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ccriss12's review
5.0
It’s safe to say I’m obsessed with Annie Jacobsen. She is a brilliant researcher and this book was incredibly fascinating. I have already bought two more of her books, gifted two of her books, and convinced a friend and my boss to buy one of her books. Going into this I knew absolutely nothing about the history and development of US spy planes and black operations beginning during World War II. I got a little bored when she reached the Vietnam war but that is only because of my lack of interest on that particular time period. I also disagree with her theory on Roswell, but I can appreciate her putting something totally different out there. Overall, fascinating read and I can’t wait to read the rest of her books!
eilis's review
4.0
so many cons but ultimately this was soooo interesting
-kind of all over the place in term of organization,, didn’t seem to necessarily follow events in chronological order all the time and this was a bit confusing
-“clandestine” was used probably 163647373 times
-giving actual merit to the alien situation in the last like 10 pages seemed kind of crazy and maybe could have done w more research/info
-but overall so much interesting history im obsessed
-kind of all over the place in term of organization,, didn’t seem to necessarily follow events in chronological order all the time and this was a bit confusing
-“clandestine” was used probably 163647373 times
-giving actual merit to the alien situation in the last like 10 pages seemed kind of crazy and maybe could have done w more research/info
-but overall so much interesting history im obsessed
foofers1622's review against another edition
5.0
A very interesting book. You hear of "Area 51" you think UFO's but it's so nuch more than that.
efthymis's review against another edition
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.
ayaktruk's review
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
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
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.