Conspiracy Files: Real-Life Stories of Paranoia, Secrecy, and Intrigue

by David Southwell and Sean Twist

Book Overview

Brace yourself for 100 of the strangest, most persistent, and bizarre conspiracy theories you will ever read. These are eerie stories concerning tragedies such as Pearl Harbor and SARS, and dark... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0517224461
• ISBN13: 9780517224465
• Release Date: August 2004
• Publisher: Gramercy Books
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 2.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 9.4" x 11.2"

Customer Reviews

It's good on conspiracy theory. But it's not what I was thinking.

I was thinking more along the lines of it making you think about them. Not there "thoughts" on it

Bang up to date, bang on the money

If you enjoy conspiracy theories, this book is for you. It is one of the most entertaining, razorblade sharp and easy-to-read, general books on the subject that has ever been published. Whilst some of the photographic material is pretty standard, there are some incredible shots in this book that I'd never come across before - even in five years looking into some of my favourite theories on the net. One of the great things about this is that it covers modern hot topics such as the murder of David Kelly (on that case it includes some amazing new material) and what the second war in Iraq/911 is really about. Probably the best book to give to someone fairly new to the real stories behind the news, there is something for everyone in this book. If you are a sceptic about conspiracy theories, you will probably enjoy the acid, dark and often sarcastic humour the writers bring to the topics they cover, but if you are a conspiracy nut like me you'll enjoy a lot of the new twists that they have put into print. One of the author's - David Southwell - is the subject of a lot of gossip in certain conspiracy circles after it emerged in a front-page Sunday Time's story that he worked with MI5 on terrorist issues. Amongst all the crazy stuff on aliens and Elvis, there are traces of a lot of inside knowledge about the world we aren't meant to know about. My only gripes are that it could have done with some better editing in places and that the authors drop hints o things they were obviously afraid to publish (though they get away with exposing some amazing truths). All in all, the most fun conspiracy book I've ever read.

The type of book Bill Hicks would have written

Wow. An easy five-star book. This is the conspiracy book that really stands out from all the rest of the bloated tomes clogging up the shelves. A fantastic, fun format is combined with real savvy write ups on not only the usual conspiracies, but some of the more unknown but lot more interesting ones. Well written, there is lots of insight into the world - how the government really works, how the media really works and how all the secret agenda shape our lives. A lot of books that make you question authority are really po-faced, but there's some great humor in here and it's no surprise that this book is dedicated to Bill Hicks - it is exactly the type of conspiracy book he might have written. Great looking with some amazing pictures, this is the book. One of the best I've read on this topic and certainly the funniest but genuinely scary book I've ever come across.

One of the best books ever on conspiracy theory

I dont agree with the previous reviewers opinion, and especially dislike him calling these writers names. One attacks the argument not the man. Having said that let me say that this book gives a huge compilation of some of the deepest and most disturbing conspiracy theories Ive ever read. The entries are everything to who really killed Bruce Lee to subliminal messages. The authors give the background to the particular conspiracy with most mysterious fact, strongest evidence and skeptical arguments against the theory among other viewpoints. I found the layout of this book original and refreshing in presenting the various theories. What I found particularly disturbing was the conspiracy theory on Hitler. He has known links to a satanic group: the thule society. This was an offshoot of the Knights Templar which also had links to Satanism. A good book explaining all this is the History of witchcraft and demonology by Montague Summers among his other works. An old saying has it that where theres smoke theres fire. This book has some intresting claims and the authors have done an excellent job.

It's A Mad Planet

I used to think everyone who writes about conspiracy theories was too nuts to do the subject justice, but these guys do the impossible - write an thought-provoking, well-research, ... near cultural book on the subject that is also jaw damaging funny. They know it's a mad planet and they find the humour in it. They also know that the best way to get someone thinking is to tell them the truth delivered with a punchline. I learnt a lot of history, had a lot of fun and can't wait for them to do the dirt again.