Charles Ginenthal in his “Carl Sagan and Immanuel Velikovsky” tried to correct the unfair treatment of Velikovsky by his contemporaries. Ginenthal points out that Velikovsky predicted many never-before-proposed phenomena about The Solar System (like Venus was very hot at a time when the Venus was considered by main stream scientists to be a planet similar to Earth but possessing a heavy cloud cover). Mainstream scientists scoffed at Velikovsky’s predictions and ridiculed him for proposing them. Later, when space probes explored The Solar System, many of Velikovsky’ predictions proved true. In an unbiased way, Ginenthal clarifies much of what Velikovsky proposed.

Immanuel Velikovsky rocked the scientific community in 1950 with the publication of his “Worlds in Collision.” In that book, he claimed that Venus suddenly appeared in The Solar System dragging a long atmospheric plume along with it and nearly collided with Earth and later with Mars. Because of the atmospheric plume, Velikovsky considered Venus a comet (the word “comet” originally meant having a hairy tail). By profession a renowned psychiatrist, Velikovsky was also keenly interested and well read in many fields. His study of ancient civilizations brought him to the conclusion that some of the irrational myths of early civilizations might not be irrational after all. They might be based on first-hand observation of cataclysmic events no longer occurring, especially the almost universal myths among early civilizations that the planets were gods, had battled in the heavens, and had influenced the destinies of these early cultures. “Worlds in Collision” was followed by “Ages in Chaos” in which Velikovsky claimed that the accepted dates for Egyptian history and Biblical history are out of sequence by several hundred years.

Sixty years ago, The Solar System was compared to a perfect watch. The positions of the planets were considered stable and secure and had been that way for many millennia. “Worlds in Collision” changed public opinion about the stability of the Solar System when it became a best seller almost as soon as it was published. Velikovsky proposed that, during historical times, with humans as witnesses, Venus was ejected from Jupiter, nearly collided with the Earth, then nearly collided with Mars, thereby causing Mars to nearly collide with the Earth.

Influential members of the scientific community immediately and prejudicially rejected Velikovsky’s thesis and went out of their way to ostracize him and refute his claims by any means possible, even dishonesty. Open-minded younger, not yet established, scientists rallied behind Velikovsky and fueled a scientific debate that lasted for decades. Disillusioned, Velikovsky desperately tried to defend his position and tried to explain how he came to his conclusions. Finally, drawing on his professional training, this eminent psychiatrist wrote “Mankind in Amnesia,” proposing that mankind witnessed terrifying and traumatic experiences, the significance of which subsequent generations repressed into their subconscious by redefining them as myths and legends.

Velikovsky died in 1979, still vilified and ridiculed by some very prominent members of the scientific community like Carl Sagan. Velikovsky has been given very little credit by later scientists who wound up making similar observations as Velikovsky, like the Egyptologist David M. Rohl, who proposed that the accepted dating of Egyptian and Biblical history is off by a couple hundred years in his “Pharaohs and Kings: a Biblical Quest,” published in 1995 or like D.S. Allan and J. B. Delair who, in their “Cataclysm! Compelling Evidence of a Cosmic Catastrophe in 9500 B.C.,” proposed that the solar system was disrupted by a huge planet-sized body that entered the solar system from outer space, disrupting the orbits the outermost planets, destroying the planet Electra (now the asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars), disrupting Mars, Earth, our moon, and Venus, before plunging into the Sun. These scientists cite many of the documents cited by Velikovsky, plus, as they say, much new evidence that came to light. Yet they give Velikovsky only minimal mention and they give him no credit at all for having been the first to propose that events like these had, indeed, happened.

How sad for Velikovsky to be denied recognition for his contribution to our understanding, even after he is dead. Ginenthal’s “Carl Sagan and Immanuel Velikovsky” is a much needed book, not only to set the record straight, but also to show how even the best educated people can let their presumptions overshadow their scholarship. Reading “Carl Sagan and Immanuel Velikovsky” will be time well spent.

Ford is the author of the Frank Corso and Leo Waterman series and a master at writing thrillers. Fans of Ford's writing might be disappointed when they find that he hasn't produced a new Corso story but Nameless Night is an excellent stand-alone, conspiracy thriller.

Paul Hardy has been a resident for seven years at Harmony House, a long-term care residential facility for physically and developmentally challenged adults. He had been found near death in a railroad card with the front of his head smashed in. He pushes another resident from the path of a distracted driver but is himself seriously injured. The wealthy driver feels guilty and pays for extensive reconstructive and plastic surgery. With the pressure on his brain relieved, Paul regains his cognitive and speech skills but not his memory. Except for a name, Wesley Allen Howard. Hellen Willis, the residency manager, decides to see what she can find out about Wesley Allen Howard and searches all the Internet search engines she can think of. And then things start to get weird.

The next morning several car-loads of men show up at Harmony House and proceed to terrorize the residents and threaten Hellen.They have badges and ID cards from "National somethingother." Given that they interecepted Helen's Internet searches it safe to assume that they are with the National Security Agency. They want to know why she was searching that particular name. They are also looking for someone but don't recognize Paul after his surgery. Unfortunately, one agent sees Helen mouthing the word "run" to Paul and the chase is on. Paul escapes and begins the search for his past.

You can find many news stories about the governments attempts to extend electronic surveillance you readers won't see the response to the Internet searches as a stretch. I sometimes wonder if government security agents read thrillers like this and consider that arrogance, threats, and bullying might not be the best approach to getting information. Fortunately for thriller writers it is still a workable formula (particularly if you fly). Ford is very good at peeling back the layers of Paul's past and revealing the nature of the conspiracy. The conspiracy itself is contemporary and not unrealistic