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UFO Investigations Manual: UFO investigations from 1982 to the present day
UFOs have been a global phenomenon from the late 19th century to the present day. The UFO Investigator's Manual examines many UFO investigations worldwide by looking at the government reports, both official and secret, that have attempted to explain the "otherworldly". This manual also explains how you can identify a UFO yourself and how to classify an alien encounter--was it of the first, second, third, fourth or fifth kind? The findings of scientific research will also be explored, as will the human attempts at alien communication, and finally, alternative explanations of uncanny happenings coupled with over 200 illustrations.
- GenresNonfiction
163 pages, Hardcover
First published December 15, 2013
9 people are currently reading
391 people want to read
About the author
Nigel Watson
22 books2 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Nigel Watson has researched and investigated historical and contemporary reports of UFO sightings since the 1970s. He has written numerous articles for Fortean Times, Magonia, Flying Saucer Review and UFO Magazine. He is the author of 'UFOs of the First War,' (History Press), 'the UFO Investigations Manual' (Haynes), and 'Captured by Aliens? A History and Analysis of American Abduction Claims' (McFarland).
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Nigel Watson has researched and investigated historical and contemporary reports of UFO sightings since the 1970s. He has written numerous articles for Fortean Times, Magonia, Flying Saucer Review and UFO Magazine. He is the author of 'UFOs of the First War,' (History Press), 'the UFO Investigations Manual' (Haynes), and 'Captured by Aliens? A History and Analysis of American Abduction Claims' (McFarland).
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 27, 2013
Buying a Haynes manual is a rite of passage for young car enthusiasts in the UK. These detailed illustrated guides tell you how to service a particular make and model of car. But of late 51LgGvfV6RL._SY445_there has been something of tendency to spread the field into entertainment, with manuals on the likes of the USS Enterprise and the Death Star, and more bizarre how-to subjects, including the Zombie Survival Manual.
So, almost inevitably, we get the UFO Investigations Manual. In a sense it is a bit of misnomer. Although there are a couple of pages of appendix on how to make a UFO report, this primarily isn’t a how-to guide at all, but rather an illustrated assessment of UFO history and attempts to explain them.
I ought to say straight away that this less wide-eyed and trusting than UFOs Caught on Film, which merely shows photographs and comments on them with little attempt to rule out alternative causes. There is a section here on non-extra terrestrial causes, for instance. But it doesn’t stop the book repeatedly showing pictures with decidedly overdramatic captions (‘Glastonbury Tor: is it a portal into other dimensions’) and quite often very obvious explanations are not well explored. So, for instance, there is a section on mysterious ‘waves’ of sightings without making the obvious suggestion that people see things because they have heard other people see things. Similarly, the totally discredited concept of hypnotic regression is cited a couple of times as helping people recall abduction incidents without pointing out there is very strong evidence that the technique creates memories rather than restoring them.
Similarly, though there is quite a lot on the latest ways that UFO photos can be faked (there’s an app for that – really), there is very little about why and how many of the ‘classic’ photos that weren’t simply misunderstood natural phenomena or planes could easily have been faked. I did my own bit of UFO photo faking in my teens just for fun and it very obvious (though I didn’t see it mentioned in the book) that the very easy approach of throwing a metal disk tends to produce exactly the sort of odd flight angles often shown for flying saucers.
Most important of all, the manual lacks the feeling of that old science mantra ‘data is not the plural of anecdote.’ It gives no suggestion that extreme theories require extreme evidence, where Occam’s Razor makes the obvious assumption that UFOs aren’t extra-terrestrial without good evidence that they are. So as science it doesn’t do very well – but it is an entertaining subject, put across in an appealing and entertaining way in this well illustrated volume. Read it like the Zombie title and you are fine – but don’t take it as seriously as you would the Ford Fiesta 1995-2002 manual, because it just isn’t that sort of book.
So, almost inevitably, we get the UFO Investigations Manual. In a sense it is a bit of misnomer. Although there are a couple of pages of appendix on how to make a UFO report, this primarily isn’t a how-to guide at all, but rather an illustrated assessment of UFO history and attempts to explain them.
I ought to say straight away that this less wide-eyed and trusting than UFOs Caught on Film, which merely shows photographs and comments on them with little attempt to rule out alternative causes. There is a section here on non-extra terrestrial causes, for instance. But it doesn’t stop the book repeatedly showing pictures with decidedly overdramatic captions (‘Glastonbury Tor: is it a portal into other dimensions’) and quite often very obvious explanations are not well explored. So, for instance, there is a section on mysterious ‘waves’ of sightings without making the obvious suggestion that people see things because they have heard other people see things. Similarly, the totally discredited concept of hypnotic regression is cited a couple of times as helping people recall abduction incidents without pointing out there is very strong evidence that the technique creates memories rather than restoring them.
Similarly, though there is quite a lot on the latest ways that UFO photos can be faked (there’s an app for that – really), there is very little about why and how many of the ‘classic’ photos that weren’t simply misunderstood natural phenomena or planes could easily have been faked. I did my own bit of UFO photo faking in my teens just for fun and it very obvious (though I didn’t see it mentioned in the book) that the very easy approach of throwing a metal disk tends to produce exactly the sort of odd flight angles often shown for flying saucers.
Most important of all, the manual lacks the feeling of that old science mantra ‘data is not the plural of anecdote.’ It gives no suggestion that extreme theories require extreme evidence, where Occam’s Razor makes the obvious assumption that UFOs aren’t extra-terrestrial without good evidence that they are. So as science it doesn’t do very well – but it is an entertaining subject, put across in an appealing and entertaining way in this well illustrated volume. Read it like the Zombie title and you are fine – but don’t take it as seriously as you would the Ford Fiesta 1995-2002 manual, because it just isn’t that sort of book.
April 19, 2020
The publishing company, Haynes, is best known for their extensive range of automotive workshop manuals, and the author has attempted to set a similar tone in this book. He starts by detailing the history of UFO sightings and then discusses the methods involved in investigating UFO sightings.
The book tries (mostly successfully) to maintain a non-judgemental approach, and the author doesn't come down on one side or the other as to whether or not he believes that some UFOs cannot be explained by terrestrial phenomena - although he does point out that there are no sightings or encounters proven to be extraterrestrial.
Whilst remaining factual, the book is still easily readable.
The book tries (mostly successfully) to maintain a non-judgemental approach, and the author doesn't come down on one side or the other as to whether or not he believes that some UFOs cannot be explained by terrestrial phenomena - although he does point out that there are no sightings or encounters proven to be extraterrestrial.
Whilst remaining factual, the book is still easily readable.
May 29, 2017
"I've seen odd lights in the sky"
13 WARNING SIGNS: If you do any of these, you may have been abducted by aliens*
1. LOST TIME
Missing hours, or days in which you cannot remember what happened. Does not include missing days due to alcohol.
2. MARKS ON YOUR BODY
Humans are Free suggests to look out, in particular, for laser cuts on your ankles, wrists or back
3. HUMMING NOISES AT NIGHT
Have you heard them?
4. A FEELING OF BEING WATCHED
Especially at night.
5. SLEEPWALKING
You are just a puppet in the hands of your alien masters.
6. SINUS PROBLEMS
Or indeed any form of sudden illness. Got a rash? Aliens.
7. DREAMING ABOUT OWLS
Or other animals such as wolves.
8. TURNING VEGETARIAN
NOW we know why it happens.
9. LOW SELF-ESTEEM
It’s not you, it’s extraterrestrials.
10. BLOOD ON YOUR PILLOW
God only knows what ‘THEY’ have done to you.
11. YOUR TV GOES FUNNY
… but only when you walk near it…
12. SCARY CUPBOARD
Fear of your cupboard is a near-certain indicator that terrible things have happened to your bottom while you slept.
13. TAKING VITAMINS COMPULSIVELY
‘I kept telling myself it was because I wanted to be healthy…’ says one abductee.
*in: http://sciencevibe.com/2017/05/21/13-...
13 WARNING SIGNS: If you do any of these, you may have been abducted by aliens*
1. LOST TIME
Missing hours, or days in which you cannot remember what happened. Does not include missing days due to alcohol.
2. MARKS ON YOUR BODY
Humans are Free suggests to look out, in particular, for laser cuts on your ankles, wrists or back
3. HUMMING NOISES AT NIGHT
Have you heard them?
4. A FEELING OF BEING WATCHED
Especially at night.
5. SLEEPWALKING
You are just a puppet in the hands of your alien masters.
6. SINUS PROBLEMS
Or indeed any form of sudden illness. Got a rash? Aliens.
7. DREAMING ABOUT OWLS
Or other animals such as wolves.
8. TURNING VEGETARIAN
NOW we know why it happens.
9. LOW SELF-ESTEEM
It’s not you, it’s extraterrestrials.
10. BLOOD ON YOUR PILLOW
God only knows what ‘THEY’ have done to you.
11. YOUR TV GOES FUNNY
… but only when you walk near it…
12. SCARY CUPBOARD
Fear of your cupboard is a near-certain indicator that terrible things have happened to your bottom while you slept.
13. TAKING VITAMINS COMPULSIVELY
‘I kept telling myself it was because I wanted to be healthy…’ says one abductee.
*in: http://sciencevibe.com/2017/05/21/13-...
October 5, 2023
Very fun and easy to flip through. The Haynes manual has a great deal to do with the presentation of information. Did this make me a believer? I won’t spoil the fun of the ride. 😉
March 14, 2020
Haynes, publisher of several instruction manuals to various motor vehicles (my father owns one for his Toyota Aygo) apparently found it necessary to print manuals for less serious subject matter ie fictional spaceships from science-fiction film and TV series like the Millennium Falcon. And, as it turns out, a UFO investigation manual written by an author named Nigel Watson whose contributions to the Fortean Times and Magonia Magazine I've quite enjoyed.
Watson's "UFO Investigator's Manual" turns out to be a surprisingly sober and down-to-earth introduction to the UFO phenomenon in general not just a guide to investigation in the style of Jenny Randles' UFOs and How to See Them. Watson's book is very thorough regarding international categorisation schemes for UFO sightings, and does not just stick to J. Allen Hynek's "degrees of close encounter". There are also long and detailed chapters on physical evidence for UFOs and how to examine it.
Last, but not least, Watson provides an unusually detailed list of references and recommended reading for almost everything claimed here which is probably the most useful thing for veteran UFO enthusiasts like me. The result is a good guide to finding source information you might have been looking for in a long time, not just a well written introduction to the UFO phenomenon for newcomers.
Watson's "UFO Investigator's Manual" turns out to be a surprisingly sober and down-to-earth introduction to the UFO phenomenon in general not just a guide to investigation in the style of Jenny Randles' UFOs and How to See Them. Watson's book is very thorough regarding international categorisation schemes for UFO sightings, and does not just stick to J. Allen Hynek's "degrees of close encounter". There are also long and detailed chapters on physical evidence for UFOs and how to examine it.
Last, but not least, Watson provides an unusually detailed list of references and recommended reading for almost everything claimed here which is probably the most useful thing for veteran UFO enthusiasts like me. The result is a good guide to finding source information you might have been looking for in a long time, not just a well written introduction to the UFO phenomenon for newcomers.
December 16, 2015
If you're looking for a book to debunk all the wacky UFO stuff out there, here it is. Compiled by a guy from U.K. pretty much everything out there brought forth on UFO's is summarily explained away. And with all the goof ball stuff and primarily the UFO advocates coming forth it is justified. One interesting aspect of UFO's that I myself surmised is the sightings and incidents over the years seemed to match up with the style and flavor of that era. Yet I have also seen incidents such as Rendelsham Forest and encounters with airline and military pilots what seem just as credible as the majority of shams and hoaxes. So take your pick there is something for everyone no matter what you may be looking for.
Want to read
October 31, 2014verry good
May 1, 2015
Good book of ufos!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews