Area 51: An Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military Base by Annie Jacobsen
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Summary
Myths and hypotheses about Area 51 have long abounded, thanks to the intense secrecy enveloping it. Some claim it is home to aliens, underground tunnel systems, and nuclear facilities. Others believe that the lunar landing was filmed there. The prevalence of these rumors stems from the fact that no credible insider has ever divulged the truth about his time inside the base. Until now.
Honestly, I have a strong interest in Area 51, but this book didn't quite meet my expectations. I only listened to a couple of minutes before deciding to stop because I felt like I already knew more about the topic than the author, and it felt like a waste of my credit. I've read other articles by the author where she shines, especially her piece on the TSA.
When it comes to Area 51 and the world of black ops, the author should have realized early on in her research that she lacked the necessary time and contacts to truly delve into this complex story. If you've already watched the "National Geo Channel" special on Area 51, then you don't really need to read or listen to this book. The author tends to veer off into too much world history and loses focus. Plus, the "National Geo" special was just a rehash of old information with some new visuals and glimpses from recently declassified material, which the author relies on quite a bit in her book.
I'll give the author credit for tackling such a challenging subject, but I've been immersing myself in interviews and writings from retired and former Area 51 employees for the past five years, and I've come to realize that this is a massive, multi-faceted, highly classified topic. We'll probably never uncover even a fraction of the whole story. One clue to finding trustworthy and accurate sources of information is if they use or refer to the term "UFO fever" when talking about witnesses or speakers on the subject. Once someone on the inside truly understands it, their answers become unreliable.
If you're just starting to get interested in the subject, I would recommend using the internet but be very discerning about who you trust. After all these years, I've finally found about three people I trust when it comes to Area 51. Unless you become obsessed with the subject and dive deep into it, you'll never reach a level where you can uncover the beginnings of the truth.
This book doesn't offer anything that you can't easily find online for free. The topic has been extensively covered before, and the book doesn't bring any fresh insights to the discussion.
This audiobook is packed with a ton of information, but let me tell you, it's pretty dull. Seriously, 18 hours? Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the content, but it could have easily been condensed into a more manageable 5-8 hours without losing its appeal. On top of that, the authors have this annoying habit of bouncing back and forth between different subjects. It can get a bit disorienting.
This audiobook was a complete waste of time. When I purchased it, I was expecting a comprehensive history of Area 51, as the title suggests. However, it should have been titled "Area 51: The Art Bell Years, Just Not as Entertaining." Instead of providing factual information, the book mainly focuses on criticizing Americans and portraying them as horrible people. If you're interested in learning history from an extreme leftist conspiracy theorist who lacks proper evidence but has plenty of opinions, then this audiobook might be up your alley. However, if you prefer a more intelligent and factual approach to history, I suggest avoiding this complete waste of time. It's shameful that this audiobook is considered a customer favorite, considering the abundance of great history books available out there.
The author, Jacobsen, does a great job of recounting the fascinating history of Area 51, with a particular focus on the spy planes that took off from there, like the U-2 and A-12 aircraft. As someone who has studied aircraft development, I found a lot of new information in this book that I hadn't come across before. If you're an aircraft history enthusiast, you'll definitely find this book captivating.
The details about the CIA's involvement with the base were also intriguing, although I do have reservations about the accuracy of some of the author's statements and conclusions. Given the secretive nature of national intelligence, it's natural for there to be gaps in the narrative. However, I did find some of Jacobsen's speculations to be a bit far-fetched at times.
In my opinion, having the author narrate her own book was a misstep. While her voice has a somewhat "sexy" and breathy quality that initially piqued my interest, it became rather grating after a few hours. I think the book would have benefitted from a more experienced professional narrator. While it's not as crucial for a non-fiction book like this to differentiate characters through voice quality, there is something to be said for the expertise that a professional narrator brings to the table.
I purchased the audiobook for its content, not for the narration. If I had the chance to do it over, I would have opted for the print version instead. The book contains some intriguing information, but the narration just didn't work for me. I recommend listening to the sample first to see if you can tolerate the author's voice for an extended period. However, the content itself is definitely worth exploring.
The book started off strong, and I was really invested, hoping it would eventually delve into the intriguing Area 51 conspiracies that have become so legendary.
However, I found the accounts of the pilots and staff at the base to be monotonous and, honestly, I didn't think they added much value to the overall narrative.
I'm still in the process of listening to the book, but the increasing amount of factual errors is really damaging the author's credibility. The accounts of the U-2 & A-12 history are engaging, but with so many incorrect details, it's hard to trust that I'm actually getting the true story. If I had known about the growing number of mistakes, I would have made a list. It's quite odd that she claims the death of the Czar caused the Russian revolution. Additionally, she asserts that the first Army air squadron was established at Ft. Bliss, which is incorrect. The army actually had airplanes stationed in Texas City, TX as early as 1912, although it was due to the Mexican revolution. As for the absurd explanation for Roswell in the early chapters, I won't even go there.
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