Book Review 1

What if there were life on other planets? What if this life were intelligent, capable of communication, and had evolved into a complex society? What if contact were somehow made with this extraterrestrial intelligence? These are questions that have fascinated and intigued scientists and non-scientists, almost everyone, for decades.

This fascinating new book explores these questions from a fresh perspective. Albert Harrison examines in detail the psychological, sociological, political, and cultural dimensions of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. By so doing, he firmly establishes that the behavioral and social sciences are as integral to the search as are the physical and biological sciences that have dominated the field up to now. This book offers useful conceptual framework for rational discussion of extraterrestrial life forms, and provides a detailed analysis of likely human reactions to the detection of extraterrestrial life. Among the many examples that Harrison develops are:

	how psychological, social, and cultural factors shape people's views about the likelihood of intelligent extraterrestrials and the value of undertaking the search;
	how our understanding of life on Earth provides a useful framework for thinking about life elsewhere in our galaxy;
	how historical precedents give us a basis for forecasting human response to "contact";
	how agencies such as the CIA inadvertently strengthen the impression of "government cover-up"; and
	why there is little risk that we will run afoul of an "evil empire."

Harrison sketches our responses to the discovery of extraterrestrial intelligence as individuals, as nations, and as humanity, and conclude that we have good reason for cautious optimism about the progress of the search and the aftermath of contacted.

Albert A. Harrison is a Professor of Psychology and Director of the Internship and Career Center at the University of California, Davis. The author and co-author or many books and papers on the psychology of space exploration, he is Deputy U.S. Editor of the international journal, Systems Research and Behavioural Science.

Throughout the 1990s, UFOs have attracted the attention of specialists from all branches of science. Here, two of the most respected UFOlogists in the world, Jenny Randles and Peter Hough, share their cumulative knowledge of reported sightings and findings from dozens of countries around the globe.

See how the story has developed decade by decade, from the first cigar-shaped object seen in 1880 to the 1952 wave of sightings in Washington, on to new breakthroughs as we near the 21st century.

Hough and Randles shed new light on the subject through unparalleled access to reports and previously unpublished material from experts and witnesses around the globe. Accounts from abductees, government officials, witnesses, and more round out this most fascinating and readable work.

Jenny Randles is an established writer, broadcaster, and expert on the paranormal and UFOs. She has written over 20 books, including UFO Retrievals and Star Children, has prepared programs for both television and radio, and regularly lectures around the world. Randles is also a editorial consultant to the International UFO Reporter, published by America's top authority, the Center for UFO Studies.

Peter Hough is a well-known researcher into the paranormal and has lectured widely on the subject. He has taken part in many television and radio broadcasts and has acted as a consultant and contributor to television documentaries. The author of several books and numerous articles, including World's Best "True" UFO Stories with Jenny Randles, Hough is a member of the Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena (ASSAP).

(In Press) What if the Government were hiding valuable information concerning UFO sightings and even attempted landings in order to shield the public from this potentially dangerous situation?

Project Mindshift describes a startling new theory: that top secret forces in the U.S. Government have conducted a fifty-year campaign of re-education in order to first conceal, and then slowly reveal to the public the possibility of intelligent extraterrestrial life. A sudden introduction to the reality of other life forms could have devastating effects on our existing social, religious, and political institutions. Even top scientists and powerful political leaders have been stunned and bewildered by evidence of alien life forms.

Michael Mannion, a professional medical and health writer for over twenty years, has also been investigating the subjects of extraterrestrial life; UFOs; man's changing conception of his place in the universe; and cutting-edge science involving the new paradigms that are emerging in physics, astronomy, and astrophysics. Mannion currently resides in New York City.

Imagine traveling light-years away from Earth in a shiny silver spaceship. Suddenly you're plunging headlong into a fantastic swirling wormhole--a shortcut through space--that you emerge from into a parallel world where the aliens look like earthlings. Science fiction or fact? Decades ago this was pure myth, creative imaginations at work. Tomorrow it may be reality.

Barry Parker--a highly acclaimed science writer and scientist--shows that as technology is progressing, we're unraveling the mysteries of space by leaps and bounds. In this sweeping new book, Parker propels us into the thrilling realm of space exploration, assessing our chances of finding extraterrestrials, and describing the science behind our efforts to reach the final frontier.

Pointing up to the heavens, today's cutting-edge radio telescopes scan the cosmos for any signal that may indicate alien life, as tantalizing prospects lead us further along our quest. already we may have found microbes in meteorites from Mars. As Parker points out, three of Jupiter's moons are now known to contain ice and liquid water--leading some scientists to believe that perhaps under this ice lie hidden areas teeming with aquatic life. After discovering planets outside our solar system, astronomers believe that other "suns" may exist capable of supporting planets that harbor alien life-forms. Beyond making contact, Parker stresses that disaster surely awaits us on Earth as its ever-growing population depletes our planet's natural resources. He delineates the plans to mine treasures in space, generate power on distant bodies, and establish thriving communities in space.

We can control our alien searches in space, but what if they find us first? Have we already been visited? Have humanoid creatures with large black eyes actually hovered over our towns? How do we account for eyewitness reports of bizarre glowing lights, "scorched" patterns on crop fields, and alleged abductions? Parker investigates the truth surrounding these visits and discusses the UFO Phenomenon.

We've traveled far in our courageous quest through space, unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos, but the ride continues. Buckle your seatbelt as our eloquent guide navigates us through the magnificent discoveries of yesterday and today in search of undiscovered worlds and extraterrestrials.

Barry Parker, Ph.D., is a recipient of the McDonald Observatory Science Writing Award. The New York Times Book Review called his earlier book, Search for a Supertheory, "physics for poets." He is the author of nine other highly acclaimed books: Chaos in the Cosmos, Stairway to the Stars, The Vindication of the Big Bang, Cosmic Time Travel, Colliding Galaxies, Invisible Matter and the Fate of the Universe, Creation, Einstein's Dream, and Concepts of the Cosmos.

Dr. Parker is Professor Emeritus of physics and astronomy at Idaho State University where he teaches courses on astronomy, general relativity, particle physics, and field theory. He is a contributor to the Encyclopaidia Britannica, Astronomy, and Sky & Telescope. He received his Ph.D. at Utah State University, and his research interests lie in the fields of general relativity and quantum field theory.

In 1953, a classified government project was proposed that would deal with the recovery of "returning space debris" launched from other nations. But why did the Air Force consider such a program necessary when Sputnik--the first Soviet satellite--would not be launched until four years later? Since the initiation of the top secret Project Moon Dust, the government--and specifically the USAF--has engaged in continuous covert yet highly documented official investigations into UFO phenomena, which have included often dangerous interfaces with extraterrestrial crafts in the skies above our nation, and supersonic pursuits that have put pilots' lives at risk; pursuits that were observed by many reliable eyewitnesses.

The co-author of UFO Crash at Roswell--the definitive account of America's most famous extraterrestrial encounter--Air Force Reserve Captain Kevin D. Randle uses his unique access to classified military documents to go deep inside the continuing cover-up and bring out the facts:

	The real contents of the infamous Project Blue Book files
	The recorded truth about the fateful summer of 1952--when a record number of unexplained sightings led to the government's creation of Moon Dust
	The Belgium sightings of 1990--one of the most extraordinary events of our age
	The covert role of the CIA in UFO research
	The truth vs. the official lies about the Kelly-Hopkinville creature report, the Cash-Landrum injury case, the Bentwaters encounter, and, of course, Roswell.

Kevin D. Randle is the author of Conspiracy of Silence and A History of UFO Crashes, and co-author (with Donald R. Schmitt) of UFO Crash at Roswell and The Truth About the UFO Crash at Roswell. A captain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, he is considered the foremost expert on the Roswell incident and is respected throughout the UFO community as fair-minded and serious researcher of extraterrestrial phenomena. Captain Randle lives in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Just after Christmas 1980, the peace of dark winter night was shattered by something plunging from the skies. Falling to the ground as a silent blaze of light into the midst of rural Suffolk's Rendlesham Forest, it sent nearby US airbases into a frenzy of activity. Human eyes and protective radars peered outwards, seeking to determine if the intruder was friend or foe.

But secrecy was deemed more important than safety that fateful night. A UFO had crashed in East Anglia near top security bases--and many lives could never be the same again. After subterfuge, misinformation and cover-up, can what actually took place now really be proved? Can the UFo be explained? Why did the US and UK powers go to such lengths to say nothing about it?

In this comprehensive new account of Britain's closest ever encounter, the UK's top UFO investigator, Jenny Randles, gives her reappraisal of an event that has dominated 18 years of her own specialist research. She looks at the evidence of more than 20 eye-witnesses to the mysterious and frightening events in Rendlesham Forest, and Tackles the startling and stunning evidence provided by the 'live' tapes which recorded the incident. She examines every aspect of the occurrence, before, during and long after the events. Throughout, she tries to identify the false trails and red herrings, separating them from authentic information, in order to establish once and for all what really took place that night.

This is a stunning story and one of enormous importance and significance. Are we still being hoodwinked by the authorities? Are security concerns merely a cover-up for genuine alien encounters, or for something more threatening and even closer to home? Who told the truth and who was mistaken or deliberately misleading--amateur professionals, military officials or chance witnesses?

Jenny Randles considers all the evidence and theories, and provides several possible--even sensational--answers to something which really happened.

In a new golden age of astronomy, distant worlds are beckoning as an irresistible enthusiasm draws us closer to discovering life on alien planets. Driven by the desire to find new life forms and distant habitable regions, astronomers test the limits of science as they glimpse into the hidden portions of the universe.

Acclaimed popular science writer Paul Halpern leads us through an interplanetary adventure as we seek out new planets, brilliant stars, and extraterrestrial life forms. The only book of its kind to detail the important discoveries of he first known worlds beyond the solar system, The Quest for Alien Planets explores the unfolding search for planets both similar and alien to Earth. This book is inspired by the certain knowledge that our solar system is not unique.

Following the encouraging trail of clues that includes controversial fossils of ancient life embedded in rocks from mars and extrasolar planets orbiting other suns, scientists courageously continue the hunt for friendly atmospheres and hospitable climates suited to human life. for,as Paul Halpern warns, who knows whether in the future sudden disaster will strike and we will need to make an emergency evacuation from planet Earth. far away in another solar system, a new habitable planet may await--harboring unknown life forms, or even intelligent life--that could provide a safe haven for humans in the unexpected event of needing to escape from Earth. Our curiosity and our increasingly desperate desire to encounter intelligent life have also led us to generate programs such as SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) and ASEPS (Astronomical Studies of Extrasolar Planetary Systems). Halpern clues us in on the latest progress these daring groups are making.

Halpern boldly guides us through the astonishing discoveries of yesterday and today that pave the cosmic road to new planets, space migration, and extraterrestrial life, as we enter a vast future that promises untold surprises. The Quest for Alien Planets reveals the exciting that are propelling our new age of discovery.

Paul Halpern, Ph.D., is the author of widely acclaimed popular science books including The Cyclical Serpent: Prospects for an Ever-Repeating Universe, The Structure of the Universe, Cosmic Wormholes: The Search for Interstellar Shortcuts, and Time Journeys: A Search for Cosmic Destiny and Meaning. He is an Associate Professor of Physics at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, and an adjunct Associate Professor of Liberal Arts at the University of the Arts.

(For Younger Readers) Have extraterrestrial beings been observing our world, dropping by for visits, and even bringing humans on board their ships for further study? Jenny Randles and Peter Hough, two outstanding professional UFOlogists, think so, as do thousands of other people, many of whom claim to have encountered UFOs and not-of-this-world life forms. Strange sightings, alien contact, abductions--you'll find them all in 20 amazing true stories.

	A president of the United States reports a close encounter.
	An entire family is terrorized by luminous creatures surrounding their house.
	Three people become seriously ill after witnessing an unidentified object that's being escorted--or chased--by military helicopters.
	A young forestry worker is captured by a UFO and held for 5 days.
	Thousands of animals are found to have been horribly mutilated with surgical precision.

Even if you've never believed in UFOs before, the shocking evidence in these accounts will make you wonder, "What's out there?"

For decades, the U.S. government and the military have engaged in a massive conspiracy to conceal any information that might confirm the existence of UFOs. Maintaining its position of denial despite well-documented reports of sightings, the government has, at the same time, covertly collected UFO crash data and lied to the public about what its agents were doing. Now Kevin D. Randle, a former Air Force intelligence officer familiar with the operations of the military, exposes the true story behind the secrets our government is keeping from the public.

Find out why:

	Government investigations of UFO activity are shrouded in secrecy
	Eyewitness testimony is purposely discredited
	Witnesses, silent for years, have now come forward with shocking stories
	Air Force officials now admit they lied about the mysterious 1947 crash at Roswell, New Mexico
	The Freedom of Information Act provides the proof that the U.S. Government has engaged in a fifty-year.

Before the X-Files, before alt.conspiracy, there was Robert Anton Wilson and his legendary Illuminatus! Trilogy. Now this avatar of conspiriology, renowned for his razor wit and progressive philosophy, takes you on a fascinating, eclectic ride through what Wilson has termed the "Cultic Twilight" where conspiracy theories flourish.

Everything Is Under Control covers the range of Wilson's kaleidoscopic knowledge, from John Adams to the Voronezh (former Soviet Union) UFO sighting, the Campus Crusade for Cthulhu to the Mothman prophecies, and everything in between. What do the Freemasons, the Kennedys, and Princess Diana have in common? All are at the center of gigantic conspiracy theories with incredibly complex and endlessly multiplying twists, turns, highways and byways. Arranged by alphabetical entries which include cross-reference to other entries in the book and also provide addresses to related sites on the Web, this book is truly interactive--you can dip in, read through, or follow one of the URLs from an interesting entry onto the internet.

Robert Anton Wilson has authored more than 30 books, teaches at Esalen, Oasis, Interface, and Open Center, maintains an award-winning website at http://www.rawilson.com, and has been a guest artist on a punk rock record with Golden Horde.

An overwhelming amount of today's information about UFOs is coming out of an Air Force base near Las Vegas, Nevada, labeled "Area 51" by the U.S. government. Due to its remote location and huge dry lake beds, the site was selected in the mid-1950s for testing the U-2 spy plane. Today Area 51 is being used to develop and fly stealth high-speed aircraft, such as the "Aurora" hypersonic spy plane and the TR-3A "Black Manta." It's also where the majority of UFO sightings have been reported.

Like Roswell, New Mexico in the 1950s, this UFO head-quarters is shrouded in mystery, not only because of the United States government's activities there, but also because of the many people who have reported being abducted or subjected to unexplained phenomena in the area.

Wright's investigations lead her from Washington, D.C. to New Mexico, to Nevada, and even to the movie lots of Hollywood in search of answers to the age-old question: "Is there life on other planets?"

This is an expertly research and exhaustive report on UFOlogy today.

Susan Wright is the author of three Star Trek books, and most recently, a book called Destination Mars. She has contributed to Cosmopolitan and Redbook. She live in New York City.

Why do so many people believe in mind reading, past-life regression therapy, abductions by extraterrestrials, and ghosts? What has led to the rise of "scientific creationism" and the belief that the Holocaust never happened? Why, in this age of supposed scientific enlightenment, do we seem to be more dangerously confused than ever?

In Why People Believe Weird Things, science historian Michael Shermer explores the very human reasons we find otherworldly phenomena, conspiracy theories, and cults so appealing. The editor of Skeptic magazine and the director of the Skeptics Society, Shermer shows how the eternal search for meaning and spiritual fulfillment often results in our thinking being led astray by extraordinary claims and controversial ideas--particularly in the realms of superstition and the supernatural.

But Shermer also reveals the darker and more fearful side of wishful thinking, including Holocaust denial, creationism, the recovered memory movement, alien abduction experiences, the satanic ritual abuse scare and other modern witch crazes, extreme Afrocentrism, and ideologies of racial superiority. As Shermer investigates these movements and the people behind them, you'll be introduced to:

	The strange debating tactics of creationist Duane T. Gish as he goes toe-to-toe with the author over evolutionary theory
	The apocalyptic visions of a leading racial pseudoscientist
	ESP adherents who claim they've proved the power of thought-control
	The "magical" techniques a famous psychic uses to fool his audiences
	The leaders of the holocaust denial movement and their views on Nazis, freedom of speech, and future goals

Shermer also describes his television appearances on Donahue, Oprah, Unsolved Mysteries, and other shows, where he confronts those who take advantage of people's gullibility in order to advance their own, often self-serving, agendas. A champion of science and history, Shermer brilliantly exposes the all-too-human figures hiding behind the imposing curtain of myth and superstition.

A compelling, and ofen disturbing, portrait of our immense capacity for self-delusion, Why People Believe Weird Things is a ultimately a celebration of the scientific spirit--and the joy to be found in exploring the world's greatest mysteries, even if many of the questions remain unanswered.

Michael Shermer is the publisher of Skeptic magazine, the director of the Skeptics Lecture Series at the California Institute of Technology. He is the author of Denying History and teaches the history of science, technology, and evolutionary thought in the Cultural Studies Program at Occidental College in Los Angeles.