THE BASEMENT BACK IN TIME: “The Official Guide to UFOs”
It actually surprises me at how many interests from my childhood have stayed with me into adulthood. Though some may have come back after years of reflection, many have stayed with me from the beginning. UFOs (or UAPs as they are now called) have always been a fascination for me and growing up I read all of the books and magazines on the subject that I could find. Though UFO magazines seem to be a thing of the past, I continue to this day reading every book that I can get my hands on.
I fondly remember reading UFO magazines in the 70s and 80s and recently have been looking into getting some of these again in back issues. I do remember that there were many titles available. Some were completely serious and others took a more sensationalist view on this subject. Regardless, I enjoyed all of them. In a recent eBay purchase for UFO magazines, a freebie was sent that I was just blown away by. It was “The Official Guide to UFOs” published in 1968 by Science & Mechanics Publishing Co.
One of the scarcer and more serious UFO magazine, “The Official Guide to UFOs” discusses theories of how UFOs fly, scientific study, and UFOs in history and myth going back to 1239 A.D. Plus, it has “an illustrated dictionary of UFO sightings — taken directly from ‘Project Blue Book’ — U.S. Air Force.” It describes the 12 most mysterious sightings of the 60’s, the Ithaca incident, and Wanaque, NJ encounter.
I found this to be a sound read, even after all of these years. The information is accurate and it is thankfully presented in a tongue-in-cheek way. Even though this magazine is 54 years old, it is a great introduction to the subject, even to people just becoming interested in UFO topic. It’s is nice to see that information from so long ago is still valid today.
What else is fun about these old publications are the ads. Ads were always one of my favorite things in old comic books and magazines. Ads are such a step back in time, showing what was popular at the time. Ahhhh, to have some of these things now. If you are interested in UFOs, this magazine is a must-have addition to every UFO library. I am so glad I received it as I did.
Don’t forget to read other entries in my BASEMENT BACK IN TIME series!
~David Albaugh
