Shockingly Close to the Truth : Confessions of a Grave-Robbing Ufologist

By James W. Moseley and Karl T. Pflock

This amusing, revealing, and entertaining romp through the confused and controversial history of the UFO craze is a must for believers and skeptics alike. Shockingly Close to the Truth is the first and only comprehensive tell-all history of ufology from two men who have been at the center of this cultlike movement for close to half a century. James W. Moseley conveys the fun he has had over the years pursuing tall tales and purported evidence of visitors from outer space. As the creator of the newsletter Saucer Smear--the source on the follies, foibles, fads, and feuds of ufology--Moseley has the inside scoop on the amazing world of serious UFO sleuths and wigged-out "saucer fiends." His co-author, Karl T. Pflock, has been tracking reports of unidentified flying objects for close to half a century and has written the most thorough investigation of the Roswell incident ever done.For Moseley it all began as a lark in 1953 when he drove across country and interviewed almost 100 UFO experts and eyewitnesses, including former president Harry S Truman. After all these years, his account of this journey is here published for the first time, a goldmine for anyone interested in modern social and "ufological" history. He also talks candidly about his encounters with and assessments of leading UFO personalities, including Budd Hopkins, George Adamski, J. Allen Hynek, and many others. In addition, he reveals the whole truth behind the infamous Straith letter hoax, the real origins of the Men in Black, and the true story of George Adamski's alleged 1952 encounter with "a man from Venus." Along the way he recounts his incredible adventures as a grave robber of pre-Columbian artifacts in Peru (Move over Indiana Jones ), to which there is also a bizarre UFO connection. Complementing the exuberant narrative are many original photos of famous persons and events from Moseley's private collection, plus facsimile reproductions of the Straith letter and the complete October 1957 special Adamski expose issue of Smear's predecessor, Saucer News. A feast for UFO buffs this book will also interest students of popular culture, social trends, and the psychology of belief.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1573929913
• ISBN13: 9781573929912
• Release Date: July 2002
• Publisher: Prometheus Books
• Length: 376 Pages
• Weight: 1.54 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.2" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Fun and Informative

As one who has read tons of UFO books, with a skeptical mind, I loved this book. It is a humorous and detailed look at the history of the UFO movement in the USA, by a man who has met with the principals, and knows them well. It was ingrossing, and now I am reading every back issue of Saucer Smear, a monthly newsletter put out by Moseley. Tons of fun, and educational too. Roswell believers need not bother.

Behind the scene look at 'ufoology'

This book is really helpful, it fills lots of gaps in my UFO knowledge... I'm only 20, but now I have a better understanding of what it was like back then, and how some of today's myths (or myth if you prefer) originated.

Saucerdom From The Inside

With Shockingly Close to the Truth, James W. Moseley, publisher of the long-running 'zine, Saucer Smear, has finally given us his long-awaited insider's look at America's flying saucer/UFO subculture. From the nineteen- fifties until the present day, Moseley and his co-author, researcher Karl T. Pflock, have met a virtual Who's Who of saucerdom. From famed contactee George Adamski to obscurities like Andy "The Mystic Barber"...

Shockingly Familiar

Full disclosure: The "Esteemed Coauthor" of this book is a friend of mine. However, I would have purchased and read this book anyway, because it fills in the gaps of my experience with "ufoology." I was a latecomer to the UFO field, having become interested in the subject in 1977 and actively involved soon thereafter. Somehow I managed to escape the more tawdry aspects of the subject and its personalities through the 1950s,...

The truth is in here!

No doubt the True Believers in ufology will be upset by this book! Everybody else---from the hardcore skeptics to people like me who believe "something" is going, even if UFOs aren't spaceships from another planet---will love this hysterically funny history of ufology and its personalities. Moseley and Pflock are at their best when skewering the pathetic gullibility of True Believers from Adamski's followers in the 1950s to...