- Paperback: 352 pages
- Publisher: Scribner; New edition edition (3 April 2006)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0743256867
- ISBN-13: 978-0743256865
- Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 13 x 2.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
45,175 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #29 in Books > Mind, Body & Spirit > Paranormal & Unexplained Phenomena > UFOs
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Product Description
Product Description
"Since 1947, aliens have poured from the abyss that lies between ourselves and the world." So begins Bryan Appleyard's dazzling survey of one of the most pervasive yet under-reported phenomena of modern times: aliens - what they are, why they are here, and what they say about us. Before science and technology took hold of our lives we called them different things: angels, demons, goblins. But in the post-nuclear world, in which man has discovered his cosmic insignificance, our need for aliens has reached the stars. Since 1947 there has been a deluge of sightings, abductions, cover-ups, conspiracies and all their associated sub-plots from cattle mutilation to anal probes. Science fiction both on the page and on the screen is in thrall to our perception of Little Green Men. How did we get here? And what does our fascination with all things alien, whether extraterrestrial or manufactured, say about us in a post-religious world? Bryan Appleyard's brilliant book is both a cultural history and an intellectual tour de force, covering everything from the joyful anthropocentrism of "Star Trek" to the bloody-minded nihilism of Stanislaw Lem.
About the Author
Bryan Appleyard is a special feature writer and columnist for the SUNDAY TIMES. He is the author of several previous books including BRAVE NEW WORLDS: GENETICS AND THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
This is a fascinating take on the alien phenomenon as something which, whether real or not, gives us an insight into who we are and what our aspirations are as humans. Appleyard writes both lucid and dense prose covering literature, film and science, dissolving the boundaries between fact and fiction for the purposes of his very convincing argument. For that reason, you don't really have to believe in ufos, abductions etc. to enjoy this book. It's more about what these experiences/fantasies tell us about ourselves.
Only one quibble. He may not have had much say in this but I think the title could have been less geeky-sounding - I nearly didn't buy it because of that and the cover. The whole package seems frivolous but inside is a treatment that is very serious, very intellectual, quite challenging and fired by an intense personal interest.
Only one quibble. He may not have had much say in this but I think the title could have been less geeky-sounding - I nearly didn't buy it because of that and the cover. The whole package seems frivolous but inside is a treatment that is very serious, very intellectual, quite challenging and fired by an intense personal interest.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
This is a brilliant, thought-provoking book about the way human beings look at the unknown. Appleyard talks about past phantoms like fairies, unusual Medieval 'sightings', theories about ancient artefacts like the Pyramids, the need for human minds to explain phenomena, the need for science to dismiss 'speculation', the need for religion to 'square' reality with belief and the nature of perception. Every page is thought-provoking a serious and profound study of the nature of 'alien watching' peppered with chapter and verse plus examples of sci fi stereotypes that have shaped our thinking.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
'Aliens' gets behind the conspiracy theories and folklore and holds up a mirror to our culture
24 Oct 2008
Appleyard always has interesting things to say - and this book is no exception. Full of insights and the fruit of extensive research, I learned a lot. He approaches this contentious subject with seriousness and fairness. As he says at the start, 'Both derisive scepticism and abject faith will obstruct understanding'. Neatly divided into two sections, starting with 'Answers', followed by 'Questions', particularly helpful were his explanations of why Alien sightings and abductions really took off after 1947.
But most telling were the frequent observations about what such cultural obsessions (whether in movies, conspiracy theories or common folklore) reveal about us - in a world that is post-God, post-modern and post-pretty much everything, aliens restore a sense of the 'other' and transcendent.
A Brilliant book written with wit and passion but also sanity and insight - I couldn't put it down.
But most telling were the frequent observations about what such cultural obsessions (whether in movies, conspiracy theories or common folklore) reveal about us - in a world that is post-God, post-modern and post-pretty much everything, aliens restore a sense of the 'other' and transcendent.
A Brilliant book written with wit and passion but also sanity and insight - I couldn't put it down.
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