Honoring works that help shed light
on topics that science and history
tend to shun or ignore.
Among our favorites of the past few years are Forbidden Archeology by Michael Cremo and Richard Thompson, Ablaze by Larry Arnold, An Anthropologist on Mars by Oliver Sacks, Alternative Science by Richard Milton, and Hidden Histories of Science by Robert Silvers.
Darwin's Black Box : The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution
by Michael J. Behe
Free Press
A biochemist points to the limits of evolutionary theory. He finds that natural selection falls short of explaining the complexity and interdependence of biochemical systems. Behe argues that life is "irreducibly complex" and must be the product of "intelligent design." Coming from an establishment scientist, this position is clearly heretical.
American Folklore: An Encyclopedia
by Jan Harold Brunvand, ed.
Garland
More than 500 entries from over 250 authors on everything from quilt making to blues music. So what? Well, this meaty one-volume overview of folklore also includes many extensive entries on contemporary legend, including ghost stories, conspiracy theories, Ouija, UFO lore, vampires, witchcraft, and more. With so many popular anomalies rooted in anecdote, rumor, and personal experience, researchers would do well to check out the essays from top-notch folklorists on these topics.
High Strangeness : UFOs from 1960 Through 1979 (Vol 3)
by Jerome Clark
Omnigraphics
The third volume of this awesome encyclopedia from a believer, yes, but a true expert. Clark has arguably read and written more words about UFOs than anyone, dead or alive. This is the essential, albeit expensive, reference work on UFOs. The other two volumes are also highly recommended: UFOs in the 1980s (Vol. 1) and Emergence of a Phenomenon: UFOs from the Beginning through 1959 (Vol. 2).
Reincarnation : A Critical Examination
by Paul Edwards
Prometheus Books
Never mind the conclusion. This is perhaps the first systematic
evaluation of all facets of reincarnation by a philosopher with a good sense of humor.
For believers, this is criticism to be reckoned with.
Deep Atlantic: Life, Death, and Exploration in the Abyss
by Richard Ellis
Knopf
This volume just came to our attention and it's fabulous. Plunge five miles below the surface of the sea into a bizarre realm inhabited by creatures who strain the bounds of credibility, superbly illustrated with drawings by Ellis himself. We hardly know anything about the creatures of the deep ocean. We especially liked "Anomalopidae," for obvious reasons. These well-known "flashlight fish" have an organ below the eye that contains luminous bacteria that can be exposed when the fish lowers a special opaque flap. Ellis mentions this to segue into a description of the positively astonishing sighting of a fish that uses a "searchlight." Plenty of weirdness here.
The Night is Large; Collected Essays 1938-1995
by Martin Gardner
St. Martin's Press
The best single collection of Gardner's essays, many of which deal with his critiques of the paranormal. Gardner is head and shoulders above most other debunkers, and must be taken seriously as a major voice from the orthodox science community. Gardner (not Randi) is the real "hit man" for the orthodox community.
Wizard: The Life and Times of Nikola Tesla: Biography of a Genius
by Marc J. Seifer
Birch Lane Press
A major new biography of Tesla who left behind many claims of inventions that produced anomalous results and whose work is the foundation for much that is published in Extraordinary Science and by the Tesla Society.
The Unexplained: An Illustrated Guide to the World's Natural and Paranormal
Mysteries
by Karl Shuker
JG Press
Nothing new here really, but a balanced, beautifully illustrated overview of the great variety of fortean mysteries by one smart zoologist. Shuker's other books are also recommended, especially In Search of Prehistoric Survivors
The Encyclopedia of the Paranormal
by Gordon Stein
Prometheus Books
A remarkably good book despite a few poor entries by the usual CSICOP debunkers and an exorbitant pricetag. The late Gordon Stein tried to do a well-informed book and had excellent people contribute: Truzzi's piece on pseudoscience even manages to criticize the CSICOP approach. Far from perfect, but far better than other general encyclopedias of the paranormal.
The 1996 Anomalist Awards were chosen by Patrick Huyghe
with recommendations from Dennis Stacy, Marcello Truzzi, and William Corliss.