New Books and Media

From the publisher’s website: Dr Alex Tanous was a prolific scholar and acclaimed psychic of the latter part of the twentieth century. Having created quite a career for himself internationally, and commanding a great deal of respect amongst scholars and the general public, he spent nearly twenty years as an active researcher, and research participant, for the American Society for Psychical Research. He reached an untimely end in 1990, but established the Alex Tanous Foundation for Scientific Research shortly before his death to preserve his memory and share his research and teachings. Conversations with Ghosts was an idea for a fourth book for Dr Tanous, and it was intended to be written by Dr Karlis Osis and himself, outlining their various investigations of ghostly phenomena while working with the American Society for Psychical Research. The existing short manuscript - of no more than a couple of chapters - was archived by the Alex Tanous Foundation for Scientific Research, and left incomplete. Now, thanks to the Foundation’s support, the book has finally been completed using additional notes and writings of Dr Tanous, and interviews that were conducted with him on his thoughts and theories into ghosts and conscious survival beyond death. Additionally, this book provides not only a first-hand insight into the Tanous/Osis investigations, but also draws on people’s personal experiences with Dr Tanous during his various explorations of ghosts and hauntings. This is a rare insight into the work and mind of a psychic psychical researcher. For further details, visit the White Crow Books website: http://whitecrowbooks.com/books/page/conversations_with_ghosts/

From the publisher: Monograph No. 2 in the AIPR Monograph Series in Parapsychology; Dr. Lance Storm and Dr. Adam J. Rock, editors. This monograph addresses the provision of educational experiences in the field of parapsychology and is designed to meet the needs of both students and instructors. Part 1 of the monograph discusses issues of primary importance to the person who would like to study parapsychology. Topics examined here include motives and misconceptions about parapsychology; and unrealistic expectations and potential benefits of studying parapsychology. Part 2 looks at teaching a course in parapsychology, including the design of a balanced curriculum that maintains critical standards while still accommodating the wide range of students’ interests. The future of the discipline of parapsychology depends on the quality of its educational programs. Accordingly, this monograph, by drawing on many of my own successes and failures in teaching parapsychology, will help to enrich the educational experiences of both parapsychology instructors and parapsychology students.” Harvey J. Irwin, PhD, Adjunct Research Fellow, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia. AUD$25.00 / 105 pages paperback original. The website of the Australian Institute of Parapsychological Research: www.aiprinc.org

From the publisher’s website: For thousands of years, voyagers of inner space—spiritual seekers, shamans and mystics—have returned from their inner travels reporting another level of reality that is more real than the one we inhabit in waking life. Others have claimed that under the influence of mysterious substances, known as entheogens, the everyday human mind can be given glimpses of this multidimensional realm of existence. Using information from the cutting edge of modern science, Peake presents a startling new hypothesis that these “inner worlds” are as real, or possibly even more real, than the “reality” we experience in waking life. As his starting point, Peake examines the widespread historical belief that the mid-brain’s pine-cone shaped pineal gland activates the “third eye” described by mystics and seers. Through careful analysis of ancient religious texts and artifacts, he gives evidence that the spiritual properties of the pineal gland have been embedded in myths and cultures across the globe. Peake then shows that it is through this small organ that we experience lucid dreaming, out-of-body experiences, hypnagogic imagery, near-death experiences, astral travel and the kundalini experience. The book ends with the mind-blowing proposition that all living beings are one unitary consciousness experiencing itself subjectively. This book is genuinely revolutionary and will cause both interest and controversy in equal measure. Its science is watertight as is its logic. Be ready to be stunned – you will never have read anything like this before.

From the publisher’s website: In One Mind, New York Times bestselling author Larry Dossey, MD, proposes an inspiring view of consciousness that may reshape our destiny. Dossey's premise is that all individual minds are part of an infinite, collective dimension of consciousness he calls the One Mind. This state - which we can all access - explains phenomena as diverse as epiphanies, creative breakthroughs, premonitions of danger or disaster, near-death experiences, communication with other species and with the dead, reincarnation, the movement of herds, flocks and schools and remote healing. Dossey presents his theory in easily digestible, bite-sized examples. Through engaging stories, fascinating research and brilliant insights from great thinkers throughout history, readers will explore the outer reaches of human consciousness, discover a new way to interpret the great mysteries of our experience, and learn how to develop the empathy necessary to inspire more love, peace and collective awareness. The result is a rich new understanding of what it means to be human and a renewed hope that we can successfully confront the challenges we face at this crossroads in human history. Even before publication One Mind has drawn praise from the finest minds of our time. It has been heralded as 'landmark', 'a brilliant synthesis', a 'magnum opus', a 'feast' of ideas, 'compelling', 'gripping' and 'a major shift in our understanding of consciousness'.

Review by Robert A. Charman.

From the author’s website: Near-death experiences, or NDEs, are controversial. Thousands of people have had them, but many in the scientific community have argued that they are impossible. Dr. Eben Alexander was one of those people.  A highly trained neurosurgeon who had operated on thousands of brains in the course of his career, Alexander knew that what people of faith call the “soul” is really a product of brain chemistry. NDEs, he would have been the first to explain, might feel real to the people having them, but in truth they are simply fantasies produced by brains under extreme stress.  Then came the day when Dr. Alexander’s own brain was attacked by an extremely rare illness. The part of the brain that controls thought and emotion – and in essence makes us human – shut down completely. For seven days Alexander lay in a hospital bed in a deep coma.  Then, as his doctors weighed the possibility of stopping treatment, Alexander’s eyes popped open. He had come back.

Alexander’s recovery is by all accounts a medical miracle. But the real miracle of his story lies elsewhere. While his body lay in coma, Alexander journeyed beyond this world and encountered an angelic being who guided him into the deepest realms of super-physical existence. There he met, and spoke with, the Divine source of the universe itself.  This story sounds like the wild and wonderful imaginings of a skilled fantasy writer. But it is not fantasy. Before Alexander underwent his journey, he could not reconcile his knowledge of neuroscience with any belief in heaven, God, or the soul. That difficulty with belief created an empty space that no professional triumph could erase. Today he is a doctor who believes that true health can be achieved only when we realize that God and the soul are real and that death is not the end of personal existence but only a transition.  This story would be remarkable no matter who it happened to. That it happened to Dr. Alexander makes it revolutionary. No scientist or person of faith will be able to ignore it. Reading it will change your life.

Review by Tom Ruffles

From the publisher’s website: Did Steve Jobs have a vision of the afterlife on his death-bed? Does quantum physics suggest that our mind might survive the physical death of our body? How do some near-death experiencers 'see' outside of their bodies at a time when they are supposed to be dead? In Stop Worrying! There Probably is an Afterlife, author Greg Taylor covers all these questions and more. From Victorian séance rooms through to modern scientific laboratories, Taylor surveys the fascinating history of research into the survival of human consciousness, and returns with a stunning conclusion: that maybe we should stop worrying so much about death, because there probably is an afterlife.

Review by Tom Ruffles

From the publisher’s website: It began with a key. One afternoon in 1956, in the home of the Hitchings family in Battersea, south London, a small silver key appeared on Shirley Hitchings’ bed. This seemingly insignificant event heralded the beginning of one of the most terrifying, incredible and mysterious hauntings in British history. The spirit, who quickly became known as ‘Donald’, began to communicate, initially via tapping sounds, but over time – and with the encouragement of psychical researcher Harold Chibbett, whose case-files appear here – by learning to write. Soon, the spirit had begun to make simply incredible claims about his identity, insisting that he was one of the most famous figures in world history – but what was the truth? Here, for the first time, is the full story, told by the woman right at the heart of it all – Shirley herself.

Review by Tom Ruffles

From the publisher’s website: The essays in this volume 9 of a series inform readers of the present status of leading issues in parapsychology, or psi research. The authors are experts in their fields and have written in a reader-friendly way that captures the complexity and importance of their topics. Each essay comprehensively reviews a controversial topic from a critical stance, and updates its status based on the latest theoretical and empirical considerations. For readers who need to keep pace with the evolution of thinking in psi research, this volume is authoritative.

Contents:

Introduction: Science and Psi (Stanley Krippner, Adam J. Rock, Julie Beischel, Harris L. Friedman and Cheryl L. Fracasso)   

Tribute to Jule Eisenbud (Stephen E. Braude)   9

The Global Consciousness Project: Meaningful Patterns in Random Data (Roger D. Nelson)    

An Updated Review of Dream ESP Studies Conducted Since the Maimonides Dream ESP Program (Simon J. Sherwood and Chris A. Roe)    

A Comparative Approach to the Theory of Psychopraxia (Lance Storm)   

How Much Evidence Is Necessary to Define the Reality of a Phenomenon? Frequentist, Bayesian, and Quantum Modeling of Ganzfeld ESP (Patrizio E. Tressoldi)    

Operationalizing Psi-Conducive Altered States: Integrating Insights from Consciousness Studies into Parapsychology (Adam J. Rock, Harris L. Friedman and Graham A. Jamieson)    

Physiological Responses as Unconscious Measures of Psi (Edward Justin Modestino)   

Evidence of Psi in Energy Psychology "Surrogate" Treatments (David Feinstein)    

Expanding Psi Research: Toward Wider, Wiser, and More Humane Inquiry (William G. Braud)   

Haunted Farnham, by Peter Underwood From the publisher’s website: This fascinating collection reveals the dark side of Farnham’s history. This idyllic town has seen murders, betrayal and great battles, and these stories remain, trapped within its walls. President of The Ghost Club for thirty-three years, Peter Underwood has been called ‘a giant in psychical research’, and ‘the world’s leading ghost-hunter’. He has personally investigated hundreds of hauntings during his career, and brings his expertise to bear on his home county in this amazing selection of tales. The author explores Farnham's castle and many manor houses, as well as inviting us into his own home and investigating the paranormal occurrences he lived with for many years. The town’s pubs, castle, church, homes and shops are all included here, revealing some extraordinary encounters with the unexplained. With first-hand accounts and more than sixty photographs, this collection will enthral both residents and visitors alike

The Little Book of Ghosts, by Paul Adams From the publisher’s website: Compiled by paranormal historian Paul Adams, this spine-chilling book features intriguing, obscure, and strange trivia about all things that go bump in the night. Here you will find haunted houses and castles, parks and woods, highways and byways, phantom animals, royal ghosts, angry poltergeists and haunted objects. Also included are spooky séances and time slip ghosts, as well as some of the famous ghost-hunters themselves, including Harry Price, Elliott O’Donnell and R. Thurston Hopkins. Anyone curious enough to pick up this book will be terrified and enthralled and never short of some frivolous fact to enhance a conversation or quiz!

Review by Tom Ruffles

Ghosts of Edinburgh, by Rob Kirkup Paranormal Merseyside, by S. D. Tucker Supernatural Wales, by Alvin Nicholas Paranormal Devon, by Daniel Codd From the publisher’s website: Ghosts of Edinburgh: From the murderous cannibalism of Sawney Bean to the bodysnatching exploits of Burke and Hare, Edinburgh has seen its fair share of ghoulish happenings over the years. But does it truly deserve its reputation as one of Britain’s most haunted cities? Along with his fearless team of ‘spook seekers’, Rob Kirkup donned his ghost-hunting gear and took to the streets of Scotland’s capital to find out whether today’s visitors have anything to fear. Might one meet a foul-mouthed poltergeist beneath the South Bridge, or have a close encounter at Edinburgh Dungeon? Should one avoid Greyfriars Kirk at night, or keep their eyes peeled at Bedlam Theatre? From the disembodied voices of Cammo Estate to suspicious sounds at Mary King’s Close, the team really did see it all, and now’s your chance to join them on their quest. Using state-of-the-art paranormal detection equipment, and drawing on his extensive field experience, the author shows us why it’s worth keeping your wits about you in one of the world’s most terrifying cities.

Paranormal Merseyside: Join Steven Tucker on this unique exploration of the myths and legends, and the tales of the fantastic, that are supposed to have happened along the Mersey’s shores. Some are just stories; but others apparently have some kind of truth behind them, from pig-killing poltergeists, to tales of Spring-Heeled Jack, to the ‘great leprechaun invasion’ of 1964. Some are funny, and others are terrifying; claims that both Adolf Hitler and Jack the Ripper were one-time Liverpudlians are nothing more than attention-seeking urban legends. True or not, the tales speak of a population who are interested and engaged in the city and landscape around them. Unless you love a place, why both mythologising it? This book will not only deal with hauntings, UFO sightings and legends from the city of Liverpool itself, though; the surrounding towns and settlements, places like Widnes, Runcorn, St Helens, the Wirral, Frodsham, Rainhill, Southport, Formby, Newton-Le-Willows and Warrington are also included. Supernatural Wales: Wales is a land of ghosts and dark legends, strange animals and unexplained phenomena. From the Abergele Ghost Ship to the Witch Lakes of the Brecon Beacons, Alvin Nicholas takes the reader on a comprehensive A–Z tour.

Supernatural Wales is the definitive guide to Welsh ghosts, hauntings, monsters and mysteries. Here you will find haunted castles and manor houses, mountain spectres and ghost ships. Learn how to track mystery panthers, try your hand at ghost hunting and explore a land of lake monsters, sea serpents, vampires and werewolves. With well over 100 entries, Supernatural Wales covers everything from spooky secret passages to phantom armies and mystery light phenomena. Thoroughly researched, this book includes new information and first-hand research that will lead you to the heart of mysterious Wales. The book includes never before-published OS grid references so you can walk where ghosts walk and stand, if you dare, where disembodied voices are heard and where grim goblins, spectral horsemen and dogs of darkness appear. Sure to delight both armchair enthusiasts and serious researchers alike, Supernatural Wales is packed with fascinating stories and intriguing information that will compel readers to refer to this book again and again.

Paranormal Devon: Devon claims so many classic tales of the supernatural and paranormal: the beckoning White Lady of Berry Pomeroy Castle, the terrifying Whisht Hounds of Dartmoor, the notorious Hairy Hands that wrestle with driver’s steering wheels near Postbridge, and the melancholy story of Jay’s Grave near Widecombe-in-the-Moor to name but a few. But Devon is also a county where mysteries continue to surprise us. Author Daniel Codd has unearthed hundreds of strange tales, old and new, to capture the imagination and to sometimes even chill the blood. Could it really be that a lone Roman soldier’s ghost was spotted forty years ago on the fringes of Okehampton? Did a Hatherleigh man really see the Devil before murdering his wife in 1752? What was the shimmering white figure that stared at drivers from Hardwick Wood, Plympton? Have buildings and even people spontaneously combusted in Devon? Was a ghost actually photographed near Okehampton’s castle? And what to make of the physical encounters with pixies that recent history has presented us with? Not to mention the baffling reports of UFOs, wild men, prowling panthers, mermaids, sea creatures and even werewolves that have turned up in the county… Covering an area from the county’s northern coastline to its southern beaches, Paranormal Devon has been researched and compiled from archive sources, is fully up-to-date and includes many mysterious first-hand accounts and contributions from county folk. Most of all, these thought-provoking reports remind us that Devon, even in the twenty-first century, is still an extremely paranormal county.

Review by Tom Ruffles

A Brief Guide to Ghost Hunting leads the reader through the full process of ghost hunting as well as providing a full history of those that have carried out this activity. There has been an upsurge in books, television programmes, films and websites exploring the reality or otherwise of the spirit world. Not since the founding of The Ghost Club in 1862 and the Society for Psychical Research in 1882 has ghost hunting been so popular. Television and the internet, in particular, have fueled this new level of interest, creating a modern media phenomenon that spans the globe. But while the demand for information is high, good information remains scarce. A Brief Guide to Ghost Hunting leads us through the process of ghost hunting, from initially weighing the first report, to choosing equipment, and investigating and identifying the phenomena, with an analysis of the best places to go looking, methods of contacting the spirit world, how to explain paranormal activity and, crucially, how to survive the encounter. However, it is also a book about ghost hunting itself, drawing on 130 years of research in the cavernous archives of the Society for Psychical Research and even older history to find the earliest ghost stories. A Ghost Hunting Survey makes use of interviews with those billing themselves as ghost hunters to find out their views, motivations and experiences. New and original research makes use of statistics to map the nebulous world of apparitions while a Preliminary Survey of Hauntings offers an analysis of 923 reported phenomena from 263 locations across the UK. This is, as far as possible, an objective presentation of ghosts and ghost hunting. It is no wonder that mainstream science largely refuses to deal with the subject: it is too complicated. Without trying to convince you of any viewpoint, this book is intended to help you understand more.

From the publisher’s website: Sathya Sai Baba, one of India’s most famous Swamis, was one of the most enigmatic and remarkable religious figures in recent times. Millions followed him and accepted his claim of being a modern day Avatar – a God Man. Modern Miracles is the result of four decades of investigation into the apparently miraculous phenomena associated with Sai Baba. It expands upon earlier editions which were published in the 1980s under the titles Miracles are My Visiting Cards and Modern Miracles. There followed translations in 11 languages that resulted in 17 editions. The earlier editions were based on observations and investigations up to the early 1980s. Now, after 30 years and almost two years after the death of Sai Baba, it is time to sum up what has been learnt about this religious and spiritual figure who has had great influence on millions of people, and for whom no match can be found in modern times. The author, Prof. Erlendur Haraldsson, on whose painstaking investigations this book is based, has been a professor of psychology at the University of Iceland and is the author of numerous scientific publications. Unlike many academics he has never hesitated to study interesting phenomena first-hand, and his investigation into the psychic phenomena attributed to Sai Baba is no exception. Haraldsson made many first-hand observations of materializations and had nine face-to-face interviews with Sai Baba during 19 trips to India.