Russell presents a guide to improving one’s clairvoyance.

The popular media often frames spiritual and psychic abilities as inherent gifts—supernatural powers granted to only a select few, blessed people. But to the author, a self-described psychic and paranormal investigator with 50 years of experience, phenomena like psychometry, dream interpretation, cloud manipulation, and even the attraction of a soulmate are all skills that can be honed by anyone willing to put in the time and effort to learn. “My purpose throughout this book has been to demystify and uncomplicate spiritual workings,” he writes. “Why make something any harder than it has to be?” As described in Russell’s encouraging, conversational tone, communicating with loved ones who have died, casting spells, and divining information from objects do not seem like impossible feats. Each chapter focuses on a particular aspect of psychic ability and the significance of accompanying objects, such as the importance of salt, how to “charge” amulets and talismans, and the many exaggerated stories spun about Ouija boards. None of these skills require any costly investment, and most bear a resemblance to meditative practices involving a familiar, quiet space and getting in touch with one’s inner self. The author is quick to eschew perfectionism regarding how certain ceremonies are performed, and he cautions against blindly adhering to the ways in which purported professionals in his field conduct themselves: “just because someone’s a ‘professional’ psychic, medium, or ‘ghost hunter’ that doesn’t mean that they are correct in either their methodology or in their assumptions about the information they may receive.” Skeptical readers may find plenty of things in the book hard to believe, such as Russell’s anecdotes about divining and providing accurate information to the FBI about a missing person case, controlling clouds, and healing medical maladies in others. But beginners seeking a down-to-earth guide to exploring the paranormal will find much to value.

An encouraging, unpretentious primer for neophytes eager to explore their paranormal skills.

A set of paranormal stories from the life of a psychic.

In this memoir, West Texas native Russell writes that he saw his first ghost at the age of 5, when he awoke to see a man standing in his bedroom—one who mysteriously evaporated after the author started screaming. His parents didn’t believe his story, but he says that the incident opened his eyes to a whole new plane of existence: “He was only the first of many ghosts I would come to see,” writes the author, “the harbinger of the beginning of my psychic, mediumistic, paranormal life, a life lived at the edge of the Veil which separates the seen and unseen worlds.” In this book, Russell offers accounts of some of his interactions with the spiritual realm, from his sightings of unidentified flying objects in the sky above his childhood home to his apparent ability to heal others’ ailments. He tells stories of haunted places—an attic, a stable—and haunted objects, including a toy camera that would spontaneously click its shutter. He also tells of filming a pilot for the History Channel about spirits and psychic energy surrounding the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln and of meeting his hero, celebrity psychic Uri Geller. Russell’s prose has the practiced, rhetorical quality of a skilled storyteller, as in this passage, about a dog toy that has somehow escaped a grave: “There had been no digging, no evidence of any kind of disturbance of the soil whatsoever. And yet here sat that frog toy, so distinctive in appearance, having somehow been teleported through…several feet of densely packed soil.” Russell clearly expresses confidence in his spiritual and psychic perceptions, although one doesn’t get the sense that he feels the need to convince readers of their veracity; as such, skeptics will likely remain skeptical. Also, the overall tone is more like a memoir than a series of ghost stories, and some may find its lack of scares to be slightly disappointing. Still, the book offers an intriguing window into the life of someone steeped in the supernatural.

A sometimes-intriguing but low-key supernatural remembrance.

Russell offers stories and insights from his experiences as a fun-loving, motorcycle-riding medium.

The author writes that he’s been a psychic for more than 45 years, and that he’s had more than 800 paranormal experiences during that time. His account of these brushes with the beyond range from the uncanny to the heartwarming, and according to Russell, they’ve given him unique insight into the world of the supernatural. Over the course of 15 chapters, he takes readers through some of these incredible encounters and relates the lessons he’s learned from them. All but one of the chapters are dedicated to a specific paranormal experience, and the book jumps between different points in Russell’s spiritual journey. They include the story of how “the Other Side” enabled Russell to find closure regarding a personal obsession; the discovery of Abraham Lincoln’s hearse; and mysterious graves in Banana, Florida. There’s even a surreal tale about how he believes that the Other Side answered his curiosity about crop circles through a series of signs. Among the most entertaining accounts in this memoir is of Russell’s first encounter with UFOs,about which the then–20-something psychic was initially skeptical. Overall, the author presents an accessible page-turner, written in a lively but matter-of-fact tone. There are heartfelt and inspiring stories about visitations from the spirits of deceased pets and about entities from beyond offering protection in times of danger, and they strike the reassuring notes that fans of supernatural stories will appreciate. However, Russell’s work is neither solemn nor preachy. Instead, he maintains a lighthearted tone throughout, offering many funny moments. Moreover, he embraces the confusion and chaos of the supernatural, never suggesting that he has answers to every question.

Devout spiritualists and supernatural curiosity seekers will both enjoy this memoir.