The Whitley Strieber Abduction

On December 26, 1985, horror novelist Whitley Strieber experienced an apparent abduction at his cabin in upstate New York. His subsequent book “Communion” became a bestseller, introducing millions to the alien abduction phenomenon and creating one of the most recognizable images in UFO culture—the grey alien face on the book’s cover.

The Author

Whitley Strieber was an established horror and thriller novelist, author of “The Wolfen” and “The Hunger,” when the experience occurred. His literary success gave him a platform to reach audiences beyond typical UFO circles.

The Experience

At his isolated cabin in Ulster County, Strieber awoke in the early morning hours to find himself paralyzed and confronted by strange beings. He was taken from his bedroom and subjected to examination procedures.

The beings included:

• Small, grey-skinned entities with large black eyes
• A female-appearing being with deep blue eyes
• Tall, thin figures

Strieber underwent procedures he found terrifying and incomprehensible before being returned to his bed.

Recovery of Memories

Strieber initially had fragmented memories of the night. Under hypnotic regression with psychiatrist Donald Klein, he recovered detailed recollections of the encounter.

The experience left him deeply disturbed, uncertain whether he had encountered aliens, experienced a psychological episode, or glimpsed something beyond normal categories.

Communion

Strieber documented his experiences in “Communion: A True Story,” published in 1987. The book:

• Spent months on the New York Times bestseller list
• Sold millions of copies worldwide
• Featured the iconic Ted Seth Jacobs cover painting
• Spawned a 1989 film starring Christopher Walken

The cover image—a grey face with enormous black almond eyes—became perhaps the most famous alien image in popular culture.

Impact on UFO Culture

“Communion” had enormous cultural impact:

Mainstreaming Abductions: The book brought alien abduction accounts to mass audiences previously unfamiliar with the phenomenon.

The Grey Image: The cover popularized the “grey alien” appearance, though similar descriptions existed in earlier accounts.

Literary Legitimacy: A respected author treating the subject seriously gave it new credibility.

Public Discussion: Millions of readers considered abduction phenomena for the first time.

Subsequent Experiences

Strieber reported ongoing experiences and communications, documented in sequel books:

• “Transformation” (1988)
• “Breakthrough” (1995)
• “The Secret School” (1997)
• “The Super Natural” (2016)

His interpretation evolved from terror to attempted understanding to something approaching relationship with the visitors.

Skeptical Views

Critics noted:

• Strieber’s career as a horror writer
• The commercial success of the books
• Questions about hypnotic memory recovery
• Psychological explanations for the experiences

Strieber acknowledged these concerns while maintaining the experiences were genuine, whatever their ultimate source.

Legacy

Whether one interprets Strieber’s experiences as extraterrestrial contact, psychological phenomenon, or something else entirely, “Communion” fundamentally changed public awareness of the abduction phenomenon.

The grey alien face from the cover became a cultural icon, appearing in countless subsequent depictions of extraterrestrials. Strieber’s willingness to discuss deeply strange experiences openly helped normalize such discussions for others.