Charles Fort was a writer and researcher of anomalous phenomena, essentially a satirist deeply skeptical of claims to ultimate knowledge, particularly from scientists. His distinctive writing style blended mocking humor with penetrating insight and calculated outrageousness. Fort's work often explored the idea that those with a psychological need to believe in marvels are no more prejudiced than those with a psychological need not to believe, highlighting how unconscious assumptions can impede true objectivity. His influence persists today, with his ideas characterizing various anomalous phenomena.
Exploring the bizarre and unexplained, the author delves into phenomena often overlooked by mainstream science. Readers will encounter tales of aliens, monsters, and strange occurrences, such as frogs raining from the sky and inexplicable disappearances. Presented in an accessible format, this special edition revitalizes Fort's pioneering work, inviting modern audiences to ponder the mysteries of the universe and the extraordinary events that challenge our understanding of reality.
Charles Hoy Fort (1874-1932) was an American writer and researcher into anomalous phenomena. Jerome Clark writes that Fort was "Essentially a satirist hugely skeptical of human beings' -- especially scientists' claims to ultimate knowledge." Clark describes Fort's writing style as a "distinctive blend of mocking humor, penetrating insight, and calculated outrageousness." Writer Colin Wilson describes Fort as "a kind of patron saint of cranks" and also argues that running through Fort's work is "the feeling that no matter how honest scientists think they are, they are still influenced by various unconscious assumptions that prevent them from attaining true objectivity. Today, the term Fortean or Forteana is used to describe various anomalous phenomena.