Rating: 
Summary: Disapointed
Review: The author gets way of course on various subjects. The book, in my opinion, is a bore. I have read several publications on area 51 and this book was a real struggle. Very little substance and a lot of hype. I couldn't finish it. The silly cover should have tipped me off...
Rating: 
Summary: A History of Area 51
Review: The section of the Nellis Air Force base in Nevada labeled "Area 51" continues to fascinate everyone from lovers of military aircraft to UFO buffs, from Cold War military historians to surveyors of the delightfully weird. The American government's dedication to intense secrecy regarding this "Dreamland" further stokes the curiosity of the public. What goes on at this secret research facility out in the middle of the desert? Why are there signs on the borders of the base stating that a person caught trespassing faces a stiff prison sentence and fine? Are there really strange, unexplained lights in the sky over the base or are these supposed sightings of UFOs just test flights for the next generation of high tech aircraft, like the stealth planes of the last two decades? Author Phil Patton decided to examine the aura of mystery surrounding a base that the American government actually denied existed for so many years. What Patton finds is an amazing blend of Cold War philosophy, pop culture, and UFO lore. The only thing stranger than what possibly goes on in the hangers of this base is what goes on outside the fences amongst a quirky collection of conspiracy theorists, UFO buffs, and aircraft enthusiasts."Dreamland" is first a history about the American military during the Cold War. Patton discusses in detail the atomic bomb tests in the Nevada desert and their effects on the residents in the area, the colossus of secrecy that emerged in these years surrounding military programs, and the developments of various secret aircraft that led to the construction of this air base in the Nevada wastelands. Several chapters intimately describe the Lockheed Skunk Works and its projects in the desert. The reader learns about the SR-71 spy planes, the U2 project and Gary Powers, and the stealth aircraft (which came about because of a footnote in an article written by a Soviet physicist). Patton introduces us to the test pilots who flew the planes over the desert, tough as nails aviators who often died or suffered serious injuries during the course of their work. We meet Kelly Johnson, the penny-pinching head of Skunk Works and the driving force behind several of America's greatest military aircraft. For readers who find a history of military aircraft as boring as I do, Patton spices up his accounts with amusing and intriguing anecdotes about the engineers and pilots who made American air supremacy a reality. The author's visits to various testing grounds, bases, and local towns lend the book an authenticity sorely lacking from many of the accounts concerning America's military secrets. "Dreamland" doesn't skimp on the kooks, either. Patton knows Area 51 is more than a testing ground for military aircraft in the minds of many Americans, recognizing that for many in the business of UFOs, Dreamland is the Holy Grail of all alien encounters. The author discusses the background of the UFO phenomena, writing in depth analyses on George Adamski, Roswell, MJ-12, and Bob Lazar. In what I found to be one of the best parts of the books, Patton discusses how descriptions of extraterrestrial encounters often changed to reflect broader concerns in American society. For example, during the height of the Cold War in the 1950s, some saw UFOs and their alien pilots as harbingers of peace set to deliver America from the threat of nuclear annihilation. In the 1980s, an obsession with sex and the cult of the individual within the larger society brought stories of alien abductions to the fore. An abduction was special because it showed that the aliens chose one person over millions of others, an idea Patton sees as part of the pop psychological influence of talk shows. Overall, the author takes a strong neutral stance about some of the crazy stories floating around Area 51, only sinking to incredulity when the account is so over the top that it begs for ridicule. This makes perfect sense when one thinks about it, for anyone who believes in George Adamski's contactee nonsense has serious problems. Ultimately, "Dreamland" is less concerned about the existence of UFOs than with how these stories fit in with the larger themes of secrecy and the Cold War. Patton does a clever thing with his book; he convincingly argues that Area 51 with all of its mysteries serves as a nexus for America's love of the unknown, its love of technology, and its suspicion of the federal government. Moreover, the author makes a case that the government's mania for classification and secrecy, all in the name of "black programs" and "national security," is out of hand. The idea of "need to know" or "plausible deniability" are certainly not terms one would associate with an open, for the people by the people government we all want. Secrecy too often leads to an "us versus them" mentality incompatible with American ideals about government. I think this critique of the bureaucratization of the national security state is the best argument for reading this book. On a secondary level, the book also works for those interested in how our government constructed advanced aircraft in order to defeat the grim specter of world communism.
Rating:
Summary: The Most Comprehensive Work on the Topic Yet!!!!
Review: The title of this book is a bit deceiving because the reader never actually gets inside Area 51, nor is much detail given about the Roswell Crash of 1947, as is seemingly promised by the subtitle. But this is the most comprehensive account of the development of Area 51 that I have read to date. Phil Patton clearly and thoroughly identifies all the people involved in the history of the non-existent base, from Bob Groom to the Sheahans to Tony LeVier to Glenn Campbell. He gives incredible detail of all facets of the base, describing the surrounding area and former vantage points, and discussing the base's sometimes exciting and sometimes gloomy past. The author literally leaves no stone unturned, and makes you "feel like you're there," as you read. (The pictures help, too!) Though Mr. Patton doesn't satisfyingly unshroud any of the mystery surrounding Area 51, the reader is left with a better and hopefully more educated understanding of the seriousness of the facility and those involved. Thus, this book is a must for anyone considering a trip to the region.
Rating:
Summary: The Most Comprehensive Work on the Topic Yet!!!!
Review: The title of this book is a bit deceiving because the reader never actually gets inside Area 51, nor is much detail given about the Roswell Crash of 1947, as is seemingly promised by the subtitle. But this is the most comprehensive account of the development of Area 51 that I have read to date. Phil Patton clearly and thoroughly identifies all the people involved in the history of the non-existent base, from Bob Groom to the Sheahans to Tony LeVier to Glenn Campbell. He gives incredible detail of all facets of the base, describing the surrounding area and former vantage points, and discussing the base's sometimes exciting and sometimes gloomy past. The author literally leaves no stone unturned, and makes you "feel like you're there," as you read. (The pictures help, too!) Though Mr. Patton doesn't satisfyingly unshroud any of the mystery surrounding Area 51, the reader is left with a better and hopefully more educated understanding of the seriousness of the facility and those involved. Thus, this book is a must for anyone considering a trip to the region.
Rating: 
Summary: Literary, anthropoligical tale of conspiracy, technology
Review: There, buried toward the end, an obscure Poe poem: Dreamland. Earlier: how flying saucers were invented. Physicists who open up to us the very real possibility of parallel universes. Jock pilots overthrown by video-game experts (remembering my own visits to the parlors filled with gawky misfits, about to become Top Gun-like heroes, what a glorious joke). And of course all the wondrous characters and machines that populate, in the loosest sense, this nebulous Dreamland, Area 51. What the professional reviews seem to miss are the surprises here, the pieces of a gem-like puzzle that made me stop, re-read, appreciate, believe. And the respect Patton has for his readers: he lets us discover/no arrogant belief that the mystery and its solution are his alone.
Rating:
Summary: Fascination
Review: This book provides lots of insight as to why people find Area 51 so fascinating, but doesn' really draw any conclusions. Phil Patton interviews every type of person interested in the workings of the Air Force's facility at Groom Lake, from aviation buffs to "youfers," all the while maintaining objectivity. He doesn't seek to judge the conspiracty theorists, but rather gives a basic history of black projects in general and Area 51 in particular. I found it an easy and fun read. If you're at all interested in the United States' most secret military facility, black projects or secret aircraft, this is a good read.
Rating:
Summary: A good read: Covers Area 51 from A to Z
Review: This new hardcover. "Dreamland", is chocked full of chronological and technical details. Taking the reader from the Air Bases and saucer crash sites of New Mexico, to Nevada, and the border of Area 51 itself. Phil Patton leaves little to conjecture, coming through with plausible and concrete explanations for the "lights in the sky" some believe are really Flying Saucers -- while also deftly lifting the veil of secrecy from Area 51, and the "Black Projects" it has spawned.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, a book on Area 51 that is not full of speculation
Review: This very easy to read book is full of factual (did you hear that - factual) information about the history of Dreamland and a LOT more. It puts the whole UFO/Alien base/secret aircraft/etc. topic in a rational perspective. Even for those not interested in the topic, there is a lot of interesting history in this quick read...enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: easy of understandig, very interesting
Review: This was my first english book about this theme. It is so interesting that I read it twice. Very good and many information about A51.
Rating:
Summary: A clever mix of probable truths and speculations.
Review: Very impressive. I was prepared to find poor and sensational journalism, and was pleasantly entranced. Phil Patton's clever mixing of the truth, history, and speculation is a refreshing change from what you could find on the same shelf on an otherwise-tired topic.
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