The Contactees–A Strange Chapter of the UFO Age

For better or for worse, the American UFO Contactee phenomenon that began in the 1950s has colored many people’s perceptions of UFOs for the past seven decades. The movement itself has been ridiculed for the contact with Space Brothers, and the contactees have become infamous when discussed among modern researchers. However, it’s important to remember that the average person, when pressed, will remember just three contact-related events (if they remember anything at all). These are the Betty and Barney Hill abduction, Whitley Streiber’s Communion, and the Contactee movement, regardless of whether they know any specific names. (The 1953 film The Day the Earth Stood Still lends itself to the  Contactee cause, in a way.)

For those new to the field of UFO research or Forteana, then, Nick Redfern’s 2010 book Contactees—A History of Alien-Human Interaction (New Page, 2010) serves as nifty little primer to the major players of the period. Here, we’ll find George Adamski and his good friend Orthon, Truman Bethrum and the lovely Captain Aura Rhanes, as well as many other cases that are less commonly known. The most interesting thing about the contactee movement is the near-uniformity of the experience. The Space Brothers (and Sisters) tend to look similar—tall with long blond hair, somewhat Nordic in appearance. The message is similar—you’re destroying your planet with pollution and nukes, so cut it out. And so on.

Redfern guides us through these different cases in typical fashion—introducing the subject of a chapter, taking us through their claims, and then discussing other factors—such as the great interest the FBI took in some of these folks. Even to the seasoned UFO veteran, this book is a solid read, given how Redfern compartmentalizes each case he features.

To his credit, Redfern also spends the last few chapters discussing different theories that may explain the Space Brothers and their message. Are we somehow sharing the Earth with them? Are they conscious manifestations of energy? Or is it all a government plot to manipulate the citizenry? Or just a huge con? He presents the cases and lets the reader to decide for themselves.

If there’s a quibble to be had, it’s that Redfern sometimes leans on lengthy quotations, from FBI files to the work of other researchers. It’s a bit of a let down to read a quoted passage that goes on for two or three pages, especially when no additional analysis follows. While Redfern’s desire to showcase these views is commendable, there is such a thing as paraphrasing, which he should have used a bit more often.

Overall, though, Contactees presents us with a solid, largely respectful overview of one of the most maligned aspects of UFO research, and is worthy of a spot on any UFO bookshelf.