I mention in the side-bar of this blog that I was inspired to put it together by Mac Tonnies' own decision to create a picture-driven blog: Things That Look Like Flying Saucers.
Well, not long before his tragic passing in October 2009, I interviewed Mac for my Contactees book - on his theories that the so-called "Space Brothers" of Contactee lore might actually be ancient humanoids from our very own planet: the Cryptoterrestrials of Mac's book of the same name.
As is the case with all my books, whenever I do an interview with someone, they have to provide a release-form, confirming they are okay about the interview being used in the relevant book. So, after the interview was completed, I mailed a form to Mac, and also sent him a stamped-envelope so that he could mail the form back to me - which he quickly did.
When the envelope and form arrived in the mail, however, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Mac had drawn a typical alien "Gray" head on the back of the envelope. I smiled, and thought: "I'll keep that!"
Then, not long after, came the shocking news that Mac had passed away at the age of only 34. And so, not only did I keep the envelope/drawing, but - as it represents the last contact I had with Mac - it now sits on one of my bookshelves, in its very own photo-frame - a fine reminder of an even finer, and much-missed, friend. And, if you haven't guessed already, that's Mac's drawing above.
That's a good one, Nick. I have a small drawing of his from when he was on Radio Misterioso. It's an alien head too. I think I should probably frame it.
ReplyDeleteNot long after the tragic passing of Mr. Tonnies, some remarkable findings regarding human evolutionary history were published. Employing once unimaginable capacities to obtain genomic DNA sequence data, the evidence (still being debated) suggests that some modern human lineages hybridized with another hominid - Neanderthals. Unbelievable, yet there it stands, a viable, mainstream hypothesis.
ReplyDeleteI have wondered what Mac Tonnies might have made of these findings and how he would have ultimately incorporated them into his uncompleted work on Cryptoterrestrials.
Will someone (Nick Redfern, perhaps) now extend the work begun by Mr. Tonnies? Keeping the questions coming and adapting to new information would be a fine tribute to a man who did just that that...
Thanks for the post and best wishes.
Tyler Kokjohn
Tyler:
ReplyDeleteYeah, there's definitely scope for expanding further on what Mac had to say re the Cryptoterrestrials issue. When you ask if I might do that, it would only depend on if I had something really significant to add to the debate, which - right now - I don't.
Mac's book is, for me, a fine, stand-alone study of the Cryptoterra theory that makes for very good reading. But, taking things further will depend on if (or when) new data surfaces on this angle - which I'm not sure it has yet.
Mac was an interesting guy. I had the pleasure of interviewing him three times, and had way too much coffee with him at a Starbucks on the Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri. Yes, we discussed much that was esoteric, but our only disagreement was on "Blade Runner." Which was better, the movie or the book it was based on, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep." Mac (a big Philip K. Dick fan) picked the movie, I picked the book. It was a shame he had to go so soon. He had a lot to offer.
ReplyDeleteHey Jason
ReplyDeleteAs someone who loathes sci-fi (a few things aside, like The Invaders, Dark City, and The X-Files), I'm probably the worst person to comment on Blade Runner, expect to say I never read the book nor ever saw the film!
Jason:
ReplyDeleteAs a follow-up: you're absolutely 100 percent right, Mac did indeed have a lot to offer. It's a big, big tragedy we'll never get to see it. The bigger tragedy, of course, is that of his family having to cope with his loss - far more important than UFOs, of course.
Cheers mate,
Nick