Real-Life X-Files: Investigating the Paranormal

by Joe Nickell

As a former private investigator and forensic writer, Joe Nickell has spent much of his career identifying forged documents, working undercover to infiltrate theft rings, and investigating questioned deaths. Now he turns his considerable investigative skill toward the paranormal, researching the most well-known and mysterious phenomena all over the world -- spontaneous human combustion, UFO visitations, auras, electronic poltergeists, and many, many more -- with an eye toward solving these mysteries rather than promoting or dismissing them.

Real-Life X-Files: Investigating the Paranormal examines the cases of over forty paranormal mysteries. Using a hands-on approach, Nickell visits the scene of the so-called unexplainable activity whenever possible and attempts to physically duplicate the miraculous. Whether he's inflicting stigmata on himself or recreating the liquefying blood of Saint Januarius, Nickell does whatever necessary to eliminate the probable before considering the supernatural. What is left is that much more fascinating.

Nickell reports on familiar legends from American history such as the supernatural events surrounding Abraham Lincoln's death and the supposed crash landing of an alien spacecraft near Roswell, New Mexico. He closely examines claims of the miraculous, from rose petals bearing the likeness of Jesus to photographs of a "golden door" to heaven. Controversial mysteries such as clairvoyance and "spirit painting," haunted places, and freaks of nature are just a few of the many topics covered.

Suspenseful, engrossing, funny, and grounded in scientific methodology, Real-Life X-Files provides real explanations for the "paranormal" activities that have intrigued human beings for centuries.

Genres: Paranormal, Nonfiction, Mystery, Supernatural, Skepticism, Reference

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Joe Nickell was an American skeptic and investigator of the paranormal.
Nickell was a senior research fellow for the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and wrote regularly for their journal, Skeptical Inquirer. He was also an associate dean of the Center for Inquiry Institute. He was the author or editor of over 30 books.
Among his career highlights, Nickell helped expose the James Maybrick "Jack the Ripper Diary" as a hoax. In 2002, Nickell was one of a number of experts asked by scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. to evaluate the authenticity of the manuscript of Hannah Crafts' The Bondwoman's Narrative (1853–1860), possibly the first novel by an African-American woman. At the request of document dealer and historian Seth Keller, Nickell analyzed documentation in the dispute over the authorship of "The Night Before Christmas", ultimately supporting the Clement Clarke Moore claim.

Reviews

[Heidi · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book could have been such fun but it just wasn't. Nickell debunks paranormal events but in the most boring way possible. His go-to explanations for anything that appears paranormal are: it's a fraud, a mis-identification, a false argument, a natural event, a fantasy prone personality, hysterical contagion, or (in any of the cases of spontaneous human combustion) carelessness around open flames. He doesn't devote more than a page and a half to some of the cases. Very disappointing.

[Erik Graff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading as much weird non-fiction as I do, I occasionally take a dose of skeptical debunking as with this title.

[Margarita KnightRowe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Again, not what I thought it would be. It was quick easy reading because the incidents were like short stories. Not as fun and exciting as I though it might be but ok.

[Jen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was hoping this book was about real-life hauntings and such. Instead, it's a boring documentary about how scientifically these instances can only happen by trickery. He debunks every single paranormal thing from Houdini to curses. He makes everything to be a coincidence or has a scientific explanation for everything. This book was so boring, I couldn't finish it. Definitely do not recommend it unless you are one of those that debunk anything paranormal.

[Jayne]

this looks cool!!!

[Eric Wojciechowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I envy Joe Nickell. He's got the best job in the world. The only one I know who's paid to fly around the world and investigate fantastic claims. But don't think you're going to turn up any ghosts, angels or aliens in this volume. We have ways of unintentionally tricking ourselves into seeing and hearing incredible things which turn out to be very normal. Whether it's a hoax or misunderstanding, turns out, there simply is no proof for the paranormal. Doesn't mean you won't learn something here. You'll have some information and tools to use the next time you hear of something paranormal occurring. A valuable read.

[Tania · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joe Nickell investigates paranormal activity. Each chapter of the book covers a case or type of case, and is followed by a set of references. In all cases, the author finds that the cause is either a hoax, a misconception of reality, or a natural or technical phenomenon. There are absolutely no cases where there is any mystery unresolved. There are no cases where there is any doubt that no paranormal activities were involved. Some of the cases are more interesting than others, and as the book progresses the cases get better. Overall, it was a bit dry for me but for someone interested in ways that people try to find paranormal activities in their daily life, it is probably quite interesting.

[Mars G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to believe.

Mr. Nickell brings detective work to the paranormal.

Okay, so the book is well-written, well-researched, and includes pictures (yay!) it's obvious that Mr. Nickell is a skeptic. I can appreciate the realism.

However, I still like to think there's mystery in the world.

If you're into this sort of thing, read it! I am, and I'm glad I did.

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun look at a lot of hauntings, UFOs, and cryptids, many of which I had never heard of before. Joe Nickell does his research! A lively and entertaining book with a solid grounding in historical document research and advanced forgery detection techniques, and a good sense of humor.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a bit dated. From 2001, most of the hoaxes and events I already know. Lots of interesting psychological phenomena rather than paranormal. People are so gullible.

[Ford · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not being a believer in the paranormal it was just a fun book to read.

[Nathaniel Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was initially concerned about this book because I found it in the same section of the library as a book whose subtitle was, “Are the global elite concealing evidence of ancient aliens?” which I felt would make for a very short tome (“No.”). However, I was relieved to see that this is, despite the title and the protestations of not being harsh or pre-judging, a solidly skeptical and rational review of a variety of supposed paranormal activities. Indeed, Nickell at times seems to take a slightly inappropriate glee in carefully setting up the claims of the paranormalists before easily knocking them down. (There are several recurring personalities whose appearances in this book seem to suggest long-running rivalries.) He also cites his sources with an at-times excessive rigor; it makes him sound defensive, as though anxious for external support. (Citing oneself is a bit gauche, as well, even if it IS relevant.)

The writing is dry, and as most of the chapters are repurposed articles, the depth of the examinations tends toward the shallow (and many motifs and pet phrases quickly become repetitive). If you are inclined to believe in woo, this book will not do much to dissuade you; it mostly gives a quick rundown of the plausible explanations or a demonstration of a way one can accomplish the alleged mystic feats through mundane physical means and assumes that the reader will likewise accept that such causes are far more likely than supernatural ones. (I’m not saying that I don’t, but one generally must try harder when attempting to dispute fondly held beliefs in the supernatural.) When scientific principles are involved, the discussion is brief and businesslike. Not a problem if one is familiar with the usual science of such matters, but again a factor contributing to the sense that the book is aimed at a presumed skeptic. I have a feeling that the title and the protestations of open-mindedness in the introduction and jacket copy were intended to reassure the believer in the hopes of luring them to read and thence disabusing them of their misguided faith in the supernatural, but as a whole, the book is simply too distant, too brisk, and too… well, skeptical to accomplish this. For the confirmed skeptic, on the other hand, the breezy and vague treatment of many topics is a bit frustrating. I had a passing familiarity with every topic and most of the specific hoaxes, and I was perforce somewhat bored by the end, as there was not much added material in most cases.

Not unreadable, by any means, but not a book I’d recommend unless one has a yen to watch someone taking swings at easy underhand lobs and routinely batting them out of the park.

[Nativeabuse · Rating 3 out of 5]

MISLEADING TITLE ALERT!!!!

When I saw real life X-Files and the publisher, U of Kentucky (as opposed to some weird paranormal conspiracy 9/11 publisher) I didn't know what the hell this would be about and I didn't want to spoil the surprise, heres all the things I thought this was going to be.

1. How FBI agents actually deal with cases that are unexplainable and end up going unsolved.

2. FBI agents or someone else of real authority and intelligence (eg anyone who isnt a lame ghost hunter) who isn't a nutcase that actually investigates paranormal activity.

3. A case listing of mysterious circumstances and how they were covered up by law enforcement in the face of their unexplainable nature..

4. Something else???

So I had my hopes high for a really interesting quality book. I sighed loudly when it ended up being nothing but a book about some skeptic guy saying blah blah blah and debunking shit. Which was still kind of interesting, he debunked some things in neat new ways I never thought about before, but I was let down by my high expectations I suppose.

[Patrick Ellard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting enough book detailing the many different supposedly paranormal cases that renowned skeptic Joe Nickell has investigated or provided commentary on during his lengthy career. Each chapter focuses on either a particular case or phenomenon and details the various explanations that can be put forward for each case. Some of the chapters are a lot more interesting than others which gives the book a hit and miss feel about it but it is an interesting read and gives you a good insight into the human psyche and just how paranormal cases come about.

[Hannah Laura Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate books written by skeptics, but this one is a little too heavy-handed for my tastes-- there was too much "I proved that this one psychic was bullshit; therefore, all psychics are bullshit" stuff. The author was also eye-rollingly self-congratulatory at times.

[Cimuchowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a lot of silly myths out there.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woo believers, beware! Joe Nickell systematically breaks down a multitude of paranormal claims, rendering them nothing more than absolutely normal.