In Advance of the Landing: Folk Concepts of Outer Space

Rating:
Summary: A Singular book
Review: Curran's "In Advance of the Landing..." is a singular book that explores the mythological basis of the UFO phenomenon. Less concerned with the 'proof' of whether or not UFOs exist, Curran sets out to show that the impact of the belief in flying saucers and extraterrestrials (all of them much more clever and wise than mere earthlings) is pervasive and sits entirely within the continuum of Judea-Christianity beliefs.
A revised mythology for a new technological age is beautifully rendered through Curran's photographs and words.

Rating:
Summary: One of my all-time favorites!
Review: I've read virtually every UFO book that's come out over the past 40+ years, and this remains one of my all-time favorites. I have the original softbound edition, which has become a cult classic and now goes for something like $100. This is more of a sociological document than a UFO book. It perfectly captures the entire spectrum of quirky characters involved in the UFO field, and the photographs are an absolute hoot. I return to this book time and again just for a laugh and to remind myself that there are nuttier people in the UFO field than me. There's nothing condescending about the authors' treatment of their subjects, however. They obviously have a genuine fondness for them -- and you will, too. This is a "must have" for anyone with an interest in UFOs.

Rating:
Summary: A wondrous, kind-hearted compendium of modern seekers
Review: In 1983, as my wife Fayaway and I were travelling through Patagonia, I met a man with a penetrating but pleasant gaze, and an inviting grin, in a small village in the middle of the pampas. We shared a table and conversation for an afternoon, discussing a variety of subjects of common interests. I was myself in Argentina on business about which I was rather reticent to speak: my wife and I were travelling to Lago Lacar in the Andes foothills, following reports of a plesiosaur-like creature, which I then believed (and believe still) to be a gigantic species of the long-necked protozoan _Trachelophyllum_ (Kudo, 1966). I was, however, rather shy about admitting to holding such seemingly daft ideas at the time, but the gentleman had such a convincing and genuine air, such a gentle and open manner, that I soon told him my entire plan, and of my hopes of capturing and naming the creature _Trachelophyllum fayawayi,_ after my wife and companion on this and many other journeys. He never laughed at me, never let slip any hint that he considered my dreams to be less than rational, less than realistic.

Thus do I imagine Douglas Curran, the author of _In Advance of the Landing: Folk Concepts of Outer Space_. Judging from the material in this book, he has a way of drawing people out to discuss their dreams and hopes about outer space and extraterrestrials. These stories reveal individuals who hold that humanity's salvation or doom might live in outer space, and that flying saucers are the craft of any number of entities: angels, devils, saviours or invaders. A skeptic might see these folk as possessed by an obsession, but Curran views them as adherents to a variety of new religions, all taking their cosmogonies from the outer dark. Most of these people find hope and salvation in that darkness. Though it is difficult to pick a favorite, I think that the book's representative figure is John Reeves, the gentleman who was taken on a trip in a flying saucer to Venus, and who subsequently erected an obelisk marking the spot where the spacecraft landed. Those readers concerned only with scientific truth might laugh at such a narrative, but Curran's portrait reveals a man full of conviction and dedication to the cause of informing the world about visitors from outer space. The book is full of such unique individuals, all convinced completely of their own particular truths. Curran's journey across Canada and the United States produced a wide variety of charming, fascinating, and unique portraits of adherents to their a new mythology for the Space Age.

Though Mr. Curran would probably deny it, one of the most interesting characters in this work is the author himself. Driven by curiosity and a sense of adventure, he set out on a glorified road trip to discover what people thought about outer space. In doing so, he came to believe that humans need order and hope, and that many of us look to the stars for these normalizing abstractions. It would be interesting to see what sort of book Curran would produce today, now that alien abductions have replaced hopeful messages from space angels as the most common UFO event. Perhaps Curran could not write such a book, since the most important elements in his character seem to be hope and joy, ideas which are rare in the abduction phase of our vision of outer space. There is a real need for voices like Douglas Curran's, and I hope that this book comes back into print soon.

Rating:
Summary: Classic of modern folk belief
Review: IN ADVANCE OF THE LANDING is a sensitively written and photographed testimony of how far we will go to have something--anything--to hope for. I find myself looking again and again at the pictures and stories of people who labor in workshops or in empty fields building rockets and flying saucers, people who await the landing of extraterrestrials they KNOW are coming soon. This subject is as worthy of serious study as any religion, and you don't have to look hard to see how closely these people's expectations parallel second comings, raptures, and apocalyptic salvation scenarios of better-known religions. As ludicrous as some of the believers are (Ariel, the "queen" of the Unarian religon who dresses like a fairy godmother, a tiara atop her bubble hairdo) I came away with renewed fascination for and frustration at our capacity to believe. An excellent artifact of our times.

Rating:
Summary: A truthful but sad commentary
Review: This is an excellent book which combines good journalism with excellent photography. Once you pick it up its hard to put it down. The book is facinating but at the same time alarming because the people in it are real. Mr. Curran gives an excellent and frank portrayal of the people who hold to the reality of UFO's and their occupants. He presents them, without any judgement, in an accurate a manner as possible. You can clearly see the bankrupcy of their beliefs. It is a sad but truthful commentary of the manner in which a human being can choose to waste his life.

Rating:
Summary: Classic of modern folk belief
Review: This is the most amazing book. It is thoughtful, fun, funny, a beautifully written and photographed record of how far we will go to have something, anything to believe in. I love the pictures and stories of people who labor in workshops or in empty fields building rockets and flying saucers, people who await the landing of extraterrestrials they KNOW are coming soon. This subject is as worthy of serious study as any religion and many times more fascinating. As ludicrous as some of the believers are (Ariel, the "queen" of the Unarian religon who dresses like a fairy godmother, a tiara atop her bubble hairdo)I came away with a new reverence for WHATEVER people believe. As any folklorist knows, what people believe is much more compelling than whether or not what they believe is true. This book is a keeper. I'm so glad to see it back in print.