Secrets of the Unified Field (by Joseph P. Farrell)

[Kappy]

Secrets of the Unified Field: The Philadelphia Experiment, The Nazi Bell, and the Discarded Theory (2008), by Joseph P. Farrell, is an interesting examination at secret scientific research by the USA and the Nazis during the Second World War. Mr. Farrell is a researcher and author specializing non-mainstream theories regarding science and history.

In this book, Mr. Farrell focuses on how Einstein's unified field theory of 1928 was a common link between two of the Second World War's strangest experiments: the USA's "Philadelphia Experiment" and the Nazi "Bell" experiment. The author examines how Einstein's theory arose, why it appeared so promising (especially to the Nazis, for possible weapons application), and why it was abandoned as a basis for engineering experiments after the war. Farrell also looks at the curious disappearance of the technologies associated with Einstein's theory and the two experiments.

The author, refraining from the wild speculations often associated with these subjects, goes into meticulous detail to back up his theories and assertions with documentation, often using photocopies of obscure documents in the book. Mr. Farrell thoroughly explains what led him to believe that Einstein's 1928 theory was useful from an engineering standpoint (and thus used by the USA and the Nazis), even though the theory was incomplete and later discarded.

Part One of the book examines Einstein's unified field theory; Part Two looks at experiments by the U.S. military (intended to create radar invisibility); Part Three analyzes Nazi experiments (intended to produce powerful weaponry).

Mr. Farrell disregards all the "neo-Gnostic nonsense" associated with these events (e.g., time travel, antigravity, dimensional portals, teleportation, and consciousness manipulation) while calmly and systematically making a compelling case for the actual existence of these experiments in a non-sensational manner. However, the book's main strength, i.e., the author's careful attention to detail, occasionally leads to dreary reading; more concise writing might have made the book more interesting, especially for laymen readers.

This book has earned 3 out of 4 stars. Its occasional dull reading is balanced by the author's attention to detail, and by the intriguing questions he presents at the end of the text. The book would earn 4 stars with sufficiently concise writing, and would earn only 2 stars if not for the last few paragraphs.

If you are interested in an unsensational look at unconventional theories of science and secret experiments (especially during World War II), there's a good chance you will enjoy this book. If, however, you have little interest in these subjects, you probably will not like reading it.

[ejcogan]

Good job on the review. I personally would not be interested in such a book, however my husband is an Einstein fanatic and reads a lot about Hitler and the Nazis so I'm glad I read your review because this sounds like the perfect book for him!

[Kappy]

Thanks for the kind words!