Customer Reviews

Dreamland: Travels Inside the Secret World of Roswell and Area 51

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The section of the Nellis Air Force base in Nevada labeled "Area 51" continues to fascinate everyone from lovers of military aircraft to UFO buffs, from Cold War military historians to surveyors of the delightfully weird. The American government's dedication to intense secrecy regarding this "Dreamland" further stokes the curiosity of the public. What goes on at this secret research facility out in the middle of the desert? Why are there signs on the borders of the base stating that a person caught trespassing faces a stiff prison sentence and fine? Are there really strange, unexplained lights in the sky over the base or are these supposed sightings of UFOs just test flights for the next generation of high tech aircraft, like the stealth planes of the last two decades? Author Phil Patton decided to examine the aura of mystery surrounding a base that the American government actually denied existed for so many years. What Patton finds is an amazing blend of Cold War philosophy, pop culture, and UFO lore. The only thing stranger than what possibly goes on in the hangers of this base is what goes on outside the fences amongst a quirky collection of conspiracy theorists, UFO buffs, and aircraft enthusiasts.

"Dreamland" is first a history about the American military during the Cold War. Patton discusses in detail the atomic bomb tests in the Nevada desert and their effects on the residents in the area, the colossus of secrecy that emerged in these years surrounding military programs, and the developments of various secret aircraft that led to the construction of this air base in the Nevada wastelands. Several chapters intimately describe the Lockheed Skunk Works and its projects in the desert. The reader learns about the SR-71 spy planes, the U2 project and Gary Powers, and the stealth aircraft (which came about because of a footnote in an article written by a Soviet physicist). Patton introduces us to the test pilots who flew the planes over the desert, tough as nails aviators who often died or suffered serious injuries during the course of their work. We meet Kelly Johnson, the penny-pinching head of Skunk Works and the driving force behind several of America's greatest military aircraft. For readers who find a history of military aircraft as boring as I do, Patton spices up his accounts with amusing and intriguing anecdotes about the engineers and pilots who made American air supremacy a reality. The author's visits to various testing grounds, bases, and local towns lend the book an authenticity sorely lacking from many of the accounts concerning America's military secrets.

"Dreamland" doesn't skimp on the kooks, either. Patton knows Area 51 is more than a testing ground for military aircraft in the minds of many Americans, recognizing that for many in the business of UFOs, Dreamland is the Holy Grail of all alien encounters. The author discusses the background of the UFO phenomena, writing in depth analyses on George Adamski, Roswell, MJ-12, and Bob Lazar. In what I found to be one of the best parts of the books, Patton discusses how descriptions of extraterrestrial encounters often changed to reflect broader concerns in American society. For example, during the height of the Cold War in the 1950s, some saw UFOs and their alien pilots as harbingers of peace set to deliver America from the threat of nuclear annihilation. In the 1980s, an obsession with sex and the cult of the individual within the larger society brought stories of alien abductions to the fore. An abduction was special because it showed that the aliens chose one person over millions of others, an idea Patton sees as part of the pop psychological influence of talk shows. Overall, the author takes a strong neutral stance about some of the crazy stories floating around Area 51, only sinking to incredulity when the account is so over the top that it begs for ridicule. This makes perfect sense when one thinks about it, for anyone who believes in George Adamski's contactee nonsense has serious problems. Ultimately, "Dreamland" is less concerned about the existence of UFOs than with how these stories fit in with the larger themes of secrecy and the Cold War.

Patton does a clever thing with his book; he convincingly argues that Area 51 with all of its mysteries serves as a nexus for America's love of the unknown, its love of technology, and its suspicion of the federal government. Moreover, the author makes a case that the government's mania for classification and secrecy, all in the name of "black programs" and "national security," is out of hand. The idea of "need to know" or "plausible deniability" are certainly not terms one would associate with an open, for the people by the people government we all want. Secrecy too often leads to an "us versus them" mentality incompatible with American ideals about government. I think this critique of the bureaucratization of the national security state is the best argument for reading this book. On a secondary level, the book also works for those interested in how our government constructed advanced aircraft in order to defeat the grim specter of world communism.

If you feel that the Cold War years were some sort of bad dream, and you catch yourself wondering what it was all about, this is a great book for waking up. Patton uses Area 51 as an entry into the psychology of the era. The skunk works, strange lights in the sky, the secrecy and paranoia all come together in a sane and down to earth commentary on those times.

I especially enjoyed the history of Area 51, the workings of the Lockhead SkunkWorks, and the story of the U2 and other spy planes. I was distrubed by the book's portrait of Curtis Lemay (of Dr. Strangelove fame)and his nightly bombing raids on American cities. Strange things indeed were happening in the skies. They may still be going on.

Patton's style is on the level and humorous at times, a delight to read. Highly recommended.

Ok, for those interested in the subject: if you expect to read all about aliens, conspiracies about strange beings governing from below, strange otherwordly craft being tested, or any such info, well, choose another book if this is what you seek.

If you happen to be a planespotter this book should be precisely right for your money. Furthermore, if you're looking for the purely conventional history of "area 51" then you've hit the bull's eye as well.
But this calls for some specification here. It all comes down to what you're ready to assume, believe, expect. Area 51 may have an unconventional side to it and it may not. This is all extremely open to discussion and anyone who has delved deep into all this phenomenon will know very well that this subject could span to lenghts and depths unimaginable. If it comes down to purely concrete evidence then area 51 remains a blurry subject, more so that other sides of the bigger scheme for which way more evidence exists.

Now, summing it all up, i find the cover of this book ridiculously misleading. Why put an alien on the cover if this precisely what you are NOT talking about inside this book??? This alone, leads me to thoughts it shouldnt lead me, it puts me in suspicion about the motives of the author. If you're going to go on for 400 some pages explaining that all that area 51 is is a secret giant facility for testing secret (but earthling made!) aircraft than what's with the alien hint on the cover mr.Patton?

I found myself reading an extremely interesting book about the history of fighting aircraft, stealth aircraft, cold war intrigues, test pilots of dangerous aircraft etc. For this i rate this book highly. But i still think that it doesnt address the ever-underlying question about "other" functions of the so called area 51. "Dreamland" does touch this underlying question but in a vrey superficial and selfunderstood dismissing way as if it was never an issue to begin with. Problem is, it IS an issue, and there are enough reasons for that (wrong or right, they aren't adequately dealt with in the book, to put it mildly).

This book provides lots of insight as to why people find Area 51 so fascinating, but doesn' really draw any conclusions.

Phil Patton interviews every type of person interested in the workings of the Air Force's facility at Groom Lake, from aviation buffs to "youfers," all the while maintaining objectivity. He doesn't seek to judge the conspiracty theorists, but rather gives a basic history of black projects in general and Area 51 in particular.

I found it an easy and fun read. If you're at all interested in the United States' most secret military facility, black projects or secret aircraft, this is a good read.

Dreamland is a fun read, thanks to Phil Patton's entertaining writing style and his dogged willingness to uncover the mysteries surrounding Area 51. It's also an important book in the sense that we finally have a credible investigation into the complex and elusive world of Area 51 - a world that Patton coins as "Dreamland." However, don't be fooled into believing that Dreamland supports any of the conspiracy theorist claims. In fact, much of Patton's findings do more to debunk them.

Patton's admirable efforts to gather as much empirical data on far-reaching claims of the existence UFOs inside Area 51 often and invariably lead him into very murky water. However, seeing this through the eyes of a journalist, you get the sense that the "youfers" and the higher-profile witnesses of UFOs are just plain full of baloney. Never once during Patton's campaign to find the hidden truth is the author surprised, amazed or taken aback by any tangible evidence or revelations.

Though it's no fault of Patton's, the lack of any shred of stirring evidence of the existence of UFO's in Dreamland makes this book just a tad anticlimactic. In this vein, I disagree with some other reviews of this book. For example, the back cover says, "Reviewers have applauded Dreamland as brilliant, fascinating, weird, wonderful, sometimes spooky, curiously epic, frequently humorous, and always entertaining." In fact, Patton's closing statement - the final sentence of the book, seems to contradict this notion: "...This seemed appropriate, but as with so much in Dreamland, it proved impossible to determine conclusively." (Patton pg 299). There's not much in Patton's findings that would leave a reader spooked or fascinated. I would temper the back cover comments down to "brilliant, interesting and entertaining."

The most famous figure that Patton investigates is an engineer/physicist named Bob Lazar. It's no surprise that Patton finds Lazar's job titles and credentials to be questionable. Lazar claims that he actually worked on flying saucers hidden near Groom Lake. While Patton collects interesting stories through former contacts of Lazar, he finds no evidence or accounts to corroborate or support Lazar's outlandish tales. Patton discovers that Lazar was eventually arrested in 1990 for pandering - around the time that Lazar tried to open a brothel in Los Alamos. Do most physicists have time for these types of endeavors?

Patton's assiduous and unrelenting study of Area 51, military aircraft, "youfers", UFO folklore and UFO history is full, thorough and colorful. It's likely that Patton would make a study on any topic readable and interesting. And perhaps as an unintended consequence, this book will educate the average reader on the history of military aircraft. Patton's in-depth inquiry left me skeptical about the existence of UFOs and it has given me a critical attitude toward the conspiracy buffs. The amount of conjecture is disproportionately large compared to the flakes of evidence that anyone can provide when it comes to the existence of flying saucers in Area 51.

I should add that Patton also deserves credit for putting himself at risk on several occasions when he tries to get himself as close as possible to key sites in Dreamland. He is often chased away or threatened by military security.

Dreamland is an enjoyable read. But be forewarned: It won't convert you to a conspiracy buff. Rather, it may turn you into a skeptic.

I began this book hoping for an objective look at the UFO phenomenon; but it quickly became apparent that Patton had no such intention. For him, the whole thing is nonsense, a modern-day mythology fit only for cultists and fanatics. Ho-hum. On the other hand, the background material he provides on aircraft research and developement is fascinating and worth the ride itself. (I wonder if Patton has read, or is aware of, Colonel Philip Corso's book, The Day After Roswell? How would he place Corso's revelations in his r-&-d timeline?) The book is well-written but strangely organized: it jumps about seemingly at random from topic to topic and from place to place, often within the same chapter. But after reading it, you will feel that you spent a few days driving around Nevada and California with him; and if he doesn't always stop off where you'd like, you do still get to see some beautiful country and hear some pretty good stories.

Less a book than a collection of impressionistic musings, Phil Pattoon's "Dreamland" is magnificent stuff. He dives deep inside the great, dark pool of post-war American military secrecy, and returns to the surface festooned with strange and startling stuff.

While those wishing for bodies being snatched, circles being made in the crops, and things that generally go swish in the night will almost certainly be disappointed, a more savvy and accurate tour guide through the cross-connected synapses of Cold War America -- and its consequences -- you will be hard-pressed to find.

This very easy to read book is full of factual (did you hear that - factual) information about the history of Dreamland and a LOT more. It puts the whole UFO/Alien base/secret aircraft/etc. topic in a rational perspective. Even for those not interested in the topic, there is a lot of interesting history in this quick read...enjoy.

I read this book shortly after enduring Annie Jacobsen's best-selling Area 51: An Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military Base. Jacobsen had the advantage of a bigger budget and access to base workers whose 1950's & 60s activities had recently been declassified, thereby giving them the green light to talk candidly. Jacobsen squandered these advantages by failing to bone up on basic history and technology and failing to understand the place of Area 51 in popular culture and, more tellingly, failing to understand the affect that a secret base has on individuals who are susceptible to conspiracy theories. (Okay, she apparently had an editor that phoned it in, too.) Phil Patton makes none of Jacobsen's mistakes. Patton covers not only the government programs that have been acknowledged to have been based at Area 51, he covers the rumors as well. He does an excellent job at distinguishing facts, rumors, and "lore". Naturally his book can only cover programs publicly known up to the book's publication date, 1998; but to be honest, there hasn't been a whole lot that has been publicly disclosed since then (as of late 2011, anyway).

Patton readily acknowledges and does an excellent job at chronicling the activities of a loose confederation of colorful individuals collectively known as the "Interceptors". The Interceptors took advantage of the nascent internet in the 1990s to gather and disseminate knowledge about the Groom Lake base. The Interceptors generated public awareness of the base and did it so effectively that by the mid-1990's Area 51 was part of popular culture.

Patton covers the UFO lore surrounding the base in many of its permutations. One subset of the lore holds that the UFOs aren't alien spacecraft,but are aircraft built using technology developed by the Nazis, some by Nazi scientists brought to the United States. In publishing these stories, Patton beat Jacobsen to the punch by 13 years. By showing how many different versions of the story are out there, Patton gently discredits each one. It is telling that Patton is neither cited nor listed in the bibliography of Jacobsen's 513 page book.

Throughout the book, Patton discusses history, philosphy, psychology,mythology and aviation technology. He seems well-versed in all fields. Patton's book reads as a well-educated grown-up evaluating a cultural phenomenon from different perspectives. In contract, Jacobsen's book comes off as a junior-college student trying to pass an old wive's tale as fact by spewing factoids that she read about during an all-nighter. If you read Jacobsen's book, you have to read Patton's to get a perspective. If you read Patton's, you can probably skip Jacobsen's.

Much history, much conjecture - "Dreamland" is a series of loosely linked chapters about: the legendary Lockheed Skunkworks and the creation of the U2 and Blackbirds; the Lore of UFOology and all the obsessives that go with it; the depictions of various subcultures, like the "Interceptors"; and, many reports about the National Test Site, Nellis Air Force Base, Tonopah Testing Area, and of course, Groom Lake ie, "Dreamland".

Pattin has the journalistic credentials for putting a pretty good story together - he is a New York Times and Esquire reporter. He focuses on the psychology of believing as much as on what is, and what has happened, "out there". The writing does bog down, however, when he starts to muse about "culture" and how Hollywood has marketed the alien phenomena; the analysis and conjectures get too tangential and detract from otherwise good stories and reporting. So, perservere and the narrative will pick back up.

The discussions about UFO's and aliens in the context of America's obsessions and cultural concerns are well done, as is Pattin's take on Jung's UFO theory. For those into conspiracy theories and the New World Order, there's probably nothing new here; but it makes some interesting reading. 4 stars on this one.

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