An Impressive New Book on UFO Witness Testimony

The Reliability of UFO Witness Testimony is a new book edited by Vicente-Juan Ballester Olmos and Richard W. Heiden, "the first major book to comprehensively focus on the discussion and current views on problems and challenges posed by the reliability of UFO testimonies."

A portion of table of contents.

"This is a cross-disciplinary compendium of papers by 60 authors from 14 different countries. They are specialists in social, physical, and biological sciences, including psychology (predominantly) as well as psychiatry, sociology, anthropology, history, philosophy, folklore, religion, journalism, engineering, computing, medicine, education, analysts with experience in the critical study of UFO perceivers, and other professionals. This volume shares thematically convergent ideas about the plausibility of alternate explanations for an alleged close-range UFO phenomenon. 

The 57 chapters in this book are divided into seven section headings: Case Studies, Psychological Perspectives, On Witness Testimony, Empirical Research, Anthropological Approach, Metrics and Scaling, and Epistemological Issues. " 

Of particular interest to readers here: Chapter 12 by Dr. Gary P. Posner, "The Legendary Cash-Landrum Case: Radiation Sickness from a Close Encounter?" Dr. Posner became interested in the medical aspects of the Cash-Landrum case in late 1981 and conducted his own research from a skeptical point of view. His 14-page examination focuses on the case from the book's perspective, witness reliability.

This 711-page book has been released online in the Academia.edu portal, from where it can be downloaded for free as a PDF: The Reliability of UFO Witness Testimony

Simultaneously, UPIAR Publishing House (Turin, Italy) has published two softcover, A4 format print editions, one in black & white, another in full color (ISBN: 9791281441002). The book can be purchased through this link: UPIAR Store

UFO Books 101: Required Reading by Paul Dean

Paul Dean is a UFO document researcher from Melbourne, Australia, who uses an evidence-based approach and focuses on "air safety policy, military communications, radar tracking and space object identification to understand the wider UFO matter at a government/military level." There's a wealth of credible information available, but sadly, many people are satisfied with the shallow, sensational, and inaccurate UFO infotainment from television shows and random websites. 

Below is a guest article from Paul, prompted by my request for the best and most credible literature for newcomers to the UFO topic. Many of his book selections are available to read free online, and when found, links are included. My personal advice however, is whenever possible, get real books, and go to a bookstore to find them. 

UFO Books 101: Required Reading by Paul Dean

I have put a list of books together that are what one would call ''required reading." It amazes me how few people have actually read the great, scholarly, foundational works of Ufology. No one will agree in full on a ''best'' books list... But a ''required'' or ''essential'' reading list is a different matter. UFO enthusiasts beware: Don't think that Klass and Menzel, and Condon, don't make the cut. Also, some books make the list not because of voluminous or heavily technical density, but because they are filled with an extraordinary look at the politics of the times. Keyhoe's work is the best example of this.

Whatever ones leanings, there is no way that ''researchers'' can bestow such a title on themselves without having absorbed at least some of these great tomes. There is simply no alternative. Most of these books must be on shelves.

Also, this is not in any order as such. Don't see this is a top-to-bottom list. It ain't.

Here it is folks:

• The UFO Experience: A Scientific Inquiry (1972) by J. Allen Hynek;

• The Hynek UFO Report (1977) by J. Allen Hynek;

• Anatomy of a Phenomenon (1965) by Jacques Vallee;

• Challenge to Science (1966) by Jacques Vallee;

• Passport to Magonia (1969) by Jacques Vallee;

• The Invisible College (1975) by Jacques Vallee;

• UFO’s: A Scientific Debate (1973) by Carl Sagan and Thornton Page;

• The Challenge of Unidentified Flying Objects (1961) by Charles A. Maney and Richard Hall;

• The UFO Evidence: Volume I (1964) by Richard H. Hall;

• The UFO Evidence: Volume II (2001) by Richard H. Hall;

• The UFO Controversy in America (1975) by David Jacobs;

• Flying Saucers (1953) by Donald Menzel;

• Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects (1969) by Dr. Edward U. Condon and the University of Colorado;

• The UFO Cover-Up aka Clear Intent (1984) by Barry Greenwood and Lawrence Fawcett;

• The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects (1956) by Edward J. Ruppelt;

• Flying Saucers From Outer Space (1953) by Donald E Keyhoe;

• UFO Study (1981) by Jenny Randles;

• UFOs Explained (1976) by Philip J. Klass;

• UFO Handbook (1980) by Allan Hendry;

• The UFO Enigma: A New Review of the Physical Evidence (1999) by Peter Sturrock;

• UFOs and Government: A Historical Inquiry (2012) by Michael Swords, Robert Powell, Barry Greenwood, Jan Aldrich, Clas Svahn, Vicente-Juan Ballester Olmos, Bill Chalker, Steve Purcell and Richard Thieme.

Paul Dean has recently been focused on unearthing military UFO documents, with a special emphasis on NORAD. See his series of reports at his blog, 

UFOs - Documenting The Evidence.