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BOOK REVIEW
BORDERLANDS
Dr. Mike Dash
Random House 1998. Illustrated.
ISBN 0-434-00335-2
Borderlands is a
work which examines a wide variety of paranormal and "Fortean" phenomena. It
concisely discuses (among other subjects) anomalous precipitation (from
fish-falls to "blood" rains), encounters with demigods (ranging from Castor &
Pollox to the Blessed Virgin Mary), cryptozoological creatures, ghosts &
poltergeists, psi abilities, UFO's, SHC and earth mysteries.
The wide scope of Borderlands makes it a good first reference work of the
"paranormal". It's chapter on UFOs details much familiar material, but
manages to cover most aspects of the subject. As a whole, the work is both
reasonably informed and fairly up-to-date. However, on the downside, Borderlands
does not contain an index (but does include a considerable list of references).
Mike Dash admits the majority of these events can be rationally explained, but
also accepts that - even after critical examination - a small residue of
puzzling incidents remain. He also concedes that the physical evidence for most
anomalies tends towards the scarce and ambiguous. As a consequence, he discuses
the possible reasons for this, ranging from such occurrences having a
ultraterrestrial source to other (more prosaic) possibilities.
For UFO enthusiasts, two chapters are of particular interest. The first,
entitled "Hoax", (surprisingly!) discusses instances of fabricated
paranormal phenomena. The second, "Answers From Inner Space", examines the
various physiological explanations often cited to account for apparitions,
possessions and Close Encounter experiences. This covers a variety of subjective
effects, ranging from hallucinations, fantasy-prone personalities, temporal lobe
epilepsy, hypnosis, false memory syndrome and hypnogogic hypnopompic states.
Dash finds all the "popular" explanations for the various paranormal, fortean
and cryptozoological phenomena examined in this work inadequate. Although
sceptical of the "traditional" explanations, he also finds solutions based
solely on psycho-social or physiological factors equally wanting. It is the
author's opinion that a combination of unusual mental states and cultural
expectation lie at the root of many of these happenings.
Borderlands comes to two important conclusions. Firstly, the book demonstrates
that cultural expectations often has a profound effect on both the
interpretation and form of anomalous happenings. It also states that there no
such thing as a consistently inexplicable - or explicable - anomalous
phenomenon. Theories which advocate one specific effect as the explanation for
Every UFO (or apparitional, or Bigfoot) event always encounters instances which
it can account for only with great difficulty. The author believes that only a
multi-paradigm approach is likely to prove viable in the long term.
Although Borderland's critical attitude may not be to everyone's liking, the
majority of critical paranormal/UFO researchers will examine the precepts and
ethos of this work with interest. Given the masses of junk on both UFOs and the
Paranormal which clutter up most bookstores, it is good (for a change) to
encounter a popular work covering this subject in such intellectual depth. Dr.
Dash is to be congratulated on producing this considerable tome, which documents
the diverse happenings existing on the borderlands of consensus reality.
Verdict:- Recommended - a good overview of this topic.
Robert Moore.
originally published in BUFORA
BULLETIN No.8: January-February, 1999).
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