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The Rough Guide to Unexplained Phenomena 2
The Rough Guide to Unexplained Phenomena is an exploration of the zone that lies between the known and the unknown, a shadowy territory that''s home to the lake monsters, combusting people, teleporting frogs and man-eating trees. Taking a Fortean path between dogmatic scientists and credulous believers, the authors trace tales of wonder back to their sources, drawing from a huge archive of observations, opinions and discussions. This updated second edition boasts new illustrations and plenty of intriguing new sections from near death experiences to ghosts, haunted houses and mysterious mass deaths. There are many things which are not yet known or understood about our world - as this guide shows there are many riddles to solve and wonders to experience. Decide for yourself with The Rough Guide to Unexplained Phenomona
464 pages, Paperback
First published September 3, 2007
4 people are currently reading
107 people want to read
About the author
John Michell
124 books69 followersJohn Frederick Carden Michell was an English writer whose key sources of inspiration were Plato and Charles Fort. His 1969 volume The View Over Atlantis has been described as probably the most influential book in the history of the hippy/underground movement and one that had far-reaching effects on the study of strange phenomena: it "put ley lines on the map, re-enchanted the British landscape and made Glastonbury the capital of the New Age."
In some 40-odd titles over five decades he examined, often in pioneering style, such topics as sacred geometry, earth mysteries, geomancy, gematria, archaeoastronomy, metrology, euphonics, simulacra and sacred sites, as well as Fortean phenomena. An abiding preoccupation was the Shakespeare authorship question. His Who Wrote Shakespeare? (1996) was reckoned by The Washington Post "the best overview yet of the authorship question."
In some 40-odd titles over five decades he examined, often in pioneering style, such topics as sacred geometry, earth mysteries, geomancy, gematria, archaeoastronomy, metrology, euphonics, simulacra and sacred sites, as well as Fortean phenomena. An abiding preoccupation was the Shakespeare authorship question. His Who Wrote Shakespeare? (1996) was reckoned by The Washington Post "the best overview yet of the authorship question."
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 2, 2019
Our contemporary world, on its comfortable surface so often mundane, is, under that surface, deeply strange. But its strange in three different strands. There is the weirdness of science, of the quantum and relativistic phenomena of physics that underlie the material world. There is the strangeness of religion, that underlies the spiritual realm, with God taking delight in making mockery of all men's plans. And then there is the weirdness of a third realm, not really addressed by the thought systems of either religion or science: the strangeness of what we might call the shadow realm, the world, or worlds, that lie between the equations of science and the insights of theology. In ancient Irish thought, this was the Otherworld, accessed through dreams and visions, through boundaries and under hill, that once visited could never be forgotten, a world hinted at in sidelong glimpses and unexpected memories. It's that world that is explored in this book, a book of glimpses and strangenesses, of, as it says on the cover, unexplained phenomena. While this third world might seem to have receded through the last centuries of rationalism, I suspect that it has simply become stranger and more elusive, taking the chameleon hues, in its interaction with humans, of our changing expectations. So what were once fairies and elves are now greys and greens.
But perhaps the clearest signs of this wild weird are not the things that might make some sort of sense, such as alien visitors, but rather the things that make no sort of sense at all. Of these, my favourite are the rains of fish, and frogs, and frog spawn, and a whole extraordinary variety of other things, presented here with all the detached curiosity of two dedicated scholars of the field. From this litany of strangeness and coincidence, there appears to me to be a suggestion of a sort of gonzo humour underlying this level of the world, a humour that delights in raining unusual objects on the world right up to pretty well the ultimate in weird: fixing wings on kittens.
So, yes, the world is strange, and its strangeness lies all around, most of the time hiding in plain view, or at the edge of vision. This book is a wonderful - and I use the word precisely - compendium of that strangeness. Highly recommended.
But perhaps the clearest signs of this wild weird are not the things that might make some sort of sense, such as alien visitors, but rather the things that make no sort of sense at all. Of these, my favourite are the rains of fish, and frogs, and frog spawn, and a whole extraordinary variety of other things, presented here with all the detached curiosity of two dedicated scholars of the field. From this litany of strangeness and coincidence, there appears to me to be a suggestion of a sort of gonzo humour underlying this level of the world, a humour that delights in raining unusual objects on the world right up to pretty well the ultimate in weird: fixing wings on kittens.
So, yes, the world is strange, and its strangeness lies all around, most of the time hiding in plain view, or at the edge of vision. This book is a wonderful - and I use the word precisely - compendium of that strangeness. Highly recommended.
September 1, 2015
If the truth is to be told, this book doesn’t fall into my usual reads.
The book was handed to me by a relative as a general interest kind of read, as something she thought I might enjoy. It was interesting, I will say that, but I cannot see myself going out of my way to read it again and again or to read that many more books like it.
It was simply something different to pick up and read.
The book was handed to me by a relative as a general interest kind of read, as something she thought I might enjoy. It was interesting, I will say that, but I cannot see myself going out of my way to read it again and again or to read that many more books like it.
It was simply something different to pick up and read.
April 10, 2020
A long read, but I enjoyed it. I particularly liked the ideas about unexplained phenomena being somehow linked rather than being random unrelated occurrences. A wide variety of historical and more recent cases, as well. Not a fan of the sections on evolution and the hollow earth theory, though - that's too absurd for me.
November 30, 2018
Extensively researched, intriguing
June 17, 2012
Although I found this book both useful and enjoyable, I want to make clear that it is not a detached, dispassionate, agenda-free survey of the unexplained––caveat lector!
It should really be entitled "The Rough Guide to Forteana". Co-editor Rickard (whose voice seems dominant) selects and analyzes subject matter from the perspective of a doctrinaire Fortean (that such a thing should exist seems paradoxical, but BR appears to have managed it). In other words, material which can be fitted in with one of Fort's whimsical and half-facetious concepts is treated generously, while material which does not can get very short shrift. For example, there is a great deal of information about strange events which can be tied in with Fort's suggestion that there is a mysterious cosmic force which teleports things around, or with Fort's interest in coincidence and simulacra. By contrast, alien abductions, ritual abuse, ghosts, and even cryptozoology are taken seriously only insofar as they are useful to a Fortean, and otherwise sketchily treated or even subjected to crushing critical orthodoxies which would not be out of place in the "Skeptical Inquirer". Although Rickard is given to saying, "Question everything!" he does not actually possess a consistently open mind.
Nevertheless, it is still an extremely informative and entertaining book. The bibliography is particularly useful.
It should really be entitled "The Rough Guide to Forteana". Co-editor Rickard (whose voice seems dominant) selects and analyzes subject matter from the perspective of a doctrinaire Fortean (that such a thing should exist seems paradoxical, but BR appears to have managed it). In other words, material which can be fitted in with one of Fort's whimsical and half-facetious concepts is treated generously, while material which does not can get very short shrift. For example, there is a great deal of information about strange events which can be tied in with Fort's suggestion that there is a mysterious cosmic force which teleports things around, or with Fort's interest in coincidence and simulacra. By contrast, alien abductions, ritual abuse, ghosts, and even cryptozoology are taken seriously only insofar as they are useful to a Fortean, and otherwise sketchily treated or even subjected to crushing critical orthodoxies which would not be out of place in the "Skeptical Inquirer". Although Rickard is given to saying, "Question everything!" he does not actually possess a consistently open mind.
Nevertheless, it is still an extremely informative and entertaining book. The bibliography is particularly useful.
November 27, 2012
What a magnificent collection of weird shit. From A (for Abominable Snowman) to Z (for Ernst Zundel and his chronicles of secret Nazi Polar Expeditions) this is an amazing compendium of the weird, wacky and wonderful. Phantom ships, Flying Saucers, rains of fish, frogs found entombed in stone (alive) and most meticulously referenced. Anyone with an interest in Fortean phenomena needs to have this book. The perfect addition to any toilet bookshelf.
This is a book that deserves to be left open and handy somewhere. When you can't sleep in the middle of the night, it is perfect for browsing and for making sure you really won't get back to sleep.
An incredible collection of facts, innuendo and wit, sure to amaze and enthrall anyone interested in 'the damned facts'
This is a book that deserves to be left open and handy somewhere. When you can't sleep in the middle of the night, it is perfect for browsing and for making sure you really won't get back to sleep.
An incredible collection of facts, innuendo and wit, sure to amaze and enthrall anyone interested in 'the damned facts'
November 24, 2007
This book has short stories of unexplained phenomena (hence the title). For instance, is Big Foot real or simply imagined? When you read this book, you'll find helpful insight into this question and more. I have to admit, I didn't read the whole book but the few stories I did read were quite informative and I would truly recommend this book to others. I hate saying this, but it's a nice "bathroom read". And you know what happens after a book crosses that threshold . . . don't share it with your friends! UGH!
August 10, 2012
I didn't read everything in this book, but most of what I was interested in. While the book seemed biased in certain areas to explaining things in a specific way rather than leaving it open to interpretation, it was still a great book and I learned a lot of little, unusual things that I'd never heard of before. Certainly a great starting point for anyone interested in the unexplained mysteries of the world.
March 23, 2013
This is a great book to get you thinking. My only disappointment was that some of the references were less than critical sources. Still, overall this was eye-opening and enjoyable. See a more complete review at: Sects and Violence in the Ancient World.
May 12, 2012
Absolutely love this book. It's loaded with many stories sure to peak anyone's interest. From aliens, crop circles and UFO's to fairies, hauntings, spontaneous combustion, and time travel. A must read.
August 5, 2012
It's actually a 4.5, I've never found such an easy to read guide of thing Fortean and beyond that's so comprehensive. It's not too rough of a guide and it's a very good one to the area of unexplained phenomena, one that I find perplexing.
June 21, 2012
WINGED KITTIES ARE ZIII BEST!
September 17, 2020
Read this book back when I was 22. There's a lot of unique stories and good info on pure weirdness. It was an enjoyable read and led me to research a bunch of the goodies inside!
May 3, 2012
A must-read to anybody who loves paranormal stuff :)
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews