THE ABDUCTION ENIGMA

A well-written anti-abduction perspective on alien encounters that systematically examines and refutes each argument used by abduction proponents. Although Randle (UFO Crash at Roswell, not reviewed), Estes (who has interviewed scores of people who claim to have been abudcted by aliens), and psychologist Cone admit to having had alien encounters and other paranormal experiences, they conclude that every phenomenon they—ve investigated had a natural explanation. The authors first present the benign visitation accounts from the 1940s and ’50s, which evolved into single-event abductions and later into multiple-abduction accounts. They even present the case of an abductee who claims to have come from a family of abductees. Throughout the book, the authors mention news accounts, science fiction books, and movies, part of the common culture, that can account for some of the parallels among various abductee reports. Abduction researchers, some with whole chapters devoted to them, are attacked for creating stories that fit together seamlessly. Not only are these researchers tending to report only the pieces that fit their theories, but they use techniques such as hypnosis and even “the leading question method” to make the subject highly suggestible and induce memories. The book divides those who have encountered aliens into “contactees” and “abductees.” The former tell of getting a ride on the alien ship and perhaps a glimpse of the future. The latter tell of hybrid alien-human fetuses, bodily implants that appear and disappear, and the ubiquitous rectal probe. A whole chapter is devoted to the sexual components of abduction accounts, ranging from cold dispassionate reproductive experiments to sex-starved space travelers who seem to enjoy “sex for the sake of sex.” These three self-proclaimed believers have actually debunked every paranormal abduction phenomenon with a well-reasoned terrestrial explanation. (Radio satellite tour)