# Is James Burke reliable?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-james-burke-reliable/129127>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 22, 2002, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-james-burke-reliable/129127 "2002-09-22T14:58:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2002, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-james-burke-reliable/129127/21 "2002-09-27T17:23:25Z")

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Totally off the James Burke thing, but if you want the definitive answer on the Bermuda Traiangle idiocy, look up Lawrence David Kusche’s book **The Bermuda Triangle Mystery Solved** from circa 1976. Kusche followed up the reported “mysterious” disappearances in the marine literature, including US Government reports (there was a lengthy inquest into the disappearance of those Avengers – you think the US Government is going to let that many planes go without looking into it?). Most of the losses are grotesquely misreported in the paranormal literature. Some never even existed. One ship was actually in the Pacific when it went down, not the Bermuda Triangle. Well worth looking up.  
As for Burke, aside from that one glitsch I reported above, and the Ussher business, I can’t recall any errors. He seems to have done his homework.

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**Author:** ![ForgottenLore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5e9695/32.png) [@ForgottenLore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForgottenLore)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2002, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-james-burke-reliable/129127/22 "2002-09-27T21:46:35Z")

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[hijack]

Anyone know where I can get the original _Connections_ videos? I watched them when they first aired on PBS way back when, and I more recently purchased the book, but I haven’t been able to find the videos for sale anywhere, not even in the Discovery Store.

[/hijack]

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**Author:** ![evilhanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba8739/32.png) [@evilhanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilhanz)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2002, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-james-burke-reliable/129127/23 "2002-09-27T21:58:42Z")

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It’s expensive, but oyu can get it [here](http://www.documentary-video.com/cart.cfm?vid=500&action=add) for $149.95.

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**Author:** ![Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krisfer_the_Cat)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-james-burke-reliable/129127/24 "2002-09-29T06:37:59Z")

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I question some of his details, like stating that prior to train people didnt move around much, but over all his mainpoints are sound. I think he glamorizes things a bit tho…

I really enjoy reading his books… they give me all sorts of inspiration for more things to read about!

Me just a lowly BS in history… but extremely well read…

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