Searching For the String: Selected Writings of John A. Keel

by John A. Keel, Andrew Colvin, Gray Barker (Introduction)

New Saucerian Press proudly presents "Searching For the String," a collection of articles by John A. Keel, the man many consider to have been not only the premiere investigator of all things unusual and “Fortean,” but who was also our own, 20th-century “Mark Twain.”

Many of the articles in this anthology and its companion volumes, "Flying Saucer to the Center of Your Mind," "The Outer Limits of the Twilight Zone," "The Great Phonograph in the Sky," "The Passionate Illusions I Have Known And Loved," and "The Perspicacious How to Investigate UFOs and Other Insane Urges," were revolutionary, and explored ideas popularized in Keel’s classic books. Written in Keel’s engaging trademark style, they are sure to delight fans with their fresh, unparalleled insights into the nature of reality.

In these pages, John Keel displays the keen observational skills and investigative tenacity that long made him the "enfant terrible" of ufology. In this no-holds-barred analysis – much of it written decades ago – Keel shreds most of the sacred-cow beliefs still held by many in ufological and “cryptozoological” circles today, and presents theories so radical that they are only now becoming the “4-D” or “interdimensional” thesis; the “breakaway civilization” theory; the possible role of “ancient aliens” in human history; the synthetic and/or hallucinatory nature of many “alien abduction” and “Men in Black” encounters; the role of spy agencies in paranormal research; and the alarming connection between UFOs, animal mutilations, and attacks on unsuspecting humans.

"Searching For the String" showcases not only Keel’s wit and charm, but also his incisive and impassioned intellectual capabilities. This 2014 edition features an expanded “Letters” section, several photographs, and introductions by the editor, Andy Colvin, and saucer pioneer Gray Barker.

“Shoots straight, from multiple dimensions…” –Rear Admiral Claymore Finch

“Scientific and sexy, yet pointedly humane …” –Thornton M. Vaseltarp, Ph.D.

"Concretizes the hallucinatory nature of reality…" –Dr. Thaddeus L. Farnboggle


CHAPTER TITLES

-The "Flap" Phenomenon in the United States (1968)

-The UFOs Nobody Talks Deadly Fireballs in the Sky (1968)

-Astronauts Report UFOs in Outer Space (1967)

-The Strange Case of the Pregnant Woman (1968)

- 30 Years of Investigation (1978)

-Unidentified Former 3000 Years of Investigation (1978)

-Are UFOs Using Earth For a Garbage Dump? (1967)

-West Virginia's Enigmatic "Bird" (1968)

-An Unusual Contact Claim From Ohio !1968)

-A New Approach to UFO Witnesses (1968)

-Is the "Electromagnetic Effect" a Myth? (1968)

-Problems of The Aliens Among Us (1977)

-Problems of Ufology Terminology (1977)

-Problems of UFOs in 1952 (1977)

-Problems of Distortion and The Time-Cycle Factor (1977)

-The Man Who Invented Flying Saucers (1986)

-A "Devil's Triangle" in Idaho? (1977)

-The Night the Sky Turned On (1967)

-This American Town is UFO Target No.1 (1970)

-The Flying Saucer Subculture (1975)

-Our Skies Are Filled With Junk (1969)

-22 UFO Sightings Hushed Is This Flying Saucer "D-Day?" (1970)

-Flap Dates, Kidnappings, and Secret Bases (1967)

-Were Flying Saucers Here Before Man? (1977)

-Close Encounters of the Religious Kind (1977)

-The Principle of Transmogrification (1969)

-The Superior Technology (1969)

-The Glendale, California Contact Claim (1969)

-The Cosmic Letters To and From John A. Keel

-Mothman and Other Curious Conspiracies (2003 Interview)

Genres: Nonfiction, Paranormal, Audiobook

284 pages, Paperback

First published April 20, 2014

About the author

John Alva Keel (born Alva John Kiehle) was a Fortean author and professional journalist.

Keel wrote professionally from the age of 12, and was best known for his writings on unidentified flying objects, the "Mothman" of West Virginia, and other paranormal subjects. Keel was arguably one of the most widely read and influential ufologists since the early 1970s. Although his own thoughts about UFOs and associated anomalous phenomena gradually evolved since the mid 1960s, Keel remained one of ufology's most original and controversial researchers. It was Keel's second book, UFOs: Operation Trojan Horse (1970), that popularized the idea that many aspects of contemporary UFO reports, including humanoid encounters, often paralleled ancient folklore and religious encounters. Keel coined the term "men in black" to describe the mysterious figures alleged to harass UFO witnesses and he also argued that there is a direct relationship between UFOs and psychic phenomena. He did not call himself a ufologist and preferred the term Fortean, which encompasses a wide range of paranormal subjects.

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of some of Keel's essays and correspondence. If you love the ETH, don't read this book. He can be pretty scathing about buffs. I enjoyed seeing early versions of ideas that eventually came out in Operation Trojan Horse and other books.

[Teressa · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Really Enjoyable and Intriguing"

SEARCHING for the STRING was more greatness from JOHN KEEL. I love this subject therefore it never gets old. Keel was someone I would have enjoyed meeting. He was continuously searching for new angles and with every book I've listened to by him, there's always some type of new information or another piece to the puzzle of the UFO mystery.

I especially liked this audiobook in particular as it brought a new perspective to the subject. I think he was ahead of his time with his research and his undying love to find the truth. Well, he knew the truth and steadfastly attempted to bring it into the light. In this book, he broached a few other related topics to the UFO phenomena. This book delivers and for those interested in this subject, I don't think it will disappoint.

I liked the Cosmic Blog section as well where the book shared correspondences to and from Keel. This was very interesting and good.

MICHAEL HACKER does a FANTASTIC job narrating this book. I like his style. He adds voice inflections where Keel would if he were reading his own book. Hacker's voice is clear, pleasant and steady making him a bonus while listening to this audiobook. He's easy to understand and speaks at a perfect pace. This was an overall super listen!

Audiobook received in exchange for an honest review.

[Futuro Gato · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a good book. The letters were interesting, but nothing that wowed me in comparison to the other books of his I read. So in comparison, here's how it fits in my list of books by JAK that I've read thus far:

1. Our Haunted Planet
2. The Complete Guide to Mysterious Beings
3. Searching For the String
4. Strange Creatures From Time and Space

[Giorgio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, just dated as hell...