Best Woo Books

[Lisa Simpson]

I've read as many books on skepticism as I could find, but lately I've had a desire to read something from "the other side". So I would like to hear the Best of the Woo on any subject-clairvoyance, UFOs, sCAM, conspiracy theories-I'm game for any kind of woo.

[Jerf]

UFO Retrievals: The Recovery of Alien Spacecraft by Jenny Randles

and

Dark White by Jim Schnabel

These were the last two books about 'the unexplained' I read before realising that I could explain them if I actually did a little research.

[tim]

Originally posted by Jerf
UFO Retrievals: The Recovery of Alien Spacecraft by Jenny Randles

and

Dark White by Jim Schnabel

These were the last two books about 'the unexplained' I read before realising that I could explain them if I actually did a little research.

I'm not convinced "Dark White" qualifies. In a review it says of the epilogue to the book, "Here he makes it clear that he discounts the extra-terrestrial hypothesis; the abductees' experiences take place within their minds, but what extraordinary reservoirs of fantasy the human mind must be to account for these experiences."
This site - http://www.accampbell.uklinux.net/bookreviews/r/schnabel.html
Try this one - "Psychic Warrior" by David Morehouse
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0312964137/104-8461192-0521548?v=glance

[Anti_Hypeman]

http://subgenius.com/bigfist/classic/classics/X0003_botsg-intro.html

[Jerf]

Originally posted by tim
I'm not convinced "Dark White" qualifies. In a review it says of the epilogue to the book, "Here he makes it clear that he discounts the extra-terrestrial hypothesis; the abductees' experiences take place within their minds, but what extraordinary reservoirs of fantasy the human mind must be to account for these experiences."
This site - http://www.accampbell.uklinux.net/bookreviews/r/schnabel.html
Try this one - "Psychic Warrior" by David Morehouse
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0312964137/104-8461192-0521548?v=glance

Oh yes, silly me. That rings a big bell... I remember being scared crapless by Dark White's ET-hypothethis. But then it was oh-so casually debunked in the brief epilogue . It should have said so on the bloody cover if you ask me. Perhaps the whole package was designed to woo the woos, appeal to their vanities until the very last minute, then give them a swift slap of reality. You know, I might even read Jim Schnabel's book on crop circles now.

The most popular woo writer in the UK at the moment seems to be Derek Acorah - himoff ITV's MOST HAUNTED series. With five books published this year it seems likely that he has no intention of taking his foot out of the door unless someone saws it off. Check out his positive reviews on AmazonUK and have a jolly good laugh.

[Renfield]

There was a series of books I used to read in grade school about mothman, ufo's, bigfoot, etc. that I'd love to find. At that age, I actually was gullible enough to believe them. I have fond memories of reading time back then, going through the whole series. I think the writer was someone named Cohen, but not sure. It was a long time ago.

[tim]

Originally posted by Jerf
Oh yes, silly me. That rings a big bell... I remember being scared crapless by Dark White's ET-hypothethis. But then it was oh-so casually debunked in the brief epilogue . It should have said so on the bloody cover if you ask me. Perhaps the whole package was designed to woo the woos, appeal to their vanities until the very last minute, then give them a swift slap of reality. You know, I might even read Jim Schnabel's book on crop circles now.

The most popular woo writer in the UK at the moment seems to be Derek Acorah - himoff ITV's MOST HAUNTED series. With five books published this year it seems likely that he has no intention of taking his foot out of the door unless someone saws it off. Check out his positive reviews on AmazonUK and have a jolly good laugh.

Do read "Round in Circles"! It's great fun and gives you a real perspective on the characters involved. Similar format if you don't know Schnabel's style - he keeps his thoughts to himself until later in the book. And one of the hoaxers is................ not gonna tell ya! :D

[Ed]

Give anything by van Daniken a shot. I read his Chariots of the Gods ages ago and was amazed by the guys balls. A true creduloid (or savvy bussinessman, you pick) citing things that you didn't know were mysterious as "proof".

The Nazca lines are a good example. He never quite comes around to explaining why visitors from a gazillion mile away would need landing strips. Funny and sad stuff......

[JAR]

I would recommend the works of Charles Fort. I've read "The Book of the Damned", "New Lands, "Lo!", and "Wild Talents". They are page turners. Charles Fort was actually a great writer. Martin Gardner criticizes Fort and his followers in Chapter 4: The Forteans of "Fads and Fallacies In the Name of Science" but on page 43 Gardner writes concerning Fort's book, "The Book of the Damned" that "The book was written in a curious, breathless style. At times, it broke into passages of profound wisdom, high humor, and beautiful phrasing."

[Anti_Hypeman]

Dont forget the reptoids

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0953881016/qid=1128439299/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-5814972-2223015?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

[dogjones]

A great one is "Dope, Inc." by "The Executive Intelligence Review", which is a made up authoritative name created by a nutter politician called Lyndon LaRouche. He basically blames the American illegal drug market and all the social ills that go with it on the British Royal Family and Bertrand Russell. Mostly on Bertrand Russell.

Packed with pointless references, this is a must-have for any disgruntled young man who eschews any notion of personal responsibility!

[Fungrim]

Also, the Holy Grail is a good topic. Holy Blood, Holy Grail (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0440136482/qid=1129117211/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-3733236-7808902?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) is of course a classic. I havn't read it though. I did read most of Bloodline of the Holy Grail (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1931412928/qid=1129117318/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-3733236-7808902?v=glance&s=books) by Laurence Gardner. I gave up after a while though, couldn't stand the stuff. Also, the buildup is almost soledly based on the speculations of Barbara Thiering.

[c4ts]

"How to Good-Bye Depression By Constricting Anus 100 Times a Day"

Best woo woo book ever.

[SezMe]

You didn't mention religion in your woo list but if you want to include that category, get any book by Lee Strobel. He claims to be a hard-nosed reporter using his skills to investigate christianity. If he is "hard-nosed" then Larry King is the classic "immoveable object." When I first read his work, I audibly exclaimed "Wow" about once per page.

[Ralph]

If you're looking for a good laugh.........I'd suggest Sylvia Browns "Prophecy".

I spotted it at the library recently (I will NOT actually buy or do anything else that would put $ in this woman's pocket) and thought It might be entertaining.

I'm only familair with her from what Randi's posted.

The woman is a far bigger slimebag than I thought. Randi's been too kind to this woman.

She is constantly asserting throughout the book how absolutely honest she is acts only out of concern for her fellow human beings.

How you can reconcile that with $600/hr telephone fees is beyond me.


Anyway--the usual crap I suppose........the book begins with the standard mix about the wisdom of ancient prophets,Atlantis,Lemuria, Nostradamus, etc etc.

She mentions she gets her "visions" of the future from a variety of sources but most of them come from her spirit guide..."Charlene" or something.

As always--Charlene failed to warn Sylvia about things like the Asian tsunami or Hurrican Katrina. She was however,able to give a detailed description of what cell phones will look like in 2025.

Sylvia's view of the future sounds remarkably like what I saw on "The Jetsons" when I was a kid. Lots of glass domes---houses with sliding roofs--and of course a flying car in every garage.

This was kind of strange because in another chapter--she describes the world as some kind of ecolgical nightmare from hell. Poison atmosphere--everybody wearing rubber suits--pestilence & death----then magically in a few years we're in the bubble houses & hover cars....

It's truly disturbing that so many people swallow this bilge.

[Lisa Simpson]

A 'friend' gave me a Sylvia Browne book for my birthday. It was some of the funniest stuff I have ever read. Her spirit guide (or as I like to think, invisible playmate) is named Francine.

For a larf, I posted the highlights:

http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=45573

[Ralph]

A 'friend' gave me a Sylvia Browne book for my birthday. It was some of the funniest stuff I have ever read. Her spirit guide (or as I like to think, invisible playmate) is named Francine.

For a larf, I posted the highlights:

http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=45573

Francine....Charlene.................

That's the problem with spirit guides. They all look & sound alike.

[RebeccaBradley]

I've got two titles to suggest, both written by people who might be thought of as "woo", but who have done bang-up jobs of critically examining alternative theories from the inside, as it were. Both books are also well-written, intriguing, and occasionally hilarious - for the right reasons.

Borderlands by Mike Dash, who works (or used to work) for the Fortean Times. His other books (Tulipomania and Batavia's Graveyard are straight historical nonfiction, and also excellent. He's got a new one out about Thuggee that I'm looking forward to reading.

Giza: the Truth by Ian Lawton and Chris Ogilvie-Herald. Two "true believers" who went out and did good solid research and asked some truly awkward questions. Admirable.

[Eos of the Eons]

A 'friend' gave me a Sylvia Browne book for my birthday. It was some of the funniest stuff I have ever read. Her spirit guide (or as I like to think, invisible playmate) is named Francine.

For a larf, I posted the highlights:

http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=45573Black holes are the universe's vacuum cleaner.:confused: :confused: :confused: :rolleyes:

[RebeccaC]

A friend gave the Celestine Prophecy once to read on the airplain. It was good reading for fiction, but it wasn't meant that way.

Anything written by Carlos Castaneda.

[DevilsAdvocate]

There was a series of books I used to read in grade school about mothman, ufo's, bigfoot, etc. that I'd love to find. At that age, I actually was gullible enough to believe them. I have fond memories of reading time back then, going through the whole series. I think the writer was someone named Cohen, but not sure. It was a long time ago.How long ago? Perhaps Daniel Cohen? Or Richard Cavendish? "Man, Myth, and Magic" encyclopedia would seem to fit the bill for around 1970-80s.