The UFO People
The UFO People: A Curious Culture
MJ Banias
We are haunted by UFOs. They drift in and out of our culture in movies
and on television, on billboards and in books. They are everywhere. However,
for one small community, they are much more than the fodder of science fiction
storytelling – they alter the entire fabric of reality.
Part narrative journey and part cultural study, ‘The UFO People’ is a
challenge to the UFO subculture and the broader public to recognize that UFOs,
and the people who study them, challenge societal norms, institutions, and the
many ideologies we assume to be true. This book tells the stories of UFO
witnesses and experiencers of the paranormal, and ties in interviews and
research of some of the most famous and infamous names in the UFO subculture.
With critical questions that touch on history, gender, race, culture and
philosophy, this book questions the very nature of UFOs and the people who
study them. It delves into the reality that the UFO phenomenon, real or not,
abandons us to a ghostly realm where nothing should be taken for granted.
Take a journey into a curious culture and meet individuals who have
been forever changed by the impossible. Meet the UFO people.
FEATURING CONTRIBUTIONS FROM ALLISON JORNLIN, PAUL DEAN, BARRY GREENWOOD, AND A.J. McCORMICK
Praise for The UFO People
“An alluring and captivating exploration not so much of the UFO
phenomenon as the people who become obsessed with it. Banias identifies that
UFO phenomena are so many things that the word “UFO” is practically
meaningless, while also revealing that the “believers” and scientists who study
these phenomena are as interesting as the phenomena themselves. For anyone interested in social history, UFOs, or just looking for an
engaging read, this is their book.”
--Diana Walsh Pasulka
Professor, University of North Carolina Wilmington
Chair, Department of Philosophy and Religion
Author, American Cosmic: UFOs, Religion, Technology
“MJ Banias brings a different look at ufology and ufologists, covering
the waterfront from his personal investigation of UFO cases to his conversations
with some of the most controversial figures in the field. But beyond that, he
calls on his background in philosophy to ask deep questions about the UFO
phenomenon and the UFO community itself, wondering if the marginalized “ghosts”
of aliens and paranormal denizens are any more or less “real” than other
beliefs in modern society, deconstructing what we know, don’t know, and think
we know about UFOs.”
--Chris Rutkowski
Science writer and Fortean scholar,
author of ten books on eclectic phenomena
and co-author of 'When They Appeared'
author of ten books on eclectic phenomena
and co-author of 'When They Appeared'
About the author
MJ Banias is an educator and writer. His popular blog, Terra Obscura,
critically examines how philosophy and culture affect society’s understanding
of anomalous phenomena, including UFOs. He has been interviewed on many
podcasts and radio shows. His work has been featured in Fortean Times Magazine,
FATE Magazine and in the book UFOs: Reframing the Debate (White Crow Books). He
is a regular contributor to the website, Mysterious Universe and hosts his own
YouTube channel. He lives in Canada with his wife, two children, and a massive
cat.
Publisher: August Night Press
Published April 2019
202 pages
Size: 229 x 152 mm