Picknett - The Mammoth Book of UFOs

A great many people have helped me with this book, especially those who ensured, in innumerable ways, that I had the time and resources to finish it. And there have been some very special people who have kept my interest in the subject of UFOs alive over the years, who also deserve my admiration and gratitude. In particular I would like to thank the following:

Clive Prince, whose enthusiasm, knowledge, loyalty and unique friendship not to mention a heightened sense of the absurd was guaranteed to get me through the bleaker moments. I will always be indebted to him for his very practical support, despite the many other pressing demands on his time.

My late father, Cyril Picknett MBE, for his love, encouragement, and the strange story which took some courage to share of the flying train.

My friend and colleague Dr Stephen Prior, not only for information about UFOs but also his patience, hospitality and great good humour over the lengthy course of my writing this book. Thanks too, to Francesca Norton, for looking after me so well and being such good company.

Nick Pope, for generously supplying information and sharing ideas on this complex and controversial subject.

Craig Oakley, whose unconventional views often helped enormously, and whose infectious humour never fails to lift my spirits.

Albert Budden, for taking time to discuss his hypothesis and supplying me with research material.

Brian Allan, of Scotlands Strange Phenomena Investigations, who generously supplied me with information about the Bonny-bridge sightings, and for his infectious enthusiasm about the subject.

Bob Brydon, for his help, a memorable Hogmanay discussion about the stargate conspiracy and his patience, as this project took up an increasing amount of my time.

In some cases for their extraordinary insights and inspiration and in others for their support and friendship: Geoff Gilbertson; Manfred Cassirer; Marisa St Clair; the late Ralph Noyes; Ken Seddington; Robin Crookshank-Hilton; Georgina Bruni; Peter Brookesmith; Kevin McClure; Lionel Beer; John Spencer; Hilary Evans; Dr Jacques Valle; Maggie Fisher; Professor Archie Roy; Malcolm Robinson; Amanda Nevill; Bob Rickard and Paul Sieveking; Mary Saxe-Falstein; David Bell; Sheila and Eric Taylor; Sarah Litvinoff; Moira Hardcastle and Simon Hinton.

And finally, the enthusiastic and unusually understanding Krystyna Green of Constable & Robinson Publishers, whose non-threatening notes kept me up to the mark, and who worked her magic on terrifying deadlines.

On my first day as Deputy Editor of the weekly publication The Unexplained in late 1979, I was asked which subjects I would like to deal with. As an enthusiast about all matters paranormal and weird, I was only too happy to be spoilt for choice, but finally mentioned I had an abiding interest in Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) and would look forward to commissioning, editing and generally overseeing any articles on that subject. Assuming that I might have to fight for the honour, I was taken aback by the reaction of the team, who by the time of my arrival had already been working on the planning stages of the publication for some weeks. UFOs? said one doughty sub-editor scornfully. Youd like to do UFOs? You wont last two weeks. I was astonished. Was this because of the workload? Perhaps the office was regularly overwhelmed with reports of strange flying craft. Or perhaps I had the look of someone whose psyche was too fragile to deal with case histories of such high strangeness? But no. The sub-editor said, Youll go round and round in ever-decreasing circles. Youll hate it. The big problem is that there are no answers.