The UnMuseum - Bookstore

The Museum of Unnatural Mystery, in association with Amazon.com Books, is pleased to welcome you to the books and videos aisle. We've assembled what we consider to be the best books and videos and have included a review to let you know why we think they deserve your attention.

mazon.com, well-known for their discount prices and quality customer service, handles the ordering and shipping of these books.

All proceeds from this store are used to offset museum costs. Order one of our recommended books/videos below and then order whatever else you want from Amazon's catalog to help us out!. Or just order any item by going through our link to Amazon.com, here, and the museum gets a referral fee. It costs you nothing extra!

For the Kids (Children to Young Teens):

Cardboard Submarine by Lee Krystek. When Mike, Melissa and Hector ordered a submarine from an ad on the back for a comic book, they got less, and more than the expected. Robots, flying saucers, space aliens, sunken treasure and pirate looters were in the package too!

The Martian Who Looked Like A Dog Series From the author of the Bunny Stories.

Zebop, the last Martian, finds living on Mars very lonely. So he takes this saucer and flies to the planet Earth. There he disguies himself as a dog. Zebop comes to live with Jeffrey and together with their friends, Brenda and Rex, they have many adventures. Zebop has much to learn about the ways of planet Earth!

#1 Zebop Finds A Friend - Zebop travels 36 million miles to Earth, but will anybody want to be a friend to a fuzzy alien?

#2 Zebop at the Dog Show - What if your dog couldn't learn any tricks? Try as hard as he might Zebop couldn't learn to do a trick for the dog show. Will everybody be laughing at him?

Man of Mystery Hill by Tracy Carbone - Abby McNabb is a typical fourth grade girl. She hates her hair, thinks her mom is too strict, envies her best friend...Oh, and Abby's father is crazy. Andy McNabb is a famous author known for his investigations of aliens, ghosts and all things paranormal. This embarrasses Abby to no end until the day he takes her to America's Stonehenge, a/k/a Mystery Hill ... and for the first time in her life, she sees a ghost, too. Join Abby and her zany father as they explore local New England spooky sites and learn what it means to believe in make believe and trust what you cannot see.

Incredible Earth: A Book of Answers for Kids by Ann-Jeanette Campbell and Ronald Rood - This is a great book for a kid with a lot of questions. "Why is the sky blue?" "If the Earth is round why don't we fall off?" The answers are all in here.You can also buy it for yourself and amaze your family with your knowledge. (Book)

Sasquatches from Outer Space by Tim Yule, Skeptic Yule takes a humorous look at such mysteries as bigfoot, the Loch Ness monster and the astrology. Each section has some simple experiments that can be done to investigate some aspect of each phenomenon. Ages 8 and up. (Book)

For the Rest of Us

Fiction:

Area 51 by Robert Doherty - The author has combined every paranormal story of flying saucers, secret government bases, ancient aliens, Egyptian pyramid mysteries, and Atlantis legends you can think of to create a wild action-adventure story. A must for UFO enthusiasts who like fiction. Great fun. (Book). Area 51 is the first in a continuing series, so if you read it, and liked it, follow the link and look for other great Robert Doherty books. (Books)

Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child - This is only one of a very few works of fiction on our list. Why? First, because it is a great horror story, and second because it is the natural companion to Dinosaurs in the Attic (see General Interest). Mr. Preston, after writing the history of the American Museum, decided to create his own institution and plop a brain-eating monster in the middle of it! It may sound a little silly, but it is one of the best reads I've had in years. A real page turner that will keep you up to the wee hours. Also take the link and look for the sequel, Reliquary. (Books)

The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle - This is the original "dinosaurs are still alive" story written by the master of storytelling, Conan Doyle. Dinosaurs have survived on an isolated flat-topped mountain in South America. An expedition makes the difficult journey into the jungle to find them, only to be trapped in the lost world themselves. Classic SciFi along the lines of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.(Book) Also check out the museum's free classic graphic novel of this famous story here.

Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters - If you are one of the few people who have not yet enjoyed Peter's series on archeologist Amelia Peabody's adventures in Egypt, stat here by reading the first in the series. Peters is a great storyteller and her books never disappoint.

General Interest:

Dinosaurs in the Attic by Douglas Preston - This excellent book takes you on a back-room tour of the American Museum of Natural History. Ever wonder how they get the skin off of those skeletons they display? Read about the flesh-eating bugs! The story also looks at a hundred years of Museum expeditions around the world. Follow researchers as they take their lives in their hands in the hunt for dinosaur bones in China or dragons in Komoto.(Book)

Flim-Flam! Psychics, Esp, Unicorns, and Other Delusions by James Randi and Isaac Asimov - Never be fooled by a fake psychic or a paranormal illusion again! Randi and Asimov explore the tricks of the psychic/ESP trade and expose them. Are the authors right that all supernatural displays are hoaxes? Or are they too skeptical? Covers biorhythm, photos of fairies and ghosts, levitation, pyramid powers, etc.

Unexplained! : Strange Sightings, Incredible Occurrences & Puzzling Physical Phenomena by Jerome Clark - This is a must book for anybody interested in this subject. Well-footnoted and well-written. Covers every subject from Airship to Yowie. I find myself referring to it constantly. Even better now that it has been reissued in a updated version.

Bizarre Beliefs by Simon Hoggart and Mike Hutchinson - Looking for explainations for weird things? Does hypnosis really work? The authors, skeptics on the paranormal, take on UFO's, ghosts, alien abductions, spiritualism and a plethora of other subjects in this well written and humorous book.

Final Seance: The Strange Friendship Between Houdini and Conan Doyle - They were an unlikely pair: the famous magician who spent years debunking the paranormal and the author who championed spiritualism. Read more about their unusual friendship in this volume just released from Prometheus Books.

UFOs:

UFO Abductions: A Dangerous Game by Philip Klass - Klass takes a look at the Alien Abduction phenomenon. Fair warning: Klass is a skeptic and he makes a very good case for his conclusions. If you want a thorough discussion of the subject, though, this is the book to read.

Man-Made UFO's 1944-1994: 50 Years of Suppression by Renato Vesco and David Hatcher Childress - Some people believe flying saucers come from "out there." The authors make a case for home-grown UFOs. Though I can't agree with their conclusions, they have compiled an impressive battery of blue-prints, diagrams and photographs. Did the Nazis develop flying saucer technology at some super-secret base? Did Russia and the U.S. plunder German technology and build their own fleet of UFOs? See what the authors have to say.

Unconventional Flying Objects: A Scientific Analysis by Paul R. Hill - In this book Paul Hill, a NASA scientist, takes the unique approach of examining UFO reports, then formulating several theories about how such craft might work regardless of their origin. Hill is precise, but never too technical. Though originally written in the 70's, it is still very applicable.

The Great UFO Hoax: The Final Solution to the UFO Mystery by Gregory M. Kanon - Here's another approach to the whole UFO mystery. The government is actually trying to get us to believe in little green (or gray) men from other planets so it can blame its own nefarious actions on them. An interesting analysis of the UFO situation, but I think his conclusions are a little too conspiracy-dependent to be true. Still, a good read.

Sharing the Universe: Perspectives on Extraterrestrial Life by G. Seth Shostak - If they are out there, what do they look like? Little green men? Giant bugs with acid for blood? Cute, wrinkled ET's with glowing fingers? Dr. Shostak takes a look at what life beyond Earth (and Hollywood) might look like. Dr. Shostak is involved with SETI, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, and knows what he is talking about. A fun and factual read.

The Bermuda Triangle Mystery Solved by Larry Kusche - This is an update of the classic book by Kusche which really exposes the facts surrounding the Bermuda Triangle and how they were manipulated to create a mystery that really wasn't there. Check Price or Order

Cryptozoology:

The Search for the Giant Squid by Richard Ellis - If you are a giant squid fan, this is the book for you. Ellis's new book is an authoritative look at this real, but elusive, sea monster known in ancient times as the Kraken. Did they really sink ships? How big can they get? Who's trying to catch them today and what luck have they had? Find out from one of America's foremost writers on marine life.

Field Guide to the Sasquatch by Society of Cryptozoology and David George Gordan - Does Bigfoot live? If so, what does he eat? What's his habitat? This volume from the Society of Cryptozoology tries to answer these questions. Partial proceeds from this book support the Society.

The Great New England Sea Serpent: An Account of Unknown Creatures Sighted by Many Respectable Persons Between 1638 and Present Day by J.P. O'Neill. Since 1638 sea serpents have been spotted in the Gulf of Maine off of New England, USA. O'Neill sifts through the dozens of eyewitness accounts, many from sober citizens, carefully documenting the evidence. Is there something out there? Is it a sea serpent, or something else? If there isn't anything, what are people seeing?

Archaeology:

The Complete Pyramids by Mark Lehner - If you find yourself fascinated by the Egyptian pyramids, then this is the book for you. It is the most detailed popular work on the subject I've ever seen. Hundreds of diagrams and illustrations, many in color, help you visualize just how the structures were built and used. Has information on every Egyptian pyramid.

Imagining Atlantis by Richard Ellis - A civilization that sank below the waves in a single night! People have been fascinated with the story of Atlantis for thousands of years. Now Richard Ellis, who wrote some of the fascinating volumes on sea life in our cryptozoological section, takes on the legend of Atlantis. Was Plato just making up this utopian island-state? Or did such a place really exist? And if so, where?

Oak Island Gold by William S. Crooker - Is there pirate's gold buried on Oak Island, Nova Scotia? Or has there been a 200 year-old wild goose chase going on there? At least 6 men have died and several fortunes have been lost trying to find what is at the bottom of the "money pit." Crooker, a Nova Scotia native, goes carefully through every aspect of this mystery from mundane theories to wild speculations and relates an accurate and exciting history of the men and women involved in this on-going treasure hunt.

The Murder of Tutankhamen: A True Story by Bob Brier - How do you solve a 3000-year old murder? With a lot of hard work! Egyptologist Bob Brier combines painstaking research into Egyptian history with an exciting narrative to tell the story of King Tut. Crowned as Pharaoh as a child, dead by age 19 under suspicious circumstances, he was hastily buried in a small tomb while his name was expunged from official records. Did his murderer ascend to the throne and marry Tut's widowed queen by force? Brier breaths life into Tut's mummy in this fascinating work.

Forbidden Archaeology: The Hidden History of the Human Race by Michael A. Cremo and Richard L. Thompson - Did humans like us exist millions of years ago? Most scientists say no, but Cremo and Thompson say "yes." Not a light entertaining read (it reminds me of a college textbook) but may be of interest for some readers. I don't really agree with their ideas, however you may want to draw your own conclusions.

The Sirius Mystery: New Scientific Evidence for Alien Contact 5,000 Years Ago by Robert K.G. Temple - The classic Sirius Mystery has been updated with new information. In the 1970's Temple claimed that stories of an ancient people called the Dogon proved that the Earth had been visited by aliens from the star system Sirius. The Dogons had knowledge that the Sirius system had three stars in it. By the time the first book came out scientists had found a second star at Sirius, now Temple claims there is evidence of a third. The most thought-provoking of the ancient astronaut books.

Maps of the Ancient Sea Kings: Evidence of Advanced Civilization in the Ice Age by Charles H. Hapgood - The book that started the furor over Piri's Map. Piri's Map apparently shows much more than people were supposed know about Antarctica in 1513 when the map was published. Hapgood says the knowledge came from an ancient advanced civilization on Earth before in the Ice Age. The idea is fascinating, but is he right?

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World A well-researched and interesting volume on the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World with excellent illustrations and diagrams to assist the reader in understanding the history and archaeology of these sites.

Disasters:

Why Buildings Fall Down by Matthys Levy and Mario Salvadori - Someone spotted me reading this book and asked what it really was about. Well, there's no metaphor here. The authors recount almost every major structural collapse in history (beginning with the pyramids) and explain why it happened in terms even an architectural layman can understand. You also learn an awful lot about why skyscrapers, bridges, domes and towers stay up. This is one of those books that after you've read it you'll be able to amaze your family and friends with your knowledge. You'll also never cross a bridge again without getting nervous.

Of the Mind:

The Loom of God: Mathematical Tapestries at the Edge of Time by Clifford A. Pickover - This is a book which both makes you think and is fun. Pickover explores the overlap of mathematics and mysticism. I don't always agree with his theological conclusions, but it's a good, mind-expanding read. You'll learn a lot of serious math even if you're not mathematically gifted.

Star of Bethlehem: An Astronomers View - by Mark Kidger- Kidger takes readers through all the theories since medieval times about the nature of the Christmas Star. Was it a conjunction? A nova? A supernova? What do ancient Chinese astrology records show?

Star of Bethlehem: The Legacy of the Magi - by Michael R. Molnar - Molnar, an astronomer, bought a first century coin minted in ancient Antioch. Did it hold the key to the 2000 year-old mystery of the Christmas Star?

The Books and Video Aisle

For the Kids (Children to Young Teens):

The Martian Who Looked Like A Dog Series From the author of the Bunny Stories.