“The truth is out there, and They Are Already Here:UFO Culture and Why We See Saucers takes you right to its doorstep. Add this sharp, thoughtful book to your collection.”

– Popular Mechanics, “The Best Space Books of 2020 (So Far)”

“Scoles maintains her position as an outsider journalist making sense of the intricate stew of conspiracy theory, spectacle and kitsch. Scoles marries a thoughtful objectivity with a warm subjectivity as she talks to serious-minded UFO report investigators, tour guides for ET sightseers, and movers and shakers in the UFOlogy community.”

– The Washington Post

“Inspired by the U.S. government’s acknowledgment of a program to investigate UFO encounters, Scoles delivers a nonjudgmental, level-headed look at a long-lasting societal phenomenon. Scoles remains an open-minded skeptic, and it’s this objectivity that makes her buoyant survey so delightful to read.”

– Publishers Weekly

"While many authors in this realm rely on sensationalism and avoid fact-checking, Scoles has written the definitive investigation into the origins of UFO culture and its persistence."

– QUARTZ

Sarah Scoles has gone to some pretty far-out places and talked to a lot of extraordinary people. She wants to understand not just the people who believe in UFOs, but why they believe. Scoles deftly explores the human need to believe in something; something beyond us.

– Jill Tarter

"A fascinating journey; the depth of [Scoles's] research is impressive and her curiosity is infectious."

– Booklist

“This engrossing and well-sourced investigation will leave readers contemplating the human condition of ‘universal uncertainty.’”

– Shelf Awareness

“Framed for skeptics just as much as believers…and will also appeal to those of us who enjoy spending time in nature and staring up at the sky. Scoles deftly gets to the heart of what we feel when we think we’ve connected with something sent from the greater universe: whatever’s out there, maybe it wants to know us and be known, and the experience of discovery makes us special.”

– Outside

"Scoles’s biography deftly and entertainingly tells the story of groundbreaking scientist Jill Tarter, whose work has been pivotal to SETI. Making Contact astutely highlights the nuances and challenges of being a female scientist at the time, a heroic achievement in itself. Tarter's story reminds us to keep pursuing answers to pivotal scientific questions, regardless of the ideological barriers."

– Physics Today (Praise for MAKING CONTACT)

"Tarter emerges as both heroic and all too human. To paraphrase the poet Robert Browning, humanity’s reach must exceed its grasp, or what are the heavens for?"

– Nature (Praise for Making Contact)

"Scoles shares the fantastic story of people willing to pursue a quixotic goal in the face of daunting odds."

– Publishers Weekly (Praise for Making Contact)

"Scoles—who has clear affection for her subject—highlights Tarter’s tenacity. A detailed portrait of how the science sausage gets made."

– Science News (Praise for Making Contact)

"An admiring, insightful biography. Scoles has done her homework, so readers will both understand and sympathize with Tarter, who has become an icon and role model despite pursuing a goal she knows she will never achieve."

– Kirkus Reviews (Praise for Making Contact)