Cosmic Test Tube: Extraterrestrial Contact, Theories and Evidence
Randall Fitzgerald

This is a greatly expanded edition of the author's Complete Book of Extraterrestrial Encounters. Fitzgerald, a journalist, provides descriptive summaries of over 150 books on ancient astronauts, UFO contactees/abductees, debunkers and skeptics, and the search for radio signals from space. Publication dates range from 1919 to 1997. Fitzgerald provides introductory context for each of the five topic areas. Books were selected based on their impact on public debate, their contribution to scientific understanding, or their thought-provoking content.

From The Critics
Library Journal

This is a greatly expanded edition of the author's Complete Book of Extraterrestrial Encounters (LJ 11/15/79). Fitzgerald, a journalist, provides descriptive summaries of over 150 books on ancient astronauts, UFO contactees/abductees, debunkers and skeptics, and the search for radio signals from space. Publication dates range from 1919 to 1997. Fitzgerald provides introductory context for each of the five topic areas. Books were selected based on their impact on public debate, their contribution to scientific understanding, or their thought-provoking content. Well-known authors such as Charles Fort, Eric von Daniken, and Carl Sagan are found here, along with those only UFO buffs will recognize. Added features include a "Guide to Books" with one-sentence descriptions of the titles summarized, an eight-page bibliography, and a detailed index. This selective guide to books on UFOs and related phenomena will help interested readers sort out a very complex topic. Highly recommended for most libraries, especially those having the earlier edition.--Gary D. Barber, SUNY at Fredonia Lib.

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A comprehensive reference and an enjoyable read

The Cosmic Test Tube is the best compilation and study of myths, facts, stories and arguments about UFOs I have ever read. The author, Randy Fitzgerald, takes a deliberate approach to presenting both sides and cites about every legitimate work in existence on the subject.


BEST OF THEM ALL

I've read several hundred books in the alien vistiation genre, and this one is the best--I wish I had read it first because it would have saved me hundreds of dollars on those other books and a lot of reading time! It is the most concise, the most stimulating, the most thorough treatment of this subject area I have ever found. It's also the most unbiased in that the author allowed me to make up my own mind without the usual manipulations of other books in this area.


Best all-around Book I've seen

I've looked at lots of UFO-themed books. But they tend to go off in one direction or the other (pro or con) without giving an honest, wide perspective of all the material. Well, Cosmic Test Tube does that in a big way. It could be called the century of ufos, because it covers all the theories and ufo sightings of the 20th century. To do this, it provides descriptions of the most important books on the subject (some hard-to-find). I found it's like having an entire library of the field in one place. I could read about a sighting or phenomena from various points of view. Plus, it contains the author's own ideas and a stunning Roswell chapter that challenges our views on what really happened. I just wish there were more books like this one out there.

Also recommended: The UFO Book by Jerome Clark Link by Walt Becker