# Conspiracy Theory and/or Unexplained Phenonmana Books
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theory-and-or-unexplained-phenonmana-books/513618
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [October 13, 2009, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theory-and-or-unexplained-phenonmana-books/513618 "2009-10-13T02:54:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2009, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theory-and-or-unexplained-phenonmana-books/513618/1 "2009-10-13T02:54:32Z")
What are some books on conspiracy theories (esp the major ones) and unexplained phenomena? Would like both proponents and refuters of theories.
---
### Author:  [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2009, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theory-and-or-unexplained-phenonmana-books/513618/2 "2009-10-13T03:05:07Z")
While I am not generally a fan of the woo-woo, I really liked “Alien Agenda” by Jim Marrs. It was entertaining and raises some good questions. A fun read, a book that is well worth checking out…
---
### Author:  [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2009, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theory-and-or-unexplained-phenonmana-books/513618/3 "2009-10-13T03:19:14Z")
The [Fortean Times](http://www.forteantimes.com/).
---
### Author:  [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2009, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theory-and-or-unexplained-phenonmana-books/513618/4 "2009-10-13T04:00:16Z")
Umberto Eco’s “Foucaults Pendelum” is pretty much a satire on conspiracy theory books. Basic plot: After seeing the number of conspiracy crazies, three editors begin to invent their own conspiracy thoery. After a while, they begin to become more and more obessed with it, and the real conspiracy nuts begin to wonder just how they seem to know so much.
Very complex at points, but worth it.
---
### Author:  [@audit1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audit1)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2009, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theory-and-or-unexplained-phenonmana-books/513618/5 "2009-10-13T04:05:13Z")
a good start i found was CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND SECRET SOCIETIES FOR DUMMIES (seriously)
---
### Author:  [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2009, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theory-and-or-unexplained-phenonmana-books/513618/6 "2009-10-13T14:27:47Z")
Books I personally enjoy & even agree with to some extent…
Conspiracies-
(All but the last are JBS-authored or recommended)
John Stormer’s NONE DARE CALL IT TREASON
Gary Allen’s NONE DARE CALL IT CONSPIRACY
John McManus’ THE INSIDERS
John McManus’ OVERVIEW OF OUR WORLD
Cleon Skousen’s THE NAKED CAPITALIST
Rose L. Martin’s FABIAN FREEWAY
Terry Melanson’s PERFECTIBILISTS: The 18th Century Bavarian Order of the Illuminati
Paranormal-
Colin Wilson’s THE OCCULT
Brad Steiger’s MYSTERIES OF TIME AND SPACE
- ATLANTIS RISING
- REVELATION: The Divine Fire
John Keel’s THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES
- OUR HAUNTED PLANET
- UFOs: OPERATION TROJAN HORSE
Robert Anton Wilson’s COSMIC TRIGGER: The Final Secret of the Illuminati
Frank Edwards’ STRANGE series
---
### Author:  [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2009, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theory-and-or-unexplained-phenonmana-books/513618/7 "2009-10-13T15:39:44Z")
For refuters, there’s quite a large collection available through **Prometheus Books+** and **Skeptical Inquirer**
[http://www.prometheusbooks.com/](http://www.prometheusbooks.com/)
> **[Archive | Skeptical Inquirer](https://skepticalinquirer.org/archive/)**
I’ve found the books by Martin Gardner, Joe Nickell, the departed Donald Menzel and Phillip Klass (both on UFOs), Robert Schaeffer (on UFOs), and James Randi very helpful.
Bergen Evans, the proto-Cecil, wrote **A Natural History of Nonsense** and **On the Spoor of Spooks** , both excellent and humorous debunking books.
On Carlos Castaneda, see Richard de Mille.
Lawrence David Kusche literally wrote the book debunking the Bermuda Triangle, and did several articles on it.
L. Sprague de Camp, Willy Ley, and other writers for the pulps did lots of good debunking articles as well.
Harry Houdini’s books – **A Magician Among the Spirits** and **Miracle Mongers and their Methods** are very good.
C.E.M. Hansel wrote excellent stuff debunking ESP and other psi-power effects.
---
### Author:  [@unwashed\_brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unwashed_brain)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theory-and-or-unexplained-phenonmana-books/513618/8 "2009-10-13T15:42:34Z")
Robert Anton Wilson had a deep love for conspiracy theories. You’ll want to start off with the **Illuminatus! Trilogy** and move into some of his non-fiction works. He also has published an encyclopedia of sorts called “Everything’s Under Control: Conspiracies, Cults, and Cover-ups.”
---
### Author:  [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theory-and-or-unexplained-phenonmana-books/513618/9 "2009-10-13T16:15:07Z")
Anything by David Icke, if you like your conspiracy theories infused with a healthy dose of CRAZY.
Also, “Them” and “The Men Who Stare At Goats” by Jon Ronson are similar to what you’re looking for.
---
### Author:  [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2009, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theory-and-or-unexplained-phenonmana-books/513618/10 "2009-10-13T19:17:09Z")
Don DeLillo’s _Libra_ is an exceptional book, about the JFK assassination. It’s a fictionalisation of what may have occurred, but it’s not written to establish any particular point of view, it just uses the event to power a novel about that time in US history.
---
### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2009, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theory-and-or-unexplained-phenonmana-books/513618/11 "2009-10-13T21:24:46Z")
_The Rough Guide to Conspiracy Theories_ is good. There’s two volumes.
_The Big Book of Conspiracies_ by Doug Moench is also good if you’re willing to accept the comic book format.
_The 80 Greatest Conspiracies Of All Time_ by Jonathan Vankin and John Whalen started out as the 50 Greatest Conspiracies Of All Time. Then they went to 60, then 70. They’re about due for a new book; I don’t know if it’ll be 90 or if they’ll jamp ahead to 100.
_Everything You Know Is Wrong: The Disinformation Guide to Secrets and Lies_ by Russ Kick. You might find it interesting in a “know the enemy” sense. Kick is a left-winger who distrusts everything on the right and has written several books about it.
---
### Author:  [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2009, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theory-and-or-unexplained-phenonmana-books/513618/12 "2009-10-14T01:36:31Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> _The Rough Guide to Conspiracy Theories_ is good. There’s two volumes.
Excuse but isn’t the new volume the updated version of the old one?
---
### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2009, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theory-and-or-unexplained-phenonmana-books/513618/13 "2009-10-14T01:49:11Z")
[_Conspiracy: How the Paranoid Style Fluorishes and Where It Comes From,_](http://www.amazon.com/Conspiracy-Paranoid-Style-Flourishes-Where/dp/0684871114/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255484528&sr=1-2) by Daniel Pipes, is a good fnord historical guide.
---
### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2009, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theory-and-or-unexplained-phenonmana-books/513618/14 "2009-10-14T01:58:37Z")
[Fascinating review](http://www.johnreilly.info/acoc.htm) of [_A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America,_](http://www.amazon.com/Culture-Conspiracy-Apocalyptic-Contemporary-Comparative/dp/0520248120/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255485323&sr=1-1) by Michael Barkun.
---
### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2009, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theory-and-or-unexplained-phenonmana-books/513618/15 "2009-10-14T02:04:45Z")
> [@unwashed\_brain](#):
>
> Robert Anton Wilson had a deep love for conspiracy theories. You’ll want to start off with the **Illuminatus! Trilogy** and move into some of his non-fiction works. He also has published an encyclopedia of sorts called “Everything’s Under Control: Conspiracies, Cults, and Cover-ups.”
And check out his [website!](http://www.rawilson.com/home.html)