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efthymis's review
challenging
dark
informative
slow-paced
5.0
What can I say... Let me start with the book itself and the writing.
I enjoyed the style, it was easy to read and follow, except for the so many names in it. It's expected, though, since there were/are so many people involved in what occurred in Area 51.
Since I am not American, or familiar enough with its politics and military, I have to accept that the author did her best in her research. Some things I accepted as fact; others I cannot stomach, or I'm having serious difficulty accepting.
I got enraged in quite a few places in the book, especially about the tests on human beings --willing tests subjects or not. I also have a hard time understanding why the US seem to be obsessed with seeing everyone else as a threat. The book paints a picture where army officials seem too eager to jump the gun. And I believe she sugar-coated it a lot; i fear it's worse than that in reality.
Now, as for what is said about Area 51 in this book. Sure, I believe everything about the nuclear tests, the experimental planes, the weapons tech that was being researched, the secrecy. I cannot believe, though, the reports about the Roswell UFO. I just can't buy it, even though I would like to finally find out what really happened then. But I guess we will never find out, not only about that incident, but many others too, and I'm not only referring to UFO stuff.
So, to sum up: nice book, nice writing, lots of sources, lots of exposed data, but not nearly enough to scrap the surface of Area 51. I recommend it to those who would like a timeline of events about this subject matter.
I enjoyed the style, it was easy to read and follow, except for the so many names in it. It's expected, though, since there were/are so many people involved in what occurred in Area 51.
Since I am not American, or familiar enough with its politics and military, I have to accept that the author did her best in her research. Some things I accepted as fact; others I cannot stomach, or I'm having serious difficulty accepting.
I got enraged in quite a few places in the book, especially about the tests on human beings --willing tests subjects or not. I also have a hard time understanding why the US seem to be obsessed with seeing everyone else as a threat. The book paints a picture where army officials seem too eager to jump the gun. And I believe she sugar-coated it a lot; i fear it's worse than that in reality.
Now, as for what is said about Area 51 in this book. Sure, I believe everything about the nuclear tests, the experimental planes, the weapons tech that was being researched, the secrecy. I cannot believe, though, the reports about the Roswell UFO. I just can't buy it, even though I would like to finally find out what really happened then. But I guess we will never find out, not only about that incident, but many others too, and I'm not only referring to UFO stuff.
So, to sum up: nice book, nice writing, lots of sources, lots of exposed data, but not nearly enough to scrap the surface of Area 51. I recommend it to those who would like a timeline of events about this subject matter.
jkn303's review against another edition
2.0
EDIT!!! EDIT!! Where the heck is an editor when you need one???
ayaktruk's review against another edition
Yet another rec from my teacher/mentor. Not usually my cup of tea, but he was very enthusiastic about it, especially the ending so in I go.
Got to about page 50 when I started skipping around the book. Truthfully, the writing was dry and couldn't keep my attention long enough to finish the entire book.
Returned it to my teacher/mentor on the first day of school, 2011.
Got to about page 50 when I started skipping around the book. Truthfully, the writing was dry and couldn't keep my attention long enough to finish the entire book.
Returned it to my teacher/mentor on the first day of school, 2011.
librarimans's review against another edition
3.0
This book was fantastic for about 9/10s of it--a neat look at the goings on at Area 51. The development of spy planes like the U-2 and the SR-71 as well as the atom bomb testing that went on with the public unawares. Nothing outrageous or out of the realm of possibility at all, just a neat study of a fascinating army base. Then the last chapter rolled around and she decided to talk about Roswell... yikes. Throughout the book, Jacobson maintains that conspiracy theorists need to follow Occams Razor, that the likeliest explanation is the most plausible, sure I get that.
So her explanation of Roswell (as told to her by a former engineer who worked there on the Sigma-4 project)? The saucer was a Russian craft created with stolen plans from Nazi scientists piloted by genetically engineered/altered children created by Josef Mengele as a gift to Stalin. At that point I think it being an alien craft is more plausible and believable...
So her explanation of Roswell (as told to her by a former engineer who worked there on the Sigma-4 project)? The saucer was a Russian craft created with stolen plans from Nazi scientists piloted by genetically engineered/altered children created by Josef Mengele as a gift to Stalin. At that point I think it being an alien craft is more plausible and believable...
wdecora's review against another edition
5.0
I greatly enjoyed this book. As a long-time X-Files fan, it was fascinating to hear the truth behind the conspiracy theories. My Uncle recommended this book as he recently revealed that he, in fact, worked at Area 51 during his time in the Air Force and says that it is pretty much as she tells it.
I would definitely reread/listen to this one again.
I would definitely reread/listen to this one again.
marinampetrillo's review against another edition
3.0
Should be titled “Tangents Vaguely Related to Area 51”. This book should be hundreds of pages shorter if it was really focused only on Area 51 and not the rest of modern American history. 3 stars because regardless of the tangents, history is cool.
jfkaess's review against another edition
4.0
NON-Fiction: Extremely interesting, full of insider info, but of course does not go up through the present, but still lots of good stuff here.
clarks_dad's review against another edition
3.0
It's hard to know what to make of Jacobsen's new history of Area 51. I like conspiracy theories. They're fun, interesting and zany (even if unbelievable) and the idea that a reporter was going to attempt an above-board history of America's most secret installation was a thrilling idea. The first few chapters read really well and the book seems for the most part a great history of the Cold War with special emphasis on espionage programs the US and the USSR were running and how those programs fit into the wider events that we know much more about, like the Cuban Missile Crisis or the wars in Korea and Vietnam. Throughout, Area 51 and the enigmatic and charismatic people who worked there seem to dot the horizon of the story, inserting themselves in logical places in the narrative to fill gaps in our understanding of the history of the Area. There were large sections of the book where the installation is hardly mentioned at all or is mentioned only in connection with a program or event - and I didn't mind. The narrative was compelling and interesting enough to stand on its own without constant reference to conspiracy or secrets. A lot of the information about the day-to-day operation of the facility, especially its involvement in the development of spy aircraft like the U2 or A12 are well-researched and solidly grounded. Excerpts from Area 51 employee memoirs or recently declassified information makes the first historical parts of this book a worthy addition to the history of the Cold War.
As other reviewers have mentioned, Jacobsen tends to make some rather routine and simple errors in her science that should have been caught by a dutiful editor. And while the historical and biographical aspects of the work tend to be top-notch, the science languishes. In and of itself, this is probably not a problem for the lay reader. I seriously doubt anybody will be using Jacobsen's work as a bibliographic reference for information on aerospace engineering or rocket science, and again, that information is besides the true purpose of the book, which is a revealing look at the role 'The Ranch' played in the Cold War, so I'm willing to overlook this as well.
The problem arises in the latter chapter of the book. Jacobsen's 'new' account of what really happened at Roswell is an interesting idea and a fantastic story, but quite frankly fails several journalistic tests for credibility. After such thorough research for the first part of her book, Jacobsen then relies on the testimony of a single, unnamed and unidentifiable individual as the source for the 'truth' of the Roswell crash; specifically, that the UFO recovered at Roswell was of Soviet design and filled with genetically altered people (by a resurgent Josef Mengele, now in the employ of Stalin) to look like aliens and designed to cause a panic in the US akin to the nationwide panic that followed the War of the Worlds broadcast. -___- Ok. Granted. Stalin was impressed by how ludicrous people behaved and the US government expressed concerns about the susceptibility and gullibility of the American populace when presented with misinformation. The core of the idea does have a ring of truth to it. But the lack of source substantiation for such a wild claim makes it just as far out there and cooky as any of the other explanations for what really happened at Roswell and was extremely disappointing after such a strong start - so disappointing that the rather good experience I had in the first half of the book all but evaporated.
I'd still recommend the work for people with an interest in either conspiracy theories or the Cold War, just remember to take the unattributed statements with a grain of salt and remember that conspiracy theories are meant to be fun.
As other reviewers have mentioned, Jacobsen tends to make some rather routine and simple errors in her science that should have been caught by a dutiful editor. And while the historical and biographical aspects of the work tend to be top-notch, the science languishes. In and of itself, this is probably not a problem for the lay reader. I seriously doubt anybody will be using Jacobsen's work as a bibliographic reference for information on aerospace engineering or rocket science, and again, that information is besides the true purpose of the book, which is a revealing look at the role 'The Ranch' played in the Cold War, so I'm willing to overlook this as well.
The problem arises in the latter chapter of the book. Jacobsen's 'new' account of what really happened at Roswell is an interesting idea and a fantastic story, but quite frankly fails several journalistic tests for credibility. After such thorough research for the first part of her book, Jacobsen then relies on the testimony of a single, unnamed and unidentifiable individual as the source for the 'truth' of the Roswell crash; specifically, that the UFO recovered at Roswell was of Soviet design and filled with genetically altered people (by a resurgent Josef Mengele, now in the employ of Stalin) to look like aliens and designed to cause a panic in the US akin to the nationwide panic that followed the War of the Worlds broadcast. -___- Ok. Granted. Stalin was impressed by how ludicrous people behaved and the US government expressed concerns about the susceptibility and gullibility of the American populace when presented with misinformation. The core of the idea does have a ring of truth to it. But the lack of source substantiation for such a wild claim makes it just as far out there and cooky as any of the other explanations for what really happened at Roswell and was extremely disappointing after such a strong start - so disappointing that the rather good experience I had in the first half of the book all but evaporated.
I'd still recommend the work for people with an interest in either conspiracy theories or the Cold War, just remember to take the unattributed statements with a grain of salt and remember that conspiracy theories are meant to be fun.
rschmidt7's review against another edition
4.0
Cutting through the conspiracy theories, this book offers an interesting glimpse into America's black budget projects developed at the real Area 51. There are a few places in the book that strain Jacobsen's credibility, but for the most part, it is an informative history about the CIA's classified research and development, as well as the link between Area 51, the AEC, and nuclear weapons.
aaronberning's review against another edition
4.0
The bounces around a bit and leaves some threads hanging until the very end but I'm glad they do get revisited. The whole thing has to be taken with a grain of salt simply because of the secrecy and disinformation around the base and the programs however that is also explained in the book. It does a good job of explaining little grey men and UFOs in a reasonable, non-tinfoil hat way and I learned quite a few things I didn't know and they all seemed quite plausible. Certainly the most plausible explanations I've ever heard.