Some Provocative 2003 Books

December 14, 2003 Here is a sampling of some 2003 books that inspire exploration of earth mysteries and other realities. Each of the book titles is linked to a distributor. Just click to connect.


The Book:  Hidden Meanings: A Study of the Founding Symbols of Civilization

The mythology of the African Dogon tribe of Mali – which had detailed knowledge from some unknown source about the binary star system Sirius A and B – describes how their one true god, Amma, created all of the matter of the universe. But the system defined by these tribal myths, Laird Scranton postulates, bears a striking resemblance to the actual scientific structure of matter, starting with the atom and continuing all the way down to the vibrating threads of string theory. Moreover, many of the Dogon words, symbols and rituals used to describe this structure are a close match for those found in the myths of ancient Egypt and in the daily rituals of Judaism.

Hidden Meanings presents a side-by-side comparison of Dogon descriptions and drawings with matching scientific diagrams and definitions from astrophysicists such as Stephen Hawking and Brian Greene, then traces these symbols to their ancient Egyptian and Judaic counterparts. What is ultimately revealed is a scientific basis for the
Egyptian hieroglyphic language – perhaps deliberately encoded more than 5000 years ago, and hidden from all but the most knowledgeable Egyptian priests. Along the way, it presents compelling new explanations for many of the most familiar Egyptian symbols, such as the pyramid, the benben stone, and the scarab, along with new derivations for words used in Judaism and Christianity, such as Adonai, Yahweh/Jehovah, and even the origin of the name Satan.

The Author:  Laird Scranton”By profession, I am a software consultant who specializes in writing custom computer programs for businesses. What this means in terms of my daily job is that I am paid to interpret, understand and maintain old computer programs and to design and write new programs for a wide variety of companies. The professional skill set which I have acquired while performing my job may seem distantly removed from the study of ancient religious symbols, since my job is sometimes a highly technical one and ancient religions would appear by definition to be inherently primitive. In fact, if you believe that the stories and symbols of the most ancient religions evolved without intentional design over many hundreds or thousands of years, then it is debatable whether my professional skills would have any bearing at all on the subject. On the other hand, if you imagine for a moment that any given religious symbol such as a character that forms a hieroglyphic word were specifically chose to represent its meaning, then my software design skills start to come into play. The reason is that one of the most common tasks while writing a computer program involves the deliberate selection of symbols to represent concepts.”

The Book:  Human Devolution: A Vedic Alternative to Darwin’s Theory

In their controversial bestseller Forbidden Archeology, Michael A. Cremo and Richard L. Thompson documented evidence showing that humans – or some kind of humanoid – have existed on earth for hundreds of millions of years. Such anomalous evidence, contradicting Darwinian evolution, catalyzed a global inquiry: “If we did not evolve from apes, then where did we come from?”

Human Devolution is Michael A. Cremo’s definitive answer to that question: “We did not evolve up from matter; instead, we devolved, or came down, from the realm of pure consciousness, spirit.” Basing his response on modern science and the world’s great wisdom traditions, including the Vedic philosophy of ancient India, Cremo proposes that before we ask the question, “Where did human beings come from?” we should first contemplate, “What is a human being?”

For much of the 20th century, most scientists assumed that a human being is simply a combination of ordinary physical elements. In Human Devolution, Cremo says it is more reasonable to assume that a human being is a combination of three distinct substances: matter, mind and consciousness (or spirit). He shows how solid scientific evidence for a subtle mind element and a conscious self that can exist apart from the body have been systematically eliminated from mainstream science by a process of knowledge filtration.

The Author: Michael A. CremoCremo is a research associate of the Bhaktivedanta Institute, specializing in the history and philosophy of science. He is a member of the World Archeological Congress, the European Association of Archeologists, the History of Science Society and the Philosophy of Science Association.

“I am not unhappy that Human Devolution appeared after Forbidden Archeology rather than along with it. Before presenting an alternative to the Darwinian concept of human origins, it is reasonable to show that one is really necessary. I have therefore welcomed the chance to introduce to scientists and other scholars the evidence in Forbidden Archeology before moving on to systematically presenting an alternative. After hearing the Forbidden Archeology presentations, many ask, “If we did not evolve from the apes, then what alternative explanation do you propose?” To them, I reply, ‘Do you admit a new explanation is required? If not, I have more work to do in showing that one is required. And if you do admit that a new explanation is really required, then it is not just my responsibility to come up with a new explanation. It is also your responsibility. We should all be thinking about this.'”

The Book:  Lost Secrets of the Sacred Ark, Amazing Revelations of the Incredible Power of Gold

The sacred Ark of the Covenant, created from a legendary substance, is the source of one of the deepest mysteries of the Western world. No reason is given in the Bible as to why the Ark of the Covenant was so richly contrived, and no explanation exists of its alleged awesome and deadly powers. What was the Ark of the Covenant? Where is it today? By accessing Rosicrucian archives in liaison with eminent nuclear physicist, Laurence Gardner reveals how this lost secret of the distant past has led to the phenomenal new science of space-time manipulation.

The Egyptian Book of the Dead refers to a mysterious parallel dimension of space-time associated with a magical powder of projection. Quantum physicists have now discovered this powder to be superconductive monatomic gold. This amazing substance was the secret of the pharaohs’ rite of passage to the Afterlife, and was directly associated with the pyramids and the biblical Ark of the Covenant. In Alexandria it became known as the Philosopher’s Stone, while in today’s corridors of quantum mechanics, its attributes are classified as ‘the most remarkable physical property in the universe’ (exotic matter).

From the tombs of pharaonic Egypt, to the laboratories of modern science, comes this extraordinary account of gravity defiance and teleportation in the ancient world and amazing revelations about the past power and future significance of the sacred Ark.

The Author:  Sir Laurence GardnerLaurence Gardner, a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, is a constitutional historian, lecturer and broadcaster. Distinguished as the Chevalier de St. Germain, he is attached to the European Council of Princes (a constitutional advisory body established in 1946) as the Jacobite Historiographer Royal. In the artistic domain, he has been Conservation Consultant to the Fine Art Trade Guild, and in the world of music, his libretto compositions have been performed at London’s Royal Opera House. A Knight Templar of St. Anthony and Prior of the Sacred Kindred of St. Columba, he is also the internationally best-selling author of Bloodline of the Holy Grail, Realm of the Ring Lords and Genesis of the Grail Kings.

“It is clear from the documentary evidence of ancient times that the attributes of superconductors and gravity defiance were known then, if not understood, in a distant world of priestly levitation, godly communication, and the phenomenal power of the electrikus. In Greek mythology the quest for the secret of this (white gold) substance was at the heart of the Golden Fleece legend, while in biblical terms it was the mystical realm of the Ark of the Covenant – the golden coffer which Moses brought out of Sinai, and was later housed in the Temple of Jerusalem.”

The Book:  Swirled Harvest, Views from the Crop Circle Frontline

Swirled Harvest is a collection of essays and pieces written over an eleven year period ­ a valuable glimpse into the crop circle culture and how those within it view the world outside. It provides an informative, entertaining and important document of the ins and outs of researching the crop mystery.

The Author:  Andy ThomasAndy Thomas was born and raised in southeast England at Lewes, East Sussex, an area where he still lives and works. He was a founding member of the Southern Circular Research group (SCR), which investigates crop formations. Andy is now Editor of the crop formation news and editorial website, http://www.swirlednews.com. Andy has written four other books: Fields of Mystery: The Crop Circle Phenomenon in Sussex (1996); co-wrote with Paul Bura Quest for Contact: A True Story of Crop Circles, Psychics and UFOs (1997); Vital Signs: A Complete Guide to the Crop Circle Mystery and Why It Is NOT a Hoax (1998 and updated in 2002); A Oneness of Mind (2003).

Concerning this new book, I interviewed Andy Thomas on September 15, 2003, and asked him to discuss one of the chapters in the book about small lights making a crop formation on videotape:

“AFTER YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN CROP CIRCLE RESEARCH FOR ELEVEN YEARS, ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING SUBJECTS LISTED IN YOUR BOOK IS THE OLIVER’S CASTLE VIDEOTAPE ALLEGEDLY OF LIGHTS CREATING THE 6-FOLD GEOMETRY. COULD YOU DESCRIBE THE CONTROVERSY?

The piece in Swirled Harvest, I think what is valuable about it is that it was written only about three months after that piece of video that purports to show a formation appearing (in the presence of balls of light). So, the article in Swirled Harvest is very good, raw description of what was happening at the time. Who said what, and who did what. We originally published that in our old journal, SC, which is now defunct, and nobody ever challenged it.

Here we are all these years later and still no one has decided whether the video is genuine or not. I think the same arguments that were being put forward for and against back in 1996 still stand today. We’re not really any further forward with it than we were back then, which in itself says something about the whole intrigue that surrounded this video.

THE GUY WHO TOOK THAT VIDEO, I BELIEVE HIS NAME WAS JOHN WABE?

Well, even that is not definite. At the time, the chap’s name was supposed to be John Wayleigh under a number of possible spellings. Then somebody tracked down a John Wabe who they thought might be one and the same person. But you know, that was never firmly established. A Japanese television crew tracked down a chap they thought was him and went to his work place which was supposedly a video editing place in Bristol. Then they chased him across a car park and the chap refused to be interviewed. This was offered as proof that he was obviously a faker and had faked this piece of video. There has been talk of a confession video with this John Wabe or Wayleigh sitting there telling the world that, ‘Yes, I faked it,’ and here’s why. But nobody in the public domain has ever seen this video (of the alleged confession.)

IS IT A FACT THAT PETER SORENSEN AND COLLIN ANDREWS ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO TALKED WITH THE VIDEOTAPER?

That I wouldn’t like to say for sure. I think a few other people did speak with him because on the night this video was first shown at the Barge Inn (Alton Barnes, Wiltshire), this Wayleigh chap ­ as he called himself then ­ did turn up at the pub in the evening and showed this video (in his camera) to a group (5 or 6 people) of people who were at the bar. But after two or three months, this chap vanished from view and was never found again. Depending on whether you believe Wabe is Wayleigh, this is where it starts to get very confused.

The way I look at it is this: my book doesn’t say whether it’s genuine or not. But I’m very interested in looking at the possibility of the video, the implications if it were faked, the implications if it is genuine. I think in all the rush to condemn the video as a piece of fakery, a lot of people didn’t stop to consider: what if it were genuine? Or, what if it isn’t the genuine thing? Then a genuine video of a crop circle appearing does come along, will that be treated any differently? I have a horrible suspicion it wouldn’t be. I think unless a crop circle is videotaped in the making like in front of multiple witnesses, I think there would always be this doubt and intrigue and claims it was special effects. So, it’s interesting that since 1996, no body has ever come forward with another video purporting to show this happening. And yet, all the debunkers of the Olivers Castle video at the time said, ‘Oh, it would be very easy to fake this footage. Anybody could do it with any computer.’

Well, that’s plainly not the case because no one else has come forward and claimed that they have produced a similar piece of footage. There was a U.K. movie that was made a few years back (although it’s never been officially released as a film) called, A Place to Stay about crop circles. The end of the story has a crop circle that appears in the field. It’s interesting to note there that with all the facilities at their fingertips, the filmmakers don’t show a lovely sweeping shot of the formation appearing like you get in the Oliver’s Castle video. It’s all kind of done cheaply with cameras swishing through the crop.

So, again, you say, ‘If this was so easy to fake like everybody said it was, why haven’t we seen lots of other people having a go at a similar piece of footage?’ I think that is something worth considering.”

The Book:  Connecting the Dots … Making Sense of the UFO Phenomenon

Connecting the Dots includes twenty-five personal interviews with researchers of the non-human phenomenon, including U. S. Army Lt. Col. Philip Corso’s own alleged encounter with an entity and the Vatican’s preparation for ET contact. Paola says, “We are not now, nor have we ever been, alone” in the cosmos.

The Author:  Paola Leopizzi Harris received from Centro Ufologico International a best researcher award for Connecting the Dots at the CUI conference in Rovigo, Italy, October 2003. Paola received her Masters of Arts degree in Curriculum Development, Education, from Leslie College in Boston, Massachusetts in 1991 and teaches history and photojournalism at American Overseas of Rome, Inc., in Rome, Italy. Paola has written for Nexus, UFO Magazine, Notizario UFO and Dossier Alieni. From 1980-1986, she assisted Dr. J. Allen Hynek with his UFO investigations. Then she evolved into interviewing experiencers and most recently she has been exploring the psychic connections to the UFO phenomenon. See her website: http://utenti.lycos.it/paolaharris

Concerning her book, I interviewed Paola Harris on August 23, 2003, and asked what had provoked her most to write this book:

“It isn’t until I worked with Lt. Col. Philip J. Corso in 1997 that I began putting together the dots and began seeing a worldwide picture and I began getting exposed to all these researchers who had been working for years ­ all of them in my book.

COL. CORSO CAME IN FOR SUCH ATTACK BY MEDIA AND OTHERS AFTER HIS JULY 1997 BOOK, THE DAY AFTER ROSWELL, WAS RELEASED. I KNOW THAT YOU HOSTED HIM IN ITALY. WHAT CONVINCED YOU THAT HE WAS TELLING THE TRUTH?

We have to look at the person himself. Col. Corso was head of intelligence in Italy in Rome from 1944 to 1947. As an aside, when he came to Rome, I dragged the poor man to where his office was and to where he lodged at the Ambassadorio Hotel. I did extensive research on it because I believed the details he was telling about what he did and was, but I personally was curious. The Ambassadorio Hotel has since been remodeled, but when he walked in, he told me where everything was and I called one of the gentlemen who had been there in 1944 and he verified Corso’s story. And he worked under President Eisenhower and President Kennedy.

It’s very rare to have a background like this and write such a revealing book about extraterrestrials and their technologies! Why would a witness who had this kind of background lie? I was on a radio show just the other day (Hickman Report) and one woman called in and said she had worked with Corso and she said he was appalled by how he was treated in this country.

So why were he and his book attacked so badly? Books in competition. Corso’s book was 17th on the New York Times best seller list, so it sold a lot of copies. Therefore, I think who is doing the debunking and criticizing are jealous fellow researchers.”


© 1998 - 2024 by Linda Moulton Howe.
All Rights Reserved.