Booklist
So you can see where I’m coming from, here’s a list of just a few of the books that have formed my thinking on UFOs and the paranormal:
The New Inquisition by Robert Anton Wilson - 1987
A scathing rebuke of the culture of scientism, where scientists have become the unquestioned priests of reality. The first of his books that I read, which inspired me to read almost all of his others. An absolutely seminal thinker for the late 20th, and early 21st centuries.
The Rebirth of Pan by Jim Brandon - 1983
An incredibly original and insightful book that argues that the Earth itself gives birth to anomalies, UFOs, cryptoids, and ancient earthworks perhaps in some sort of non-temporal reaction to our present culture of rampant rationalism, if we choose to notice.
Cyberbiological Studies of the Imaginal Component in the UFO Contact Experience - Edited by Dennis Stillings - 1989
One of the longest book titles in Ufology. Not many remember Dennis Stillings, who apparently moved to Hawaii and got out of the anomalies biz many years ago, but while he was in it, collected such essays as “UFOs: Ultraterrestrial Agents Of Cultural Deconstruction”, “Ufology Considered As An Evolving System Of Paranoia” and “What Did Carl Jung Believe About Flying Saucers?” into this vitally important and now hard-to-find volume.
Messengers of Deception by Jacques Vallee - 1979
Vallee is one of the two or three greatest influences on people of my generation who are interested in UFOs and not stuck in the nuts-and-bolts school of the terminally Aristotelan. In this book, Vallee warned that UFO cults such as “The Two” (who later became Heaven’s Gate) were quietly becoming the new religions of the late 20th century and predicted that left unchecked, could become dangerous agents for social and political change. I wonder if the Aum Shin Rikyo people (Japanese cult that sarin-gassed the subways in Tokyo) had any space brother philosphies?
Angels and Aliens by Keith Thompson - 1991
In this little-remembered book, Thompson examined Ufology and UFO history as an evolving system of myth, with its own gods, creation stories, Fall from Grace, heroes and villians, etc. He was NOT calling the field a “myth,” but looking at it as a vitally human endeavour which closely followed the development of any culture’s stories about themselves, their origins and their raison d’etre.
The Conscious Universe by Dean Radin - 1997
I interviewed Dr. Radin after reading his book. He sat with me for almost 6 hours, patiently explaining his theories and views on time, causality, and the human mind’s influence on the physical world until he was sure I understood. When we were done, I could never look at “reality” in the same way again. Time is an artificial construction. The observer and the observed are one entity. Everything that has ever existed, is here now, and will ever exist are right here, right now-there is no difference. It’s one thing to say these things as new-age catchphrases, or excuses to throw at skeptics, but another to actually understand them on a level that goes beyond the simple concept. Radin did this for me with his book and his professor-like talk. You just can’t pay for this kind of education, but The Conscious Universe is a start. Stop saying “Well, what about quantum physics?” without really knowing what it represents and get this book.
Flying Saucer Occupants by Coral Lorenzen - 1966
An exhaustive catalogue of occupant cases that were being ignored by “serious” Ufologists at the time. Lorenzen and her husband Jim (founders of the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization) were trailblazers. It contained the first public account of the Antonio Villas-Boas story- the man who had sex with a beautiful female alien with white hair (on her head anyway) and snow-white skin. Where do I begin with the archetypal dissection of this one? It also examined occupant stories from South America which were (and still are) very different from the rest of the world.
Saucers of the Illuminati by Jim Keith - 1999
Take all conspiracy theories about UFOs, the government, secret societies and black-budget operations and blend well. I agreed with just about everything Keith said and wished I’d written it.
Breakthrough by Whitley Strieber - 1995
After Communion and Transformation, Strieber tied it all together in this moving account of his interaction with beings that he said are here to change us on a more fundamental level than we are capable of understanding just yet. I found currents of occult and alchemical thinking in the text, and I’m pretty sure that the author was aware of this component to his story. He deliberately mentioned the Russian philosopher and mystic G.I. Gurdjieff in the text and the influence of his thinking. Since I’m fairly convinced that something extra-human has been communicating with us for thousands of years, this was a refreshing take on the abdcution phenomemon that has yet to sink into popular consciousness.
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Dec 19 2006 
December 19th, 2006 at 6:03 am
Rebirth of Pan is essential reading for anyone with Fortean interests.
December 19th, 2006 at 6:46 am
Damn fine list, Mr. Bishop, sir. Vallee’s “Passport to Magonia” might go in there as well. And, Sir Nick, you are oh-so-right about the Brandon book.
December 19th, 2006 at 11:21 am
Great list– any idea where to get “Rebirth of Pan” for less than $100?
December 19th, 2006 at 12:41 pm
Firkon is right. Somebody needs to do a reprint of the Brandon book. It costs a fortune…IF you can find one.
December 19th, 2006 at 9:29 pm
HA! Firkon! One of Adamski’s Venusians! Good one!
Until I got a hard copy, I had a photocopy of “Rebirth” given to me by alien writing researcher Mario Pazzaglini. I put up a request at bookfinder.com and a few months later got one for 25 bucks back in 1997 or 8. Last I saw on Amazon, it was $150-200, when it’s available. Sorry about the limited availability, but I had to include it on the list. Someone should get on this repub thing. Maybe me.
“Passport” might be a better Vallee title, but I have a soft spot for contactees, as if you didn’t notice.
I could go on forever-”Our Haunted Planet,” “Report on Communion,” “The Gods Of Eden,” “Unconventional Flying Objects,” “They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers” Corliss’ Sourcebook Project titles, etc. etc.
I’ll post another list sometime soon.
December 20th, 2006 at 12:07 am
Guys, I am SERIOUS about this business of somebody reprinting “Rebirth of Pan”. That book has achieved almost legendary status these days and “beaucoup” people would like…and keep looking for…a copy, but they are just virtually impossible to turn up. And if you CAN find one, you almost have to sell your soul to afford the cussed thing. This is a situation that needs rectifying.
December 20th, 2006 at 5:34 am
No John Keel? Tsk, tsk.
btw, I’m right now finally reading Rebirth of Pan, lo after all these years and you guys swooning over it. I did an inter-library loan to get my mitts on it, then photocopied the beast. A brilliant book, indeed. Funny how the author seemed to swerve off on a totally different vector…
I think to get a well-rounded perspective of other UFO possibilities, Martin Cannon’s “The Controllers” is also a critical piece of work, even though Cannon is a strange critter who may have been hiding his own true agenda.
Gray Barker’s “They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers” is also a personal favorite, but I’m kinda partial to that late 50’s/early ’60’s Keel/Barker stuff.
December 20th, 2006 at 5:55 am
Rebirth of Pan would be a great one for Anomalist Books to reprint.
Adam: coincidentally, “They Knew Too Much…” is one of my all time faves.
I know exactly what you mean about the 50s material and Barker and Keel. Not only the info and thinking out the box; but the writing style was on the mark too.
December 20th, 2006 at 7:03 am
Nick:
You guys have a nice looking blog here…Of course with Bishop’s constant UFO hoaxing he’s bound to discredit the whole operation…
What impresses me about Keel in particular was: yes, the writing was topnotch, he got out and did the footwork, retained a sense of humor and a healthy does of skepticism without going overboard, yet had the courage to throw himself into some strange investigations that made his life experiences equally strange and unnerving, but came out on the other end a richer man who brought us a fine body of work. How’s that for a life?
Of course, I’m making it sound like he’s not around anymore, which isn’t the case by any means…
Barker I found interesting for some of the same reasons, but also there was a bit of the prankster/trickster in him that appeals to me, like the fake letters he and Moseley sent to Adamski on phony government letterhead. This was like the type of Discordian hoax/prank that Wilson, Thornley, et al would be involved in a decade later.
December 20th, 2006 at 7:07 am
oooops, I breezed over one of Greg’s later posts on this topic and he DID mention Keel. Sorry, Spacebrother. I take back my “tsk, tsk”.
December 20th, 2006 at 9:23 am
Adam..
I think the situation here with a lack of specific Keel titles is just this: Keel stands as such an Icon that any part of his body of work is worth devouring. He has already reached the point where just his last name is all that needs speaking for people to instantly apprehend who you’re talking about…so he’s moved into “Elvis” territory in terms of iconography. You also encounter articles or write-ups where some idea or position is termed “Keelian”. That tells you right there you’re dealing with someone who has well and truly “arrived” in terms of in-the-know recognition.
From all this I’d say that the advice, even the admonition, to “READ KEEL” is pretty much a given.
December 20th, 2006 at 7:35 pm
I have to echo the approval for “They Knew Too Much about Flying Saucers.” IMO, it’s one of the most well-written saucer books out there. Regardless of how much of it may or may not be “true” (a flawed term, to say the least), it always recharges my batteries when I’m irritated at the UFO/paranormal scene.
December 21st, 2006 at 7:34 am
[...] Following on from Greg’s Booklist post, tomorrow I’ll be discussing not those UFO books that have influenced me in the past or the present, but those books - and subject matters - that I’d like to see written and published in the future. Perhaps it may encourage someone to take up the challenge. [...]
December 22nd, 2006 at 12:55 am
Nick (or “UFOmystic - Coming tomorrow” as you’re calling yourself these days). If you can find someone who wants to publish the contactee book, I’ll do it! I’ve tried and no one has expressed interest!
Damn!
As I said, I’ll be putting up another booklist in the next few days, and the enigramatic Mr. Keel will be on it. I have met the man more than once, and contrary to many people’s opinions of him, he was gracious and kind to me. I had to keep from babbling like an idiot. Adam had sent me a copy of his little-known soft-core porno novel “The Fickle Finger Of Fate” and he signed it for me, inscribing it with “To my favorite editor and collector of high-class literature.” I read in the latest issue of Saucer Smear that he recently had a heart attack, so I hope he is doing OK.
December 22nd, 2006 at 9:56 am
Damn, if I’d known that “The Fickle Finger of Fate” was soft core porn, I wouldn’t have given it to ya!
December 22nd, 2006 at 12:31 pm
And while we talk parallel realities here, and things Keelian or Vallee-like, I think you also need to consider adding the currently scariest-thing-out-there to the mix; Colm Kelleher’s and George Knapp’s “Hunt For the Skinwalker”
January 4th, 2007 at 7:25 am
Great list. I’d add a late entry: “Hair Of The Alien” by Bill Chalker.
January 4th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
I’ve heard about that Chalker title for years. Maybe I have it on the book shelf and haven’t read it yet.