointed ears, and have the ability to move on both two legs and four.

Indeed, the sheer number of reports that possess all of these particular aspects is astonishing. And unless hundreds of people are all banding together to hoax Linda - which I do not, for one moment, believe - then we have to address seriously the idea that there are creatures out there that look like the classic imagery of werewolves.

But, is that really what they are? Well, like all of Linda's books, she gets into some fascinating areas of research as she strives to answer that question, which some might assume is a simple one to answer, but I assure you it's most definitely not!

Linda, to her credit, does not shy away from controversy - and when it comes to the Michigan Dogman and its motley ilk, there's plenty of it! Without doubt the most important questions of all are: What are these creatures? Are they even flesh-and-blood, physical entities? Is something far stranger afoot? Are we looking at several phenomena that have been lumped together under one banner?

The curious thing about the Dogmen, as Linda carefully demonstrates, is that they seem to defy categorization. Aside from the fact that there is not - or certainly should not be - any sort of canine animal running around the United States that has the ability to walk, run and leap on two legs as effortlessly as it does on four, this is what the witnesses are reporting. And, even though such a scenario is controversial in the extreme, this still seems to place these creatures in a physical, flesh-and-blood, category - as does the fact that many witnesses have seen such beasts feeding on their prey near the sides of wood-shrouded roads late at night.

But, this is where it gets even more interesting. It's almost as if there are too many cases: it's clear from reading The Michigan Dogman that, on many occasions, the very fact that these creatures are seen goes beyond mere chance. It's almost like they want to be seen - or, perhaps, even need to be seen. Why? Well, we'll get to that soon.

In the same way that back in the 1950s so-called "aliens" were endlessly stumbled upon while they were taking "soil-samples," or how Bigfoot is so often seen crossing the road, so with the Dogmen there seems to be something stranger going on than mere, chance encounters - and we're the unwitting souls and the pawns in a bigger picture that we're not fully understanding, or perhaps not even capable of understanding, just yet.

Yes, the beasts Linda describes seem real - in the way we understand the term - but there is distinct high-strangeness attached to such reports, too, including the locations: bridges, crossroads, and so on. Of course, any student of folklore will be aware that such locations have, for centuries, been associated with sightings of fantastic beasts (such as my own personal obsession, the so-called "Man-Monkey" that haunts Bridge 39 on Britain's old Shropshire Union Canal). But, the majority of the witnesses are not students of folklore - and that's an important issue.

Plus, Linda cites a number of reports where these creatures have been seen near entrance and exit roads to highways - which is surely an upgrading of the old crossroads motif in such cases. As an aside, I'm rather reminded how, in centuries past in my home-country of England, ghostly black-dogs were seen faithfully patrolling old paths and tracks. Whereas, today, Britain's "Big Cats" are often reported seen wandering along railway tracks and on golf-courses. Indeed, as puzzling as it sounds, certain locales seem to attract exotic beasts - if they are beasts and not something weirder.

There are other locations that play a role in such cases, too: graveyards, ancient burial mounds, effigy sites and more. In fact, in reading Linda's Book, I was astonished to find how closely such reports mirror many, very similar, cases from the large Cannock Chase woods of England, near to where I grew up. Again, there appears to be a picture here, but we're seeing it through fogged eyes.

Then there are the attacks: you would imagine that if you were attacked by a six-to-seven-foot tall werewolf, you would sustain some pretty serious damage. After all, haven't we all gone to You Tube, once or twice, and searched "Bear attack" or "Lion attack" and seen the sheer damage that a large, powerful predator can inflict upon a dimwitted human being who thinks it's clever to try and shake hands with a 1,000 pound flesh-eating wild animal?

But, when it comes to the Dogmen, the attacks are always half-hearted - yes, there are a few torn shirts, and the very occasional scratch, but it's almost as if the attack is one of effect, one that is designed to provoke an emotional response in the witness, rather than to actually turn them into a tasty dinner.

So, where does Linda stand on all this? Well, to her credit, she doesn't try and force any particular theory down the throats of her readers. Rather, she astutely recognizes that while the Dogman phenomenon is very real, it's also an issue that is infinitely difficult to resolve. So, in the pages of The Michigan Dogman you will get to learn a great deal about whether or not a physical, wolf-like beast could exist, in stealth, in the U.S. and elsewhere.

You will, however, also learn a great deal about Tulpas - beasts of the mind that thrive on fear and high-states of emotion; about ancient, paranormal Guardian-like creatures - the equivalents of supernatural watch-dogs, perhaps conjured up centuries ago from who knows where, and that still roam the landscape to this very day; about skinwalkers and bearwalkers; about ley-lines and the associations these beasts have with water; and even about ancient, mighty wolves that may not be as extinct as many presume them to be.

If you're already acquainted with the work of Linda (and if you aren't, why not?), then The Michigan Dogman is a book that you'll definitely want to read. And, if you're new to the world of real-life werewolves and this book is your first taster of what it's all about, then you're in for a real treat too!

As a first-class book that offers both numerous cases of a definitively werewolf nature, as well as a variety of thought-provoking explanations to try and explain the phenomenon (or, maybe, phenomena is a better, and more accurate, term), The Michigan Dogman should have pride of place on the bookshelves of everyone interested in strange and unknown beasts, ancient legends, folklore and mythology. You'll find all that - and much more, too - inside its packed pages.

UFO Down?

2010-10-21T13:49:00.000-07:00

Back in the halcyon days of approximately 1996-1999 - when UFOs were all-dominating on the British newsstands, and when Mulder and Scully were the Posh 'n' Becks of the day - much page space was devoted to a strange, previously all-but-forgotten, and genuinely intriguing event that had occurred on a Welsh mountain one dark, winter night in January 1974.

For many people of a "The Truth Is Out There" persuasion (in the 1990s, at least), this curious affair was seen as being nothing less than a potential "British Roswell" - or a "Welsh Roswell" would be far more accurate.

In other words, stories, rumors, tales and a degree of whistle blower testimony collectively suggested that perhaps nothing less than an honest-to-goodness alien spacecraft (complete with crew, no less) had crashed on North Wales' Berwyns Mountains range, and had been retrieved undercover of the utmost secrecy by elements of the British military and government.

And, I have to admit, that at the time in question ('96-'99) I was a fully paid up member of the "I Want To Believe" club, and I gave space to the incident in my books A Covert Agenda and Cosmic Crashes - and I was most certainly not against the idea that E.T. might have really crashed and burned on the Berwyns all those years ago.

However, it was as the '90s breathed their last, that Andy Roberts (to some - including me - a genuine Fortean sleuth, to others a spoiler of ufological fun, and to more than a few, a tool of disinformation agents in the government...YAWN) came along with a preliminary paper suggesting that the Berwyn affair was nothing more than the result of misperception, coupled with a localized earthquake and a meteor shower - on the same night and in approximately the same time-frame.

Of course, the true-believers moaned that Andy was following some nefarious agenda, courtesy of the Men in Black - the dreaded "them," in other words. And, those of a different persuasion gave Andy a collective pat on the back. But, still the Berwyn controversy continued to rumble and reverberate, before sliding back into a degree of obscurity that would occasionally be fodder for TV and radio.

But, today, as we get close to 2011, and with the aforementioned 1990s long-gone, Andy is once again tackling all-things of a Berwyn Mountains nature with his new book - UFO Down? - from the Center for Fortean Zoology's publishing company, Fortean Words.

And, I have to say, that - given the fact that UFO Down? represents the first full-length book on the case - Andy has done an excellent job of finally digging deep into the many and varied complexities of the affair and coming to a satisfying conclusion, which - interestingly - actually leaves the door open to one or two potentially Fortean anomalies having played some sort of presently-unclear role in the case.

But, with that said, this is an excellent study of how and why myths, legends, rumors, friend-of-a-friend tales, unbridled gossip, and good old misperception all played roles in carefully creating, nurturing and molding an admittedly fascinating series of separate events into the tale of a crashed spacecraft from a far-away world.

Easily worthy of a case for Holmes and Watson (and, particularly so given its ingredients of a dark, imposing and windswept mountain-range; little isolated villages; "phantom helicopters" prowling the moonlit skies; claims of deep and dark secrets; and shadowy and sinister Men in Black-like figures said to be roaming the landscape by day and night), the Berwyn story is one that is truly as fascinating as it is one filled with wild twists and turns. All that's missing is a ghostly black hound with glowing red eyes!

Packed with accounts of strange lights on the mountain, an alleged heavy British Army presence, alien bodies recovered at the "crash" site, meteorites, earth tremors, ghost-lights, official files and more, this is a book that anyone and everyone interested in UFOs (and particularly tales of crashed UFOs) should acquire a copy of at the earliest opportunity.

UFO Down? demonstrates how an investigation of such an event should be undertaken, even if the conclusions aren't what some solely belief-driven souls wish to hear. Well, too bad. Andy went to the places, spoke to the witnesses, chased down the government files, and travelled to where the evidence led him. And, if and when someone else decides to do likewise and comes to a different conclusion, then we'll take a look at that evidence in its own right, if and when it surfaces.

But, right now, we have in my opinion a first-class, true-life detective-style story that tells the truth of the Berwyn affair (or, as close to the truth as we're likely to get) and reveals its complexities to the extent that we're able to.

And, to his credit, and as I alluded to earlier in this review, Andy's conclusions don't rule out the possibility of something weird having occurred (in one, specific aspect of the story), in some odd fashion, at least.

The field of book-writing and crashed UFOs is filled with tales of Hangar 18, alien bodies on ice, and extraterrestrial autopsies. UFO Down? is a very different addition to the field of crashed UFO titles, but in a refreshing, welcome and - most important of all - informative and illuminating fashion.

Whatever your views on all things saucer-shaped and crashed, you should buy this book. You will learn a lot - about those aforementioned crashed UFOs, but also about why and how the British UFO research community of the 1990s arguably needed its very own Roswell, and how and why belief systems and eyewitness perception may be the most important facets of certain, challenging, alleged UFO events.

BUY THIS BOOK!!

UFO Down? The Berwyn Mountain UFO Crash by Andy "Sinister Tool of the Secret Government" Roberts is published by Fortean Words. It's available at Amazon UK; Amazon USA; and Amazon Canada, and, of course, at all good book-selling outlets.

Ireland's Mystery Animals

2010-10-21T12:14:00.000-07:00

A couple of years ago, my good mate, Jon Downes (ye olde Director of the Center for Fortean Zoology) launched an ambitious new project - namely to commission, edit and publish a series of books that would chronicle the many and varied strange creatures of the British Isles.

Up until just a few weeks ago, there were three titles in this series on the market from the CFZ - Glen Vaudrey's Mystery Animals of the British Isles: The Western Isles; Neil Arnold's Mystery Animals of the British Isles: Kent; and Mystery Animals of the British Isles: Northumberland and Tyneside by Mike Hallowell.

Well, I'm pleased to say that there is now a brand new edition to the growing Mystery Animals of... series. This one isn't strictly a county-based book, however, as it covers the whole of Ireland and comes to us courtesy of cryptozoologist Gary Cunningham and surely the funniest (in every sense of the word!) man in Forteana, Ronan Coghlan, who my wife, Dana, refers to as a "lovable hoot"!

I read this book in two sittings, late at night and into the early hours, and while sprawled out on the settee, and I can say for certain that this is an absolutely excellent addition to this on-going series of titles.

What Gary and Coggers have done, is to finally, definitively, and once and for all, offer the reader a comprehensive, in-depth, and very well-written study of the many and varied mystery animals of Ireland that cover centuries-past to the present day.

And a fantastic and weird bunch of creatures they are too! We are treated first to an absolutely excellent study of Ireland's lake-monster sightings and reports - and it's a study that leaves me in no doubt (and, in all likelihood, it will leave you in no doubt either) that these strange and elusive beasts - whatever they may ultimately prove to be - are utterly real, albeit frustratingly elusive.

Whether they are some form of unknown and unclassified entities, giant eels, or something else entirely, Gary and the Cogmeister demonstrate that Ireland has been, and arguably still is, saturated with such beasts.

Graphic reports of close encounters (and, in some cases, very close encounters) with such animals abound in the 168-pages of the book, and the authors also provide us with some little-known and brand-new tales of the lake-monster variety. Truly, for this comprehensive data alone, Mystery Animals of the British Isles: Ireland makes for indispensable reading. And, on a similar issue, you'll also find much to ponder on with respect to Ireland's sea-serpents, as well as tales, legends and folklore of a definitive mermaid variety.

Moving on from the creatures of the deep, we get to learn a great deal about a seldom-covered topic: werewolves and other Irish shape-shifters. This is a brief, but very informative, chapter that tells us much about the rich folklore of Ireland and its attendant belief-systems, and is required reading for devotees of all-things of a werewolf nature.

And if ancient tales of Bigfoot and wild men are your personal cup of tea, well, you will be very pleased, since both are profiled in a section of the book that will fascinate all Bigfoot researchers who wish to have an understanding of the state of play outside of the usual "mystery ape" locales of North America, Tibet, and China.

Of course, mysterious and out-of-place large and exotic cats put in a welcome and significant appearance, as does the Irish wildcat. And: did you know that Ireland may once have been home to a colony of "dwarf wolves"? Well, you do now, and there's no excuse for not finding out all about them, courtesy of our fearless authors.

And, there are sections on animals that seem to be far more paranormal and supernatural in nature than they do flesh-and-blood - a topic that many cryptozoologists shy away from, but that our authors, to their credit, astutely realize are an integral part of monster-hunting.

Finally, no book on the mysterious creatures of Ireland would be complete without a comprehensive study of the Dobharchu or "Master Otter" - a Goliath-sized otter rumored to roam the wilds of Ireland. And, I'm pleased to say, the authors do the fascinating story much credit, and reveal thought-provoking cases, as well as theories relative to the identity and origins of this legendary critter.

With Christmas looming, you should treat yourself (and your friends and family too) to a copy of this new title from Gary and his Royal Cogness, and acquaint yourselves with an excellent study of the animal-anomalies of Ireland.

Mystery Animals of the British Isles: Ireland by Gary Cunningham & Ronan Coghlan is published by CFZ Press. To purchase the book, click here if you are in the UK; right here for Canada; and, here's the link for the USA.

Reviewing Real Monsters

2010-09-25T09:11:00.000-07:00

Here's my review, at Mania.com, of Brad Steiger's latest release, Real Monsters.

Monsters: The Ultimate Bestiary

2010-09-17T09:26:00.000-07:00

If you're into all things monstrous and cryptozoological, I cannot stress enough how much you will enjoy Christopher Dell's book, Monsters: A Bestiary of Devils, Demons, Vampires, Werewolves, and Other Magical Creatures.

Published by Inner Traditions, this is without doubt one of the best (if not the best) bestiary-style publications that has ever hit the book-shelves - and I do not exaggerate when I state that.

Running at just under 200-pages, Monsters, as you can probably guess given its bestiary nature, has its roots in creatures of times long gone, and demonstrates the sheer wealth of fantastic entities that, for centuries, have dominated our folklore, legends, mythology, nightmares and - just maybe - the real world, too.

So, with that said, onto the content: after an Introduction from the author that delves into what it is that makes us so fascinated with, and by, monsters, and that also focuses on some of the more bizarre and infamous creatures that perplexed, amazed, and even terrified such cultures as those of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Medieval Europe, Japan and more, it's onto the dastardly beasts themselves.

Kicking off with a chapter titled Gods and Monsters, Dell introduces us to the Cyclopes - the offspring of the gods Uranus and Gaia; to the Egyptian Anubis; and the Hindu god, Kali.

Creatures of Chaos follows - a section of the book that takes us back to ancient Babylonian legends, including that of the sea serpent-like Tiamat; and then it's on to far more ominous beasts, such as demons and devils, and the way in which they have played key roles in such religions as Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism.

Monsters of the Underworld feature heavily in the book too, demonstrating the sheer fear that existed in centuries-past of Satan's hordes - which, as the book reveals, took on a veritable multiplicity of forms, none of which look particularly pleasant. Of course, surfacing from the pits of Hell, pleasant is the absolute last way one would expect to describe these terrifying critters!

Monsters of the magical variety have their place in the pages of the book too, including those pesky little Homunculi and - of course - the Golem (both of which, coincidentally, feature in my new book, Final Events, but I digress!).

Devotees of everything dragon-like will be pleased to know that more than 20-pages are devoted to these legendary creatures. Disappointed, you most definitely will not be!

Monsters of the waters, such as sea-serpents, sirens and mermaids come under the spotlight in fine fashion, as do definitive shape-shifters, such as werewolves and the Demon Foxes of Japan.

Of particular fascination to me was the section of the book on the monsters that surface after the sun has set and invade our nightmares. Are such experiences purely internal, or does the sleep-state open a door to nightmarish realms full of all manner of beasts?

Of course, in a book such as this, folklore becomes an integral player: legends and ancient traditions are shown to be important aspects of the development of a number of significant monster-based tales. And, should you be fortunate enough or unfortunate enough (depending on your own, personal opinion!) to come face-to-face with a creature from the outer edge, you're provided with essential data on how to confront and combat them.

For me, the most engaging chapter is that titled Off the Edge of the Map, which focuses on a plethora of truly bizarre "things" (which is the best way I can describe them!) that are as jaw-dropping as they are bizarre.

There is one thing that I have left until last, and that is the very issue that defines a bestiary - and that is, of course, the huge collection of images that adorn the pages of Monsters.

I own several bestiary-type books on strange creatures, but I have to say - in all honesty - that Monster tops them all. The ancient artwork that appears throughout the book is, literally, breathtaking, and ranges from the fantastic to the ominous. Indeed, there are some renditions that positively ooze menace. Others are near-magical and evoke imagery in the mind of far-away lands and creatures of ages long-gone.

Other imagery is near-hypnotic in nature, and for those of you of a nervous disposition, you may find these same images invading your very own nightmares - thus, perhaps, giving these ancient and mighty beasts a new lease on life.

For me, it is the aforementioned chapter, Off the Edge of the Map that contains the most captivating, visual artwork, and which pulls the reader into a world very different to that of the early 21st Century - but one that, I suspect, all of us have an innate ability to connect with at a subconscious, primordial level.

I used the words "I cannot stress..." in the opening sentence of this review, but I'm going to use it again. Indeed, I cannot stress how much pleasure, enjoyment and interest you will derive from not just the text of the book, but from the accompanying artwork too, which is truly fantastic.

If you're at all interested in tales, myths, folklore and more of a monstrous and dastardly nature, then Monsters: A Bestiary of Devils, Demons, Vampires, Werewolves, and Other Magical Creatures by Christopher Dell is a book you should invest in quickly! As a definitive beastly bestiary, this is nigh-on hard to beat.

Legend Tripping with Jeff Belanger

2010-09-02T12:48:00.000-07:00

Jeff Belanger, the author of the new book Picture Yourself Legend Tripping, is someone I've met on several occasions at gigs along the East-Coast, over the last few years.

And, not only is Jeff a guy who is highly knowledgeable on matters of a paranormal and Fortean nature, but he's also someone with a keen wit and a fine understanding of how to undertake an investigation into the realm of the unknown. And, all of this shines through in the pages of Jeff's new book.

Basically, Legend Tripping is a "How To..." guide to the investigation of a whole host of other-worldly, monstrous, alien and ethereal "things" of a supernatural nature.

Written in a bright, humorous, informative and illuminating fashion, Legend Tripping provides background data on some of the most famous - and infamous - mysteries of our world, such as UFOs, alien entities, Bigfoot, spooks and specters, urban-legends, Atlantis, lake-monsters, the Bermuda Triangle, Holy miracles, the Nazca Lines, time-travel, zombies, Mothman and more.

But, things don't end there. What Jeff has done - and in a fine and capable fashion, too - is to also provide you with all the requirements you'll need when it comes to heading out into those spooky woods, haunted houses, mysterious locales, and exotic and mysterious domains.

What do you need to take with you when you seek out Bigfoot? What are the essential items required when you're looking for chain-rattling phantoms? What sorts of equipment, gear, and everyday essentials will you need if your excursion of the paranormal kind is to be a success? How should interviews with witnesses to strange phenomena be conducted? These - and many more - are the types of questions that Jeff asks and, more-than-capably, answers.

Anyone and everyone can learn a great deal from Jeff's advice. However, if you are totally new to the subject of paranormal investigations, but are eager to learn more about how to investigate fringe topics, then Picture Yourself Legend Tripping is a book that should be an essential part of your library.

An excellent, highly entertaining, helpful and insightful look at how one should study the absolute wealth of weird shit that lurks among us!

They're Back In Black!

2010-09-02T11:53:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's time to alert you to yet another new title from the always-busy Global Communications company of Timothy Green Beckley. And, it's a very good one that focuses on one of the strangest aspects of the worlds of both Ufology and Forteana, namely those pesky entities that seem forever destined to wreak havoc and mayhem wherever they go, and while issuing dire warnings to anyone who might dare discuss the subject of UFOs. I'm talking, of course, about the Men in Black!

Tim's new book, Curse of the Men in Black, is an excellent addition to the published material on this very creepy facet of saucer-seeking, for several reasons. Number one: we are treated to a full reproduction of John Stuart's 1963 book, UFO Warning.

Originally published by Gray Barker's Saucerian Books, UFO Warning is vital reading for anyone and everyone that wants to acquaint themselves with some of the early MIB data, cases and witness experiences. Truly, they don't make 'em like this anymore! The inclusion of UFO Warning alone makes Tim's new book well worth investing in.

But, that's not all you get. Yep, there's much more that will both fascinate and unsettle MIB fans everywhere.

There's (A) the links between the MIB and the mysterious deaths of certain ufological players, researchers and authors; (B) the Black Helicopter connection; (C) the infamous story of how Tim came to secure a photograph of a MIB back in the 1960s (yes the picture appears in the book); (D) Tim talking about his own MIB investigations and certain, very intriguing case studies; (E) MIB activity in relation to strange creatures and unknown beasts - including a certain legendary critter from Point Pleasant, West Virginia, (F) the occult-driven story of Albert Bender (without who, surely, there would be no MIB) and much, MUCH more, including a bonus, 60-minute DVD of Tim speaking with MIB witness, Johnny Sands.

If you're new to the MIB phenomenon, or want to take a look back at what was afoot within some of the earlier years of Ufology - as well as what it was that got so many researchers and authors so caught up in the MIB puzzle - this book will make great, late-night reading.

Buy it now before the MIB have it confiscated!

Crash Go the Saucers!

2010-09-01T12:29:00.000-07:00

Just recently, New Page Books sent me a review-copy of Kevin Randle's latest book: Crash: When UFOs Fall From the Sky.

I've met Kevin on a couple of occasions; most recently at the annual MUFON conference in Denver, Colorado in July. And, even though it's fair to say we are poles apart (in some respects, but not all) when it comes to Roswell, a fine time was had hanging out and chatting with Kevin - demonstrating that disagreeing on certain aspects of Ufology does not mean daggers need be drawn!

Well, for some in Ufology, it does. But, I'm pleased to say that Kevin and I were able to amiably hang out, and not get into that pathetic "with me or against me" mindset that seems to dominate much of Ufological thinking.

But, you may ask: what about the book? What do I think of Crash? What should you think of it? Okay, here we go...

First: if, when it comes to UFO crash-retrieval cases you are a wide-eyed true believer who swallows whole just about each and every story of dead aliens; crashed, wrecked and recovered UFOs; and Hangar 18 that crosses your tedious path, then this is not the book for you.

I should clarify: if you are of that very sad and tragic mindset, then you should still most definitely read the book, but you may find that more than a few cherished beliefs fall by the wayside, in the process. The book might even give you a nose-bleed. And, such would probably be mightily deserved too.

If, however, you have a deep, open-minded approach to crashed UFO accounts, but are driven by a quest for the truth (whatever that may be), rather than by a desire to only ever follow that path of a definitive "I Want To Believe" nature, then you'll derive much pleasure, satisfaction and insight from Crash.

So, with that bit of a rant out of the way, onto the book!

Kevin, as just about everyone in Ufology knows, is a firm adherent of the idea that aliens from some far-away world met their deaths in the harsh desert of New Mexico back in the long-gone summer of 1947. And, maybe they did. I may have written a book suggesting otherwise - Body Snatchers in the Desert - but, I have always openly admitted that in the hall-of-mirrors world that is Ufology, truth and disinformation make for very strange bed-fellows of a truly unpredictable nature.

So, on the matter of Roswell, we get what we would expect from Kevin: a solid look at the Roswell affair, but with the emphasis on those witnesses - and their attendant testimony - that collectively push the case down the road to E.T.

However, those of you who assume that just because Kevin is of a "Roswell was alien" approach, also means that he's a proponent of just about every crash case that comes along, it's time to take a pill or two, a few deep breaths, lower your blood-pressure, and calm down.

Aurora, Texas, 1897; Aztec, New Mexico 1948; and Spitzbergen, Norway, 1952 are all summarily dismissed as probable hoaxes. And Del Rio 1950 doesn't come out of this looking particularly glowing either. The near-legendary Kingman, Arizona event of 1953 comes in for some deep criticism, too; even though Kevin admits that this is a case that remains open, to some intriguing degree.

But Kevin is not the evil destroyer of most-things crashed and saucer-shaped that some of you might now have in mind (and if you do, that only serves to demonstrate one of the major aspects of the Ufological field: its utterly ridiculous emotionally-driven pettiness. And you know who you are: you send me crappy emails from time to time, written on your mommy's computer!).

By that, I mean, Kevin concludes that Roswell was not the only occasion upon which E.T. has crashed, burned and been scooped up, body-bag-style, for transfer to some secret locale where it subsequently gets sliced, diced and dissected.

The admittedly very interesting Las Vegas affair of 1962 (if you don't know the one, then buy the book!) gets positive, pro-alien coverage. And Ubatuba, 1957 remains very much an open case for Kevin, and one considered worthy of further coverage, reinvestigation and new study.

As for the rest of the book, well you get a great deal on Stringfield, Kecksburg, Project Moon Dust, and that Needles, California incident of 2008 that practically screams "Remotely Piloted Vehicle!" And much more, too.

So, if you're into crashed UFO cases and you're looking for a careful, unbiased look at the phenomenon in its entirety, then this is a book from which you should come away refreshed, informed, and satisfied.

But if you're someone who is utterly driven by belief systems, and totally rejects the notion that certain classic cases might be the results of hoaxes, misidentification and more, well that's just too bad.

I don't agree with all of Kevin's conclusions, but I do know that Ufology needs more books like this, where the author leaves beliefs at the door, and dissects the phenomenon in an unbiased way and without having to resort to championing certain cases, just because that's what certain shrill screamers in Ufology want to hear.

Sliders: When The Lights Go Out...

2010-09-01T11:41:00.000-07:00

When Patrick Huyghe of Anomalist Books recently mailed me a copy of their latest release, Hilary Evans' Sliders: The Enigma of Streetlight Interference, I thought to myself: well, this is all very interesting. But a full-length book on people who seemingly have the ability to affect streetlights as they walk under, or near, them?

Surely, such a subject-matter would be far more suitable for a 10- or 20-page-long paper, not a 192-page book, right? Wrong!

Anomalist Books have carved for themselves a first-class niche in the field of publishing thought-provoking and near-unique titles on anomalies of the mind, the physical world, and those strange realms beyond. And, Sliders is a great addition to A.B.'s ever-expanding list of titles.

So, with that said, onto the book itself. Essentially, as I alluded to in my opening paragraph, Sliders are those people who appear to possess a truly uncanny skill: they can turn off, or turn on, streetlights when they are in their near-vicinity. Sometimes, it seems, this is entirely at random, and on other occasions, there is evidence that the phenomenon - or perhaps skill would be a better term - can be controlled, at least to some degree.

And, to prove his point, Evans provides his readers with numerous accounts - from equally numerous walks of life and backgrounds - of people who are possessed of this curious talent. Clearly, as the author shows, this is a worldwide phenomenon, rather than one solely limited to one locale or one particular person.

The book covers some fascinating areas, and raises important issues and questions in the process: does age play a role in the abilities of the Sliders? Is this something that is prevalent throughout certain families (the answer to this question is: very possibly, yes)? How does the state-of-mind of the Slider play a role in the experience? And: can mainstream science, or alternative science, answer the riddle once and for all, and in all its entirety?

Then there is the spin-off phenomenon that sees some Sliders having the skills to affect checkouts and cash-registers, computers, elevators, traffic-lights, and much more.

Electric girls (I always wanted one of them!) psychokinesis, ball-lightning and much more all come into play in the domain of a phenomenon that is as poorly-understood as it is fantastic and, potentially - if it can be successfully harnessed on a regular basis - world-changing, and perhaps not always in a good way, too.

Of course, a subject-matter like this could become incredibly technical and mind-numbing in nature. Fortunately, however, Evans writes in an informative, enjoyable and, at times, humorous fashion that makes Sliders as entertaining as it is fascinating.

If you're interested in, or captivated by, the mysterious powers of both mind and body, then Sliders is most certainly for you.

Definitely not a book you'll be "turned off" by! Terrible pun, I know...

What Lurks Beyond

2010-08-12T07:06:00.000-07:00

Jason Offutt's latest offering, What Lurks Beyond: The Paranormal In Your Backyard, is one of those unique books that (as an author too) makes me ask: "Why didn't I think of that?!"

Jason has written a book that details his very own investigations into a whole range of Fortean, paranormal, supernatural, cryptozoological and ufological mysteries. You might wonder: "What's so unique about that?"

Well, I'll tell you! There's one thing that makes Jason's book significantly different, and highly original, too: all the cases examined occurred within 100 miles of Jason's home.

By focusing on such a clearly-delineated area, Jason has capably hammered home the point that to look for the mysteries of our world we don't always have to travel to far-away lands and exotic locales. Indeed, sometimes the things we seek are right under our noses.

And, I'm pleased to say, Jason has provided his readers with a wealth of diverse cases, incidents and events that will boggle the mind, provoke intrigue, and perhaps even disturb a few readers.

Particularly fascinating to me is the strange tale of Mike Marcum's time-machine - surely a story that would be ripe for Hollywood! Did the man in question really stumble upon the secret of time-travel? What lurks at the heart of his tale? A curiously enigmatic and unusual account, this is one that will appeal to all - no matter what the ultimate outcome may prove to be.

Of course, Bigfoot puts in an appearance - in the St. Joseph area of Missouri and elsewhere, demonstrating that where there are deep woods, the big and hairy thing is never far behind.

What might, possibly, be Iowa's very own Roswell Incident is detailed in the chapter titled "It Fell From The Sky" and is a tale worthy of an episode of The X-Files. With accounts of unidentified materials raining down from the skies, military investigations, claims and counter-claims, strange lights in the sky and more, this is a little-known affair that will be of deep interest to those with a passion for reports of crashed UFOs.

Also on the UFO issue: Herbert Schirmer's famous 1967 encounter of the alien kind is the subject of an excellent chapter that provides the reader with a good, solid account of what occurred, and with insightful data on what Schirmer is doing today.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg: with countless atmospheric tales of spooks, specters, uncanny events, haunted homes and more, What Lurks Beyond is an excellent addition to the world of paranormal investigative research and writing.

And, it capably reveals the sheer wealth of mysteries that can be found when we go looking for them. Definitely highly-recommended, late-night reading!

Click here to purchase your copy of Jason Offutt's What Lurks Beyond.

Disclosure!

2010-08-11T10:51:00.000-07:00

There can be absolutely no doubt that, whereas a few years ago, the leading buzz-words within Ufology were Area 51 and Roswell, today it's Disclosure. That's right: the notion, idea or theory that certain governments around the world are gearing up to slowly acclimatize us to the idea that aliens are amongst us, before finally unleashing the undeniable proof to the world.

Indeed, one only has to take a look at the work of Steven Greer, Steve Bassett and others to see that there is a firm belief that Disclosure - whatever that may ultimately prove to be - is firmly on the way.

Until (or unless!) such a time comes, how can you find out more about Disclosure, what it means, the players in the story, its implications, and where things are at right now?

The answer to that question is a very simple one: you should definitely get hold of a copy of the brand-new book from Timothy Green Beckley (the man churns out books on such an extraordinarily fast basis that I'm convinced he never sleeps - something which suggests Tim may actually be some form of macabre creature of the night; but I digress!).

The book in question is Disclosure! Breaking Through the Barrier of Global UFO Secrecy, published by Global Communications. For those new to the issue of Disclosure, as well as for those who have been following the subject for years, this books makes for essential reading.

For your money, you not only get the book, but you also get a bonus CD that is full of all sorts of Disclosure-based interviews and goodies. As for the book itself: well, it's a dream for Disclosure enthusiasts everywhere.

There's (A) a wealth of material on the British Government's recently-surfaced UFO files; (B) a very eye-opening and informative interview with Steve Bassett (C) an excellent section on the decision of the Brazilian military to make publicly available its very own UFO files; (D) a section on how and why Denmark chose to release into the public domain its UFO documents - and, of course, there's a good analysis of those same files too; (E) a study of the UFO archives of the Australian Government; and (F) a wealth of interviews with numerous sources offering their views and opinions on Disclosure, including former British Ministry of Defense man Nick Pope; researcher Grant Cameron; UFO investigators, A.J. Gevaerd and Antonio Huneeus; and John Greenewald.

Coupled with good, solid data on the UFO files of the governments of Russia, Chile and elsewhere, Disclosure! is a first-class look at how and why government agencies - all around the world - are now declassifying their UFO files, as well as the various theories that have been offered to explain this sudden declassification and (to a degree, at least) open-door process.

Is UFO Disclosure really on its way? Is there an international program designed to prepare us for the alien truth, by feeding us tidbits of other-worldly data on a regular basis, and until we're finally ready to appreciate the big picture?

To learn the answers to these questions and many more, I would strongly urge you to check out this near-300-page book. If you're into Disclosure, it's essential reading.

To purchase a copy of Disclosure! Breaking Through the Barrier of Global UFO Secrecy, click on this link.

Mirage Men

2010-08-10T04:37:00.000-07:00

Mark Pilkington's Mirage Men is - I don't exaggerate in saying - one of the most important UFO-themed books you'll ever read. That is, if you dare to read the book, and don't shy away from it because it might upset and unbalance your carefully constructed, nice and neat Ufological world.

Whether you are a full-on true-believer in the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis (ETH), wholly open-minded on what lies at the heart of the UFO puzzle, a skeptic, or a rabid debunker, you should not ignore Mirage Men. Of course, your views on what lies at the heart of the UFO phenomenon - and which of the above-categories you fall into - will play a large role in determining your response and reaction to Mark's book.

Those for whom Ufology is a modern-day religion, and one that offers a form of cosmic comfort, will be shocked, angered and perhaps even disillusioned by what they read. Doubtless, too, there will be a degree of hostility and outright denial on their part when faced with the crumbling of certain much-cherished belief-systems, ideas and (possibly) certain cases that have become classics within Ufology.

Too bad. Ufology, and the people in it, need a shake-up now and again and Mirage Men most assuredly delivers. And if you're someone whose notions on what make a good or bad UFO book are based on whether or not that same book says what you want to hear, then you're lost already.

As for the debunkers: well, on reading the book, they might gain a realization that the issue they confidently dismiss - namely that ET really has visited us, and has crashed and burned - isn't quite as clear-cut and black-and-white as they previously believed.

If, like me, however, you realize that something strange really is going on in our skies - but that it appears to be a blurry mix of classified military projects, official and unofficial chicanery, mind-games, lies and distortions, shadowy figures weaving complex tales, and perhaps, maybe, even a very real ET presence, then Mirage Men will well and truly satisfy.

So, with that said, what is Mirage Men all about? Well, let me tell you. Essentially, the book tells the story of Mark's (and his friend and colleague John Lundberg's) own and very personal search of the truth about the UFO puzzle, and what may be known about the subject at an official level.

After learning about how and why Mark became interested in, and intrigued by, Ufology and Forteana, we get a tutorial on the history of Ufology, and then it's road-trip time.

Things begin in an entertaining fashion as Mark and John anticipate adventures of the Ufological kind in mysterious locales, in desert settings that would have made the likes of Adamski and Van Tassel drool, and at the annual International UFO Convention at Laughlin, Nevada. But, as our Dynamic Duo delve further into the heart of the mystery, instead of becoming clearer, things get much more confusing and distinctly murky. Danger duly rears its ominous head, and a high degree of paranoia and uncertainty seem to take hold of Mark and John.

As they seek out the truth about UFOs and the US Government, military and intelligence community, the pair sinks deeper and deeper into a surreal world that seems to be part-X-Files, part-Parallax View, part-hall-of-mirrors, and ALL VERY FUCKING WEIRD. Throw in a shot of All the President's Men and more than a few Deep Throat-like characters, add a liberal dose of Cold War espionage, and mix it all up into a cocktail of truly mind-bending proportions, and Mirage Men kicks into high-gear.

We get to learn a great deal about some of the classic cases within Ufology - Roswell (of course!); the Antonio Villas Boas/Space Babe affair of 1957; the 1952 Washington, D.C. invasion; and the story of the "Underground Alien Base" at Dulce, New Mexico. Cattle-mutilations and alien abductions also surface - but not necessarily in ways that the ufological faithful might expect.

But, we get to learn much more too: namely, the way in which certain shadowy figures may have been manipulating all of the above events, cases and people (and many more too), for strange, obscure (at first glance, at least) and bizarre reasons, and how the ufological research community has been WELL AND TRULY PLAYED. Mind-control, staged-events, the spreading of spurious UFO tales to hide exotic military hardware, and even outright violation of human-rights come into play.

Of course, the highly disturbing story of Paul Bennewitz surfaces, too (a saga told in full in the pages of Greg Bishop's essential Project Beta), and demonstrates not only the extent to which some will go to protect their secrets (whether of a military, intelligence or extraterrestrial nature - or maybe all three), but how easy it is to manipulate the ufological scene and those that immerse themselves within it - and in the case of Bennewitz, with truly tragic results.

Mark also addresses the Contactee controversy - a subject for which many have no time. But, as I noted in my Contactees book, there is clear evidence that some of the Contactees may have been working with the official world, or may have been manipulated, Bennewitz-style. Mark realizes this too, and provides thought-provoking data suggesting we should look at the whole Contactee movement in a new light.

One of the many highlights of the book is that relative to the relatively recent Serpo saga, and its attendant tales, stories, rumors, allegations and supposedly secret files on crashed UFOs, alien-human exchange missions, and a great deal more. And a character that Mark and John get to meet and hang out with, and from whom they glean a great deal of data, is the somewhat enigmatic Richard Doty - a name that should be familiar to all within Ufology, but one who very few within the field have actually met.

I found this part of the book to be one of the most informative and entertaining, as it is here that the realization hits both Mark and John that what begins for them as an adventurous trip from England to some of the most mysterious and legend-filled locations in the United States, becomes something more. Indeed, it turns into a slightly sinister, paranoia-filled period where neither Mark nor John know what to believe, who to trust, or whether they are being fed a bunch of bullshit, the absolute cosmic truth, or something in between.

Mark and John find themselves slightly lost from their moorings, unsure of what is afoot, and perhaps even unable to get a full handle on whether the US Government really is sitting upon a mountain of crashed UFOs, dead aliens and cosmic conspiracies, or whether it just wishes us to think that's the case.

The fascinating thing is that for all the officially-orchestrated lies, distortions and outright manipulation of the UFO research community that they uncover, for a while Mark and John seem to find their Ufological beliefs actually growing. Is this due to the fact that they too have been firmly played by the powers-that-be? Are aliens really among us? Have UFOs really crashed to Earth? Or is the truth a swirling mix of several scenarios? Well, I'll leave it up to you to seek out the answers for yourselves.

I will, however, say this: one of the key things that stands out from reading Mirage Men is how, why and under what circumstances the UFO subject has the ability to radically transform, and manipulate even, the mindset of the individual - whether that individual is Paul Bennewitz, George Adamski, and even Mark and John.

Personally, I suspect that it is this profound potential for deep, personal change that the UFO mystery offers us that the US Government fears most. It is not so much that UFOs might exist or that aliens could be visiting us that worries the official world. Rather, it is the fact - and officialdom's realization of the fact - that the phenomenon seemingly has the ability to rewire the collective mindset of the populace, who may discard their old ways, give the finger to the old men in suits and ties that run the world, and become truly transformed.

For two men who tried to stay impartial, grounded and open-minded, even Mark and John found themselves affected and changed by not just the phenomenon, but by the people they met, the cases they investigated, the stories they were told, and the surreal pit into which they descended. And, when it comes to the issue of what those in power may know about UFOs, and the reasons behind the manipulation that Mark skilfully describes, that's an important point to remember.

In conclusion, regardless of your Ufological views, beliefs or non-beliefs, you should read Mirage Men - and very soon, too. Something is clearly going on. It certainly involves the movers-and-shakers within the intelligence world, and it is reliant upon the official weaving of complex tales of a UFO nature that seem to be part-truth, part-fiction, and part-distortion as a means to affect and mold belief-systems and more. And, it may involve a very real alien presence too.

To learn more about Mark Pilkington's Mirage Men, click here for the official website of the book, and here for the blog.

To purchase the book in the US, click on this link. If you're in the UK, here's where you can buy it. And, for Canadian readers, here you go.

Paranormal London

2010-07-07T13:10:00.001-07:00

Neil Arnold's new book, Paranormal London, is an entertaining trip around Britain's swinging capital, and seeks out some of the high-strangeness that absolutely saturates this ancient and historic city. The book is very well written, in a captivating, atmospheric style that is best suited to a dark and stormy night beside an old, glowing fireplace, in a spooky old mansion on the edge of a cold, windswept moorland.

If UFOs are your thing, you'll find intriguing sections in the book on centuries-old encounters with all-things flying and saucer-shaped; and you'll learn much about London-based sightings - in the early years of the 20th Century - of so-called "Phantom Airships" and much more.

Ghosts and paranormal phenomena feature, too, with much emphasis on the notorious and ominous red-eyed and black-garbed Highgate Vampire, as well as Spring-Heeled Jack and similar anomalous assailants of a bygone era.

But, as someone with a deep interest in cryptozoology and unknown animals, I have to say that it was these sections of Paranormal London that so interested me. Neil delves deep into such controversies as the spectral Bigfoot of the London Underground; phantom black-dogs of the typically glowing-eyed variety; the many and varied out-of-place big-cats and exotic cats that call, or have called, London their home (such as the Surrey Puma, the Tiger of Edgware, the Shooters Hill Cheetah; and even spectral big-cats); very thought-provoking accounts of ghostly bears; the strange, convoluted and captivating story of the Brentford Griffin; as well as encounters with dragons and mermaids.

And, I cannot omit mentioning "King Rat," a hideous giant rodent said to haunt the winding, old sewers of London - and a true abomination, if ever there was one!

So, all in all, Neil Arnold's Paranormal London is a definitively spooky, out-of-this-world, and monstrous look at London and its many and varied attendant mysteries that I guarantee you'll greatly enjoy. Indeed, you'll never look at the old winding streets of London in quite the same way again!

A Daintree Diary

2010-05-14T12:22:00.000-07:00

If, like me, you're into entertaining road-trip-style books that take you to far-off places, and encounters with exotic creatures, captivating landscapes, and much more, then Carl Portman's A Daintree Diary is the book for you!

Containing a mountain of cool and enchanting photographs, Carl's title is a genuinely engaging look at what happens when he and his partner, Susan, and their friend Angela, head off to the wilds of the North Australian rain-forest in search of all-things animalistic and unusual.

Rather like a combination of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas-meets-Jurassic Park-meets-The Crocodile Hunter, Daintree takes you into the very heart of an on-the-road quest for high-strangeness, high-adventure, and high-entertainment!

Written in an engaging, diary-format, Daintree is a book that will be relished by anyone and everyone who can appreciate what it means to live life to its fullest, who can understand the adrenalin-rush that comes from heading into realms unknown on adventure-filled quests, and who has a passion for the stranger aspects of zoology.

Packed with humor, excitement, danger, and mystery, Carl Portman's A Daintree Diary was a book that kept me transfixed from the first page to the very last. I strongly suspect that it will do likewise for you!

After all: how can you turn up your nose at whistling spiders, giant catfish, the Thylacine and more? That's right: you can't!!

Conan Doyle, Houdini & Giants!

2010-05-14T11:39:00.000-07:00

Just recently I received in the mail copies of three new books published by what is surely the most industrious Fortean publishing company in the world: Tim Green Beckley's Global Communications. Indeed, it seems to be the case that barely a week goes by (or maybe, even, an hour!) without some new title hitting the stands courtesy of Tim and GB.

And amongst those new titles are those aforementioned three that found their way to my letterbox a few days ago. They are: The American Goliah; The Paranormal World of Sherlock Holmes; and Revealing the Bizarre Powers of Harry Houdini.

I'll begin with The American Goliah. And, no, that's not a spelling-error: even though the book is a study of everything giant and man-like, "Goliah" - rather than "Goliath" - is the wording used in the original 1869 edition of The American Goliah.

Basically, the book is a detailed and fascinating study of a phenomenon that captivated whole swathes of the U.S. population in the late-1800s, when a gigantic, petrified man was "found" at a certain site in the United States. I include the word "found' in brackets, because the subject is one of deep notoriety and chicanery, and is a real roller-coaster-ride-type tale that is filled to the brim with claims, counter-claims, hoaxers, yarns, money-makers, P.T. Barnum (no less!), and tales of giants walking the earth.

I submitted my own piece for inclusion in the book, as did Scott Corrales. And Tim has done a fine job of presenting a fascinating, entertaining and wonderful old tale to a whole new audience. The American Goliah does not disappoint!

Moving on to The Paranormal World of Sherlock Holmes, this is a superb study of the great man himself - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - and his investigations into the world of mediums, life-after-death (a subject very dear to the heart of Sir Arthur), the notorious affair of the photographs of the Cottingley Fairies, ghosts, ectoplasm, seances and a great deal more, too.

Accompanied by a very cool selection of images and photographs, this is a fine study of how and why Conan Doyle became so fascinated by the realms of the paranormal and the supernatural.

And then we have the Houdini book (which, you will be pleased to know, also contains a bonus-CD of Houdini's last seance), that delves deep into the world of the master-escape-artist - who was highly skeptical of tales from the "other-side" - his friendship with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Houdini's exposes of fakers and fantasists, and the nature of belief-systems.

Tim B is to be congratulated for putting into the public domain some old, very-hard-to-find titles that are backed up with new contributions from some well-known names within the field of the paranormal.

If you're even remotely interested in 19th and early-20th Century Forteana, these are all books you definitely cannot afford to miss!

Real Zombies

2010-05-14T09:54:00.000-07:00

For just about as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by the world of the zombie. Well, actually, I'll confess: largely fascinated by one aspect of the zombie - it's on-screen exploits. In fact, I think I have DVDs of pretty much every zombie movie ever made.

I like the slow, shambling flesh-eaters of Romero's Night of the Living Dead; and I will never forget the atmospheric graveyard scene in the 1966 Hammer Film production of Plague of the Zombies. But, most of all, I love those fast-running monsters of the modern-era of zombie film-making.

Whether it's the real undead of the spectacular 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead, or the super-fast fiends of 28 Days Later (who, aren't actually dead at all: they're infected by the devastating "Rage Virus"), they are my kind of zombie!

And: I look forward to the day when some super-plague escapes from a secret underground lab, and spreads among the populace. And, overnight, the world becomes filled with chaos, carnage and flesh-eating ghouls (yes, I know I'm strange...), as society unravels and falls apart, as the fast-runners increase in number, and as the Human Race becomes nothing but a band of scattered survivors (me being one of them, of course!)

But, the slow-walkers and the fast-runners are not the only kind of zombie out there - and this is where we get to Brad Steiger's latest mighty tome, Real Zombies: The Living Dead, and Creatures of the Apocalypse.

Largely thanks to the way in which the zombie has been popularized by Hollywood, there is a tendency on the part of many people to think that what they see on the silver-screen is all that there is to the zombie phenomenon. But, this is actually far from the case; as Brad shows us time and again.

Real Zombies is a superb, extensive and highly detailed study of the zombie in the realm of the aforementioned movies, but also in folklore, legend, mythology, the domains of the occult, voodoo and the supernatural, and - in the final chapters - in the field of conspiracy-theories.

Tribal religions, folk-magic, sacrifice, the ominous raising of the dead, and dark and disturbing real-life mysteries focused upon London's River Thames are only the start of the ominous story. Serpent gods, shadowy goings-on in New Orleans (my wife and I spent our second wedding anniversary there, and I can say for sure that a weird and sinister atmosphere does indeed hang over certain parts of the city), Voodoo Queens, curses, possession and ritual magic all play significant roles in zombie lore and legend.

And, for me, this is what makes Real Zombies such a captivating read: by focusing less on the Hollywood angle, but far more on the little-known - but in many ways more disturbing - aspects of the phenomenon, we're provided with a rare treat indeed.

Wendigos, voraciously-hungry spirits and the actions of deranged flesh-eating lunatics and cannibals are also all parts of the story - a story that is made notable by the fact that it is indeed so complex and multifaceted.

As I mentioned earlier, the final chapters deal with the zombie in the areas of conspiracy and official secrecy. This is a highly thought-provoking part of the book that reveals much pertaining to mind-control experimentation, LSD-based black-ops, Manchurian candidates and the disturbing scenario of jack-booted government types planning to microchip the populace.

All in all, Real Zombies is a superb, and arguably definitive, look at the zombie phenomenon in all its glory and from numerous perspectives. Its place in popular-culture, history, mythology, folklore and present-day society are all placed skilfully under the microscope - demonstrating that as important as the likes of Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead most certainly are in zombie lore, the subject is infinitely more complex than many realize.

Like a zombie itself, Brad's book grabs you by the jugular and doesn't let go!

Mars Bar & Mushy Peas

2010-05-14T08:49:00.000-07:00

This is a book you have to read!

Paul Screeton's Mars Bar & Mushy Peas (published by Bob Trubshaw's Heart of Albion Press - click this link for more information on the book) is a hilarious, illuminating and superb dissection of the world of urban-legend as it relates to the famous-faces of television, film, the rock music industry, the pop world, and even Fanny Craddock (non-Brits may wonder who on earth I'm talking about here - which is a very good reason for you to get acquainted with the book!).

It's clear from his writings that Paul has a deep affection for, and a fine appreciation of, the whole urban-legend phenomenon - as well as a keen understanding of how and why urban-legends begin, spread and then very often become accepted as the gospel truth. Of course, whether there is any truth to the stories, or perhaps how much, is one of the staple points of the subject and of Paul's book.

This is a very funny and entertaining book, and I laughed out loud on many occasions reading it - and you will, too!

So, what do we find within the pages of Mars Bar and Mushy Peas? Well, let's start with the title. The Mars Bar episode is, of course, that which has become inextricably linked to 60s celebrity Marianne Faithfull who - urban-legend suggests - was once, as the book words it, caught in a "perverted sex act with a chocolate bar".

True? Probably not! But, as with all urban-legends, the story has taken on a life of its own, and is now truly multi-faceted: Jagger & Richards, the cops, the press and more all feature in this saga that is almost certainly destined to never go away; at least, not completely. But, as Paul notes, that's the point with urban-legends: they're tenacious critters that spread and multiply like rabbits!

And, such tales mutate, too: moving on from Mars Bars, we hear other entertainingly amusing stories/legends of unusual items being placed into certain celebrity orifices; including gerbils. Yep, MB&MP gets better and better as the pages turn!

As for the Mushy Peas saga, well, if only it could be true! And maybe, partly, somehow, possibly...it is! Or isn't! Things are never quite clear in the world of the urban-legend. But would we really have it any other way? No, not when it comes to this particularly mushy matter.

This is the legendary story of British politician Peter Mandelson allegedly mistaking a fish-and-chip shop's supply of mushy peas for a bowl of posh avocado mousse. Did he? Didn't he? I don't know, but I do know that the story has more lives than a cat, and that it seems to forever hang around Mandelson's shoulders like a veritable sword of Damocles! It takes a skillful writer to make a whole chapter on a bowl of mushy peas readable, informative and smile-inducing at every gven moment; but Paul manages it! I strongly doubt, however, that he's on Mandelson's Christmas-Card list...

We are also entertained by countless other "if-only-they-could-be-true" stories concerning (in no particular order) TV magician Paul Daniels's wife Debbie McGee and a dog; actress Diana Dors and the tales generated by her real name; the "Paul McCartney is Dead" affair; the Captain Pugwash controversy (a bit of Googling will enlighten you!); the aforementioned Keith Richards and his dad's ashes; an excellent section on Forteana and Charles Fort himself (this chapter, alone, should be firmly digested by anyone and everyone with an interest in urban-legend, the world of the unexplained and the development of stories, tales and mythology); Greyfriars Bobby; the Global-Warming/climate-change controversy, and much, much more.

In conclusion, Mars Bar and Mushy Peas is absorbing, thought-provoking, and deadpan funny in the process. That the author not only has a deep knowledge of the cases that he highlights, but also a fine appreciation of the whole urban-legend phenomenon, makes MB&MP a witty, wonderful and informative title.

Anomalist 14: Electric!

2010-04-28T11:52:00.001-07:00

Electricity of the Mind is the brand new volume in the long-running series known to Forteans everywhere as The Anomalist. Indeed, we're now up to Volume 14, and, I'm pleased to say, the quality, quantity and range of topics covered are all as good as ever. I always look forward to a new TA, as they're the kind of title that you can dip into, and read whichever chapter catches your eye first.

For me, it was Aeolus Kephas' excellent and highly-thought-provoking piece that focuses upon two individuals who have most assuredly left a mark on Forteana, non-fiction writing, literature and more: Whitley Strieber and Carlos Castaneda. This is a superbly-written submission that delves deeply into the world of what Kephas describes as the "Literary Shaman."

The author does a fine job of dissecting and analyzing the characters, motivations and body of work of both men; he tackles the issue of fact vs. fiction and how we should interpret their written output; and offers deep thoughts on the profound influence both men have had upon their audiences. Arguably, this contribution alone makes Electricity essential reading.

As someone with a deep fascination for cryptozoology, I read with great interest Chris Payne's piece on the seemingly-never-ending controversy surrounding the alleged continued existence (or not) of the thylacine of Tasmania. Although brief in length, Payne's paper gets right to the point, carefully analyzes the data, and offers a firm opinion regarding the status - and future-status - of the beast. The story isn't over yet. But, as Payne makes clear, it may very well be soon.

Dwight Whalen's contribution concerns a series of aerial apparitions in the skies of Hetlerville, Pennsylvania in 1914 that would have put the Angel of Mons saga to shame - and maybe even did so. I had not previously heard of the Hetlerville sightings - of houses, of children and of angels in the sky, no less - and, so, digesting Whalen's findings on this curious affair was most instructive. Of course, down-to-earth explanations - no, not just looming war-nerves - exist to explain the events. But, in cases like the this, the truth is appropriately very much in the eye of the beholder. But, whatever it was that provoked so much wonder in the skies of Hetlerville all those years ago, Whalen reveals all. A fascinating and little-known slice of early 20th Century Forteana.

Mark Pilkington's History, the Hive Mind, and Agrarian Art, tells the eerie story of the equally-eerie parallels that exist between certain elements of the Crop Circle controversy and the content of a 1973 science-fiction film: Phase IV. Did the film leave its mark on some of the early circle-makers - just like they left their sculptured marks in the fields of jolly old England? And, if so, is this all down to mere chance and coincidence? Or should we consider the possibility that something stranger might be afoot; something that might even have Charles Fort, himself, nodding sagely from beyond the icy grave? Very possibly.

I have to confess that when I saw that Ulrich Magin had written a paper on out-of-place volcanoes, I considered that it would surely be way too dry and academic for such a volume as The Anomalist! But, I was wrong! This is an engaging and captivating piece that looks at the claims of volcanoes spontaneously appearing here, there and everywhere - and then seemingly vanishing without trace. Sounds strange? It is! But, Magin skillfully holds the attention of the reader, reveals a surprisingly large number of such cases, and offers solid explanations for what may be afoot. A fine addition to the book.

As for the rest of EOTM, it's all top-notch, and includes contributions from Theo Paijmans on Forteana and the age of digital-newspapers; Cameron Blount on Peru's Moche and Nazca cultures; Mike Jay on Samuel Taylor Coleridge and the realm of the supernatural; and much, much more.

Well worth investing in, Electricity of the Mind makes for great, late-night, thought-provoking reading. And here's looking forward to issue 15!

Strangely Strangely Excellent!

2010-04-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

Back in 2001, Paraview Books published a title called Swamp Gas Times - a collection of articles spanning the decades and a variety of Fortean subjects; but all penned by Patrick Huyghe, now of Anomalist Books. In other words, SGT was a good, solid anthology of Patrick's writing for - amongst others - Saga UFO Report; the New York Times Magazine; Omni; Space.com; and Science Digest.

At the time, I thought: what a great idea! Presenting, under one cover, the collective, feature-based work (and, in some cases, the now-hard-to-find work) of a well-known author in the fields of Ufology, Cryptozoology and more would surely become a trend. But, oddly, it didn't. At least, not back in 2001.

Nevertheless, Patrick's book still stands today as a great example of how just such a title should be presented (it was recently re-published by Anomalist Books). And someone else who recognized this is Jon Downes, my good mate at the Center for Fortean Zoology in Devonshire, England.

Indeed, Jon has now taken the bull by the horns, and has launched an ambitious project to publish anthologies of the work of a whole range of writers within the Fortean world (myself included); something that - as with Patrick's book - will allow readers to see a great deal of the early and obscure writings of the author in question; as well as some of their latter-day output, too.

And, the first volume - I am very pleased to say - is now available: Strangely Strange But Oddly Normal: An Anthology of Writings by Andy Roberts.

I first came across the startling phenomenon known as Andy in the 1980s, when Graham Birdsall's UFO Magazine was still a photocopied fanzine-type publication called Quest, when the CFZ was still a dream to Jon Downes, and when the Fortean scene was very different to that of today.

My first exposure to Andy's writing came in 1987 when, while working in Harlow, Essex, I found a used copy of Andy's Cat Flaps (a study of Britain's "Big-Cat" mystery) in a second-hand book-shop, and which I remember reading late one night in my tiny, cramped room, while the infamous hurricane of October of that year buffeted just about everything around me.

Next, for me at least, was Andy's UFO Brigantia: a witty, informative and entertaining mag that Andy published nigh-on twenty years ago and that probably brought him just about as many friends as enemies. But, hell, Andy didn't care. And rightly so.

Anyway, rather than waffle on any longer about the halcyon days of British Forteana, I'll get to Strangely Strange.

Or, rather, first I'll get to the truly shocking cover of the book; which displays what I can only describe as "The Three Stages Of Andy." The front-cover is a photo of the author and his mum, stood on their doorstep, and which shows, I would estimate, a 4-year-old Andy beaming widely. How could a life in Forteana have so warped such a cherub? Future-mystery-seekers: you have been warned!

As for the back-cover, first we see "Stage 2" Andy, looking eerily like Alan Davies' portrayal of Jonathan Creek, in the BBC TV show of the same name. And then it's on to the present-day, where Andy, with white-whiskers, gray-white bandana pulled down tightly on his head and eyes squinting in the sun, rather resembles a baby-seal, just about to get clobbered on the head by some callous Canadian. But, I digress: onto the book!

Strangely begins with a fascinating Introduction from Andy that details how he came to enter the realm of weird shit, and then propels us firmly into the man's world, his writings, beliefs and life. And, a wild, fun, informative and witty intro it is, too.

The good thing about SS, is that it doesn't just focus on one topic, but delves into everything from the LSD culture to Foo Fighters; from the Big Gray Man of Ben Macdhui to animal-mutilations; from the writings of English fantasy author Alan Garner to the works of John Keel - and much more, too. And that's what makes Strangely Strange not just an average anthology, but a very good one: there's a rich variety of articles and papers negotiating decades and topics.

As someone who, as a kid, was fascinated by the literary output of Alan Garner, I was pleased to see that Andy too has a deep appreciation of the man and his classic Thursbitch title. And in Thursbitch - Valley of the Demon? Andy's deep knowledge and appreciation of Garner's work is evident. And, if you aren't acquainted with Garner's books, Andy's dissection is a fine place to start.

We're also treated to the somewhat embarrassing, yet highly-entertaining and instructive piece on the so-called "Cracoe UFO," which was actually nothing of the sort!

"Cracoe" was one of those blots on the ufological landscape that captured the imaginations of some of the north of England's leading players on the scene many-a-moon ago, but that ultimately - albeit not literally - came crashing to the ground. Indeed, it's a cautionary tale that reveals much about belief-systems, perception and misperception, and much more, too. They don't make 'em like that anymore!

The paper on Scotland's Big Gray Man and associated "mountain-panics" is a scholarly one that should be required reading for anyone and everyone interested in the legend of what many interpret - quite wrongly - as a "British Bigfoot." Again, Andy demonstrates how, as with the Cracoe fiasco, the human mind may play an integral role in the Ben Macdhui affair.

Anyone who knows Andy will be aware that one of his great passions is music (or, at least, what passes for music in the Roberts household - he knows I'm joking!), and this shines throughout the pages of the book; particularly in that material which focuses on Andy's very open comments and observations on the LSD culture of the early 1970s, and his exposure to the music of such bands as Pink Floyd and The Incredible String Band. Indeed, the ISB feature heavily in the book, and it's clear from Andy's careful dissection of their work that they had a profound effect on his life, his philosophy to life and much more.

We also get to see much of Andy's early research into the Foo Fighter phenomenon; a fine interview with John Keel (which originally appeared in UFO Brigantia back in 1992); a lengthy report on the notorious "Berwyn Mountain UFO Crash" of 1974, with which so many (myself included!) within 1990s Forteana became obsessed; and an interview with Andy undertaken by Stuart Miller, in which - again - we get to learn much about the inner-thoughts of Andy in relation to the world around him, and realms beyond.

And, it wouldn't be an Andy Roberts anthology without the inclusion of a piece from the man's The Armchair Ufologist. When British Ufology was running at full-throttle in the mid-to-late 1990s, and when the newsstands were crammed with all manner of UFO monthlies (Sightings, UFO Reality, Alien Encounters, etc - now all long-gone to that big Hangar 18 in the sky), Andy decided to get in on the act, too. Thus was born The Armchair Ufologist.

Tragically, what was without doubt the most entertaining UFO rag of that decade had a very short lifespan. But, it will certainly be remembered by all that read it and who appeared in it. Some of us - like me, Jon Downes, and Irene Bott (of the Staffordshire UFO Group) - rolled around the floor with laughter while reading it (albeit not all at the same time, I should stress...Well, not always...). Others, meanwhile, fumed, raged and ranted about how Dark Lord Roberts was bringing Ufology into complete and utter disrepute.

TAU was, essentially, a gossip-style newsletter that focused on who in Ufology was doing what to who else in Ufology; on the alcolol intake at post-gig, ufological parties; and much more of an entertaining and scandalous nature.

And, in Strangely Strange, we get treated to what was (in my view) without doubt the ultimate highlight of TAU: namely, Andy's review of a notorious party that followed the annual LAPIS gig in Lytham St. Anne's in 1999. This is a priceless piece that - if you weren't there in-person - deserves to be read by one and all. You'll never look at Ufology the same way again!

So, all in all, what do we have with Strangely Strange? Well, we have an excellent collection that covers Andy's writings from 1974 to the present day, that treats us to a wide-range of topics, that informs us and entertains us, that reveals to us what it is that makes Andy tick, and the nature of the beast known as Fortean freelance-writing.

This is an excellent first-volume in what is destined to become a great series. Congrats to all involved.

If you're in the UK, you can purchase Andy Roberts' Strangely Strange But Oddly Normal by clicking on this link; and if you're in the US, click right here.

Dellschau and Phantom Airships

2010-03-30T11:45:00.000-07:00

Much has been written about the so-called modern-era of Ufology, namely that which was kick-started by Kenneth Arnold's now historic (or infamous, depending on your perspective) "flying saucer" encounter over the Cascade Mountains, Washington State, in the summer of 1947.

But what of earlier years? Certainly, there have been some very good works on the Ghost-Rocket mystery that swamped Scandinavia in 1946; and the Foo-Fighters of the Second World War.

And there have been some intriguing works that deal with the so-called "Phantom Airships" of the late-1800s. But, on this latter issue, none are quite like The Secrets of Dellschau by Dennis Crenshaw (in collaboration with Pete Navarro).

As well as being written fluently, and in a very descriptive style that flows and entertains, the book has at its heart a fascinating tale, and an even more fascinating character: a man named Charles A. A. Dellschau, for whom the word "enigma" was surely created.

Indeed, one might almost be forgiven for thinking that The Secrets of Dellschau is a work of fiction - such is the level of high-strangeness at its heart. That it is, however, definitive non-fiction, only makes the book - and the story it tells - even more extraordinary.

In essence, Dellschau was a man with many secrets; and a man who unfortunately took many of those secrets with him to the grave. But, that doesn't take away the fact that - thanks to Crenshaw and Navarro - we still have at our disposal a tremendous body of material on the man, his life and his machines.

And, you may well ask: what machines are those? Now, we get to the heart of the story.

As the book demonstrates, Dellschau (a Prussian who moved to the U.S. in his twenties) was a brilliant artist who was seemingly obsessed (and I do mean, literally, obsessed) with creating artwork of fantastic flying-machines. But, as the book also shows, those same flying-machines may not have been merely the products of Dellschau's imagination.

They - or, at least, some of them - may have really existed. They may have been the secret work of a controversial and enigmatic group known as the Sonora (California) Aero Club. And, as the book suggests, perhaps some of their strange craft even provoked the "Phantom Airship" tales of the late 19th century.

Of course, this matter will undoubtedly be debated for years to come. But, what really made the book so engrossing for me, is the way in which Crenshaw draws in the reader, exposes them to a mystery that would be worthy of the skills of Sherlock Holmes, and demonstrates the sheer intrigue and mystery that surrounds this profoundly odd story.

Part-historical mystery; part-Fortean tale; part-X-Files; part-detective story; part-conspiracy; and all-engrossing, The Secrets of Dellschau is a great read for anyone wanting to learn about what may very well have been at the heart of some of the strangest tales of unidentified flying contraptions seen in the skies of 1800s North America.

Tales of the Trickster

2010-03-30T07:40:00.000-07:00

When, in my early teens, I became seriously interested in the world of Forteana, most things were pretty black-and-white to me: Bigfoot were giant undiscovered apes; the Loch Ness Monsters were surviving relics of a time long-gone; and UFOs were nuts-and-bolts spacecraft from other worlds. But, as I got older my views began to change.

The more I dug into the realms of alien entities and strange creatures, the more I came to realize that they were not just strange: they were too strange. And they were way too elusive. Bigfoot never get hit by cars. There are numerous cases on record of people trying to shoot Bigfoot creatures - but no body is ever found. And, there are rogue reports of Bigfoot vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Similarly, from the heart of Loch Ness, there are tales of Men in Black, ghosts, big-cats on the loose, and the legendary exploits of the "Great Beast" himself: Aleister Crowley. Could one loch really be home to such an absolute plethora of what, in scientific terms, has come to be accurately known as "weird shit"?

It was the same with UFOs: always elusive. And, even if a UFO did reportedly crash, the hard evidence - the "alien debris" - was never forthcoming, or it proved nothing. And, no-one has ever been able to vindicate the legendary stories of alien-bodies held in cryogenic storage in some underground lab.

The phenomena are always one step ahead of us - tricking us into following them down Fortean pathways, but always careful to ensure we never quite get close enough to solve the riddle.

And there was one other factor, too that I came to notice: the more I dug into these various phenomena, the more I found myself experiencing weird - and ever weirder - synchronicities. The phenomena, I realized had got their grips into me; as they had done, and continue to do, with so many others. And, if you too have deeply investigated the Fortean world, don't tell me you haven't experienced those same synchronicities. I know you have. Whatever was at the heart of the puzzle, I reasoned, deceit, manipulation and subterfuge were its calling-cards. And they still are.

So, when I heard that Chris O'Brien was writing a new book to be titled Stalking the Trickster: Shapeshifters, Skinwalkers, Dark Adepts and 2012, I knew this was one I would definitely have to read; given my own encounters with Trickster-style entities and their manipulative actions.

And I'm very pleased indeed that I did read it.

Chris' book is an excellent, in-depth (it runs to approximately 360 pages) study of the Trickster puzzle in all its strange and surreal glory. But, you may ask: what are Tricksters? Well, that's the big question, of course!

People may disagree on the actual point of origin and specific nature of the Tricksters, but as Chris demonstrates, they are most assuredly among us. They are entities whose whole role in life, it seems, is to play games with the Human Race. Sometimes those games can be fun and even amusing. Other times, they may be enlightening and helpful. But, then, they can be downright vicious and deadly, too. They are, in other words, a true paradox.

They come in many guises and disguises, as Chris skilfully shows: aliens, Mothman, skinwalkers, pixies, elves, gods, hairy giants, angels, werewolves, ghosts, demons, vampires and much more. They are the wild-things that lurk in the shadows of our bedrooms in our childhood; they are the Sasquatch we see while driving home late at night along winding, tree-shrouded roads; and they are the predatory entities that taunt us while we're in the dream-state and at their full mercy.

From the beginning of time and right up until the present day, the book reveals, these strange life-forms have been with us. Their appearance may change; their names may change; and they may pop up in the most unlikely places. But, they're always here in some fashion; always planning their next move, before vanishing back to the weird realm out of which they first stepped.

Indeed, to demonstrate these points, Chris has culled from his files countless reports of such Trickster characters as Kokopelli of the United States; Reynard the Fox; the dwarfish Alux of Mexico, and many more from throughout recorded history. Chris also gets into the fascinating realm of human-tricksters, and the way in which they, too, play a role in this weird affair. For me - with its tales of Joseph Smith, P.T. Barnum, Crowley and Parsons, and Keel - this was one of the most intriguing chapters of all.

I won't spoil things for the potential reader by revealing all of Chris' conclusions on what the Tricksters are and what provokes their actions - whether uplifting, alarming, transformative or downright hateful - but I will say this: after reading the book, you'll have a renewed appreciation and apprehension of these entities.

And, I strongly suspect, you'll also come away from Stalking the Tricksters with a realization that both our world and our reality are not what they seem to be. Someone - or something - is using us as pawns in a strange, intricate and huge game. It is a game where the rules are those of the Tricksters alone. Or, perhaps, there are no rules.

After all, what place can rules have for creatures that are defined by absurdity?

The Coming of the Cryptoterrestrials

2010-03-09T06:12:00.000-08:00

Over the course of the last 60 years or so, the world of Ufology has spawned a truly huge number of books: many very good indeed, a not-insignificant number very bad, and a great deal hovering precariously somewhere in between. Just occasionally, however, a title comes along that is truly revolutionary, ground-breaking and - as far as its potential implications are concerned - thought-provoking in the extreme.

For me, personally, Jacque Vallee's Messengers of Deception and John Keel's UFOs: Operation Trojan Horse both fall into that latter category. Albeit in admittedly different ways, Vallee and Keel made equally strong cases for the existence of genuine UFOs in our midst. But, both Messengers and Trojan delivered to the reader two far more explicit messages: (A) UFOs are real; but that doesn't mean they are necessarily extraterrestrial; and (B) the phenomenon is clearly deceptive and manipulative in nature and intent.

Of course, for many of the longstanding (a.k.a. the bloody old) players within Ufology, any talk of deceptive messengers, or of Keel's super-spectrum, is dismissed as mere speculation and not much else. For them, UFOs have to be extraterrestrial. After all, they have upheld such notions and beliefs for decades; and to relegate them to the rubbish-bin is not an option.

Well, I have a few choice words for those people who are so rigidly set in their ways: the extraterrestrial hypothesis is itself entirely speculative and totally lacking in hard evidence. All we really know for certain is that there most assuredly is a genuine UFO phenomenon. But, as for definitive proof of its actual point of origin or origins? Please! There is none. At all. There is merely a lot of data clearly demonstrating the presence of unidentified "others" amongst us.

Vallee and Keel most assuredly and astutely recognized this. They understood that a puzzle which - at first glance - seemed to be defined by the presence of nuts-and-bolts spacecraft and flesh-and-blood aliens in our midst, was far, far stranger than many within Ufology wanted to admit.

And there was someone else who also recognized this ufological factor: Mac Tonnies. Mac was a very good friend of mine; and like all his friends I was shocked to the core when he passed away suddenly and tragically in October 2009, at the age of only 34.

But, I am pleased to say, Mac's latest - and, inevitably, final - piece of work ensures that his memory, legacy and ability to think outside of the conventional ufological box will live on. That work is The Cryptoterrestrials: A Meditation on Indigenous Humanoids and the Aliens Among Us.

Like Vallee and Keel, Mac rightly recognized that UFO encounters could not be dismissed as the ravings of lunatics, the tales of the fantasy-prone, or the lies of those seeking fame and fortune. But, he was also careful not to get sucked into the near-viral mindset that practically screams (take a deep breath): UFOs = alien spaceships piloted by little gray chaps from across the galaxy, who are on a mission to save their dying race by stealing our DNA, eggs and sperm.

Rather, Mac - right up until the time of his death - was chasing down the theory suggesting that the UFOnauts may actually represent the last vestiges of a very ancient race of distinctly terrestrial origins; a race that - tens of thousands of years ago may have ruled our planet, but whose position of power was thrown into overwhelming chaos by two things: (A) the appearance of a "debilitating genetic syndrome" that ravaged their society; and (B) the rising infestation of a violent species that threatened to eclipse - in number - their own society.

They are the Cryptoterrestrials. And that violent species that blusters around like an insane, unruly and spoiled child, and that has done more damage in its short life-time than can ever be truly imagined, is, of course, us.

With their society waning, their health and ability to even successfully reproduce collapsing, and their absolute worst nightmare - the Human Race - becoming the new gang in town, the Cryptoterrestrials followed what was perceived as the only viable option: they quietly retreated into the shadows, into the darkened corners of our world, below the oceans, into the deeper caverns that pepper the planet, and in their own uniquely silent and detached way, set about a new course of action.

That course of action - given that they were in some fashion genetically related to the Human Race - was to eventually resurface; to move amongst us in stealth; to pass themselves off as entities from far-off worlds (as part of a concerted effort to protect and hide their real point of origin); and to use and exploit us - medically - in an attempt to try and inject their waning species with a considerable amount of new blood: ours.

In addition, Mac believed, the Cryptoterrestrials were - and, by definition, still are - subtle-yet-brilliant, cosmic magicians. For them, however, there is no top-hat from which a white-rabbit is pulled. There is no hot babe sliced in half and then miraculously rejoined at the waist. No: their tricks are far more fantastic. As well as deceiving us about their origins, the Cryptoterrestrials have - via, perhaps, the use of advanced hologram-style technology, mind-manipulation and much more - led us to conclude that they have an infinite number of craft, resources and technologies at their disposal.

And that is the trick, the ruse: in actuality, their numbers today may be very small. They may well be staging faked UFO events to try and convince us that they have a veritable armada at their disposal when, perhaps, the exact opposite is the case. And, most important of all, they desperately want us to think of them as visitors from the stars. If their plan to rejuvenate their species is to work, then stealth, subterfuge and camouflage are the essential orders of the day.

Of course, the above all amounts to a theory - just like the ETH. And, Mac's book makes it very clear that he is theorizing, rather than being able to provide the reader with definitive proof for such a scenario. He does, however, offer a logical, and at times powerful, argument in support of the theme of his book.

As for so-called "alien abductions": the clumsy, intrusive means by which ova and sperm are taken by a race of beings we are led to believe are countless years ahead of us is addressed. That the ability of the aliens to wipe out the memories of those they abduct is constantly and regularly overturned by nothing more than simple hypnosis is highlighted. And the unlikely scenario that our DNA would even be compatible, in the first place, with extraterrestrial entities is also firmly dissected. Mac's conclusion: all this points not to the presence of highly-advanced aliens who are thousands of years ahead of us; but to the actions of an ancient Earth-based society whose technology may not be more than a century or so in advance of our current knowledge.

Mac also noted how the "aliens" seem to spend a hell of a lot time ensuring they are seen: whether its taking "soil-samples" at the side of the road; equipping their craft with bright, flashing lights; or hammering home the point to the abductees that they are from this planet, from that star-system, or from some far off galaxy. Just about anywhere aside from right here, in fact.

Roswell comes into the equation, too: and in ingenious fashion. Those who do not adhere to the extraterrestrial hypothesis for Roswell point to the fact that many of the witness descriptions of what was found at Roswell, are collectively suggestive of some form of large balloon-type structure having come down at the Foster Ranch, Lincoln County, NM on that fateful day in the summer of 1947.

The possibility that ET would be flying around New Mexico in a balloon is absurd. But, as Mac notes, a race of impoverished, underground-dwellers, highly worried by the sudden influx of military activity in New Mexico (White Sands, Los Alamos etc), just might employ the use of an advance balloon-type vehicle to secretly scope out the area late at night.

Perhaps, when elements of the U.S. military came across the debris, they really did assume it was balloon-borne material and probably of American origin. Until, maybe, they stumbled across something else amid the debris, too...

The Cryptoterrestrials continues in a similar vein; to the extent that we are left with a stark and surreal image of a very ancient - and very strange - race of beings who may once have been the masters of this planet; who were sidelined thousands of years ago; and who are now - under cover of darkness and while the cities sleep - forced to grudgingly surface from their darkened lairs and interact with the very things they fear (and perhaps even hate and despise) most of all: us.

Survival is the name of their game. And deception is the means by which it is being cunningly achieved.

Whether you agree with Mac's theorizing or not, The Cryptoterrestrials is a book that is expertly and beautifully written. It challenges the reader to throw out old, rigid views. It represents the careful studies of a man who knew he was going out on a limb - but who, thankfully, didn't give a damn about appeasing the UFO research community in fawning style. And, for me, it truly is a Messengers of Deception for the 21st Century and for Generation-Next.

To learn more about Mac Tonnies' The Cryptoterrestrials, and where to purchase copies, click on the Anomalist Books website.

There's Something in the Bedroom...

2009-12-22T09:43:00.000-08:00

In the References section of my book, There's Something in the Woods, I briefly noted that: "In the early hours one morning in late 2002, I had a nightmarish encounter with a wolf-like, cloaked figure that manifested in our apartment while I was in the depths of a sleep-paralysis-style slumber. It took all my strength to wake up, at which point the foul beast vanished into the darkness."

Collectively, I think, I've had maybe 2 other experiences of a similar nature: one (around 2003) involving a cloudy, shadowy figure leaning over me and preventing me from rising from the bed, and the other of a presence (that I interpreted as malevolent) slowly climbing the staircase at one of my old abodes in England. I struggled to wake-up, knowing full well that its destination was my bedroom (and which occurred at some point in the early-to-mid 1990s).

As a result, I've always taken a keen interest in reports such as these - hence the review that follows!

A lot of words have been written about the strange and unnerving phenomenon (or, perhaps, phenomena would be a better and more accurate word to use) that has popularly become know as Sleep-Paralysis (SP).

Some of those words have been good and some of them have been bad. Others have been wholly skeptical; while many have been firmly pro-SP.

But, what has been lacking until now is a truly in-depth, book-length and definitive study of the mystery written by someone who has actually experienced repeated episodes of sleep-paralysis, first-hand - and in all their terrifying glory, no less.

That situation has now changed (and radically so, too), thanks to Australian author Louis Proud, whose title (just published by Anomalist Books) Dark Intrusions: An Investigation into the Paranormal Nature of Sleep Paralysis Experiences, makes for both remarkable and essential reading.

One might argue that anyone with an above-average knowledge of the paranormal and a keen writing talent could sit down and deeply research the subject of sleep-paralysis and then, as a result, write a paper, a report or a book on the subject.

Well, maybe that's possibly true. But what would be utterly lacking would be the sheer, intense and harrowing personal touch that Proud skilfully brings to his book time and time again.

It's clear to me, at least, that the writing of Dark Intrusions was very much a cathartic experience for the author. And that's a good thing, taking into consideration some of the nightmarish events that he chronicles within the pages of his book - and with refreshing openness and clarity, no less. Indeed, Proud is not at all afraid to dig into his personal life, experiences, beliefs and ideas pertaining to the world of the paranormal as he searches for the answers relative to SP.

And, I suspect, possibly as a result of the fact that he has - in his 25-years - experienced numerous SP episodes, Proud displays the zeal, drive, inquiring-mind and enthusiasm that are needed when addressing such an emotive topic.

So, as a result of not just wanting to get an answer to what lies at the heart of SP, but also to understand, appreciate and reconcile how the mystery impacts upon his own life, Proud brings to the table a vast array of data that is thought-provoking, unsettling, creepy, ominous and...well, you get the idea!

Thankfully, Proud does not fall foul of the mistake that many authors make when writing about such anomalous phenomena: namely, simply reeling off case-after-case in mind-numbing and yawn-inducing fashion. Rather, he also provides the reader with a variety of theories to explain what may well be afoot with respect to SP, and what its relationship to us may be.

It must be said that there is much in the pages of Dark Intrusions that readers of a nervous disposition (or those who have experienced SP) may find unnerving. But for those of you who may be of that particular mind-set, I would say do not avoid Proud's book. In fact, I would actually urge you to digest its pages very carefully: you may very well come away from it profoundly changed and informed - and in a positive fashion, too.

But, that doesn't take away the ominous nature of SP: "Defiled" and "Unclean" are just two of the words that Proud uses to describe at least some of his SP experiences, a number of which have been very sexual in nature.

And, they are highly appropriate words, too - and not just in Proud's case, either. "You knew that I would come" are the bone-chilling words that one victim of SP reportedly heard uttered by an icy, female intruder from the outer-edge.

So, who - or what - are these uninvited guests who have, for countless generations, tormented probably millions of people all around the world in the middle of the night? From where do they come? What is their motivation? Can they be stopped?

These (and many more) questions are carefully addressed by Proud as he takes us on a wild-ride that includes such matters as: the Old-Hag controversy; Incubus and Succubus encounters; poltergeist activity (such as that relative to the famous Enfield Poltergeist saga of 1977); out-of-body experiences; Buddhist teachings and beliefs; the nature of the human-soul; the afterlife; altered states of mind and body; and much more.

Certainly, for me at least, one of the most fascinating aspects of Dark Intrusions was the material that focuses upon Alien-Abductions. If you read this chapter, and come away still thinking that AA's are merely the result of genetic experimentation undertaken by bug-eyed scientists from Alpha-Centauri, then there's absolutely no hope for you.

Proud demonstrates (and in a way that a number of AA researchers and writers are now beginning to suspect and understand) that the AA puzzle is one that also has major bearings upon questions relative to the after-life and the human life-force - and, of course, SP.

Those acquainted (or even unacquainted) with the studies of Dion Fortune, Stan Gooch and Trevor James Constable will find much of an enthralling and captivating nature, too.

But, for absolute downright creepiness, there is the story of the late Joe Fisher, author of The Siren Call of Hungry Ghosts, which is as cautionary as it is mind-bending.

Equally fascinating is the story of how Proud himself deliberately tried to place himself into SP mode - with startling and notable results.

In other words, this is a truly excellent and wide study of a phenomenon undertaken by a man who has not only been touched and changed by SP himself, but who has had the courage to seek out the answers to this mystery, and who ultimately triumphs, rather than merely playing the role of victim to the menacing entities that invade our slumber.

As Proud states: "...the SP state puts you in direct contact with your soul."

Albion Dreaming

2009-12-03T08:09:00.000-08:00

Countless newspaper articles, magazine features and books have been written - and from a whole variety of wildly differing perspectives - with respect to lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD as it is far more famously known.

Many of those same publications have focused their attention upon (A) such people as Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert; (B) the CIA's various "mind-control"-based projects of the 1950s that involved the testing of LSD on both witting and unwitting individuals, and (C) the rise of LSD usage, and its associated culture, in the USA in the 1960s.

Of course, this is wholly understandable; since all of the above are integral facets of the story, or players within it. What has been sorely absent until now, however, is a detailed, thoughtful, thought-provoking, and insightful study of the history of LSD in the British Isles. Fortunately, that situation has now been rectified by Andy Roberts in his latest book, Albion Dreaming: A Popular History of LSD in Britain.

Andy's book is not only vital reading for anyone wanting to gain a deep appreciation of the significant role LSD has played in shaping whole swathes of British culture over the course of the last five or six decades; but it also exposes the deep hypocrisy that exists when it comes to attitudes (on the part of government agencies, the police, the media and the public) relative to illegal drugs (as LSD certainly is) and legal ones, such as alcohol and tobacco.

From the opening pages, it's clear to see that Andy has done his homework. The reader will gain a great understanding of how LSD came to Britain, and we learn many facts that some unacquainted with the drug may find surprising: namely, that ground-breaking research was undertaken - and notable successes were achieved - in the British Isles in the 1950s by certain elements of the medical community, who utilized LSD in the treatment of patients suffering from a variety of psychiatric conditions and mental-illness.

This is a truly fascinating section of Albion Dreaming and captures both the essence of 1950s Britain, and the nature of the doctor-patient relationship of the time that, needless to say, was manifestly different to that of today.

Andy also delves deep into the way in which the military and the Ministry of Defence of the 1950s tentatively immersed themselves in the world of LSD, as they sought to ascertain its effects on the human mind. And it's here we learn of some amusing tales of LSD-fueled squaddies staggering around the green and pleasant woods of England, as the LSD kicks in and they try - but completely and utterly fail - to act like soldiers.

Of course, Andy's humorous narrative aside, there is a very serious side to this: it was precisely this type of experimentation, and the profound effects on the guinea-pigs in question, that led the world of officialdom to realize the truly consciousness-changing effects that LSD has on the human-mind. And it is these same consciousness-changing effects that ultimately led to the downfall of the burgeoning LSD culture in Britain - at least, on a large, nationwide scale. But, I'm getting slightly ahead of myself here.

Moving on, Andy provides an excellent, and highly in-depth, account of the role that LSD played in the definitively-massive cultural changes of the 1960s, and particularly with respect to how music, art, the written-word and more were all radically altered and revolutionised by LSD use. Free-festivals, widespread availability of LSD, famous names in the rock world freely admitting to taking the drug, and countless stories of people opening their minds to new experiences - and not harming anyone else at all in the process - abound.

But then it all begins to get a bit dark.

Government clamp-downs, large-scale and nationwide police operations (such as the notorious Operation Julie), phone-tapping by the authorities, the demonising of LSD by the media, and the disapproving attitudes of old men in court-rooms with the power to punish and crush on a large scale, (yet with scarcely any appreciation or understanding of what LSD actually is) dominate the story as the book progresses right up until the present day.

No doubt there are those who will say that the police and authority figures have every right to clampdown on those who take LSD due to its illegal status. But, as Andy makes clear in Albion Dreaming, matters are not quite so clear-cut.

As Andy correctly points out, alcohol and tobacco are both legal drugs in Britain, both are highly addictive, and both can have an effect on the mind and body - and often in extremely tragic fashion, too. For example, one only has to look at the current figures and statistics concerning the number of British citizens affected by lung-cancer and liver-cirrhosis every year. Shocking and not pretty are very apt descriptions indeed. Yet, the right of the individual to purchase cigarettes and alcohol is accepted almost uniformly and without question within Britain.

So, why should the situation be any different for LSD? After all, studies show that the body has a high tolerance to the drug, it does not have the massively-addictive qualities of cigarettes, and it certainly does not result in liver-failure and death. And, as Albion Dreaming skilfully and factually shows, the scare-mongering stories of people on LSD thinking they can fly and throwing themselves out of windows to their deaths were simply that: scare-mongering stories.

The answer as to why LSD is treated differently and was ultimately made illegal, is actually very simple: unlike many drugs - whether alcohol, tobacco, painkillers, anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medicine, the list goes on - LSD does not dull the senses. Rather, it achieves precisely the opposite: it opens, expands, transforms and elevates the mind to whole new levels and realms.

The aforementioned products that do dull the senses are perceived by those in power as being fine, because they keep the masses asleep - which is precisely how our leaders want us; and particularly so in the current world where freedom of speech and privacy of the individual are rapidly becoming things of the past.

The fact is that ever since LSD became a player in the lives, culture and activities of huge numbers of British citizens (you may be surprised to learn approximately just how many...), the government's response to the drug has been one dictated wholly by fear - or, rather, fear of the unknown.

And it's also a fact that when the setting and the mood are right (something which Andy stresses the absolute need for), LSD - perhaps more than any other drug - has the ability to radically and forever transform the individual, and in a deeply spiritual fashion, too. Users report a deeper appreciation for nature and for the world around them, and a realisation develops that modern-day society has tragically lost something very important that ancient-man (whose use of psychedelics, all over the planet, was longstanding and deep) was keenly aware of: the profoundly spiritual nature of life.

Now, when I talk about spiritual issues, I'm not talking about the modern-day world of organised religion - which is largely designed to control people via fear, guilt and the use of moralistic fairy-stories - but with respect to our relationship concerning the world in which we live, our culture, our heritage, our past, and also: the way in which the human mind is capable of so much more than simply existing in the 9 to 5 rat-race.

I scarcely need to say that no government wants its people surfing uncharted areas of the brain, and taking control of their own lives in revolutionary-yet-mind-opening ways - but I will anyway. The way in which LSD has the ability to do all of that and much more is graphically spelled out by Andy.

But, it was the clear potentials present within the LSD-driven culture that led those who did not (and still do not) wish to see the status-quo affected to take firm and hard action: the British Government, in other words.

So, while thousands of people every year will receive the devastating news that they are dying of alcohol-induced liver-failure, or from the ravages of cigarette-induced lung-cancer, the official fight against allowing the populace the right to become spiritual mind-surfers of the outer-edge continues.

Indeed, Andy's book is as much about the right of the individual and the aforementioned hypocrisy and double-standards, as it is about the history of LSD and its cultural setting in Britain. Whatever your view on drugs - legal, illegal, prescribed or otherwise - Albion Dreaming is a book that deserves your attention.

Monsters in Vermont

2009-11-02T05:09:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, I received in the mail a review-copy of the book, The Vermont Monster Guide written by Joseph A. Citro, and with excellent artwork provided by Stephen R. Bissette. And, I'm very pleased to say, the book is an extremely entertaining study of weird beasts in the Green Mountain State. You can find my review of the book at my weekly Lair of the Beasts column at Mania.com.

Karl Shuker: New Book

2009-10-29T07:02:00.001-07:00

The following press-release is just in from the main CFZ office in Woolsery, England:

Today Dr Karl Shuker is a world-renowned author on cryptozoology and animal mythology, with over a dozen books and countless articles to his name, but long before his first book on such subjects had been published he was already a prolific poet.

Yet in stark contrast to his continuing output of scientific writings, his poetry has remained largely unseen by the outside world – only his family, friends, and selected colleagues have ever read any of his very sizable collection of poems…until now.

At last, after having been hidden away for many years in a couple of dusty folders, a rich selection of Dr Shuker’s poems has finally been compiled, enabling the CFZ Press to present this world-exclusive to his many fans and poetry readers in general.

Just as his non-fiction writings have documented a wide range of subjects, so too do Dr Shuker’s verses – from the wonders of the natural world, and the mysteries of other worlds far beyond our comprehension, to deeply personal recollections and contemplations of his past, present, and future, his faith in God, and also a series of poems written especially for children.

Welcome to a world of star steeds and nightingales, childhood’s end and silent farewells, realms of dreams and shadows, memory’s mirror and ghosts from the past, Faerie worlds and flying horses, the voice of the winds and the music of the spheres, roses and rainbows, airports, angels, balloons, butterflies, clowns, dragons, elves, fireworks, monasteries, poppies, Stonehenge, tattoos, UFOs, unicorns, and much much more. Even Nessie, the Loch Ness monster, makes an appearance.

All of these and many others too await your company within the pages of this very different but truly delightful book by Dr Shuker, offering its fortunate readers a fascinating, unique glimpse of a alternate line of literary evolution equal to but hitherto overshadowed by his cryptozoological writings. So let his star steed transport you right now to a magical, enchanting world that only poetry has the power to create, deep within the glorious infinity of our own imagination.

Buy it now:

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

Love in an Alien Purgatory

2009-10-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

Love in an Alien Purgatory: The Life and Fantastic Art of David Huggins (Anomalist Books, 2009) is a book that is as intriguing and thought-provoking as it is unique and alternative.

Written by well-known UFO researcher Farah Yurdozu (who, originally from Turkey, lives in New York City and writes regularly for UFO Magazine), the book tells the story of one David Huggins, a skilled artist who has experienced a lifetime of encounters of a distinctly "alien abduction" nature with...well, some form of intelligence from elsewhere.

And that's the refreshing thing about this book: it doesn't force any particular theory on the reader. Indeed, as Farah notes, very wisely and astutely, early on: "Although we still have very little evidence indicating that these visitors are from another planet, it is reasonable to assume that they are coming from another realm that is completely different from our earthly reality."

With that view, I am most definitely in agreement. And so, with that said, let's press on.

I used the words "unique" and "alternative" above for a very good reason. Rather than laboriously chronicle his experiences with apparent entities from elsewhere on reams of paper or in Microsoft Word, Huggins has taken a much different approach: as a very talented artist, he has used canvas, oils and more. In other words, the book is a definitively visual diary of Huggins' encounters; rather than a written one.

And what is the nature of those experiences? For the most part, they are of the type we have come to expect from people exposed to the "alien abduction" puzzle; such as: (A) childhood encounters with alien beings; (B) very personal and sexual experiences that seem to be linked with an agenda to create a hybrid, alien-human race; (C) evidence of longstanding interaction with advanced - yet curiously fragile, and perhaps even sickly - intelligences; (D) a suggestion that Huggins has been monitored on a large-scale for most of his life; and much more.

Of course, anyone who has had even the remotest exposure to accounts of alien abduction will instantly recognize that such assertions are absolutely staple parts of the subject. However, it's the artwork that really makes Huggins' story stand out.

After a fine introduction from Farah that firmly sets the scene, that relates the history of Huggins' experiences, and that allows us to understand what it is that drives and motivates the man himself, we see his story unfold before our eyes via a large body of very skilled artwork.

Indeed, Huggins is extremely good at capturing the apparent other-worldly nature of his visitors from the outer-edge.

For example, he claims longstanding contact with a female being he names "Crescent" - who appears to be a classic example of a "hybrid" entity. And the paintings of Crescent that can be found on (particularly) pages 20 and 28 - as well as those of other alleged hybrids at the top of page 51 - do, to my mind, superbly serve to portray the truly alien nature of the entities at issue.

However, those same images also suggest a sense of eeriness and detachment; and perhaps even menace. But that's just my own opinion, of course. Whatever the true nature of Huggins' encounters, he is to be congratulated for portraying the creatures in a fashion that is both memorable and slightly unsettling.

I don't know why I find them unsettling - but I do. Perhaps it's the long-black wigs and the obvious attempts to try and pass themselves off as more human-like than they really are - as they seek to secretly and stealthily move among us - that makes me come to such a conclusion.

Actually, the one thing that stands out more than any other in my mind, is that the particular entities in question seem to conjure up imagery not of literal extraterrestrials, but of Mac Tonnies' cryptoterrestrials - beings that originate right here on Earth, but who masquerade as aliens to hide their true nature and intent; which may not be entirely benign.

But, maybe I am wrong about the origin and intent of the creatures at issue. As I said, that's just my own view, having digested the words, pages and many paintings contained in the book. Perhaps the story that Farah tells of Huggins' experiences is a wholly positive one. Time, I earnestly hope, will tell.

Regardless of what lies at the heart of the alien abduction/hybrids story in general, and Huggins' story in particular, Love in an Alien Purgatory is a truly fascinating study of one man who has experienced some bizarre - and, at times, distressing - events in his life, and who has used his own skills and talents to try and make some sense of those same events in a positive, uplifting and always visually-appealing fashion.

Giants on the Earth

2009-09-28T13:57:00.000-07:00

Giants on the Earth is a new title published by Global Communications - the ever-busy brainchild of long-time player on the UFO scene, Timothy Green Beckley. And, if you're into tales, stories and data on giants of the distant past, and the not-so-distant past, too; then this is most definitely the book for you!

Biblical giants, the Nephilim, accounts of Goliath-like entities returning to the Holy Land and much more dominate the opening pages of the book. And, they are quickly followed up by intriguing accounts of over-sized aliens - such as the 10-foot-tall creature allegedly seen in Sagrada Famila, Brazil in August 1963. Of course, no mention of giant-sized aliens would be complete without a nod in the direction of the infamous Flatwoods Monster of that long-gone year of 1952. And, indeed, Tim treats us to the intriguing tale of the monstrous whatever-it-was.

Then, it's on to hulking flying monsters - such as the reported Thunderbirds and Pteradons that have been sighted throughout Papua, New Guinea; Mexico; South America; and the Texas-Mexico border area. For cryptozoologists, this section will be of great interest - not least for the cool artwork that accompanies this specific chapter, and the particularly-detailed attention given to the aforementioned Thunderbird sightings.

We're then treated to an indispensable series of chapters and sections that tell of historic encounters with giants in the United States, Britain, the Middle East, Australia and elsewhere.

The Book of Enoch, the Epic of Giglamesh, and much more all come into play in a new book that is required reading for those with a particular fascination for gigantic people, huge aliens, Godzilla-sized beasts of the sky, and much more!

Brad Steiger's Real Vampires

2009-09-18T11:19:00.000-07:00

As you'll recall from my earlier post on Brad's new book at this blog - Real Vampires: Night Stalkers, and Creatures from the Dark Side - I contributed a section to the book: on the blood-sucking monster of Puerto Rico known to one and all as the Chupacabra. But, having now digested the entire mighty tome, it's time for a full-length review.

First, I have to say that, in my own opinion, this is one Brad's finest books - and for several reasons, upon which I'll now explain and elaborate.

There can be very little doubt that even the merest mention of the word "Vampire" conjures up imagery of either (a) the classic vampires of yesteryear as portrayed on-screen by the likes of Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee (you know the ones I mean: they rather resemble pale-faced waiters in cloaks!); or (b) the latter-day vampires with whom Hollywood is so enamored and who resemble the offspring of some dark alliance between Marilyn Manson and TV's hottest Goth: the delicious Abby from NCIS.

As Brad is very careful to make abundantly clear to his readers, however, the cinematic vampire with which all of us are acquainted is - largely, at least - a creation of enterprising, enthusiastic and skilled screenplay writers, authors and horror-devotees. Separating the fictional vampire from the factual one, is a key aspect of the book - and a very welcome and informative aspect, too.

The genuine vampire, we learn early on in the pages of the book, is a far darker and ominous entity than anything Hollywood could ever throw at us - it is a predatory beast that stalks us by night; one that feeds upon the human life-force and drains us of emotional energy; that dwells in some darkened, elusive dimension of undetermined origins; that oozes negativity; and that has been using, abusing and exploiting us for thousands of years.

And, it is in getting this particular point across that Brad's book scores major points. Digging deep into ancient texts, manuscripts and tales, Brad acquaints us with the likes of the diabolical Lilith; with demonic entities of a truly black nature; with belief systems pertaining to the shedding of blood; and the way in which the vampire can (both metaphorically and literally) get its teeth and claws into us.

Brad also addresses what he calls "A Gallery of Classic Vampires," in which you will find much on disturbing characters like the notorious Elizabeth Bathory; as well as other vampire-style souls, including Vincent Verzini; Albert Fish; and John Haigh.

Of course, some of these were merely deranged souls - not literal vampires, in the sense we understand the term. However, Brad demonstrates that sometimes, those who we see as merely mentally-ill individuals drawn to drink blood may actually be the victims of something far more significant and sinister.

As Brad explains: "Many researchers believe that the spirit parasite can seize the controlling mechanism of the host body and direct the enslaved human to perform horrible, atrocious deeds. The spirit parasite might implant murderous thoughts into a host's mind, such as the desire to taste human blood, to slash a victim's throat, even to eat some of the person's flesh. After the crime has been committed, the vampiric spirit parasite withdraws back into another dimension of time and space, thus leaving the confused human being alone, charged with murder, while the true assassin has escaped."

Of particular interest to me, is the section of the book where Brad delves into the connections between vampires and werewolves - definitely a heady combination! Equally as parasitic as classic vampires, these hairy beasts of the full-moon are shown time and again as being entities that we would be very wise to avoid - both mentally and physically.

Real Vampires is also packed with insightful data on the history of blood-based cults; the way in which widespread hysteria can have an effect on tales and legends of vampirism; those unfortunate souls afflicted by mental-illness and who believe themselves to be definitive blood-suckers of the night; ominous beings that feed on us - emotionally and spiritually - in our sleep; and the truly macabre Shadow People.

All in all, then, Brad Steiger's Real Vampires is a massively in-depth study of a phenomenon that is both ancient and very real; that is as dark and disturbing as it is misunderstood; and one that should not be dabbled in lightly.

They may not all resemble Bela Lugosi or Christopher Lee - and, unfortunately, they may not all look like Abby either. But, as Brad demonstrates time and again, the vampire is a creature of genuine, deadly and shadowy proportions.

Definitive and required reading for anyone wanting to learn the truth about real-life parasitic entities from the outer edge...

Ghostly Pets

2009-09-18T10:30:00.000-07:00

When I learned that Tim Beckley's Global Communications had just published a new edition of Elliott O'Donnell's 1913 book, Animal Ghosts, I knew it was one that I had to review.

In December 2003, my wife, Dana, and I lost our pet shar-pei dog, Charity, when she tragically succumbed to a fast-acting fever that took her life in only a matter of days.

In the wake of Charity's death, however, we experienced a series of very odd incidents that left us in no doubt that - for a while, at least - her soul, or life-force (however you wish to term it) was still among us (a story told in Joshua P. Warren's Pet Ghosts, and in my own book: Memoirs of a Monster Hunter).

So, for that reason, books on animal spirits hold a particular interest for me.

Published under the new title of Ghostly Pets, Phantom Felines and Haunted Hounds, O'Donnell's book (which includes welcome, additional material from Diane Tessman and Sean Casteel, and a new foreword from Tim Beckley) is a fine addition to the body of work on animal ghosts, and life-after-death in the animal kingdom.

So, with that said, what can you expect to find within the pages of the book? Well, the answer to that question is: a great deal!

Diane Tessman's introduction is a deeply personal account from someone with a clear love for her animals; and Sean Casteel's contribution - titled Supernatural Animals - delves into such controversies as animal-souls; the issue of whether surviving pets can still see their deceased animal pals; and much more.

And then it's on to O'Donnell's book. Although originally written nearly 100 years ago, the title is still a highly valuable and thoughtful study of a phenomenon that is likely to fascinate anyone and everyone that (a) loves animals; and (b) has ever owned a pet - which is surely most of us!

The book itself is split into a number of clearly-delineated sections, on such matters as ghostly cats; spectral dogs; phantom horses; bulls, cows and pigs; apes, lions and tigers; and birds.

Having now digested the pages of the book (and having undergone my own experiences of the ghostly-dog kind), I'm left in little doubt at all that death is not the literal end for our furry, hairy and feathered friends.

O'Donnell relates numerous accounts within the pages of his book; most of which, I guarantee, you will never before have read. In other words, the book is packed with valuable and insightful resource data; witness testimony; theories pertaining to the nature of life and death in the animal world; and uplifting tales of how and why our beloved pets come back.

Very much driven by personal, first-hand accounts, this new edition of O'Donnell's book is one that should be carefully digested by anyone in search of answers to the question of what happens to our pets after they have breathed their last.

Thought-provoking, informative, and at times pretty spooky! But, always essential and classic reading!

Werewolves!

2009-09-03T09:59:00.000-07:00

On its way to me right now is a review-copy of Dr. Bob Curran's new book: Werewolves - A Field Guide to Shapeshifters, Lycanthropes, and Man-Beasts.

I'll be reviewing the book right here as soon as I have read it. In the meantime, however - and specifically thanks to Lori at Warwick Associates, and the good people at Career Press and New Page Books - here's an excellent new article from the author himself on the subject of those diabolical creatures of the night...

Werewolves -Everything You Need to Know…

By Dr. Bob Curran

Since earliest times, legends of were-creatures – humans who could alternate between their own and animal shape – have formed a significant part of our folklore and mythology. One of the best known of such beings is, arguably, the werewolf. Indeed, it has appeared in medieval legends, in fairy tales and latterly in books and films.

It is arguably the wolf which has dominated the stories and perceptions of the werefolk.The wolf has been Mankind’s oldest adversary. It was with wolves that our early ancestors competed for food and it was against the rivalry of the wolf that they hunted.

Arguably, Man has always feared the creature and yet he has always admired its hunting prowess, strength and swiftness. They also may have envied its hunting prowess and the ease with which it caught its prey, much more skilfully perhaps than the shambling hominids who were our forebears.

In a world were good hunting was essential for survival of both the individual and the community, they wished they could be like it. And so the desire probably took on a form of reality. Our ancestors began to look for ways in which they could supernaturally be the animal (and not just wolves, but other animals they admire – the bull, the horse etc.) and so acquire these skills.

At first, it may have been no more than pretending to be these creatures – dressing in skins, adopting certain postures – but in a world which was filled with spirits and supernatural forces, an element of possession by the animal spirit soon became paramount.Shamans and perhaps hunters themselves were "taken over" by the wolf spirit and began to exhibit lupine behaviour and possibly perceived lupine attributes. The idea of the man-wolf had already taken root in the developing human mind.

That idea persisted down the ages but as civilisations began to consolidate and develop it became less to do with hunting and more to do with prowess – physical, sexual – and ferocity. It appeared as the attribute of a warrior in battle, a man who created terror amongst his enemies. The idea of the wolf-warrior appears in a number of ancient cultures, particularly Viking, were certain warriors donned both wolf and bear skins in order to emphasise their fierceness and skill in warfare. These were the berserkers who, through the medium of their animal pelt garments seemed to acquire certain strengths and skills which seemed to make them invulnerable in any conflict.

Ancient heroes amongst other races – for example the Celts – had similar attributes which might be attributed to their contact with animals such as wolves.Allied to this was a fascination with travellers’ tails. Although travel was perhaps more frequent than we suspect in these early times, it was only certain people who in fact, journeyed any distance. They returned with wonderful tales of countries which they had seen and explored and of the wonderful beings that they had seen there.

These stories, tall as they were, were readily accepted as fact in places like Christian Europe and it was readily believed that astonishing races lived in other lands – men who looked curious and who behaved in a curious fashion. Amongst these descriptions was that of a dog-headed race of men who lived somewhere in the East – some of whom were primitive and others who were relatively advanced.

Stories of the "dog-heads" readily fell into the perceptions of the man-wolf in popular imagination and it was thought that if these people mated amongst human kind they might produce offspring who could alternate shape at will.There was one other element in the cultural and imaginative mix concerning werewolves– cannibalism.

It has been suggested that cannibalism was probably much more widespread in earlier societies than we care to acknowledge, particularly in remote areas of the developing world. In remote areas during harsh seasons, poverty-stricken individuals may well have resorted to eating each other in order to survive.

From time to time tales of cannibals surfaced into mainstream folklore – the tale of Sawney Bean, "the Man-Eater of Midlothian" in Scotland for instance during the 14th or 15th centuries (it is not clear however, that Bean existed in the way that the legends say that he did). The idea of individuals using their fellow humans for food and even hunting them down, held overtones of the wild wolves of the forest and, as some of these individuals lived in remote areas, the connection seemed all the more obvious. It was not hard then to imagine that the human predators transformed themselves into their animal counterparts, perhaps by diabolical means.

As Christianity began to assert itself in the West, the idea of the man-wolf took on a slightly different aspect.

Now this creature was the agent of the Devil and it was the Enemy of All Mankind who gave him or her their powers. The victim of the werewolf then became the Godly or the innocent – the old woman living alone or the small child. These themes were central to many of the werewolf trials, particularly in France in the 16th century – Giles Garnier, the Hermit of Dole, the Werewolves of Poligny, Jacques Roulet. Some of these alleged occurrences were brought about by the Devil, others were accidental in which the moon (a pagan symbol) played a part.

And so it has continued down to the present – the idea of the man-wolf (a figure from many cultures) appearing in literature and film. Although it has perhaps never enjoyed as much fame as the vampire or Frankenstein, the prowling beast still lurks somewhere in the depths of the human psyche, a potent reminder perhaps that we are not as cultured or civilised as we often profess to be.

Dr. Bob Curran is the author of the new book Werewolves- A Field Guide to Shapeshifters, Lycanthropes, and Man-Beasts released in September, 2009 by New Page Books (ISBN 978-1-60163-089-6).

Vampires on the Loose!

2009-09-01T12:25:00.000-07:00

Legendary author Brad Steiger has a new book out right now titled Real Vampires, Night Stalkers and Creatures from the Darkside.

My copy arrived in the mail today; and a full-length review will appear right here just as soon as I have digested its blood-soaked pages (okay, I have to confess they aren't really blood-soaked; I just want to try and build up the atmosphere!).

When Brad was in the planning stages of the book, he asked me if I would be interested in submitting some material for the book.

Well, as someone who has been a big fan of Brad's work since my early teens, my answer was, of course: "Yes!"And, so, that's precisely what I did.

In my 6-page article/contribution, titled Welcome to Blood Island, I focused my attention on my various expeditions to the island of Puerto Rico, in search of the island's most legendary blood-sucker: the diabolical and infamous Chupacabras.

The illustrated article details some of the highlights of my trips to Puerto Rico; a wealth of startling eye-witness testimony relative to the beast and its violent attacks; and much more.

As my paper also reveals, not all vampires look like Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee, or the many and varied other bygone vampires of yesteryear. Nor do they all resemble the pale-skinned and black-garbed Marilyn Manson-style creatures of the night, with which today's world of Hollywood is seemingly so obsessed.

No: some of them are even more horrific - and top of the list (in my view, at least) is that glowing eyed, razor-clawed, blood-drinking predator, the Chupacabras.

For anyone and everyone interested in vampires of all manner, description and style, Brad's new book is not to be missed!

The Ghost Hunting Files

2009-08-06T12:06:00.001-07:00

Some time ago, it was my pleasure to review Natalie Osborne-Thomason's book, Psychic Quest. Well, now she has a new book out: The Ghost Hunting Files: Ordinary Peoples' Encounters with the Supernatural.

Published in Britain by Healings of Atlantis, the book is very much a personal study of ghostly and paranormal phenomena.

And that's something I have enjoyed about Natalie's previous output: rather than take the annoying approach that some authors take (namely, extracting 100 words here and there from other people's books and then calling it "research"), Natalie's book is filled with her own experiences, tales from her own case-files and witness-reports carefully investigated by the author herself.

So, with that said, what can you expect to find within the pages of The Ghost Hunting Files? Well, the answer is: quite a lot!

The book begins with the strange story of a slightly ominous encounter of the bedroom kind that Natalie and her daughter experienced while on holiday in 2006. Then, we learn of a truly ominous experience involving a diabolical entity - half-human and half-bat - that is described as being an "Angel of Death"-style creature.

Natalie then informs us, and entertains us, with her views on the approach taken by mainstream television as it relates to the paranormal - an approach that Natalie is clearly not happy with.

It must be said that as well as being highly informative - largely due to the fact that these are Natalie's own case-files that provide us with a unique look at her work - The Ghost Hunting Files does not (as I have noted above) shy away from encounters of a very disturbing kind. The afterlife, Natalie skillfully demonstrates, is not all bright and breezy.

The grim tale of the woman left in a tragically brain-damaged state after an encounter on the stairs with a distinctly negative entity is firm evidence of that.

And the book contains much more too: tales of those floating balls of light known as Orbs; encounters with far more "benign beings" (as Natalie describes them); the strange, synchronicity-filled story of the "Deadly Injection;" reports of poltergeist activity; the high-strangeness associated with the Blisworth Arms hotel; and an uncanny account relating to the infamous Hellfire Caves of Buckinghamshire.

And the list goes on and on. All in all, The Ghost Hunting Files is an excellent book; and one best devoured late at night and with only the cold, howling wind for company.

Not only will you get to read about some fascinating accounts of the paranormal, the supernatural and the distinctly spooky; but you'll also get to see how a real-life ghost-hunter works, and what goes on behind the scenes in an investigation of the spectral kind.

Definitely recommended!

Outbreak!

2009-06-16T14:30:00.000-07:00

Outbreak! The Encyclopedia of Extraordinary Social Behavior, written by Hilary Evans (author of such books as Intrusions; Gods, Spirits, Cosmic Guardians; and Panic Attacks) and Robert Bartholomew (whose studies have appeared within the pages of the British Medical Journal and The Sociological Quarterly - among many others), is quite possibly the most important contribution to the world of Forteana (which, of course, encompasses UFOs; as if you needed to ask!) in a very long time.

And it’s certainly the biggest contribution to the subject in a long time, too: it runs to nearly 800 pages.

Indeed, we should all praise (and even, perhaps, feel a little bit sorry for) Patrick Huyghe, who had to carefully burn the midnight oil to edit this veritable mighty behemoth of a title into shape for Anomalist Books.

Fortunately, the authors and Patrick have done a great, collective job on this Cthulhu-sized tome.

Anyone who wants to understand what it is that makes the human mind tick (or, sometimes, not tick too well at all…) when faced with extraordinary phenomena and events at a group-level needs to read Outbreak!. And that includes you, Mr. and Mrs. UFO fan!

One of the things that often amazes me about UFOs, is that researchers are often very keen to investigate reports and sightings; but the most important factors of all - namely, the mindset and the (conscious or otherwise) beliefs and ideas of the witnesses - are far-more-than-occasionally left firmly on the shelf.

Fortunately, however - and in distinct contrast to my above-paragraph - with Evans and Bartholomew steering the good-ship Outbreak!, you are in good hands.

All too regularly, the word “scholarly” can be interpreted as meaning (and sometimes with much justification!) “yawn-inducing” and “bloody boring.” Not so here, however. The book is indeed scholarly; but it is also highly informative, insightful, illuminating and witty.

Have you ever wondered what it is (in terms of the human mind’s response to extraordinary situations) that makes “Girl A” faint while at school, after which “Girl B,” “Girl C,” “Girl D,” and…well, you get the picture…all summarily follow suit, until practically the entire class is passed-out on the floor?

Then, before you can utter the now-ominous word “virus,” agents of the the Department of Homeland Security are quickly on the scene to declare that the girls have all potentially been infected by some dastardly biological weapon (conjured up by dark-skinned men with beards, who emanate from some far-off, hot, desert land - or so the rumor that quickly begins to swirl around the school suggests).

Unfortunately, as the day progresses, those same grim-faced agents of the official world are unable to locate any evidence of such a pandemic, no bearded men are to be found anywhere, the girls quickly recover, and the mystified players all return to relative normaility - but all the while wondering what the hell happened, and why.

In a nutshell (and in simplistic - but certainly accurate - terms), this is what lies at the heart of Outbreak! Namely, how we as a species, and as groups, collectively react to unusual phenomena and stressful situations (and how we may be responsible for their creation and interpretation); how and why - at times - we respond in a totally over-the-top, hysterical fashion; how such behavior can totally affect and manipulate minds of a normally rational nature; and, as a result, how we inadvertently provoke extraordinary situations, tales, rumors, legends and much more - and very often of a definitively Fortean nature, too.

The very interesting thing about this book is that the reader can learn as much about the true nature of certain aspects of the UFO puzzle from reading the non-UFO entries as he or she can from studying the tales of a definitively alien nature.

In other words, learning what it is that makes a bunch of schoolgirls faint, and why so many people went totally over the top with respect to the “Bird Flu” issue, is as important as understanding how and why the “alien abduction” epidemic (an epidemic is surely what it is, even if it has a basis in reality) has developed over the last couple of decades.

So, as the authors relate to us their ideas, theories and conclusions, we get to read much about “Assembly Line Hysteria;” “Dancing Mania;” “Fainting Football Cheerleaders;” the “Milan Poisoning Scare;” the “Phantom Hat Pin Stabber;” the “Springheel Jack Scare;” “Windigo Psychosis;” and much more.

And, if at this stage you are wondering what any of this may have to do with UFOs, Forteana and related issues, by the time you finish the book you most certainly will not be wondering any longer.

As Outbreak! shows, when it comes to UFOs, the Monkey-Man, lake-monsters, alien abductions, and much more of an unexplained nature, it is the witnesses, the players and the participants - and particularly their reactions and the way they categorize, interpret and respond to such phenomena, at an individual level; but very often at a larger, group level too - who are arguably far more fascinating, mind-bending and intricately complex than anything they may have encountered.

A fantastic read!

Go, Tim, Go!

2009-06-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, and particularly at conferences for some reason, I'm asked: "Where can I get hold of old and hard-to-find books on UFOs?"

Well, that's a damned good question! Certainly, there are a number of companies that specialize in putting out new titles on all-things-alien and Fortean.

But when it comes to providing a service that offers the discerning UFO researcher access to either (A) long-out-of-print; or (B) difficult-to-locate titles, none does it better than long-time Ufological player, publisher, and observer of the scene, Timothy Green Beckley.

Tim has been flying the ufological flag for decades - having got into the subject as a kid, and pretty much met just about anyone and everyone in the subject who matters.

Not only that: Tim is at the forefront of publishing new editions of much-sought-after titles from the halcyon (in other words: long-gone) days of Ufology - such as George Adamski's Pioneers of Space (see the image above).

"POS" is an interesting title; in the sense that it's a sci-fi novel on the issue of alien contact that was written a few years before Adamski's own claimed encounters with long-haired ET's.

Is this evidence that Adamski's later claims of alien contact were merely fictionalized versions of the characters and situations portrayed in his earlier novel? God knows. But the fact that Tim has now published a new edition of the book means that you can try and answer that question yourself.

And that's what I like so much about Tim's publishing company: you'll find so many old titles (and new studies of old cases) that would otherwise remain firmly beyond our collective grasp.

For example, in recent months, Tim has published such titles as The Lost Journals of Nikola Tesla; Invisibility and Levitation; The Secret Life of Paul Villa; Teleportation; The Strange Universe of Harold T. Wilkins: UFOs Attack Earth; Inner Earth People, Outer Space People; Venusian Health Magic And Venusian Secret Science; Omnec Onec: Ambassador From Venus; Mysteries of Mount Shasta; and much more.

Are these titles controversial? Of course they are!

But Tim is to be applauded for bringing to the collective Fortean community a truly massive amount of titles - both reprints and new appraisals of old events and long-dead characters - that shed much light on the Golden years of Ufology.

If, like me, you're fascinated by (and perhaps even a little obsessed by) the long-gone days of 1950s and 1960s Ufology, offer your support to Tim.

You can contact him, buy his books, and obtain his catalog at: Global Communications, Box 753, New Brunswick, NJ 08903. You can get his free, weekly newsletter at http://www.conspiracyjournal.com/; and you can send Paypal orders to MrUFO8@hotmail.com

Disappointed, you most certainly will not be!

Beyond Shadow World

2009-06-03T09:24:00.000-07:00

I have just finished reading Brad Steiger’s latest release from Anomalist Books: Beyond Shadow World (originally published in 2001 as Our Shared World of the Supernatural).

This is the third book in a series from Anomalist Books, and is a thought-provoking and informative read that will be (or should be!) of deep interest to all open-minded Ufologists.

Given that the book focuses, to a large extent, on tales of the afterlife, spirits (of the dead, and of a nature variety), ghostly beings and a variety of similar phenomena, you may already be asking yourselves: what relevance does all this have to Ufology?

Well, I’m coming to that!

As someone who has read quite a few books by Brad that focus upon (or touch upon) accounts and experiences relative to claims of an afterlife, I’ve always found it refreshing that - unlike a lot of authors who write on such matters - Brad does not try and force any particular theory or belief-system down the throats of his readers.

Rather, he relates the data, the theories and the ideas, and allows the reader to use this material to form his or her own opinion - which is a rare thing in books devoted to such an emotive topic as the afterlife.

But, Beyond Shadow World is more than just a collection of ghostly tales to be digested at the witching hour. Yes, it’s a deep and thoughtful look at the whole controversy of the afterlife - but it also reveals much more; and it’s here that we get into the UFO issue.

One of the things that Brad talks about in an enlightening fashion in the pages of his book is the puzzle of the so-called Contactees: those (primarily) 1950s characters who claimed contact with long-haired aliens in out-of-the-way locations, such as deserts, hill-tops and forests.

I am often dismayed by the simplistic approach that many researchers and readers take to the Contactee issue. For many of them, things are very much black-and-white: the Contactees were telling a literal truth, or they were blatant liars.

But, as people will know from my previous writings, things aren’t that clear-cut when it comes to the Contactees. And, I’m very pleased to see that Brad clearly realizes this.

As Brad states: “In 1963, when I first began seriously investigating the claims of the UFO contactees…I drew immediate parallels between those who channeled Outer Space beings and the spirit mediums who provided inspirational messages from their guides…”

He continues: “…And when many of the contactees told me that the UFOnaut had appeared to them in a ‘light and vaporous form’ because of the different frequencies between our dimensions, I was again reminded of the ‘light and vaporous forms’ that had long been associated with the seance room and the spirit circle.”

Brad adds: “…In my opinion, the phenomenon of the Space Brothers has absolutely nothing to do with the question of whether extraterrestrial intelligence has visited Earth,” and states his belief that there is an “external intelligence that has interacted with our species since our creation on this planet…I am also convinced that some kind of symbiotic relationship exists between us and this intelligence. In some way, they need us as much as we need them…”

This is excellent stuff, and well worth the price of the book alone!

Brad is right on the mark, and I would urge anyone with an interest in the Contactees to invest in a copy of Beyond Shadow World.

And that’s not all: you will also get to learn the details of a fascinating experience Brad had as a child with one of the classic “little people” of folklore and mythology (a brownie, an elf - the names may change; but they are pretty much the same breed) - and maybe of some strange, twilight realm, too.

It’s a magical, eerie and slightly creepy tale.

And, although Brad’s telling of the story suggests his sighting of the creature was accidental, I have to wonder - as with so many of the Contactees, and as with so many of the Abductees - was Brad’s exposure to the little man actually a deliberate act (albeit unknown to him), one designed to provoke the transformation needed to ensure that Brad followed the path in life (as a writer and investigator of all-things-strange) that some other intelligence may have already pre-planned for him?

Some might say no. I say: don’t be so hasty.

So, with that all said, if your interests are chiefly in the area of the afterlife, Beyond Shadow World is definitely a must-read.

If you have ever had a sneaky suspicion that our alien visitors (and particularly those long-haired ones) might not be quite what they seem - and that there could be a more profound, unifying theory for the many and varied phenomena that Brad describes in his book - then you should also take steps to acquire the book at the earliest opportunity.

Don’t forget: for full effect, read it by candle-light on a dark and stormy night! And if Orthon, Zoltan or some oddly-named Venusian Space-Brother knocks slowly on the door, by all means invite him or her in. But, as Beyond Shadow World demonstrates, they may not actually be who they claim to be…

Darkness Walks...

2009-05-21T11:30:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know, over the last few weeks I have made a couple of posts (at my UFO Mystic blog) on Jason Offutt’s new book: Darkness Walks - The Shadow People Among Us. But, now, having finally digested its contents, it’s time for a review. And, fortunately, Darkness Walks is a bloody good one!

I mentioned in one of my earlier posts at UFO Mystic that - for this reader and reviewer, at least - there are definite parallels between the ominous Shadow People of Jason’s book and some of the stranger, occult/paranormal-driven Men in Black-type reports highlighted by the likes of Keel, Bender and Barker.

And, although Jason’s book is obviously not a definitive guide to the MIB, it is most definitely required-reading for anyone and everyone interested in the subject - hence why I am reviewing it right here.

So, with that said, let’s get right to the book.

With a foreword from best-selling and long-time paranormal author, Brad Steiger, Darkness Walks is a heady, ominous and roller-coaster ride into the twilight world of some of the strangest and most unsettling creatures to ever grace our planet.

They lurk in the shadows. We see fleeting glimpses of them out of the corners of our eyes. And they are a decidedly ominous, humorless, and grim bunch, to say the very least.

Sometimes, when I’m reading books like this, I get disappointed by the fact that the author spends most of his or her time relating case after case, but not actually attempting to define what might be found at the heart of the puzzle - or even what might be the root-cause of it all. Fortunately, this is not the case with Darkness Walks.

Yes, Jason most assuredly does relate numerous reports of encounters with the Shadow People; however, he also addresses the many and varied theories that have been presented to try and determine who they are and what they may want with us.

Citing reports that date back to the 1800s, Jason relates a copious amount of witness testimony concerning Shadow People encounters - much of which is pretty unsettling. Ominous presences in the bedroom, terrifying sleep-paralysis-type experiences, hooded entities provoking fear, havoc and mayhem, and even descents into madness following encounters with the Shadow People proliferate within the pages of the book.

Fortunately, Jason is not afraid to address all of the theories that may explain the presence of the Shadow People - which range from chemical-imbalances in the brain to demons, and from ET to Islamic Jinns.

Then there are the red-eyed entities (red-eyed beings are, of course, a staple part of Ufology, Cryptozoology, and Forteana in general); the disturbing “Hat Man,” who is surely a close cousin of the MIB of the 1950s; hooded monstrosities; choking-characters; and even blazing-eyed Shadow-Cats.

So what’s going on with the Shadow People? Who are they? And what the hell do they want with us?

Jason answers such questions by looking into the worlds of physics, psychiatry, metaphysics, western religion, and native American shamanism - and he does so in a very capable, thought-provoking and informative fashion.

Jason also comments on the work and theories of my good friend and Fortean hotty Marie Jones (author of PSIence, among countless other titles), the ways and means to rid yourself of the Shadow People, as well as ways to invite or invoke them - if you dare.

All in all, this is a great, informative, detailed and highly thought-provoking study of a phenomenon that straddles the realms of the paranormal, the occult and ufology with uncanny ease - if they’re not all a part of some wider phenomenon; which I most strongly suspect they actually are.

Jason has done us all a great favor by writing this book, and Dennis Stacy and Patrick Huyghe of Anomalist Books are to be applauded for publishing it.

Now, all you have to do is go out and buy Darkness Walks - TODAY, OK?!

UK UFO Files: The Book

2009-04-14T12:21:00.000-07:00

Dave Clarke has a new book looming on the horizon that deals with the specific issue of the British MoD’s UFO files.

And here’s Dave himself with all the details:

Copies of my new book based upon the Ministry of Defense’s UFO files can now be pre-ordered via Amazon.

The UFO Files: the Inside Story of Real-life Sightings will be published in paperback during July 2009 by The National Archives.

The recommended cover price is £12.99 but those who order early can obtain a discount.

The book has been specially produced to accompany the ongoing releases of MoD files via the TNA website UFO page.

The UFO Files showcases accounts of UFO experiences extracted from the entire TNA collection from the 19th century to the present day.

The first two chapters include official accounts of sightings and investigations of phantom airships, foo-fighters and flying saucers from the first half of the 20th century.Later chapters cover classic UFO incidents featured in the Air Ministry and Ministry of Defence files, ending with the most recent material released under the Freedom of Information Act.

The book concentrates upon primary documents and interviews conducted with key witnesses, much of which will be new even to seasoned UFOlogists.Working with The National Archives has meant that some key historical documents have been made available for publication for the first time.

The book will include over 70 original images from the files, including accounts collected by an Air Ministry investigation of strange phenomena sighted over London in 1921!

A summary of the contents, taken from the TNA new books page, follows:Original records reveal how British Intelligence and the CIA investigated many Cold War sightings, from the Roswell incident of 1947 to ghost aircraft, Radar Angels to the RAF’s confidential files.

The book sheds new light on many famous cases, such as RAF Topcliffe, 1952; the Flying Cross in Devon, 1967; RAF West Freugh, Scotland, 1957; the Berwyn Mountains UFO crash and the Phantom Helicopter Mystery, as well as the notorious ‘Welsh triangle’ and the Rendlesham Forest incident.

Dramatic witness statements and personal interviews - many undertaken by the author himself - combine with rarely seen photographs, drawings and newly available documents to bring these extraordinary experiences vividly to life.

From aerial phenonema of the First World War to crop circles and a secret UFO study of more recent times, The UFO Files offers a unique guide to our most intriguing mysteries.

The Monsters of Kent

2009-04-08T14:53:00.000-07:00

Excellent news!

Yesterday, I received in the mail a review-copy of Neil Arnold's brand new book: Mystery Animals of the British Isles: Kent; which, as its title strongly suggests is Neil's own, deep, personal study of the weird creatures that dwell deep within his very own home-county of Kent, England.

At almost 400 pages in length, this veritable whopper of a book looks to be an excellent, definitive study that encompasses big-cats, black-dogs, water-beasts, Bigfoot, and much more.
I've only read one chapter thus far, and checked out the photo section and the other chapter titles; but I can say for certain that this is one of the most detailed regional studies of weird beasts ever written.

You can expect a review right here, just as soon as I have read it.

A great job, Neil!

Natural Freaks

2009-03-22T17:39:00.000-07:00

I haven't yet read this book - Freaks of Nature: What Anomalies Tell Us About Development And Evolution by Mark S. Blumberg - but it looks to be a very good one.

As the publisher tells us:

"In most respects, Abigail and Brittany Hensel are normal American twins. Born and raised in a small town, they enjoy a close relationship, though each has her own tastes and personality. But the Hensels also share a body. Their two heads sit side-by-side on a single torso, with two arms and two legs. They have not only survived, but have developed into athletic, graceful young women. And that, writes Mark S. Blumberg, opens an extraordinary window onto human development and evolution.

"In Freaks of Nature, Blumberg turns a scientist's eye on the oddities of nature, showing how a subject once relegated to the sideshow can help explain some of the deepest complexities of biology. Why, for example, does a two-headed human so resemble a two-headed minnow? What we need to understand, Blumberg argues, is that anomalies are the natural products of development, and it is through developmental mechanisms that evolution works. Freaks of Nature induces a kind of intellectual vertigo as it upends our intuitive understanding of biology. What really is an anomaly? Why is a limbless human a "freak," but a limbless reptile-a snake-a successful variation?

"What we see as deformities, Blumberg writes, are merely alternative paths for development, which challenge both the creature itself and our ability to fit it into our familiar categories. Rather than mere dead-ends, many anomalies prove surprisingly survivable--as in the case of the goat without forelimbs that learned to walk upright. Blumberg explains how such variations occur, and points to the success of the Hensel sisters and the goat as examples of the extraordinary flexibility inherent in individual development. In taking seriously a subject that has often been shunned as discomfiting and embarrassing, Mark Blumberg sheds new light on how individuals--and entire species--develop, survive, and evolve."

The Alien Deception...

2009-03-05T16:29:00.001-08:00

Newly published and looks very interesting, as the publisher’s blurb below reveals…

The Alien Deception: An Exploration of the Alien Abduction Phenomenon

By
Nigel Watson

Since the 1960s thousands of people throughout the world have reported being abducted by aliens. They report being taken in broad daylight or at night. Some say they were simply looked at by seemingly alien beings, while others say they were horribly examined.

At times, after such encounters, the abductee has little conscious recollection of
these events, and usually through nightmares, flashbacks and hypnosis they eventually learn more.

Some abductees even believe they have been used as part of a breeding project to create hybrid alien/humans. Almost all are truly bewildered by their experiences.

Ultimately, alien abductions make us consider fundamental questions about our place in the universe and our future evolution as a species.

Are abductions real events that have momentous consequences for the whole of humanity or are they the product of rumour, psychosis, hoaxes, media hype and sensationalism?

Is there a grand Alien Deception manipulating our minds and our governments or are we deceiving ourselves?

Nigel Watson’s groundbreaking exploration of alien abductions takes a comprehensive look at the reports by the earliest abductees (such as Betty and Barney Hill), right up to the latest encounters.

Watson considers the possible historical, paranormal, extraterrestrial, psychological and media influences that might help explain the origin of these reports.

For British readers, click here.

For US-based readers, click here.