The Men Who Stare At Goats by Jon Ronson

A Journey into the Madness of the Military

The book explores the bizarre and often humorous attempts by the U.S. military to harness paranormal phenomena and psychic abilities for warfare purposes. It delves into the history of the Army's secretive First Earth Battalion, which experimented with unconventional techniques like walking through walls, becoming invisible, and even killing goats by staring at them. Through interviews and investigations, the narrative uncovers the strange intersection of military ambition and New Age ideas, revealing how these unconventional projects reflect broader themes of power, belief, and the often absurd lengths to which institutions will go in pursuit of an edge.