The Unidentified

I enjoyed Dickeys previous book, Ghostland, and felt he brought a long overdue skepticism to the over-televised world of ghost hunting, ghost hunters, and matching tee-shirt wearing paranormal investigators. As Dickey continually pointed out, a bit of historical research can lay most spirits to rest, and example being the Myrtles Plantation and the mythical ghost of Chlo, the nonexistent, murderous slave. But in The Unidentified, Dickey left skepticism at the station, and devolved into full blown cynicism in a manner that would make Joe Nickell proud. And quite frankly, this mind-set should be beneath him. For example, he casts judgement on the Patterson-Gimlin film in just three words: Its a hoax. He doesnt even bother to look at any of the evidence in favor of it being an authentic sighting. No, he begins by pronouncing that Patterson was a con man (which he was) and then cites only evidence that supports his viewpoint. I would urge Dickey, and anybody else who wants to hear a fair, unbiased investigation into to the Patterson-Gimlin film, to listen to the excellent, multipart Astonishing Legends podcast, in which both viewpoints are discussed in depth. To simply write it off by saying Its a hoax is ridiculous in the extreme. But Dickey gets worse in his discussion of the yeti. As he discusses historical sightings of the alleged creature, he suddenly veers off into what he refers to as the narcissistic world of people who attempt to summit Mount Everest. To paraphrase Dickey, you too can plunk down $14,000 for the thrill of leaving your overcome and dying fellow climber behind while you narcissistically carry on to the summit. Dickey then crows about how you can see any number of orange-clad yeti corpses on the Everest trails. Disgusting. Its a disturbing glimpse into Dickeys psyche, and has nothing to do with the subject matter. Edit: As I forced myself to finish the book, Dickeys cynicism became even more egregious. As he discusses Area 51 and UFO researchers, he – for some reason that once again adds nothing to the subject matter – states that Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber, was also interested in Area 51 and attempted entry on several occasions. Why? Why in the world would you lump that psychopath into those UFO enthusiasts interested in Area 51? To infer guilt by association? To do so goes beyond shameful. So I think I am done with Mr. Dickey. After Ghostland, I was looking forward to this book very much, purchasing it the day it was released, but I wont make the same mistake again. If you are looking for fair, unbiased treatment of things unidentified, you wont find it here. In my estimation, he went from a 5-star author to a 1-star author. If there is any mystery in this book, it is that. Bottom line: Dont waste your money Scarecrow

After reading The NYTimes review of this book I was excited to check it out, but now three quarters of the way in this book is not living up to my expectations. Dickey is in love with the sound of his own voice; the problem is that he isnt as witty or as insightful as he thinks he is. I am giving this book two stars because while it does highlight some interesting cranks and sheds a bit of light on the conspiratorial mind, this book is about as shallow as they come. The Unidentified could also have used another editit repeats phrases in such short succession that the writing at times just comes across as lazy and unpolished. I have a hard time recommending it to most readers.

Who among us has not, at one time or another, found himself or herself in a situation which, at least for a few moments, seems bizarre? Most of the time the oddities smooth themselves out and become mundane with a little investigation, but sometimes. . ., they don\’t. Those unidentifiable moments are the main topic of this intriguing volume by Colin Dickey. Dickey\’s focus is primarily on the last 70-75 years or so (the so-called UFO Era that began in 1947), with occasional excursions farther in the past, like the so-called Gloucester Serpent from the 19th century. He deals with names familiar to anyone who has read much on the subject, like Ignatius Donnelly, Charles Fort, William Moore, Whitley Strieber, and more, and adds some new information on their lives and careers. He rambles about quite a bit, going from Mt. Shasta to coastal Georgia to New England and then the Southwestern US within just a few pages, and tells some intriguing tales along the way. Dickey\’s overall tone is one of skepticism, mixed with a good dose of cynicism, but he does reveal some of the reasons humanity continues to be fascinated with the unexplained. A good book for troubled times.

A fascinating look at the culture of The Unidentified and those who seek them. And who knew Georgia had its own Nessie!

Bringing the wonder back into life

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