From: ssammy@cs.strath.ac.uk (Paul Sammy 4th Year iE/CES)
Newsgroups: sci.skeptic
Subject: Daniken Summary
Date: 6 Jan 93 10:27:53 GMT
Distribution: sci
Organization: Information Engineering


Thanks to your replies concerning my request for books demolishing 
Eric Von Daniken's claim that humans have been helped by aliens.

I may have missed a few newsgroup postings due to the holiday season.
If so, then I apologies - however, if any new books were mentioned
then would someone please let me know!

Here follows a quick summary of the replies I received. 
(All citation symbols are my own).

Again, thanks,

Paul

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From: "Alan (A.G.) Carter" <agc@bnr.ca>

 > Hi Paul,
 >
 > I know what you're talking about but I can't remember the title or author
 > either. However, I do recall that the author also did a nice little number
 > on the Bermuda Triangle (mysteriously disappeared ships actually busy
 > sailing around the world etc.), and has some involvement with the Society
 > for Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (SICOP, geddit?) that James
 > Randi and Martin Gardner are also involved with, and which publishes the
 > US journal "The Skeptical Inquirer". These data may help as leads.
 >
 > I'll be at home over the Xmas break so I'll see if I can dig up anything
 > (assuming I'm sober enough to remember :-) ).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From:       CSMSPCN@mvs.oac.ucla.edu
 
 > Theres "Crash go the Chariots" By Clifford A. Wilson, perhaps that
 > references the book you are looking for.

also mentioned by

 <phydeaux@cumc.cornell.edu> 
 Ron Evans <evans-ron@cs.yale.edu>
 "John Berryhill"@udel.edu, "Ph.D." <berryh@udel.edu>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Robert Sheaffer <sheaffer@netcom.com>

 > I don't know about that book, but here's what I *do* have:
 >
 >           Erich von Daniken's "Chariots of the Gods?":
 >                     SCIENCE OR CHARLATANISM?
 >
 >        by Robert Sheaffer (Box 10441, San Jose, CA 95130)
 >
 >         (First published in the "NICAP UFO Investigator", 
 >         October/November, 1974. Reprint rights granted to local 
 >         Skeptics' groups.)

(Full text available)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Ed McCreary <mccreary@sword.eng.hou.compaq.com>

 > James Randi's book "Flim Flam" has a chapter on Van Daniken and
 > also mentions the book you are looking for.  I don't have a copy
 > handy so I cannot be more specific, sorry.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Richard Pinch <R.G.E.Pinch@pmms.cam.ac.uk>

 >  Author:         Story, Ronald
 >  Title:          The space-gods revealed: a close look at the theories of
 >                  Erich von Daniken/ Ronald Story
 >                  [London]: New English Library, 1976
 >                  xix,139p; 22cm
 >  Subjects:       Daniken, Erich von, 1935-
 >                  Interplanetary voyages
 >                  History, Ancient
 >                  Man, Prehistoric
 >                  Religion and astronautics

also provided by  "Williams, Thomas Arnold" <EN.FOL@stanford.earn>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: dan.mckinnon@canrem.com (dan mckinnon)

 >      I know there is a book called "Crash Go the Chariots", read it
 > years ago. Also suggest "The Ancient Enginneers" by L. Sprague De Camp
 > as an  informative book on what technology was available, and what they
 > managed to do with it.
 >
 >       Here is part of a post I made recently:
 >
 >     I suggest "The Ancient Engineers" by L. Sprague De Camp. I saw it on
 > a book club list recently, so is still available (Fist published 1960 by
 > Ballantine). Cahpter headings: The coming of the Engineers, then
 > chapters on Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Greek, Hellenistic, Early Roman,
 > Later Roman, ORiental, and European engineers. Discusses the origins of
 > simple machines (ie levers) and building procedures (ie arches), famous
 > and not-so-famous architects and scholars whose ideas contributed to the
 > advancement (ie Archimedes). If you read this, you will understand how
 > much is possible by man, through determination.
 >                  Hope this helps.
 > 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: cflatter@nrao.edu (Chris Flatters)

 > I think that this is
 >
 > 	"The Space Gods Revealed"
 >
 > by Robert (or maybe Ronald Story).  It was published in the UK
 > by New English Library but I suspect that it is long out of print.
 >
 > The section that is alluded to here is actually a translation of
 > an article from the German new magazine Stern.  A magazine reporter
 > interviewed von Daniken's guide to some South American caves where
 > he claimed that alien artifacts were discovered.  It turns out the
 > von Daniken never set foot in the caves that he described.

p00168@psilink.com (James F. Tims) continues:

 > Furthermore, the artifacts supposedly uncovered in the cave, displaying 
 > modern knowledge of anatomy and supposedly advanced surgical techniques,
 > were created by a local artisan who sells them to tourists.  He has a 
 > copy of the Time Life Series on anatomy, or something like that, and he 
 > copies the drawings onto rocks or pots, puts them in the fire to age 
 > them up a bit, then puts the forsale sign on them.  Ironic that EvD was 
 > taken in by an ongoing (no doubt still) and prosperous hoax.  They give 
 > regular tours through this SecretCaveoftheAncients, which is no doubt
 > how Daniken got his picture in front of the cave entrance.  Probably has 
 > claustrophobia and didn't go in, or something.  As I recall, EvD claimed 
 > that he was the first white man (or some such phrase) to whom the cave's 
 > location had ever been revealed.  The investigators found that the 
 > guides were more than willing to admit that it was all for a good show, 
 > and that it was a business they ran to keep the tourists happy.  
 > The put it all right out in the open.  I saw all this on NOVA, I think.
 > They tell everybody they are the first to see the cave -- all part of the 
 > entertainment.  Of course, nobody actually believed it except EvD.

  Also mentioned by

  alanf@tekig6.PEN.TEK.COM (Alan M Feuerbacher)
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