10 UFO Books I Want to Read by the End of 2025
If you’re into the UFO subject, and I mean REALLY into the subject, then you know what it’s like to go broke buying out of print books. All it takes is one nerd mentioning a book on some podcast, or in some old UFO article, and suddenly you’re hitting up eBay, AbeBooks, or ThriftBooks, and now you’re stuck surviving on Ramen and Hot Pockets until your next paycheck.
If I was that one nerd who did this to you, I’m not sorry, and you are not entitled to compensation.
During the run of Our Strange Skies, I was never able to sit down and actually enjoy a UFO book. I was feverishly rummaging through pages, looking for any little bit of information that would make for a great episode. Now that I don’t need to do that anymore, I’d like to take the rest of this year to read through some books I’ve been meaning to.
UFO’s from Behind the Iron Curtain by Ion Hobana and Julien Weverbergh
For many years, professor Felix Zigel, often dubbed the father of Russian ufology, fed UFO cases from the Soviet Union to many researchers, and published in a lot of leading UFO journals, including Flying Saucer Review. UFO’s from Behind the Iron Curtain details the early history of Russian ufology, from the Tunguska asteroid to the time of publication in the early 1970s. Various other communist countries are features, such as Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania.
Northern Lights: High Strangeness in Sweden by Fred Andersson
By the time that my friend, Fred Andersson, published his wonderful, and much needed, book, Northern Lights, I tired of the subject of UFOs. I know many of the cases in this book, thanks to the appearances that Fred has graciously made on Our Strange Skies over the years. It’ll be wonderful to hear about them through his voice and his observations.
Flying Saucers: A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Skies by C.G. Jung
A couple of years ago, I managed to score this copy of Flying Saucers off of eBay. I’m one of those people that tries to track down early editions of UFO books. More often than not, newer editions of UFO books have chapters omitted or contain some of the worst editing ever. (For example, the newest edition of Visitors from Lanulos by Woodrow Derrenberger is missing a number of chapters) Jung’s book is a foundational text for many ufologists, and it’s one I’ve put off reading for a number of years, mainly because I thought I was too dumb to read it. This year, we’re diving in!
Our UFO Visitors by John Magor
John Magor was the editor of Canadian UFO Report for its run, and if you’ve heard me blathering on a podcast before, you might’ve heard me mention my love for that publication. Our UFO Visitors is a book version of many of the articles featured in that publication, including the Bernice Niblett story, the Cowichan Hospital humanoid encounter, and many more.
Encounters with Star People: Untold Stories of American Indians by Dr. Ardy Sixkiller Clarke
Dr. Ardy Sixkiller Clarke’s books have been on my TBR for so long, and they’re an essential contribution to the study of UFOs. Dr. Clarke’s work is a huge contribution to the field of ufology, and provides a unique and sorely missing perspective from a group that often stays silent. If you have not read any of her books, you need to.
Forbidden Science 1: A Passion for Discovery, The Journals of Jacques Vallee 1957-1969
Jacques Vallee’s contributions to the field of ufology speaks for itself, but perhaps his greatest may be found in his journals. This volume, which delves into many infamous UFO encounters, also touches upon the blunders of Project Blue Book, and how the program misled the public and kept the best data it had from us all. It also manages to place all of the major UFO events that were unfolding into the context of other world events. It’s a shame I haven’t gotten to them until now.
Univited Visitors: A biologist looks at UFOs by Ivan T. Sanderson
Ivan T. Sanderson was a legend in the field. He was one of the first investigators on the Flatwoods Monster case, and investigated many other cases. with Univited Visitors, Sanderson examines the subject through the scientific method and through the lens of biology. This book feels like a no brainer for fans of the film Nope. (Which I happen to be)
Abducted: The True Story of Alien Abduction in Rural England by Ann Andrews and Jean Ritchie
The Andrews family story is terrifying. I first heard of it through a video by The Paranormal Scholar, and was shocked to find that I had purchased the book at some point. The activity centered around Jason, Ann’s son, and involved a myriad of strange phenomenon, including strange noises around their house, and mysterious figures seen in and around their home. I’m fucking terrified already.
Alien Dawn: An Investigation Into the Contact Experience by Colin Wilson
I have picked up Alien Dawn so many times and put it back down again, as a different book or subject drew my attention. Wilson has such a unique perspective on many things, and I own many of his books. In this he examines many aspects of the phenomenon including crop circles, high strangeness and fourth dimensional beings.
Shockingly Close to the Truth: Confessions of a Grave-Robbing Ufologist by James W. Moseley & Karl. T. Pflock
This is another book I’ve picked up and put down. I need to return to it. Even from the little I’ve read, Moseley has one of the best perspectives on the phenomenon as it was unfolding in the 40s all the way up to the 90s. It’s funny, it’s honest, and it’s a must read.