Read this book

I want to recommend a fascinating new book: The Paranormal Surrounds Us, by Richard Reichbart.  

Not only did I enjoy the book a lot, but I had the honor of writing an afterword for it. But the afterword isn't the reason to buy it. The real reason is the author's in-depth treatment of major figures in literature and psychology, examining their (sometimes conflicted) fascination with the paranormal and how this fascination found its way into their work, often in ways that have been insufficiently appreciated or deliberately downplayed. 

I was especially interested in his discussion of Tolstoy, and how the paranormal crops up at key moments of his masterpiece Anna Karenina, even at the climactic moment. 

The book also features a valuable examination of the work of Jule Eisenbud, the psychiatrist who investigated the "thoughtography" of Ted Serios. Eisenbud's careful work has been misrepresented and lampooned by some militant Skeptics; The Paranormal Surrounds Us aims at redressing the balance. 

Here's the publisher's description:

Shakespeare, Tolstoy, Joyce, E.M. Forster and Ingmar Bergman all made the paranormal essential to their depiction of humanity. Freud recognized telepathy as an everyday phenomenon. Observations on parapsychological aspects of psychoanalysis also include the findings of the Mesmerists, Jung, Ferenczi and Eisenbud.

Many academicians attribute such psychic discoveries to "poetic license" rather than to accurate understanding of our parapsychological capacities. The author--a practicing psychoanalyst and parapsychologist, and a lawyer familiar with Navajo culture--argues for a fresh appraisal of psi phenomena and their integration into psychoanalytic theory and clinical work, literary studies and anthropology.

Excerpts from two endorsements:

"Fascinating and immensely readable, [the book's] sections on literature and culture provide the necessary foundation for building an interdisciplinary bridge, which moves us a giant step forward. ... This book is a must for all students, clinicians, and academics who want to or need to better understand and demystify our 'sixth sense."' —Ira Brenner, M.D., author of Dissociation of Trauma and Dark Matters Exploring the Realm of Psychic Devastation

"Having been immersed in the worlds of both psychoanalysis and parapsychological research, the author constructs a tour de force that coordinates the traces of psi phenomena across these and other disciplines. Moreover, not only has Reichbart written the definitive text on psychic phenomena as a topic of psychoanalytic inquiry, he has written a deeply insightful account of the relationship between psychoanalysis and science. " —Jared Russell, author of Nietzsche and the Clinic: Psychoanalysis, Philosophy, Metaphysics

Although aimed at an academic audience, The Paranormal Ar0und Us is written in a straightforward, highly readable style. I might add that Richard Reichbart is a longtime reader of this blog, so you know he has excellent taste.

So go ahead, buy it already!

Comments

[Rabbitdawg]

Guess I'll get the Kindle version, the paperback is already priced at $45.00.

Of course it is. Michael Prescott reviewed it in his blog. :D

[Roger Knights]

An appearnce on one or more talk-radio shows would promote the book. I Googled for “talk radio guest application” and dozens of places or ways to apply came up; if you Google for that phrase, you will get them too.

A four-hour show that usually gives guests a two-hour segment (40 minutes per hour—the rest is news and ads) is “Coast to Coast AM.” It has a large audience—about three million. It specializes in heterodox topics (including a fair amount of paranormal material). Its downside is its late-night hours: 1 to 5 AM in the East; 10PM to 2AM on the Pacific coast. (But subscribers to the show can listen to it at any time.) Here’s its website: https://www.coasttocoastam.com Here’s its request for guests, on its “Contact” thread:

“Be Our Guest
“Have you ever wondered how to become a guest on Coast to Coast AM? It's easy. Just send an e-mail to the Producer stating your name, phone number, the area of your expertise or the nature of your experience. If it sounds like something worth talking about on Coast to Coast AM, the producer will call you. It's that easy. Write to: CoastProducer@aol.com“

The most desirable guests on any show, I suspect, would have one or more of these qualifications, among others: An academic post; a publishing record; a speaking-to-audiences record; a good speaking voice and a smooth presentation; a “common touch,” and a lengthy period in the field. Reichbart seems qualified.

[Matt Rouge]

Sounds like an awesome book! I will check it out.