Fans pick 35 books like UFOs

By Leslie Kean,

Here are 35 books that UFOs fans have personally recommended if you like UFOs. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Book cover of Forbidden Archeology

Ken Goudsward Author Of Fermi's Paradox Is Bullshit: the Evidence for Extraterrestrial Life

From my list on rational UFO stories.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child, I was fascinated with astronomy but discouraged from investigating the UFO phenomenon due to religious reasons. Not until I was in my forties, did I begin to see the strange Biblical hints of what ended up in my writing my book UFOs In The Bible. Along the way, my research led me to diverse related topics including Sumerian mythology and astrobiology which have resulted in a few more books (and more to come). I see logic as a fundamental tool for this line of investigation, and so, I embrace books that engage with the evidence logically. I firmly believe we must all make room for experiencers to tell their stories without recrimination.

Ken's book list on rational UFO stories

Ken Goudsward Why did Ken love this book?

This book is not about UFOs. It is not even clear if Cremo believes in UFOs or not. However, one of the tenets of the ancient alien hypothesis is that not only are UFOs a real phenomenon now, they (and we) have been here for thousands upon thousands of years. To this end, it is tangentially interesting to dig into suppressed archaeology and out-of-place artifacts. Forbidden Archaeology is the go-to for those topics, with over 900 pages of painstakingly researched and presented evidence from the geological record that mainstream archaeologists deny, ignore, or rely on handwaving to dismiss. A must-have for any ancient aliens fan.

By Michael A. Cremo, Richard L. Thompson,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Forbidden Archeology as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Over the centuries, researchers have found bones and artifacts proving that humans like us have existed for millions of years. Mainstream science, however, has suppressed these facts. Prejudices based on current scientific theory act as a 'knowledge filter', giving us a picture of prehistory that is largely incorrect.

Scientific Establishment Found Guilty of Witholding Evidence

The evolutionists’ “knowledge filter” at work over the last 200 years has left us with a radically altered view of our human origins and antiquity. Since 1993, when the controversial book, Forbidden
Archeology, was first published it has shocked the scientific world with its extensive…


Book cover of The Ancient Alien Question

Ken Goudsward Author Of Fermi's Paradox Is Bullshit: the Evidence for Extraterrestrial Life

From my list on rational UFO stories.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child, I was fascinated with astronomy but discouraged from investigating the UFO phenomenon due to religious reasons. Not until I was in my forties, did I begin to see the strange Biblical hints of what ended up in my writing my book UFOs In The Bible. Along the way, my research led me to diverse related topics including Sumerian mythology and astrobiology which have resulted in a few more books (and more to come). I see logic as a fundamental tool for this line of investigation, and so, I embrace books that engage with the evidence logically. I firmly believe we must all make room for experiencers to tell their stories without recrimination.

Ken's book list on rational UFO stories

Ken Goudsward Why did Ken love this book?

Philip Coppens is not afraid to take on even the weirdest of niches within the already weird realm of ufology and paleoarchaeology. He does so with an even keel and an unlimited curiosity. He doesn’t simply parrot what everyone around is saying, but he does examine their claims to see if they hold water. Like in most other aspects of life, there are grains of truth and bald-faced lies. Coppens attempts to separate the wheat from the chaff.

By Philip Coppens,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Ancient Alien Question as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“ . . . an important and outstanding contribution.” —Erich von Däniken, bestselling author of Chariots of the Gods

“The Ancient Alien Question provides a captivating adventure around the world and sheds an interesting perspective on the Ancient Astronaut Theory.” —Giorgio A. Tsoukalos, producer of Ancient Aliens: The Series

“Philip Coppens covers all the bases on this controversial topic. His research is thorough and he addresses each topic with a balanced overview that cuts through the jungle of confusion with a very sharp machete of reason.” —David Hatcher Childress, author of Technology of the Gods

The Ancient Alien Question reveals…


Book cover of The Day After Roswell

Ken Goudsward Author Of Fermi's Paradox Is Bullshit: the Evidence for Extraterrestrial Life

From my list on rational UFO stories.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child, I was fascinated with astronomy but discouraged from investigating the UFO phenomenon due to religious reasons. Not until I was in my forties, did I begin to see the strange Biblical hints of what ended up in my writing my book UFOs In The Bible. Along the way, my research led me to diverse related topics including Sumerian mythology and astrobiology which have resulted in a few more books (and more to come). I see logic as a fundamental tool for this line of investigation, and so, I embrace books that engage with the evidence logically. I firmly believe we must all make room for experiencers to tell their stories without recrimination.

Ken's book list on rational UFO stories

Ken Goudsward Why did Ken love this book?

Lieutenant Colonel Philip J. Corso was a decorated military intelligence officer and Chief of the Pentagon's Foreign Technology desk in Army Research and Development. In this role he was tasked with managing numerous artifacts from the Roswell crash, and getting them safely into the hands of hand-selected private R&D firms for analysis, reverse engineering, and technology development. This book details not only his involvement, but the chain of evidence behind these artifacts, as well as technical details on at least a few of the items themselves, and what human technologies were adapted from these alien technologies.

By Philip J. Corso, William J. Birnes,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Day After Roswell as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A breathtaking exposé that reads like a thriller, The Day After Roswell is a stunning depiction of just what happened in Roswell, New Mexico all those years ago and how the effects of this mysterious unidentified aircraft crash are still relevant today.

Former member of President Eisenhower’s National Security Council and the Foreign Technology Desk in the United States Army, Colonel Philip J. Corso was assigned to work at a strange crash site in Roswell in 1947. He had no idea that his work there would change his life and the course of history forever. Only in his fascinating memoir…


Book cover of Ancient Aliens and Secret Societies

Ken Goudsward Author Of Fermi's Paradox Is Bullshit: the Evidence for Extraterrestrial Life

From my list on rational UFO stories.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child, I was fascinated with astronomy but discouraged from investigating the UFO phenomenon due to religious reasons. Not until I was in my forties, did I begin to see the strange Biblical hints of what ended up in my writing my book UFOs In The Bible. Along the way, my research led me to diverse related topics including Sumerian mythology and astrobiology which have resulted in a few more books (and more to come). I see logic as a fundamental tool for this line of investigation, and so, I embrace books that engage with the evidence logically. I firmly believe we must all make room for experiencers to tell their stories without recrimination.

Ken's book list on rational UFO stories

Ken Goudsward Why did Ken love this book?

UFOs, Nazis, Roswell, Freemasons, JFK, and the Apollo missions. This book covers a lot of very strange events and theories. Some of these theories you may have heard mention of and they probably sounded completely insane. However, to hear Mike tell it, really makes you wonder if there is some truth there. He unravels a giant rats’ nest of conspiracies in a way that really makes a lot of sense. I’m not saying it’s true necessarily, but Mike presents a lot of evidence that seems feasible. You gotta wonder.

By Mike Bara,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Ancient Aliens and Secret Societies as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Did ancient “visitors”—of extraterrestrial origin—come to Earth long, long ago and fashion man in their own image? Did they then lift the human race out of the ashes of a great global catastrophe around 10,500 BC? Were the science and secrets that they taught the ancients intended to be a guide for all humanity to the present era? Was this crucial information about our future and our true past hijacked by secretive cabals, some with bad intent and some with altruistic designs, who have held these secrets over the millennia? New York Times bestselling author Mike Bara says the answer…


Book cover of The Flying Saucers Are Real

Michael Brein Author Of The Road to Strange: UFOs, Aliens and High Strangeness

From my list on bringing you up to speed on the subject of UFOs.

Why am I passionate about this?

Dr. Michael Brein earned a Ph.D. in social psychology and titles himself a “UFOlogist” as well as “The Travel Psychologist.” For a time, he has been the State Director for Hawaii for the MUFON UFO research organization, the largest investigative group in the U.S. to investigate UFOs (or UAP). He was also appointed Ambassador-at-Large for MUFON. As such, Michael Brein publishes books in two noteworthy series: 1) The Road to Strange (important books on UFOs and the paranormal) and 2) True Travel Tales (books on the psychology of travel emphasizing safety and security).

Michael's book list on bringing you up to speed on the subject of UFOs

Michael Brein Why did Michael love this book?

This book provides an early history of the modern UFO era by a credible U.S. Military Officer. Read this book or another book you can find by Donald E. Keyhoe.

I recommend Major Donald E. Keyhoe’s book on flying saucers because of the personal passion he has exhibited for the subject, especially for the reality and importance of it. I recall viewing in a video showing how he was on TV telling viewers how important the subject of flying saucers was, while at the same time his TV broadcast was right then and there being censored off the air. Someone like Keyhoe… right in the act of being censored, well, I think, it doesn’t get more emotionally moving than that!

Major Kehoe investigated many of the earliest encounters allegedly between U.S. Air Force pilots and UFOs (so-called “flying saucers”). Keyhoe believed the Air Force was actively investigating these close encounters,…

By Donald Keyhoe,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Flying Saucers Are Real as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.


Book cover of The Hynek UFO Report: The Authoritative Account of the Project Blue Book Cover-Up

Michael Brein Author Of The Road to Strange: UFOs, Aliens and High Strangeness

From my list on bringing you up to speed on the subject of UFOs.

Why am I passionate about this?

Dr. Michael Brein earned a Ph.D. in social psychology and titles himself a “UFOlogist” as well as “The Travel Psychologist.” For a time, he has been the State Director for Hawaii for the MUFON UFO research organization, the largest investigative group in the U.S. to investigate UFOs (or UAP). He was also appointed Ambassador-at-Large for MUFON. As such, Michael Brein publishes books in two noteworthy series: 1) The Road to Strange (important books on UFOs and the paranormal) and 2) True Travel Tales (books on the psychology of travel emphasizing safety and security).

Michael's book list on bringing you up to speed on the subject of UFOs

Michael Brein Why did Michael love this book?

Dr. J. Allen Hynek was the official astronomy consultant to the U.S. Air Force’s Project Bluebook, ostensibly a project tasked with the legitimate study of and explanation of the early UFO cases in the modern UFO era (the 1940s onward). However, Dr. Hynek, a well-known scientist with a stellar reputation, became disenchanted with the Air Force’s penchant to explain away possibly legitimate UFO cases almost at any cost to the point of being, on some occasions, patently ludicrous. Fittingly, Dr. Hynek went on to become the "Father of Modern-day UFOlogy.”

From being the consummate eminent scientist who espoused the official Air Force line (and lie) that the flying saucers were all bunk to becoming the future “Father" of modern UFOlogy (flying saucers). Well, I think, you seriously need to stop for a moment and ponder the importance of that! My God! There really must be something to this, if this…

By J. Allen Hynek,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Hynek UFO Report as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The ultimate guide to Project Blue Book by one of the lead astronomers for the US Air Force program to investigate UFO sightings—and featured in History Channel’s Project Blue Book.

Originally released in 1977, this new edition by the world's foremost authority on UFOs distills 12,000 sightings and 140,000 pages of Project Blue Book evidence into a coherent explanation. A US Air Force–sponsored UFO-basher for years, Hynek had completely changed his tune by the late 1960s. Whether you believe in little green men or an official government cover-up policy, The Hynek UFO Report is required reading.

Have UFOs really been…


Book cover of The Interrupted Journey: Two Lost Hours Aboard a UFO: The Abduction of Betty and Barney Hill

Marc Hartzman Author Of We Are Not Alone: The Extraordinary History of UFOs and Aliens Invading Our Hopes, Fears, and Fantasies

From my list on UFOs to read whether you believe or not.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been fascinated by UFOs since I was a kid, but it wasn’t until I met a Martian in 2016 that I started writing about them. To be more specific, I stumbled across a bizarre 1926 article about a man in telepathic communication with a Martian named Oomaruru. I then delved deeper into the beliefs about intelligent Martians at that time. It led to my writing The Big Book of Mars, which touched on the UFO phenomena in the 1940s and ‘50s. But knowing there was so much more to explore, I began writing We Are Not Alone, which is now my 8th book. 

Marc's book list on UFOs to read whether you believe or not

Marc Hartzman Why did Marc love this book?

Fuller’s book captures the story of Betty and Barney Hill, who became the first nationally covered case of an alien abduction.

The book tells their tale and shares the hypnosis sessions they underwent to recall the many bizarre details of their experience. Fuller’s interviews with the Hills, along with the documented transcripts, make for a remarkable read. 

By John G. Fuller,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Interrupted Journey as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

TWO LOST HOURS ABOARD A UFO—THE ABDUCTION OF BETTY AND BARNEY HILL • One of the most extraordinary UFO tales of our time—a thrilling, otherworldly, and wildly entertaining adventure that enraptured America and stands as the quintessential extraterrestrial encounter

"True believers will see this as further evidence of the reality of UFOs" —The New York Times
 
On a summer night in 1961, Betty and Barney Hill were driving home through New Hampshire when a bright object appeared in the sky and began following them. When the couple finally pulled over to get a better look, the object vanished before their…


Book cover of Missing Time: A Documented Study of UFO Abductions

Michael Brein Author Of The Road to Strange: UFOs, Aliens and High Strangeness

From my list on bringing you up to speed on the subject of UFOs.

Why am I passionate about this?

Dr. Michael Brein earned a Ph.D. in social psychology and titles himself a “UFOlogist” as well as “The Travel Psychologist.” For a time, he has been the State Director for Hawaii for the MUFON UFO research organization, the largest investigative group in the U.S. to investigate UFOs (or UAP). He was also appointed Ambassador-at-Large for MUFON. As such, Michael Brein publishes books in two noteworthy series: 1) The Road to Strange (important books on UFOs and the paranormal) and 2) True Travel Tales (books on the psychology of travel emphasizing safety and security).

Michael's book list on bringing you up to speed on the subject of UFOs

Michael Brein Why did Michael love this book?

A classic study of Budd Hopkin’s thorough investigation using hypnosis as a tool in the study of nearly 2,000 people’s experiences of being subjected to so-called “alien abductions,” allegedly by aliens for hypothetically any of a variety of reasons ranging from medical evaluations of sorts to even possibly harvesting human fetuses! Budd Hopkins has been considered the father of modern alien abduction research. I knew Budd personally and respected him as a smart, thorough, and dedicated researcher.

So, if you believe the Betty and Barney Hill story so that at least their account most likely is true, what then can you conclude if you take the thousands of similar stories of UFO abduction researchers into account—thousands of them! If but one UFO abduction story is true—and there is little escaping the likelihood that Betty and Barney Hill’s story is true— what then must you think of Budd Hopkins’ (and the…

By Budd Hopkins,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Missing Time as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Originally published in 1981, this pioneering work by Budd Hopkins was the first focused study of an enigma that would come to captivate the world and challenge our understanding of the universe. The influence of "Missing Time" was such that its title is now deeply embedded into the lexicon of UFO studies—synonymous with that most controversial and troubling of topics: alien abduction.

At the time of its writing, Hopkins could not have predicted the impact of "Missing Time," not only within UFOlogy, but in popular culture worldwide. The facts, stories, and theories presented herein laid the foundation for the first…


Book cover of The White Sands Incident: An Extraterrestrial Statement

Marc Hartzman Author Of We Are Not Alone: The Extraordinary History of UFOs and Aliens Invading Our Hopes, Fears, and Fantasies

From my list on UFOs to read whether you believe or not.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been fascinated by UFOs since I was a kid, but it wasn’t until I met a Martian in 2016 that I started writing about them. To be more specific, I stumbled across a bizarre 1926 article about a man in telepathic communication with a Martian named Oomaruru. I then delved deeper into the beliefs about intelligent Martians at that time. It led to my writing The Big Book of Mars, which touched on the UFO phenomena in the 1940s and ‘50s. But knowing there was so much more to explore, I began writing We Are Not Alone, which is now my 8th book. 

Marc's book list on UFOs to read whether you believe or not

Marc Hartzman Why did Marc love this book?

This was the first 1950s “contactee” book I read while researching my book. And it’s a fun one.

Contactees were a group of people in the fifties and sixties claiming to have been in contact with aliens—usually Venusians. Fry gives his account of stumbling upon a flying saucer in New Mexico in 1950 and flying to New York and back in 30 minutes. He flew alone, guided remotely from an alien far above.

In his conversations with the extraterrestrial being, he learned that they were visiting our planet to warn us about the dangers of the atomic age and the possible destruction of earth. It’s entertaining, and regardless of your beliefs, the alien makes a fair point.

By Daniel Fry, Rolf Telano,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The White Sands Incident as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Dr. Daniel Fry, an engineer at White Sands Proving Ground near Las Cruces, New Mexico, is whisked away on a 8,000 mile UFO ride from White Sands to New York City and back. Thus begins his instruction by the extraterrestrial A-lan who wants everyone in this world to understand the truth about our existence and how we can spiritually profit from the beneficence of extraterrestrial contact.


Book cover of Intimate Alien: The Hidden Story of the UFO

Marc Hartzman Author Of We Are Not Alone: The Extraordinary History of UFOs and Aliens Invading Our Hopes, Fears, and Fantasies

From my list on UFOs to read whether you believe or not.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been fascinated by UFOs since I was a kid, but it wasn’t until I met a Martian in 2016 that I started writing about them. To be more specific, I stumbled across a bizarre 1926 article about a man in telepathic communication with a Martian named Oomaruru. I then delved deeper into the beliefs about intelligent Martians at that time. It led to my writing The Big Book of Mars, which touched on the UFO phenomena in the 1940s and ‘50s. But knowing there was so much more to explore, I began writing We Are Not Alone, which is now my 8th book. 

Marc's book list on UFOs to read whether you believe or not

Marc Hartzman Why did Marc love this book?

David Halperin is a Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. And an ex-teenage ufologist.

I spoke with him during my research for my book about possible Biblical references to UFOs and aliens. He offers a scholarly perspective on the subject, which you can read much more about in Intimate Alien. The book also follows his personal journey through the subject matter, which began in his youth, and offers fascinating thoughts and insights on this truly unusual phenomenon.

By David J. Halperin,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Intimate Alien as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A voyage of exploration to the outer reaches of our inner lives.

UFOs are a myth, says David J. Halperin-but myths are real. The power and fascination of the UFO has nothing to do with space travel or life on other planets. It's about us, our longings and terrors, and especially the greatest terror of all: the end of our existence. This is a book about UFOs that goes beyond believing in them or debunking them and to a fresh understanding of what they tell us about ourselves as individuals, as a culture, and as a species.

In the 1960s,…


Book cover of Forbidden Archeology
Book cover of The Ancient Alien Question
Book cover of The Day After Roswell

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