For those familiar with the subject of Ufology (the study of UFOs and aliens visiting our little blue marble), British researcher Timothy Good stands out from the rest of the pack. Good's 1988 book Above Top Secret is widely regarded as one of, if not the definitive volume on a subject where because of its very nature, the crackpots, hoaxsters, and new-age devotees of the world often occupy space right alongside those who take a more serious approach at the bookstore.
The research involved was exactly what made Above Top Secret such a classic. In addition to Good's determination at going after facts and documenting his evidence, the book provides pages and pages of actual government documents to back it up. This is a guy who knows how to dot his "i's" and cross his "t's."
In fact, pretty much the entire back section of Above Top Secret is devoted to these eye-opening documents. The storytelling and anecdotal evidence which characterizes most UFO research is of course here as well. But whenever possible, Good corroborates the stories with multiple witness accounts and just plain facts.
And then there are those juicy documents. We're not just talking questionable pieces of paper like the so-called Majestic-12 briefing documents. Above Top Secret in fact devotes roughly 100 pages (in the appendix section) to official documents coming from everyone from J. Edgar Hoover to Harry Truman. When taken together, the combined documents seem to suggest that our government (as well as those of other countries) have, at the very least, been a lot more interested in the subject than they have let on.
Need to Know: UFOs, the Military, and Intelligence is basically an update on Above Top Secret, and it is no less impressive. Once again, Good loads the volume with documents designed to back up his assertion that not only are UFOs real, but that the government has known about them dating at least back to the Roswell incident in 1947.
Roswell is covered of course, and updated with new information and sworn affidavits from some of the key witnesses. The book itself is divided into three sections, going into the pre-Roswell era of the thirties and early forties (did you know for example that Benito Mussolini was a UFO believer?), the post Roswell-era of the fifties (which is where many believe government knowledge and the subsequent cover-up began), and the modern era from the sixties to the present day.
Article comments
1 - Nolan Lewis
When I came back from Korea I was in charge of the photo lab at Paine Field, Everett,WA. One of my Sergeants was assigned to Project Blue Book, the investigation of all UFO reports. You are right, they were taken very seriouly.
We had a T-33 (two seat jet)and pilot, plus my man who was armed with several cameras, both still and movie. It was my understanding, though I wasn't privy to that sort of information, that there were several such teams around the country.
All information was on a need to know basis but my sergeant told me he wasn't supposed to talk about it but they hadn't ever found any of the reports that were at all creditable that they weren't able to find a logical explaination for. In other words they never found any UFOs.
I believe he still lives on the island across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, although I haven't seen him in over forty years.
nolan
2 - Glen Boyd
Interesting Nolan. So while you are saying that the military took the subject seriously, you are also claiming that they never really found anything of substance? From everything I've ever read, Blue Book was really more of a whitewash designed to discourage public interest than anything else. Or am I completely off-base here? Either way, I appreciate the comment.
-Glen