A review by monroev1225
Abduction: Human Encounters with Aliens by John E. Mack, Mack
2.0
The first thought after finishing the last sentence was, "Thank god that is finished!". In all honesty, if I could it would be a 2.5, the .5 coming from the last chapter in which Dr. Mack recovers by adding some sanity to the book. I expected this book to be more critical than what it was, especially for a Harvard professor.
The book is compromised of mostly abduction stories and for me 13 was too many. My two qualms about the book were that Mack used hypnotic regression and his insistance on the lack of pathology. Hypnotic regression is at best a controversial technique due to ease of suggestions and the accuracy of the information. Secondly even though Mack says there is no pathology in these patients I would contend a vast majority had life events and traumas in which an abduction story would be something they could believe. Especially the clients who had unfavorable childhoods or had a difficult time fitting in.
I believe that seeing the emotional response of his clients during these hypnotic sessions led Mack to believe there was something more. In fact, he kind of admits to that in the last chapter.
What saved this from a one star rating was he did have a couple interesting points and observations. I have no doubt that the feelings of the experiencers are no doubt real. And most pyschologists that have studied them suggest there is something there. But I am not convinced that this is more than a mental pathology.
If you are looking for a book that gives an objective or critical critique of the abduction phenomenon you can pass this book up.
The book is compromised of mostly abduction stories and for me 13 was too many. My two qualms about the book were that Mack used hypnotic regression and his insistance on the lack of pathology. Hypnotic regression is at best a controversial technique due to ease of suggestions and the accuracy of the information. Secondly even though Mack says there is no pathology in these patients I would contend a vast majority had life events and traumas in which an abduction story would be something they could believe. Especially the clients who had unfavorable childhoods or had a difficult time fitting in.
I believe that seeing the emotional response of his clients during these hypnotic sessions led Mack to believe there was something more. In fact, he kind of admits to that in the last chapter.
What saved this from a one star rating was he did have a couple interesting points and observations. I have no doubt that the feelings of the experiencers are no doubt real. And most pyschologists that have studied them suggest there is something there. But I am not convinced that this is more than a mental pathology.
If you are looking for a book that gives an objective or critical critique of the abduction phenomenon you can pass this book up.