The Book of Unexplained Mysteries: On the Trail of the Secret and the Strange
Will Pearson
Oct 2019 · Weidenfeld & Nicolson · Narrated by Peter Noble
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8 hr 16 min
Unabridged
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About this audiobook
Everybody loves a good mystery, and an unsolved mystery is even better. Sometimes, the questions can be more interesting than the answers. The Search in Extraterrestrial Intelligence [SETI] has recently hotted up, with a whole new wave of research going to show that we will always be fascinated by what we don't understand. Was 'The Wow Signal' a radio transmission from deep space? Or was it the resonating frequency of a passing comet?
Often, it can feel as if professional explainers of all stripes want to put an end to anything mysterious in life. But thankfully not everything in life can be nailed down, sucked dry of its secrets and turned into a factoid. Mysteries do still exist - and unsolved mysteries continue to tease us.
The 20 mysteries in this book explore a broad spectrum of strangeness. Some, like the sudden disappearance of the sailing ship Mary Celeste's crew, have gained universal currency. Others - such as the Kryptos Sculpture - are much more recent and less well known. Cryptids like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster teeter on the boundaries of probable and improbable, hoax and reality, fact and fiction. Whether it be the intrigue of lost civilisations, like Göblekli Tepe in Turkey, sensationalist interest in The Zodiac Killer, or the elusive Shugborough Code that neither Dickens nor Darwin could crack, each in its own unique way presents a challenge. Sceptic or believer, the fun lies in probing them.
Often, it can feel as if professional explainers of all stripes want to put an end to anything mysterious in life. But thankfully not everything in life can be nailed down, sucked dry of its secrets and turned into a factoid. Mysteries do still exist - and unsolved mysteries continue to tease us.
The 20 mysteries in this book explore a broad spectrum of strangeness. Some, like the sudden disappearance of the sailing ship Mary Celeste's crew, have gained universal currency. Others - such as the Kryptos Sculpture - are much more recent and less well known. Cryptids like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster teeter on the boundaries of probable and improbable, hoax and reality, fact and fiction. Whether it be the intrigue of lost civilisations, like Göblekli Tepe in Turkey, sensationalist interest in The Zodiac Killer, or the elusive Shugborough Code that neither Dickens nor Darwin could crack, each in its own unique way presents a challenge. Sceptic or believer, the fun lies in probing them.
About the author
Will Pearson ran away from home aged fifteen and joined the Royal Navy. Seven years and two world tours later, he won a scholarship to Ruskin workers' education college, and then read Modern Languages at Oriel College, Oxford. After various careers, Will turned his hand to writing. His military experience and contacts led to a breakthrough book, the best-selling Tornado Down, written with the RAF's John Peters and John Nicol. He has also produced and scripted documentaries and written for the Financial Times, Daily Mirror and many other publications. He lives in London with his wife and two children.
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