Dec 22 2006
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Who’s Gonna Write These?
As I mentioned yesterday, I thought it might be an idea to share with you today not those UFO books that have influenced me in the past, or those that influence me today, but those that - in an ideal world - I would like to see written and published in the future.
On the “Biography” front, there are a number: One of the people whose research (and particularly his crashed UFO research and papers) got me interested in UFOs back in the late 70s was Leonard Stringfield, author of Situation Red: The UFO Siege. Stringfield was involved in ufology from the early years; and his book, and self-published CRIFO newsletter of the 1950s, provided endless stories of his involvement in Ufology. A definitive biography on the man would make for notable reading - in my opinion, at least!
Albert Bender - arguably without who there would be no Men in Black mystery - whose story is told in Gray Barker’s They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers, and Bender’s own, Flying Saucers and the Three Men. Bender’s story isn’t a straightforward UFO read and has a lot of paranormal, mystical, occult overtones to it.
Then there’s Silas Newton. For those who aren’t aware of the facts, Newton was a character of extraordinary proportions, and who was the central figure in the saga that led to the publication of Frank Scully’s 1950 book, Behind the Flying Saucers, which was the first full-length study of crashed UFO accounts. A few years back I met the late Karl Pflock, and for a while the two of us mused on the idea of writing a book together on the alleged UFO crash at Aztec, New Mexico of 1948 that features in the Scully book. Well, we never got around to the writing; but we did do some cursory research; and Karl told me that he would one day love to write a book on Newton - who really lived a life on the edge, and mixed with all sorts of memorable characters. Unfortunately, it was not to be; and the project came to an end with Karl’s passing last year. But, maybe one day, someone will follow Karl’s lead. Again, this would make for an illuminating read.
And what about Bob Lazar? Okay, he’s still alive and if he wanted to, he could easily write his own autobiography. He hasn’t yet, mind you; so maybe it’s about time someone else did. Regardless of what people personally think of his story, getting to the root of the whole thing and presenting all of the data under one, unified cover would be a great service to the UFO subject.
As for specific subjects, well, I can think of a number: the Kingman, Arizona, UFO crash account of 1953. I have mountains of material on this but have never had the time to sit down and do something with it. But there are endless leads here that could take it to Roswell status - at least, in terms of interest and the sheer amount of information that’s bubbling below the surface and just waiting to mutate into book-form.
Of course, there is the definitive book on the Contactees that Greg keeps saying he will one day write - and so I’m still holding him to that one.
Bill Moore - many years ago - put out a report on the Green Fireball mystery of the late 1940s. But it’s time for an update; and such a title - that detailed the whole controversy from that long-gone era of 1948 to the early 1950s - would surely be a winner.
And there’s one book that I just wish someone would reprint so that the rest of the UFO community can actually get to read it. That book is The Flying Saucer by Bernard Newman. This is a novel written in 1948Â - by a man with a highly intriguing background - and tells the story of a group of scientists who decide to “stage” a number of UFO crashes - in New Mexico, Russia, and Britain, in an attempt to unite the world against a common (but actually non-existent) threat. They even fake an alien autopsy to try and convince people of the brewing trouble that looms over them! In terms of subject matter, and the implications for much of today’s UFO subject, The Flying Saucer makes for highly thought-provoking reading.
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December 22nd, 2006 at 8:37 am
Nick, this is a great wish list. As an avid reader and devourer of books, I must say that I am often more intrigued by reading about the PEOPLE behind the paranormal/UFO/unsolved mystery stuff. I am fascinated with what makes people tick, how they got involved, what their day to day life was like once they were deeply involved in their research, how it changed them. My wish list would include a book I may be writing, so I think I will keep it to myself for a bit! LOL!
And that last one, the novel by Bernard Newman, I cannot help but think of 9/11 and back to Operation Northwoods, et al, trying to unite “us” against “them” with staged terrorist attacks. How utterly timely…
December 22nd, 2006 at 8:51 am
Marie:
Yeah I agree: biographies can be a great and insightful read. You’ll note that many of the books, people, and cases I suggested were late 1940s to 1950s themed. It’s a study of this period - more than any other, I think - where we will find the answers.
December 22nd, 2006 at 8:59 am
Nick –
I was not aware of Bernard Newmann’s novel, but like most readers here am aware of Ronald Reagans’ odd commentary about the world uniting against an alien enemy. I had frankly thought the inspiration for this kind of thought originated with “The Architects of Fear,” that wonderful and groundbreaking episode of the original Outer Limits. For those who are not familiar with this story, a group of scientists working in secret within what is obviously an American governmental agency take one of their own ranks (Robert Culp) and turn him into an unsettlingly grotesque extraterrestrial. I’d continue, but that would be a “spoiler,” as they say. It’s only an hour, and admittedly primitive by today’s special effects standards, but the writing and acting alone make it worth seeing, at least once.
Daniel
December 22nd, 2006 at 9:13 am
God, I’d love to tackle a book about Bender. I hear he’s still alive. That would be key–actually interviewing him. I hear that he’s reclusive, and hasn’t spoke on the subject since the MIB’s blew his mind.
It should be noted that Kenn Thomas is working on a book about Ray Palmer, though I don’t know all the details. I interviewed Kenn on my web radio show the other day “Untamed Dimensions” (plug,plug) but we ran out of time before I could get around to asking him about the project.
Bob Lazar would be an interesting subject, too, and that whole scene around him in Vegas in the late 80’s which included John Lear, Bill Cooper and the “Billy Goodman Happening” radio show.
btw, does anybody else remember “The Billy Goodman Happening”? Great stuff.
December 22nd, 2006 at 9:18 am
Daniel
Thanks for the Outer Limits insight. I would urge anyone to read the Newman novel (there are even allegations about Newman’s official links too - click on the link in Newman’s name in my original post and it will take you to a good summary of Newman and his book).
There are definitely some very intriguing and weird parallels in his novel with what came decades later in ufology - including, as you pointed out, Reagan’s comments about uniting against an alien threat.
The faked Alien Autopsy is another interesting facet - as is Newman’s decision to have one of the UFO crashes in his novel in, of all places, New Mexico.
Maybe he knew something weird happened at Roswell, New Mexico, and this was his way of leaving clues…
December 22nd, 2006 at 9:21 am
Adam
I do indeed remember Billy Goodman - his shows even made it to the UK way back then even. Yeah, adding the “horror story” stuff of Lear, Cooper etc and really telling the story of that weird era would be a good one.
Yeah, Greg was telling me that Bender is still around. Wonder if he got royalties on the Men in Black movie? He should have done!
December 22nd, 2006 at 12:15 pm
I think I mentioned Goodman in one of the earlier posts. Didn’t he broadcast out of Alaska, of all places?
Bender, as far as I know, is still alive and living in the L.A. area. It would be child’s play for any competent P.I. (I think I know one) to locate him in a day. The reason I have never bothered him is that Moseley says the last person who tried this was chased off his doorstep. In one issue of Excluded Middle I published a picture of him in sunglasses and a long coat at the dedication ceremony for a star on Hollywood Blvd. for one of his heroes, film composer Max Steiner. This happened in the late 1970s or early ’80s. He was president of the composer’s “appreciation society.”
One other “Outer Limits” episode which is quite relevant to Ufology was “The Bellero Shield” which may have impacted on the Hill abduction case as posited by excellent UFO commentator Martin Kottmeyer.
Hey, maybe I’ll post this with a link!
December 22nd, 2006 at 12:37 pm
I remember that photo, Greg; I have the issue of EM around here somewhere in amongst all the clutter.
December 22nd, 2006 at 2:52 pm
Y’know what, Redfern - you’re a complete b*st*rd!
I was just about managing to keep on top of my wide ranging, very long list of wildly varying subjects of particular interest to me, when I had to go and pay you more attention than usual.
And suddenly you’re inundating me with all these madly interesting links about subjects in the UFO field I wasn’t even dimly aware of!
Jesus, I used to have a life until I met you, but now I’m gonna have to spend the rest of the Season of Good Will fighting me kids and me brother to the death just to keep on a terminal.
Well, thanks a lot, and a very merry Christmas to you too - y’sod!
December 22nd, 2006 at 3:17 pm
Alan
LOL. Luckily for you I’ll be offline after tomorrow (saturday) until tuesday morning (or, for those non-Brits, as us English peope call the day after Christmas: “Boxing Day”), so you won’t have too many more UFO links to go chasing after.
But tuesday onwards, there may be a deluge of links….
Merry Christmas from the sod
