UFO Headquarters: Investigations On Current Extraterrestrial Activity In Area 51 [Paperback]

Susan Wright (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 15, 1999 | ISBN-10: 0312971818 | ISBN-13: 978-0312971816 | Edition: 1st

The government said it need Area 51 to protect America. They said they needed it for research. Now some say it has all been a terrible lie...

In the annals of UFO controversies there has never been a place like this: sixty square miles of desert and scrub just north of Las Vegas, Nevada. Officially known as a U.S. Air Force testing ground, this area has accounted for more UFO sightings and more inexplicable activity than any other in the world. leading experts to dub Area 51 "Earth's unofficial UFO headquarters."

Now UFO writer Susan Wright seeks to answer the riddle once and for all, delving into previously secret government documents, drawing on eyewitness accounts, and ripping the veil of secrecy off Area 51 and the research that really goes on there. The result is the most shocking and thoroughly documented UFO book you have ever read, a book that demonstrates that for fifty years the U.S. government has had one overriding policy on Area 51: whenever confronted with suspicions, facts, or photographs-conceal, deny and lie...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Something is happening in our skies. To discover the cause, we can only continue to use our eyes to see the world around us, record it faithfully, and work toward the next step in understanding humanity's place in the universe," veteran Star Trek book author Wright concludes at the close of this survey of the complex, confusing and contradictory world of ufology. Covering such topics as the Roswell incident and Area 51; government "black projects"; and sightings, disinformation and abductions, Wright introduces us to some of the field's players and personalities, from Glenn Campbell, who maintains the unofficial Area 51 Research Center, to Bob Lazar, whose sightings in the area are legendary. She quotes extensively from a variety of sources; some seem quite knowledgeable and reasonable, while others obviously are from the other end of the spectrum, although not without their own sort of entertainment value. (Wright straightfacedly writes that "Jarod-2 also claims the aliens speak 'a higher form of Hungarian.' ") Making the point, however, that the trust of citizens is damaged by excessive secrecy?leading to rumor and paranoia?this neophyte's guide lightens the field's often murky terrain, though readers will be better and more entertainingly served by Phil Patton's Dreamland (Forecasts, July 20).
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

This journalistic survey of the UFO phenomenon focuses on the mysterious Nevada test site popularly known as "Area 51." Are captured UFOs being back-engineered here, or is it just an Air Force test facility for Stealth aircraft? Wright points out that many UFO documents remain classified for national security reasons. She questions the rationale for this policy because the government maintains that UFOs are not extraterrestrial and do not pose a threat. Special Access Programs (SAP) such as Area 51 are so highly classified that most members of Congress are not privy to how their money is spent, and a government land-grab issue has also been raised by local residents. Wright briefly covers the reputed 1947 crashed saucer incident near Roswell, NM, examines some published scientific analyses of UFOs, and comments on the treatment of UFOs in popular culture. A selected bibliography lists sources cited, mostly UFO web sites and E-mail addresses for UFO groups and investigators. The section on UFO organizations and resources lists 62 organizations worldwide. Wright's probing questions about government secrecy in the post-Cold War era should make her book more broadly appealing than David Darlington's Area 51: The Dreamland Chronicles (LJ 10/1/97). Recommended for most libraries.?Gary D. Barber, SUNY at Fredonia Lib., Silver Creek
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks; 1st edition (December 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312971818
• ISBN-13: 978-0312971816
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,370,332 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Susan Wright is the author of science fiction and fantasy novels as well as nonfiction books on art and popular culture. New York City is her home, where she lives with her husband Kelly Beaton. After graduating from Arizona State University in 1986, Susan moved to Manhattan to get her masters from New York University. Susan is the founder and spokseperson for the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, a national organization committed to protecting freedom of sexual expression among consenting adults.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you want to know the truth..., December 12, 1999

By 

kelly beaton (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: UFO Headquarters: Investigations On Current Extraterrestrial Activity In Area 51 (Paperback)

This book really pulls together the current scientific data on UFOs and government secrecy. The book includes interviews with key ufologists and the people who claim to have been involved in testing ufos at Area 51. There are many interviews with government officials and even a tour of the adjacent nuclear test site to see how the secured site is run. Also she includes the history of ufos, pro and con. I get frustrated by ufo books that only focus on one crash or ufo sighting. This book lays it out for you to decide, and gives URLs and book references so you can see that the info isn't twisted by some personal adgenda. The author decides that too many sightings - hundreds of thousands - by pilots and expert witnesses means that something is going on. Very balanced investigation, and exciting results! If you ever wanted to know the truth about ufos, read this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Investigation?, July 22, 2002

By 

Jeffrey Leeper "kem2070" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: UFO Headquarters : An Investigation on Current Extraterrestrial Activity (Hardcover)

I picked up this book thinking that I would be reading about recent sightings of UFOs and the ongoing investigations. Unfortunately, that is most certainly not the case. The only recent events talked about are the movie Independence Day and the joint promotion they did with Nevada.

Susan Wright has merely collected many well-known people, investigations, theories, and events from the past and mentioned them all here. There are many other books that give this to you, so this one does not help. Also, the narrative seems to skip from point to point without a logical order.

If you know absolutely nothing about UFOs, their investigations, and conspiracy theories to cover them up, then you might read this to become familiar with the people and places. Otherwise, I would recommend investing your time elsewhere.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't waste your money, July 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: UFO Headquarters : An Investigation on Current Extraterrestrial Activity (Hardcover)

This book is just a collection of what Author has read in various other book, or have heard from so called expert folks. There is no attempt to scientifically validate the claims, reality check on conjectures, or reasonable effort at looking for alternate explanations.