John Fairley

The book of the seminal Yorkshire TV series.

Arthur C. Clarke was a brilliant author and impressive academic, but even though it is very clear that he did not write this book nor the television series from which it was adapted, many people still consider him the author, much as people assume Alfred Hitchcock wrote the stories featured in the series Alfred Hitchcock Presents (in fact it was written by the shows writing staff, made up of dozens of professional writers including Robert Block, Ray Bradbury, and even Roald Dahl to name only a few). Arthur C. Clarke narrated an opening segment and closing epiogue from his home in Sri Lanka and his name added credibility to the project.
There is no Doubt however that the TV series and by virtue the book were hugely successful and sold in their millions. As another reviewer commented, and I can concur, it is one of the most common books to find in a charity shop, and practically every family in Britain has owned a copy of the book at one time or another. I have two! The book came in two formats a, not quite, coffee table book; and a slightly more slim-line, not quite, pocket book version.

Arthur C. Clarke's down to earth scepticism is a sobering conclusion to the often outlandish claims made throughout the series. The book is slightly less objective than the TV series was, appealing more to the occult book collector rather than someone who collects books on debunking mysteries, because from a sales point of view mysteries are more exciting and people would rather not hear the logical explanations anyway.… (meer)