What do you read?

[KS_Mike]

Okay ... just a basic question that requires little thought and little time!!! Seriously, what periodicals, books, etc. do you read regarding treasure hunting - wheter gold, coins, hidden loot, etc. What do you read and why do you read the ones you receive?

Just trying to get everyone's opinion on the various books and magazines out here in TH land.

Thanks

 

[UK Brian]

In the U.K. we have the Searcher and Treasure Hunting as the monthly magazines. One I stopped a couple of years back as the articles had become repeats of what had been published in the past. The other I will not buy again after the subscription runs out for similar reasons. Test reports never tell you what you need to know. Depth and abilities are always overstated.
Books with a few exceptions are not worth the money. I think the last U.K. written book worth the weight of the paper it was printed on is 'Glittering Prospects' by Joan Allen published in 1975. Being pre motion machines it is now outdated but still worth a read (cheap as well).
'History Beneath Our Feet' Brian Read I also enjoyed and was quite good value.
My U.S. books tend to be a little outdated to but I thought some of Charles Garretts books and Robert Sicklers are good.
Most books are not of great use as they are either slanted in the information presented...the writer may live in an area of little or no mineralisation or waits for a farmer to ring each year to say the crops have been cleared and the fields ploughed and rolled so its time to come and pick the finds off the surface. Or the 50% good information is buried in 50% thats wrong or misleading.

Really the internet is the best source of information as no one can say anything without that statement being considered by dozens of other detector users who will either agree or say why they disagree or why the posting does not apply in their area. Then you have the opportunity to try things out and see what really applies in your own case.
Unfortunately we now have the situation that some forums do censor what is published. Bad language/racist comments fine, but brand specific forums often don't like a particular machine being mentioned in anything but glowing terms.
Sorry to have gone a little off topic

Brian

 

[Jim West Pa]

n/t