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Unexplained Mysteries of the 20th Century by Janet and Colin Bord Contemporary Books, 1989, Chicago 432 pages |
| As the title suggests this book covers a wide range of unusual phenomena and events aside from UFOs. There are seventeen chapters, devoted to such subjects as unknown animals, Bigfoot, the Yeti, sea and lake monsters (Loch Ness monster among many other alleged sea serpents), paranormal events such as poltergeists, ghosts and even a chapter on modern religious miracles such as statues of Christ or Mary that are alleged to bleed or shed tears. The authors Janet and Colin Bord are two British researchers into strange phenomena. They follow a middle of the road approach, they neither blindly accept or reject these bizarre stories. There is some speculation about the reality and reason for these events but the authors come to no definitive conclusion. Mostly they simply relate various cases and leave it to the reader to decide what these accounts mean. For those concerned mostly with UFOs there are four chapters that will be of special interest, they are the chapters on UFOs, close encounters and landings, ball lightning and spot lights and a chapter on USOs (unidentified Submarine objects). The latter chapter is especially interesting because most books on UFOs ignore the dozens of cases of unknown objects diving into the ocean or emerging from the sea and flying into the air. (The 1989 film "The Abyss" by director James Camaron deals with underwater UFOs. Camaron also directed the two "Terminator" films that center around time travel). Unexplained Mysteries of the 20th Century is illustrated with over 85 photographs some in color. Some of the photos are of UFOs. In the back of the book is a Gazetteer of Strange Events that list nation by nation and state by state some selected cases of bizarre happenings that have occurred. Ohio cases are mentioned on pages 380 and 381. This book is highly recommended and is sure to make the reader wonder about how these mysterious events can fit into the present scientific world view. |