UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the Record

By: Leslie Kean

Narrated by: Heather Henderson

Length: 13 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

An Air Force major is ordered to approach a brilliant UFO in his Phantom jet over Tehran. He repeatedly attempts to engage and fire on unusual objects heading right toward his aircraft, but his missile control is locked and disabled. Witnessed from the ground, this dogfight becomes the subject of a secret report by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency.

In Belgium, an Air Force colonel investigates a series of widespread sightings of unidentified triangular objects, sending F-16s to attempt a closer look. Hundreds of eyewitnesses, including on-duty police officers, file reports about the incident, and a spectacular photograph of an unidentifiable craft is retrieved and analyzed.

Here at home, a retired chief of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Accidents and Investigations Division reveals the agency’s response to a 30-minute encounter between an aircraft and a gigantic UFO over Alaska, which occurred during his watch and is documented on radar.

Now all three of these distinguished men have written breathtaking, firsthand accounts about these extraordinary incidents. They are joined by Air Force generals and a host of high-level sources who have agreed to write their own detailed, personal stories about UFO encounters and investigations for the first time.

They are coming forward now because of Leslie Kean, an investigative reporter who has spent the last 10 years studying the still unexplained UFO phenomenon. Kean reviewed hundreds of government documents, aviation reports, radar data files, and case studies with corroborating physical evidence. With the support of former White House Chief of Staff John Podesta, Kean draws on her research to separate fact from fiction and to lift the veil on decades of U.S. government misinformation. Throughout, she presents irrefutable evidence that unknown flying objects - metallic, luminous, and seemingly able to maneuver in ways that defy the laws of physics - actually exist.

©2010 Leslie Kean (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“This book is bound to set the gold standard for UFO research.” (Michio Kaku, Ph.D., host of Sci Fi Science on the Science Channel and author of Physics of the Impossible)

“I was astonished by the care and precision of Leslie Kean’s research in this terrific book…. her craftsmanship in organization and writing are superb.” (Rudy Schild, Ph.D., Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)

“Kean presents the most accurate, most credible reports on UFOs you will ever find.” (Miles O’Brien, PBS Newshour science correspondent)

What happened to all the good readers???

Note to all potential audiobook narrators: Please, if you are a woman, do not attempt to affect the voice of a man. And men, do not try to sound like a woman. It always sounds so cartoonish. The reader, Heather Henderson, is reading a book here with tons of quotes by several men. Unfortunately, she attempts to imitate the sound of a male voice while reading these quotes. It’s the exact same “man voice” each time, that old Mr. grumpy “Get off my lawn!” voice that apparently men must sound like to women. If you read the quotes with your regular reading voice —male or female—it’s never as distracting as trying to fake the sound of the opposite sex.

A measured approach the the UFO phenomenon

This book has the most detailed and credible take on the UFO phenomenon.

It can be a little dry at points, but the book still managed illuminate a fascinating subject through first hand witnesses and reports from credible sources.

Worth picking up if you're curious about UFOs.

A great “nuts and bolts” intro to the phenomenon for skeptics

Rock solid research from a world class journalist. And what she’s done since publishing this in 2011 (breaking the 2017 NYT and 2023 Debrief UAP cases) prove it. Worth a listen.

Good book, if you like this sort of thing

Overall an interesting listen, with some good stories. I didn't give it five stars because it was read a little dry, but then some of the material is a little dry. In general though I was entertained.

Above anything else I've read on the subject.

Best collection of evidence that something strange and real is going on. A must read for sure.

Too long

Quite a bit of repetition of various cases, I think dropping the duplicates would cut a few hours from this very long book.

interesting stuff

if these interviews and stories are acurate and true it gives you alot to think about. interesting stuff. i enjoyed it.

fascinating but “ draggy”

Excellent compilation of UFO sightings providing a convincing argument for their existence, Fascinating reporting of little known incidents and UFO behaviors that have not been widely discussed. Disappointing disclosures of US denials, especially to the public. Interesting conclusions about US detecting technology (radar) and reluctance to openly consider any possible safety and security issues. My only issue is I felt like the tape was rewinding too many times to make the overall volume an enjoyable read

Very informative

I highly recommend this book if you are one looking for knowledgable info on the Phenomenon. Very informative and well put together. Def worth a credit :)

The Quest of Ufology

I have been researching the topic and mysteries of Ufology for a long time. Never have I read more concise and believable accounts all in one text. Leslie has done a super good job of putting everything in one place, in a manner that states and gives undeniable evidence that something is flying under and above us that needs to be taken seriously 👍