F. M. Szasz. University of New Mexico  "-- For many, June 24, 1947, marks the start of a new era: the first modem encounter with a UFO. Fifty-five years later, reported sightings of unidentified flying objects number in the thousands, and a technological UFO myth is much with us. In this lucid, insightful study, Denzler (PhD in religious studies, Duke Univ.) locates the UFO movement at the juncture between a scientific/religious interpretation of the universe. It is the most believable account we have. The first efforts of this “unorthodox science” were devoted to proving that UFOs were factual, i.e., scientific, but the focus started to shift after 1961, when numerous people claimed to have been abducted by aliens. At that point, the UFO movement began to manifest a variety of “god talk” that reflected “modernity’s conflicted relationship with the ‘Other.” Denzler concludes that the UFO movement emerged when it did because science (perhaps temporarily) had replaced theology and thus now had to answer humankind’s eternal questions: “Are we alone?” and “What is the meaning of life?” Although science may falter here, the UFO movement offers a variety of alternative hopes for a generation “living at a conceptional boundary beyond which there be monsters.” Fair and fascinating. Recommended for all readership groups; academic and public libraries."


David Bromely, Professor of Sociology at Virginia Commonwealth University 
-- "...a fascinating and insightful guided tour through the complex maze that
is the UFO subculture [by] an expert tour guide who enhances our perspective
without imposing her own viewpoint."

Massimo Introvigne, Managing Director, Center for Studies on New Religions,
Italy -- "...a truly enjoyable book for both the scholar and the curious
observer."

Publisher's Weekly (October 1, 2001) -- "...the professionally impartial
tone may not appeal to committed UFO believers or debunkers. But readers
looking for skillful reportage and deft theorizing...should find it
worthwhile."

George Fawcett -- Lincolnton, NC -- "...fantastic in its scope and
documentation."

Al Harrison, Professor of Psychology, University of California at Davis --
"This is the kind of book that comes out once every ten years or
so....Fabulous organization and scholarship and lots of exciting material
that despite having read maybe 200 related books, I had not run into
before."

Peter Leschak -- Side Lake, MN -- "It allows readers to explore the topic
without the bias of either a skeptical or proselytizing author."

Jerome Clark, UFO historian -- "The book, quite an excellent one, [depicts
ufology] as addressing real questions."


From Publishers Weekly
Sociologist Denzler presents a deeply researched history of "ufology" (the study and interpretation of UFO phenomena), illuminating what has become a significant American subculture. From the flying saucer sightings of the postwar years to the alien abduction boom of the 1990s, interest in UFOs has persisted despite official discouragement from government, scientific and religious authorities. Denzler takes a special interest in ufology's uneasy relationship with both science and religion, noting that although UFO phenomena seem to invite scientific and/or religious explanation, their anomalous and sometimes bizarre nature has excluded them from the mainstream. In the meantime, communities of ufologists and experiencers have gone their own way, some pursuing scientific rigor despite being dismissed as pseudoscientists, others promoting their own religious interpretations reflecting both Christian and New Age themes. Drawing on her experiences as a participant-observer in ufological groups and conventions, Denzler renders a sympathetic portrait of the UFO subculture without directly identifying with it, and reveals intramural tensions that other commentators have missed. Because Denzler focuses on the UFO community, broader social attitudes about UFOs are only a secondary interest: ufological subject matter in pop culture is virtually ignored. The book's academic style and copious citations make for a dense read at times, and the professionally impartial tone may not appeal to committed UFO believers or debunkers. But readers looking for skillful reportage and deft theorizing about "the UFO myth" (a term Denzler uses non-pejoratively), or a starting point for further academic research, should find it worthwhile.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Publishers Weekly