Customer Reviews

Secret Life: Firsthand Accounts of Ufo Abductions

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

There is no other book which so properly recounts reliable eyewitness testimony of this nature. Even Hopkins' "Intruders" doesn't quite reach this level. Mack's "Abduction" has too many new-age laced accounts. The conclusions and theories of Strieber's "Communion" *are* new-ageism, which he appears to now regret. This is the one to get if you wish to hear accounts of level-headed abductees who, I can guarantee, aren't going to turn around and say they made it all up, as happened in the case of Mack's.

This is one of the very few truly essential UFO abduction studies.

Dr. Jacobs' research was methodical, his reasoning is
uncluttered by any sort of cant or intellectual bias,
his presentation direct and concise. Studious without being
dull; quietly, thoughtfully provocative.

No dramatization was necessary in these accounts;
no New Age meanderings intrude.
Historical and cultural and social context
is always explored objectively.

An absolute requirement for anyone at all curious about the abduction phenomenon.
Likewise, a must-read for anyone considering delving into Dr. Jacobs'
even more provocative, intellectually rigorous
and carefully presented sequel to this book:
The Threat.

While some books center around a person or group of individuals from a specific area, this one concerns a variety of people and experiences. It provides a summary of various stages of abduction, and is easy to read. If I could only have one book in my UFO library, this would be it.

I highly recommend this book to everyone.

I managed to read it in four days, and I couldn't put it down.

Jacobs is unbiased and balanced in his summary of what is happening, and his presentation of an abduction scenario is beatifully done.

Secret Life is in a sense better than Jacobs latest book, The Threat. Every American should read this book, and then make their own conclusions on what is happening. Secret Life gives an excellent overview of the abduction phenomena.

I found that David Jacobs really did not speculate to much and let the Hypnosis sessions speak for them selves. It was fascinating. I never knew what was next. I highly suggest this book!

I loved this book! It's good to see someone approach the subject of abductions analytically. After having read so many overly emotional, or new-age type books on the subject, it's nice to read something that just says, "Hey, this is what I've found again and again, in numerous investigations. This is how it seems to happen. AND this is what we may be able to expect next, based on what we've seen so far." He also wrote The Threat-

Most other reviewers deservedly give this book a five-star rating, and many say that if you only ever read one book about the bizarre and improbable subject of alien abduction, then it should be 'Secret Life.' I agree.

David Jacobs is Associate Professor of History at Temple University in Philadelphia trained in the rigorous analysis of data to form cautious but credible hypotheses on historical events. His first book 'The UFO Controversy in America' was his doctoral thesis slightly extended for mass publication, a classic if conservative examination of the evidence for the reality of UFOs and the political and military response to the phenomenon in the USA.

In 'Secret Life' Jacobs brings his considerable academic and forensic skills as a historian to the alien abduction phenomenon. His conclusions were formed after many years' continuous investigation and work with a sizeable number (about 300) of people who had suffered the experience. Most want complete anonymity and are anything but happy about what happened to them. The title precisely sums up in two words what these people have to deal with: a secret life they can't or have no wish to discuss in public.

The resulting book is a meticulously documented, startling and convincing hypothesis about the reality of the alien abduction phenomenon, which Professor Jacobs came to with some reluctance. He describes the process of abduction as reported, the idiosyncratic details repeated through many abductee accounts and the impersonal and work-like attitudes of the abductors. One factor new to me when I first read this book was the common 'intergenerational' aspect of the abductions, and the conclusion that the abductors are primarily interested in human genetic material, family ties and emotional bonds. They express almost no interest in human cultural, artistic or political life. The program is covert and secretive, and seems to be global in scale. The technology employed is well in advance of any available to us, but not completely infallible and occasional mistakes are made.

This was truly ground-breaking stuff in the early 1990s and remains essential reading to anyone who wants to understand the issue without any of the (on the one hand) woolly-headed new-age fantasists or (on the other) belief-driven stupidities of debunkers masquerading as 'scientists'. Jacobs REALLY knows his subject, and sticks to the facts however uncomfortable they might be. He began as an out-and-out skeptic (as well he might) and ended up reluctantly convinced that Something Really Is Going On.

As you might expect from a University Professor of some academic standing, the book is very readable in a highly literate style and with a coherent and logical narrative. It's a surprisingly easy and engrossing read, largely due to the straightforward description of the subject by an author who understands what he is talking about and uses plenty of evidence to back it up. The approach is as logical, grounded and cautious as are the conclusions shocking and revolutionary.

Professor Jacobs has frequently invited anyone to please refute his data, as he would prefer the conclusions he has been reluctantly led to, to not be true. So far, no-one has.

Challenge: read the book with an open mind, then try to refute the data. But you'll need to study the subject matter in depth and do the work for real, as has the author.

This book will change how you think of extraterrestrial life forever. One person even remembers a situation where an alien took a lock of hair and put it on their head and "pretended" to be human! Filled with abduction case studies and really gets into detail.

I first read 'Secret Life' back in the early 90's. It was the first book on UFO abductions that I read at the time. After reading it, my interest was captured enough to read several other books on the subject (including Budd Hopkins's 'Missing Time' and 'Intruders' - both excellent books). Lately, I've started reading more recent books on the subject (including Jacobs's 'The Threat' - an even more disturbing book). Having just read 'Secret Life' for the second time, I think it is one of the finest books on UFO abductions that has ever been written.

Admittedly, in spite of all that I've read on the subject, I'm still a bit of a skeptic. But if there is even a remote possiblity that the UFO abductions presented here (and in other books) are really going on, it paints a most disturbing picture indeed.

If the subject interests you, and you are thinking about buying your first book on the subject, 'Secret Life' is the one to read first. Jacobs's academic background shows through with a meticulously researched and well written book.

Thousands of people (alone and in groups) including military personal, scientists, pilots, police and others have seen things that they insist could not of been man made. They can't all be wrong, lying or insane. To fill out an official report is a risk, yet they fill out factual reports stating "I saw this, I don't know what it was, and it did this and this". They don't give some new age 'spiritual' interpretation of the event. They just report the facts. This is what Jacobs has done. He has written what the abductees said they saw. If there was a conversation between the abductee and the aliens he gives that also. It is a thought provoking book. At the end he discusses the explanations doubters use to try to explain away these accounts and he makes some very good points as to why these explanations are wrong. If you know something is going on and want to learn more- read this book.