Area 51

An Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military Base

By: Annie Jacobsen

Narrated by: Annie Jacobsen

Length: 16 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

This "compellingly hard-hitting" best seller from a Pulitzer Prize finalist gives listeners the complete untold story of the top-secret military base for the first time. (New York Times).

It is the most famous military installation in the world. And it doesn't exist. Located a mere s75 miles outside of Las Vegas in Nevada's desert, the base has never been acknowledged by the US government - but Area 51 has captivated imaginations for decades.

Myths and hypotheses about Area 51 have long abounded, thanks to the intense secrecy enveloping it. Some claim it is home to aliens, underground tunnel systems, and nuclear facilities. Others believe that the lunar landing itself was filmed there. The prevalence of these rumors stems from the fact that no credible insider has ever divulged the truth about his time inside the base. Until now.

Annie Jacobsen had exclusive access to 19 men who served the base proudly and secretly for decades and are now aged 75-92, and unprecedented access to 55 additional military and intelligence personnel, scientists, pilots, and engineers linked to the secret base, 32 of whom lived and worked there for extended periods. In Area 51, Jacobsen shows us what has really gone on in the Nevada desert, from testing nuclear weapons to building super-secret, supersonic jets to pursuing the War on Terror.

This is the first book based on interviews with eye witnesses to Area 51 history, which makes it the seminal work on the subject. Filled with formerly classified information that has never been accurately decoded for the public, Area 51 weaves the mysterious activities of the top-secret base into a gripping narrative, showing that facts are often more fantastic than fiction, especially when the distinction is almost impossible to make.

©2011 Annie Jacobson (P)2011 Hachette

Not what I exected...but an interesting listen.

I think I was looking for more of the myth factor here. What Jacobsen has done is conducted incredibly thorough research to reveal the truth to a lot of mysteries; truth perhaps not as exciting as proposed by popular media. However, I learned a lot, historically speaking. I also liked that Jacobsen narrated her own work, knowing the hours she must have put into the research.

Hello darkness my old friend!

The most chilling explanation to "Roswell" I have ever heard. What people are prepared to do to each other in order to hold power is horrific. From Nazi medical experiments to Nuclear bombs. Thank-you Annie Jacobsen "We need to Know".

Most thoroughly Footnoted Book I've ever read

Would you listen to Area 51 again? Why?

WARNING: If you are a deeply entrenched Neo-Conservative,you will not like this book. Ms Jacobsen is a liberal academic who does not hide her distain for the Atomic Energy Commission, General Curtis LeMay, or the disinformation spun by the CIA and USAF to hide their "blackest" projects. As a college educated, liberal thinker myself, I found Ms. Jacobsen's passion (both in writing and reading this book) to be delightful! I actually bought the hardcover book because I wanted to see if she verified her information with her sources in footnotes. There are 384 footnotes in the book. I personally only randomly checked out 8 of them, but they were accurate. This book covers many topics from the early Cold War era, some of which are only remotely connected with Area 51.

What does Annie Jacobsen bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Her passionate distain for those leaders who mislead and likely endangered many US citizens in the early days of the Cold War comes shining through in her reading. (-:

Any additional comments?

I thought the theory that she presents on what really happened at Roswell was a bit far-fetched. But she is clear that this is the story of one man who was a source for her. Sometimes you have to be willing to read things like that account and give it some thought. That is the price of having an open mind. Very enjoyable audio book!

The crash victims were Nazi medical experiments??

What did you love best about Area 51?

The clarity of thought and expression.

Who was your favorite character and why?

N/A

What about Annie Jacobsen’s performance did you like?

Her book is well researched, wonderfully written, and she has a great speaking voice.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Two hours of history with a funny ending.

Any additional comments?

Neither of us were at Roswell in the summer of 1947, but my vote goes to Phil Corso (The Day After Roswell) for his portrayal of those crash victims.

Not what I expected

This was a really enjoyable book but kind of a surprise. The expectation when I see an area 51 book is "okay here we go, aliens and conspiracy theories". She gives you some of that but for the most part it's declassified facts and first hand accounts of spy planes. It turned out to be more of a fun cold war book, taking place in the 50s and 60s. If you're interested in the early stealth program, like the A12 Oxcart, this is the book for you.

Mysteries and conspiracies made clear.

This is the best audiobook I have ever listened to. Not only is Annie my new favorite author, it made the book even better that she narrated the entire thing.

Buy this audio book and you will not be disappointed!

Another Excellent Investigative Work by AJ

If you seek answers regarding government agencies, their establishment, history, and declassified activities along with personal interviews, there are a number of authors that must be read in order to put together the full story. Annie Jacobsen’s tireless works are part of this catalogue of factual nonfiction.

Not what I expected but a good book overall.

I was hoping for a few more chapters on the UFO stuff. The book is dense with atomic, nuclear, and experimental air craft testing stuff.

Is it really true? I hope not!

I admire the some of the ingenuity of research, study, and accomplishment at Area 51. I am greatly disturbed about the secrecy implied concerning the Roswell story and even more disturbed and very angry about the lack of morality in the name of science. How could so few make such decisions about human beings and the environment sacrificed. If this is true, I'm ashamed of my country, concerned for this beautiful earth we have been given to protect and appreciate. How can so few make such dastardly and destructive decisions. The book was hard to follow as it bounced back and forth in time and characters. I think perhaps I would be better off not knowing such things about my country, such evil deeds!!! Thanks to Ms Jacobsen for trying to get at the truth.

Very entertaining

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was worried about the quality of the author's narration but was pleasantly surprised.